[Air-l] Cultivating intersections among scholars, advocates, and activists in ICT policy
RG Lentz
rgmagnolia at earthlink.com
Sat Apr 5 05:35:27 PST 2003
Dear AOIR colleagues,
I wanted to alert you to a new, diverse, and dynamic organization in the
field of media reform/media justice and a potentially vital intermediary
among scholars, advocates, and activists in ICT policy. Their website isn't
up yet, but below is their contact info if you would like to learn more
about how to link up with their plans and projects.
RG Lentz
UT Austin
===============================================
CIMA: The Center for International Media Action, Inc.
Catherine Borgman-Arboleda: 646-249-3027, catherine at mediaactioncenter.org
Aliza Dichter: 518-755-1888, liza at mediaactioncenter.org
THE PROBLEM
The mass media and the Internet are becoming ever more central to our
political and social lives, and the stakes are rising. Policy and
technology decisions underway right now will determine media's evolution
for generations. Meanwhile, social-justice values, civil rights efforts and
dissenting voices are being blocked by concentrated and homogenous media.
Journalism itself is endangered by commercial and political pressures --
locally, nationally and globally.
An emerging force of media advocates and public concern could help advance
media policies, practices and systems that reflect the needs and interests
of citizens and communities. But despite a recent resurgence in media
activism around these issues, the collective impact of that work is far
less than the sum of the parts. Too often, advocates, academics, community
groups and (inter)national campaigns aren't aware of --or able to build
upon-- each other's strengths and research. CIMA was founded to help bridge
those information and communication gaps.
THE SOLUTION
The Center for International Media Action (CIMA), a new not-for-profit
organization, has been created with startup support from the Knowledge,
Creativity and Freedom Program of the Ford Foundation to provide strategic
services and tools to strengthen cooperation among media advocacy,
education and reform groups. We will develop and disseminate publications,
curricula, workshops and online information-sharing tools to help groups:
" identify allies and collaborate effectively
" translate key issues for broader audiences
" share "best practices"
" document media advocacy campaigns, projects, strategies and meetings
CIMA seeks to help diversify the participants in media policy debates,
prioritize local initiatives and promote points of engagement for media
advocacy. Initial program work includes:
The Media and Communications Policy Clearinghouse (MCPC): Interactive
online tools to track, centralize and cross-reference news, proposals,
research, campaign strategies and events in media policy from a
public-interest perspective -- developed with participation from
stakeholder groups.
Organizing FCC and WSIS campaigns: Workshops, presentations and materials
about the upcoming UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and
current regulatory debates taking place at the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) and in Congress, focused on translating issues for a wider
audience and highlighting possibilities for action. CIMA recently produced:
"The Reporters' Guide To Media Ownership Rules And The FCC."
WHO WE ARE
Drawing on extensive interviews with media advocates, sector analyses and
strategy conferences, CIMA was founded in February 2003 by media advocacy
organizer and educator Aliza Dichter; communications policy researcher,
activist and media consultant Seeta Peña Gangadharan; and Catherine
Borgman-Arboleda, a nonprofit manager and documentary film producer
specializing in international collaboration projects.
We receive organizational and planning support from our Advisory Committee
(in development): Melissa Bradley (President, New Capitalist), Hil Sherman
(Managing Partner, Mirella Media), Dr. Robert Zuber (Senior Outreach and
Education Specialist, Green Map System) and Malkia Cyril (Director, Youth
Media Council).
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