Impressed with the high demand for classroom resources that examine the media, Jhally established the Media Education Foundation (MEF) as an independent non-profit organization committed to producing and distributing educational resources, and to researching contemporary media issues. The Media Education Foundation produces and distributes documentary films and other educational resources to inspire critical reflection on the social, political and cultural impact of American mass media. Fifteen years since its founding, the Media Education Foundation (MEF) is one of the nation's leading producers and distributors of videos and DVDs designed to examine commercial media and their impact on American culture, politics, and identity. MEF documentaries are seen by students, educators, grassroots organizers, healthcare professionals, and parents, used as tools to analyze crucial issues that seldom, if ever, are highlighted in mainstream media. These issues range from how media shape our perceptions of race, class and gender, to how the commercialization of media limits political discussion and simultaneously undermines informed democratic participation.