[Air-l] Cultivating intersections among scholars, advocates, and activists in ICT policy

[RG Lentz]

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

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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).