Nonprofit · EIN 39-1777402
CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY INC
Tax-exempt · MADISON, WI 53725
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2025 | 990 | $1,063,259 | $1,033,822 | $29,437 | $2,590,489 | $50,769 | $2,539,720 |
| December 31, 2024 | 990 | $929,660 | $1,079,913 | -$150,253 | $2,561,774 | $51,491 | $2,510,283 |
| December 31, 2023 | 990 | $1,793,730 | $1,073,976 | $719,754 | $2,711,432 | $50,896 | $2,660,536 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $963,456
- Program service revenue
- $0
- Investment income
- $99,803
- Other revenue
- $0
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $0
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $452,468
- Other salaries and wages
- $287,192
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $825,894
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Accounting fees
- $17,035
- Occupancy
- $4,420
- Travel
- $14,835
- Depreciation
- $6,967
- Program services (functional)
- $751,501
- Management and general (functional)
- $140,908
- Fundraising (functional)
- $141,413
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $2,561,774
- Total assets, end of year
- $2,590,489
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $50,769
- Net assets, end of year
- $2,539,720
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $2,199,720
- Net assets with donor restrictions
- $340,000
- Gross receipts
- $1,063,259
- Employees
- 6
- Volunteers
- 8
- Year formed
- 1993
- State of legal domicile
- WI
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ERIC WITTSTEIN | DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Key employee | 40 | $233,687 | $6,040 |
| ARN PEARSON | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer | 40 | $189,050 | $23,693 |
| DAVID ARMIAK | RESEARCH DIRECTOR Highest-paid employee | 40 | $115,250 | $3,383 |
| DON WIENER | WRITER AND RESEARCHER Highest-paid employee | 40 | $101,925 | $0 |
| LISA GRAVES | PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BO YERXA | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| COSMO HARRIGAN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| DEBORAH BEY | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ELLEN BRAUNE | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| GORDON LAFER | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JAN MIYASAKI | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| NANCY MACLEAN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2024: 11 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ERIC WITTSTEIN | DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Key employee | 40 | $227,451 | $5,610 |
| ARN PEARSON | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer | 40 | $185,000 | $23,062 |
| DAVID ARMIAK | RESEARCH DIRECTOR Highest-paid employee | 40 | $113,000 | $23,970 |
| BO YERXA | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| COSMO HARRIGAN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| DEBORAH BEY | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ELLEN BRAUNE | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| GORDON LAFER | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JAN MIYASAKI | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| LISA GRAVES | PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| NANCY MACLEAN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 11 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ERIC WITTSTEIN | DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Key employee | 40 | $222,419 | $5,958 |
| ARN PEARSON | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer | 40 | $180,000 | $19,259 |
| KAREN KIMBALL | STRATEGIC OUTREACH DIRECTOR Highest-paid employee | 40 | $115,663 | $11,010 |
| BO YERXA | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| COSMO HARRIGAN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| DEBORAH BEY | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ELLEN BRAUNE | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| GORDON LAFER | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JAN MIYASAKI | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| LISA GRAVES | PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| NANCY MACLEAN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- PO BOX 259010, MADISON, WI 53725-9010
- In care of
- % DAVID MERRITT
- Principal officer (990 for 2025)
- ARN PEARSON, 520 UNIVERSITY AVE 305, MADISON, WI 53703
- Signed the 990
- ARN PEARSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
- Phone
- (608) 260-9713
- Website
- EXPOSEDBYCMD.ORG
- Return prepared by
- WEGNER CPAS LLP
Mission
CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY, INC. (CMD) IS AN INDEPENDENT, NON-PARTISAN ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO INVESTIGATING AND PUBLICIZING THE HIDDEN INFLUENCE OF POWERFUL SPECIAL INTERESTS ON AMERICA'S MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY, AND ITS IMPACT ON PUBLIC OPINION, PUBLIC POLICY, LAW, AND ELECTIONS.
Program accomplishments
- THE CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY (CMD) IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED WATCHDOG THAT LEADS IN-DEPTH, AWARD-WINNING INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE CORRUPTION THAT UNDERMINES OUR DEMOCRACY, ENVIRONMENT, AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY. THE CENTER PUBLISHES EXPOSEDBYCMD, PRWATCH AND SOURCEWATCH. SOURCEWATCH PROFILES THE ACTIVITIES OF FRONT GROUPS, PR SPINNERS, INDUSTRY-FRIENDLY EXPERTS, INDUSTRY-FUNDED ORGANIZATIONS, AND THINK TANKS TRYING TO INFLUENCE PUBLIC OPINION ON BEHALF OF CORPORATIONS OR THE GOVERNMENT IN AN ENCYCLOPEDIC FORMAT THAT INCLUDES COMPILATION OF OUR ORIGINAL REPORTING. EXPOSEDBYCMD AND PRWATCH PROFILE THESE SAME TOPICS IN THE FORMAT OF DAILY ORIGINAL REPORTING INCLUDING REFERENCES TO RESEARCH COMPILED IN SOURCEWATCH ENTRIES. TOPICS COVERED IN EXPOSEDBYCMD, PRWATCH, AND SOURCEWATCH INCLUDE ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH, ECONOMIC, AND PRIVACY ISSUES. TOPICS COVERED ON EXPOSEDBYCMD, SOURCEWATCH, AND PROJECT WEBSITES IN 2025 INCLUDED VOTING RIGHTS, HATE GROUPS, DISINFORMATION, ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH, ECONOMIC, LABOR, EDUCATION, AND OTHER DEMOCRACY ISSUES.Expenses $751,501
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 31, 2025 | May 15, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2024 | December 31, 2024 | May 15, 2025 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | December 31, 2023 | May 15, 2024 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 39-1777402
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 1994
- Accounting year ends
- December
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Arts, culture and humanities (A33Z)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $2,590,489
- Income (IRS master file)
- $1,063,259
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | December 2025 | $1,063,259 | $1,033,822 | $2,590,489 | XML |
| 990 | December 2024 | $929,660 | $1,079,913 | $2,561,774 | XML |
| 990 | December 2023 | $1,793,730 | $1,073,976 | $2,711,432 | XML |
| 990 | December 2022 | $1,140,052 | $819,340 | $1,991,473 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2018 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2017 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 39-1777402).
Questions about CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY INC
- What is the EIN of CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY INC?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY INC is 39-1777402.
- Is CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY INC tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1994.
- Are donations to CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY INC tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY INC file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY INC due?
- The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY INC last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY INC?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 names ARN PEARSON.
- Who are the officers and directors of CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY INC?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 12 people; 4 received compensation from the organization, the highest $233,687 (ERIC WITTSTEIN, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS).
- How much revenue does CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY INC have?
- On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $1,063,259, expenses of $1,033,822 and total assets of $2,590,489 at year end.
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