Spring 2026: “Media for the Public Good: A California Framework” with California Common Cause
For the Spring 2026 semester, CPF POSC 395 Policy Research Internship students examined how California could design a public interest media system that best serves the needs of communities across the state. They explored institutional forms, governance structures, and funding models that could most effectively advance public interests, especially improved public wellbeing, civic engagement, and equitable access to trusted local information. They analyzed how different regional models support audience connection, community engagement, and wellbeing outcomes, and developed policy recommendations tailored to California’s unique political, demographic, and media landscape. They presented their extensive research and recommendations to our partner, California Common Cause.
Avery Thunder, a senior majoring in Political Science, said this about her research experience:
“I researched policies related to the preservation and support of public media, an issue I’m deeply passionate about. I’m incredibly grateful for the experience, which helped me build hands-on research skills while contributing to work that felt meaningful to me. It deepened my understanding of how public media supports informed, connected communities, and gave me valuable experience working with policy research that I’ll carry forward into future academic and professional opportunities.”
Project: Media for the Public Good: A California Framework
Partner: California Common Cause
USC Students: Shawn Aslam, Lily Citron, Shruthi Nadathur, Dor Peretz, Avery Thunder, and Sameer Wason
Research Question: How should California design a public interest media system, across institutional form, governance, and funding, to best serve the public interest and measurably improve the health and wellbeing of local communities statewide?
Read the group’s full research presentation.
Watch the video presentation on “Media for the Public Good: A California Framework.”