Davis Media Access

A nonprofit organization

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About Davis Media Access

From seed to root to bloom - Davis Media Access (DMA) has grown an organization, a community and much capacity since its humble beginnings in 1988 as a single public access channel known as Davis Community Television. Now in our 36th year, we’re taking a look at where we’ve been and seeking to grow a bold future and purpose as we move ahead. 

DMA is the media center, which is both a physical space, and a philosophical commitment to a mission and set of values. These are carried out via three main projects: DCTV, DJUSD, and KDRT.  

There is no other nonprofit like DMA in all of Yolo County.  We strengthen community by documenting meetings and important events, and through promoting dialogue and encouraging artistic expression, all while acting as a forum for issues that may otherwise be unaddressed. We’re proud to have been recognized locally and nationally for our efforts to amplify the work of other nonprofits, local government, schools, libraries, and the arts.

This year also marks the 20th anniversary of our community radio station KDRT’s launch. KDRT’s brand of people-powered, grassroots-fueled community radio has had an undeniable impact throughout Yolo County and far beyond that belies its Low-Power FM designation.

General information, as well as links to our annual reports, can be found at http://davismedia.org.



Mission

Our mission is to enrich and strengthen the community by providing alternatives to commercial media for local voices, opinions, and creative endeavors.

Needs

Since launching as Davis Community Television in 1988, the one thing that’s been constant is change. From the early days of cable to the advent of the internet, to media mergers and consolidation--all topped off by a constant evolution in how people both make and view media--DMA has navigated a sea change in the media landscape.

We are thrilled to announce a new partnership with Impact Architects, a nationally recognized firm that partners with nonprofits, philanthropy, and businesses to address complex challenges on a global scale. Impact Architects will provide the framework, methodology and data analysis for Yolo Local, the community information needs assessment DMA is driving.

The firm has worked with public media outlets and universities to evaluate the impact of their programs, and with large foundations including Ford, Knight and the Walton Family foundation to assess the impacts of their giving around engaged journalism. One of their most recent projects was an information needs assessment for the state of Wyoming(link is external).

DMA is not a typical client for Impact Architects, but their approach at the right moment—brokered by Davis resident and Yolo Local advisor jesikah maria ross—yielded an opportunity to be the pilot for a program that Lindsay Green-Barber, founder and principal of Impact Architects, calls a hybrid model.

“Over the past five years of doing local information ecosystem assessments we've learned that the work is best when we have strong, engaged, local partners,” Green-Barber said. ”In this hybrid model, we'll bring our research expertise and strong assessment model, and our local partners will bring their relationships, deep knowledge of people and place. Together, we hope to deeply understand the opportunities, needs, and gaps in information across Yolo County."

DMA manages multiple media projects out of its facility on Fifth Street in Davis, including Davis Community Television, DJUSD.tv, and community radio station KDRT 95.7FM, and works with public and private partners throughout Yolo County. With its historic funding in decline, the organization has been exploring its future strategic directions. One of the project’s goals is to pilot a process that community media centers elsewhere could use.

In late 2023, DMA's executive director led the launch of an exploratory process that started with her curiosity about how DMA’s technical infrastructure and expertise, as well as its deep community connections, might help turn around the decline of locally available civic information. With the support of DMA’s board of directors and staff, she talked with nearly 50 community leaders, raised $25,000, including support from the City of Davis and Yolo County Supervisors Lucas Frerichs and Jim Provenza (former), and branded the project Yolo Local.

Working under a framework that Impact Architects provides, DMA will form a working group for Yolo Local, which will in turn drive the on-the-ground community engagement work comprising a survey, focus groups and listening sessions throughout the county. The timeframe for this is February-September of this year.

Ultimately, Impact Architects will deliver a comprehensive, data-driven report that details how our Yolo community views its information needs, which in turn will drive the next phase of Yolo Local. We know it's critical to take the time to listen to people in an inclusive way, and to get good data. The opportunity to work with IA levels up our project in multiple ways, and we’re most grateful for the opportunity to explore this collaboration.

DMA's leadership estimates it will take another $25,000 to fund the assessment phase.

Equity Statement

Our mission reflects our values: localism, social equality, public participation, media literacy, diversity, and, of course, community media.

Organization Data

Summary

Organization name

Davis Media Access

other names

DMA; Davis Community Television

Year Established

1988

Tax id (EIN)

68-0169922

Mission Category

Arts, Culture & Humanities

Operating Budget

$250,001-$500,000

Organization Need

Funding: Unrestricted, Board Members, Volunteers, Funding: Other

Demographics Served

Individuals with disabilities, Youth & Children, General population

Local Counties Served

Yolo

Equity Statement

Equity Statement

Address

1623 Fifth Street
Davis, CA 95616

Service areas

Davis, CA, US

Yolo, CA, US

Phone

530-757-2419

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