MEDIA DEMOCRACY

“A free and vibrant media, full of diverse and competing voices, is the lifeblood of America’s democracy and culture, as well as an engine of growth for its economy. Yet, in recent years, massive and unprecedented corporate consolidation has dangerously contracted the number of voices in our nation’s media. While some argue we live in an age of unprecedented diversity in media, the reality is that the vast majority of America’s news and entertainment is now commercially-produced, delivered, and controlled by a handful of giant media conglomerates seeking to minimize competition and maximize corporate profits rather than maximize competition and promote the public interest.”

~ The Bill of Media Rights

What is a grassroots strategy for achieving a vibrant media system in a democracy -- as opposed to a political and regulatory one? A grassroots media strategy is one that builds an independent, community-driven media infrastructure and contests for significant distribution. The Media Democracy Conference will provide an opportunity to address the questions of how to conceive of a democratic media vision, and how to take practical steps to achieve it. This conference is a project of Workers Independent News (WIN) and WORT 89.9FM Community Radio.