April 4, 2007 | Read Time: 1 minute
Is increased coverage of the collision of business and “social good” by business magazines such as Forbes, The Economist, and Fast Company good for philanthropy?
Susan Herr, the author of Philanthromedia, says the answer to that question is a definitive yes.
Ms. Herr analyzed the April 9 edition of Forbes and found seven articles that talked about melding social good with turning a profit. Those seven articles accounted for about 20 percent of the magazine’s articles, she estimated.
While some in the nonprofit world argue such coverage puts too much of an emphasis on profit and less on traditional philanthropy, Ms. Herr says she believes it is indicative of a shifting mindset. An increasing number of people, she says, believe that they can make money while also trying to improve the world.
“I’m clear on the fact that my analysis will be faulted by those who believe this coverage is more about profit than good and, transitory or here to stay, is really not about making the world better,” she writes. “Such perspectives baffle me Who can rub her belly and pat her head at the same time? Given two options to make money, is it not possible that folks who have made a lot might select those that does both?”
(You can read more about the recent attention on philanthropy by magazines in the current issue of The Chronicle of Philanthropy.)
How should the news media handle covering the mix of social goals and business? What difference does it make to nonprofit groups? Click on the comments link just below this posting to share your thoughts.
