Your Future Film Coalition News Digest #2
This week, we cover: the NPR and PBS hearing organized by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, indie films used to promote AI, and more news.
The Latest in Indie Film as of March 27
Public Media Under Fire: In the past two months, political scrutiny of public media has increased. To advocate for additional government intervention in the film industry, this surge to privatize public resources will need to be overcome. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s DOGE subcommittee “Anti-American Airwaves” hearings on Wednesday, March 26 used anti-LGBTQ+ tactics to target specific PBS video segments and NPR news reporting biases on “gender ideology” and “pro-Communist” content. (Note: this subcommittee is separate from Elon Musk’s DOGE.) In her closing remarks, Greene justified her recommendation to “defund and dismantle the Corporation for Public Broadcasting” by recasting the already low levels of U.S. federal support for public media as inconsequential for station operations, despite testimony from Alaska Public Media affirming rural and non-coastal media markets’ reliance on government funding. In addition, in January 2025, new FCC chairman Brendan Carr announced an investigation into PBS under procedural grounds over the practice of corporate underwriting, which rewards entities that subsidize a program with a 15-second spot. In reality, underwriting proceeds often support the filmmakers whose programs are aired, not the stations that air the underwriting spot.
Public media funding and distribution remain critical to audiences of documentary films, especially now when mainstream streamers and networks are pulling back from political, personal, or topical stories in favor of documentary entertainment. This hearing shows a larger antipathy among Republican lawmakers to support public funding for media. This stance could not only affect the NEA Media Arts program that funds many nonprofits in independent film but also illustrates the strong headwinds facing new proposals for broad public funding initiatives, such as a federal tax incentive or a national film board.
AI Adoption in Film: As AI companies expand their relationships with film and television studios via the work of independent filmmakers, an active U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) case provides hints at how the feds might regulate AI in film. Last week, OpenAI screened 11 short films made by independent filmmakers with Sora, their video generation model. Despite the current technological and legal limitations of generative AI models, a study by the Animation Guild and the Concept Art Association estimates that 204,000 jobs will be adversely impacted over the next three years. Meanwhile, the FTC moved forward this month with its scrutiny of Microsoft, particularly its competitive edge in the AI market. When addressing why the agency is scrutinizing big tech companies on Bloomberg Talks with Caroline Hyde, Ferguson walked a fine line between promoting fair competition and a business-friendly marketplace. When Hyde asked specifically about the AI market, Ferguson responded, “It is extremely important we protect competition in the AI space, but I think it is equally important the government not race to regulate AI.”
More on the Top Stories
Federal Threats Toward PBS and NPR
“DOGE hearing on funding for NPR and PBS,” AP, Mar. 26, 2025.
This video is the AP’s Youtube livestream of the full 160-minute hearing. Films, scripted TV, and documentaries weren’t mentioned very often, but stations like NY’s WNET and some programming selections from ITVS’s flagship documentary strand, Independent Lens, were criticized through an anti-LGBTQ lens.
“Feds look into underwriting practices at WBUR and other public media outlets,” Miriam Wasser, WBUR, Mar. 7, 2025.
This recap of the politically-motivated nature of the FCC investigation into NPR and PBS underwriting comes from Boston-based NPR member station WBUR, which also reports that 13 stations, including WBUR, have a March 31 deadline to submit information about their underwriting practices.
Monitoring the FTC’s Actions and AI Stance
“Hollywood creatives urge government to defend copyright laws against AI,” Wendy Lee, Los Angeles Times, Mar. 18, 2025.
As tech executives argue that “fair use” allows them to use copyrighted material to train AI models, over 400 film and television professionals submitted a letter to a White House Office of Science and Technology Policy public comment request. Their letter advocated for the U.S. government to uphold existing copyright protections to prevent AI companies from circumventing established law.“Trump’s FTC moves ahead with broad Microsoft antitrust probe,” Leah Nylen, Josh Sisco, Dina Bass, and Bloomberg, Fortune, Mar. 12, 2025.
While this article focuses on the probe into Microsoft, it includes mentions and brief updates of other active cases against big tech companies that the FTC is pursuing, including into Meta and Amazon.
“What Comes Next at the FTC, After Removal of Two Commissioners,” Duane C. Pozza and Ian L. Barlow, Wiley Connect, Mar. 21, 2025.
This Wiley Law blog post offers a summary of how the dismissal of two commissioners at the FTC may impact existing regulations and what to monitor in the weeks and months ahead.
“ChatGPT firm reveals AI model that is ‘good at creative writing’,” Dan Milmo, The Guardian, Mar. 12, 2025.
Even as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledges that it would be impossible to train AI models without using copyrighted material, the firm continues to develop models that jeopardize the livelihood of creative professionals.
FFC Updates
In the next News Digest, we’ll provide updates from our State Tax Incentives working group on developments in securing dedicated resources for independent films in California.
More than 400 people have offered to volunteer for FFC. Over the coming months, we will continue to reach out to you based on your interests.
If you are interested in joining a FFC working group or volunteer committee, please submit the survey linked below.
What We’re Following
The Case for Government Equity Investments
“One Bold Idea That Could Save California’s Film and TV Industry,” Adam Bhala Lough, The Hollywood Reporter, Mar. 19, 2025.
Lough argues that California should expand beyond tax credits and incentives and make equity investments as a financier or co-financier on film projects. Looking at similar structures in the UK, France, and Canada, Lough posits equity investments in film production could provide a sustainable investment model while increasing tax revenue and job creation in the state.
Filmmakers Organize to Defend Freedom of Expression
“Hamdan Ballal: Oscar-winning Palestinian director attacked by Israeli settlers and arrested,” Lorenzo Tondo, The Guardian, Mar. 25, 2025. On Monday, March 24, No Other Land co-director Hamdan Ballal was attacked and detained in the West Bank. Ballal was released Tuesday with “bruises on his face and blood on his clothes,” per the Associated Press, after 11,000+ global filmmakers signed a change.org petition within 24 hours of Ballal’s detention.
“Miami Beach Mayor Rescinds Proposal to Evict O Cinema and Withdraw Funding,” Celia Almeida, Miami New Times, Mar. 19, 2025. Earlier this month, Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner submitted a resolution to evict and withhold $40,000 in funding from O Cinema, a local art house theater, for programming No Other Land. After 600+ documentary filmmakers submitted an open letter and a large contingent of the local film community spoke out in support of O Cinema, Meiner rescinded the resolution for eviction. The mayor deferred a vote on a second resolution, leaving open the possibility for later censorial pressure from the city commission.
ICYMI
The Center for Media & Social Impact has launched its biennial industry survey, the only longitudinal look at field trends in revenue, funding, distribution, and lived experiences for nonfiction film professionals. The State of the Documentary Field Study is the largest global study of documentary storytellers, and is an essential tool to map and advocate for the future of our industry. If you are a documentary filmmaker, you can take the survey.
“Commerce Secretary’s Proposal to Prioritize Satellite Over Fiber Internet Would ‘Strand’ Rural Communities, Experts Say,” Sarah Melotte, The Daily Yonder, Mar. 26, 2025. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s proposal to focus on satellite connectivity over fiber optic would disadvantage rural communities while offering an advantage to Elon Musk’s Starlink company.
“With 5,700 Movie Screens Shut Down and the Box Office in a Slump, Theaters Are Still Waiting for a Post-Pandemic Comeback,” Brent Lang and Rebecca Rubin, Variety, Mar. 26, 2025. As theaters work to address the 15%-20% decline in audience attendance, owners are exploring several strategies, including revisiting exclusivity windows. As the Entertainment Strategy Guy regularly reminds readers: theatrical distribution benefits a film’s performance on streaming platforms, even when a film under-performs at the box office. “We can’t just depend on studios to provide us with what we need to drive our business,” B&B Theatres CEO Bob Bagby tells Variety.
“NATO No More: Theater Owners Org Renamed Cinema United,” Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, Mar. 18, 2025. In an effort to champion the movie-going experience and reduce confusion with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the National Association of Theater Owners trade organization rebranded as Cinema United.
