Black Public Media

What Black Public Media does

Black Public Media (BPM), founded in 1978 as the National Black Programming Consortium and rebranded in 2018, is a New York-based nonprofit that develops, funds, and distributes film and immersive media projects about the global Black experience on public media platforms. Core operations span three lines: (1) funding independent filmmakers and creative technologists through PitchBLACK (awards up to $150K, cumulative $2M+ since 2015), the Jacquie Jones Memorial Fund, the BPMplus Fellowship, the Carson Center Residency at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and the NCU Fellowship; (2) producing and distributing AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange — the only national broadcast dedicated to African diaspora stories, now in Season 18 with its 100th broadcast — across PBS, WORLD Channel, PBS App, and YouTube; and (3) convening community through Black Media Story Summits in cities including Newark, Durham, Houston, Baltimore, and Minneapolis-St. Paul, plus the PitchBLACK Forum & Awards at The Apollo Stages at the Victoria in Harlem.

BPM's revenue model relies on four streams: individual donations (anchored by the 1.8M Donors campaign starting at $5 contributions), corporate sponsorships (Netflix Premier Sponsor of PitchBLACK, Andscape Trailblazer Award, Sonder Foundation Innovator, PBS Community Sponsor), foundation grants (National Endowment for the Arts $40K award, New York Community Trust Pare Lorentz Fund), and historically federal grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting — which Congress rescinded in July 2025 alongside $1.1B in public media funding, eliminating $1.8M from BPM. CPB was dissolved in January 2026. The organization is led by Executive Director Leslie Fields-Cruz and operates with 11–50 employees from its Harlem headquarters at 8 W. 126th St.

Following the federal funding loss, BPM trimmed talent development programs, suspended the Open Call, placed AfroPoP on hiatus, and released three staffers. The organization has invested more than $17 million cumulatively across projects resulting in 5 Emmy Awards, 14 Emmy nominations, 10 Peabody Awards, 2 Oscar nominations, and 3 Anthem Awards, and supports hundreds of filmmakers. Its competitive position rests on nearly 50 years of operating history, exclusive distribution partnerships with PBS and WORLD Channel, and a closed-loop ecosystem spanning the National Multicultural Alliance, PitchBLACK alumni, and HBCU Week NOW — though the loss of federal support materially compresses operating capacity and forces a strategic pivot toward donor and corporate diversification.

Name

Black Public Media

Legal name

Black Public Media

Website

https://blackpublicmedia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Black Public Media is a nonprofit that funds, develops, and distributes independent film and immersive media about the global Black experience through public television, providing grants, fellowships, and broadcast distribution via PBS, WORLD Channel, and YouTube.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Media Documentary Funding and Distribution

NAICS

Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Broadcasting Production Units & Studios (In-house/Member) (MPABADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Media Digital Platforms & Streaming (Apps, On-demand, Podcasts) (MPABADAG), National Public Television Networks & Member Stations (PBS-style) (MPABADAA), Media Arts & Film/Photography Nonprofits (BPAGAHAJ), Public Media Partnerships & Content Co-productions (NGO/Cultural) (MPABADAN)

Keywords

• Public media funding
• Documentary film distribution
• Immersive media fellowships
• Independent filmmaker grants
• African diaspora programming

Headquarters

HQ city

West New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: BPM relies heavily on individual donor contributions, running campaigns like the 1.8M Donors campaign to attract 1.8 million donors. Donations start as low as $5 and can be one-time or recurring monthly contributions.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors fund specific programs like PitchBLACK. Netflix is Premier Sponsor of PitchBLACK, Andscape sponsors the Trailblazer Award, The Sonder Foundation is Innovator Sponsor, and PBS is PitchBLACK Community Sponsor.
3. Foundation Grants: BPM receives grants from foundations including New York Community Trust's Pare Lorentz Fund, National Endowment for the Arts ($40K grant), and others for specific programs and production funds.
4. Former Federal Funding (Defunded): BPM historically received funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Congress rescinded $1.1 billion from public media in July, resulting in $1.8 million being snatched from BPM. CPB dissolved in January 2026.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Black Public Media is a nonprofit organization that funds, develops, and distributes independent film and immersive media projects about the global Black experience through public television and digital platforms. It provides production grants, fellowships, pitch competitions, and distribution support to independent Black filmmakers and creative technologists, while producing and broadcasting original series like AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange on PBS and WORLD Channel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AfroPoP: Award-winning documentary series about the global Black experience, launched in 2008
• BPMplus
• PitchBLACK
• BE HEARD
• Black Media Story Summits
• 1.8M Donors Campaign
• Black Stories Production Fund
• Jacquie Jones Memorial Fund
• PitchBlack Awards
• PitchBLACK Forum

Products and services

• AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange Doc
• PitchBLACK Forum & Awards Annual pitch competition and awards ceremony for independent Black filmmakers and creative technologists, offering up to $150K in production and distribution funding. Held at The Apollo Stages at the Victoria in Harlem.
• BPMplus Immersive Media Unit Immersive media fellowship program and creative technology support that advances Black participation in emerging tech storytelling (XR, VR, AR, interactive media). Includes dedicated fellowships, residencies, and education programs.
• Jacquie Jones Memorial Fund Memorial fund supporting documentary filmmaking, with awards such as the $350K Jacquie Jones Memorial Fund award given to select documentary directors. Targeted at supporting Black documentary filmmakers.
• HBCU Week NOW Student Film Festival Annual student film festival showcasing films by students and recent graduates of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, with submissions accepted through the HBCU Week NOW Open Call. Inaugural virtual festival premiered January 27, 2026.
• Carson Center Residency Residency program at the Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln supporting immersive, interactive, and emerging media projects from Black creative technologists.
• BPMplus Fellowship Fellowship program under BPMplus designed to increase Black participation in emerging tech storytelling, supporting creative technologists working with XR, VR, AR, and other immersive technologies.
• NCU Fellowship Nonso Christian Ugbode Fellowship supporting emerging media creators with mentorship and resources for XR, interactive, and emerging media projects.
• BPM Open Call (Production Funding) Open call program accepting applications for film and immersive media project funding, with reviews conducted by panels including National Multicultural Alliance member organization representatives.
• The Incubator (Professional Development) Professional development program for Black media makers providing mentorship, boot camps, and pitch preparation support to advance projects through development and production.
• 1.8M Donors Campaign / Black Stories Production Fund Fundraising campaign mobilizing 1.8 million individual donors to support the Black Stories Production Fund, which finances Black-led media projects at BPM's discretion. Contributions start at $5, one-time or recurring monthly.
• Black Media Story Summits Regional and national convenings held in cities including Newark, Durham, Houston, Baltimore, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and virtual national summit, connecting Black media makers with local leaders and community organizers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $2 million invested through PitchBLACK awards since 2015
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• WORLD Channel (formerly WGBH)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 2 June 2026WORLD Channel was BPM's presenting partner for AfroPoP for over a decade before WGBH dismantled the marketing and production teams.
• Agog (The Immersive Media Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026Agog partnered with BPM as part of its ecosystem of support for creators and nonprofits using immersive media for social good. BPM is mentioned as one of the creator labs, incubators, and distribution initiatives that Agog works with.
• PHIcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026PHI is listed as one of Agog's creator labs, incubators, and distribution initiatives that form the ecosystem supporting immersive media for social good.
• Electric SouthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026Electric South is listed as one of Agog's creator labs, incubators, and distribution initiatives.
• Reality Hack at MITcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026Reality Hack at MIT is listed as one of Agog's creator labs, incubators, and distribution initiatives.
• WORLDINGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026WORLDING is listed as one of Agog's creator labs, incubators, and distribution initiatives.
• NetflixcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 April 2026Netflix is the Premier Sponsor of PitchBLACK, supporting the largest pitch competition for independent Black filmmakers and creative technologists.
• PBScoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 April 2026PBS is the PitchBLACK Community Sponsor and major distribution partner, broadcasting AfroPoP series and BPM-funded documentaries.
• AndscapemajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 April 2026Andscape is the Trailblazer Award sponsor for 2026, helping BPM honor extraordinary media makers.
• The Sonder FoundationmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 April 2026The Sonder Foundation is the Innovator Sponsor of PitchBLACK.
• Maryland Public TelevisioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 January 2026Partner with BPM and HBCU Week NOW team for the inaugural HBCU Week NOW Student Film Festival.
• National Multicultural Alliance (NMCA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2026BPM is a member of NMCA, a coalition of five organizations (including CAAM, Latino Public Broadcasting, Pacific Islanders in Communications, and Vision Maker Media) working to bring compelling American stories to public media.
• Latino Public BroadcastingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 January 2026Co-presenter with BPM of American Sons broadcast premiere.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/blkpublicmedia
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC1VOZO5xUSQ1YmjwGw1Xstw
• Facebookfacebook.com/BlackPublicMedia
• Instagraminstagram.com/blackpublicmedia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/black-public-media

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Black Public Media