And the Winners Are …
Last week’s PitchBLACK program was outstanding! If you were lucky enough to be there for both events, you know what I’m talking about …
It’s Time to Pitchblack
By the time you read this, PitchBLACK 2026 will already be underway. Ten teams, pitching 10 projects and hoping to win up to $150K.
Pitchin’ Ain’t Easy
I recently attended a comedy pitch fest that included two of BPM’s former fellows. … It reminded me that pitchin’ain’t easy.
Saluting Our Trailblazers
Creating new pathways is ardous work. Creating a path for others to traverse — and continue to improve — is even more grueling..
Last Chance to Save on PitchBLACK Tix
Today is your last chance to purchase Earlybird PitchBLACK Awards tickets at a 50% discount. Don’t miss this opportunity to save.
Elevating Women’s Voices in Media
We are in a moment when women’s voices are openly dismissed and their contributions quietly erased. … This is why women in media matter.
Filling the Herstory Void
This month, we salute Angela Tucker and other filmmakers who are filling the herstory void by making films like “The Inquisitor.”
Speaking Truth to Power
MARCH 5, 2026 BLACK PUBLIC MEDIA WEEKLY DISPATCH By Leslie Fields-Cruz Last week, I was honored to sit on the 2026 international INPUT selection committee. We met in Warsaw, Poland. In this role, I had a chance to see a lot of different types of programs from around the world — all made by public […]
Change is Hard
FEBRUARY 24, 2026 BLACK PUBLIC MEDIA WEEKLY DISPATCH By Leslie Fields-Cruz Change is inevitable. Substantive change is very hard. But some strategies make it easier than others. As our industry adjusts to new realities, I implore us to ensure the voices and contributions of independent media makers are heard. I grew up in Southern California […]
Love Lessons from the ‘Benito Bowl’
Mixing art and love in contentious times Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that. — Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. talked constantly about the enduring power of love to conquer hate. Last weekend’s “Benito […]