Media
Building a media justice & communications rights movement
How to reform the media?
Authors:
R. Kulick
Publisher:
Center for International Media Action, 2006
This document brings together findings of a survey which compiled different ideas and perspectives from media activists and advocates about the state of media reform, communication rights and media justice efforts.
The primary recommendations that emerged from the survey are for advocates, activists, and organisations seeking to build a strong movement to develop alliances and networks at the local, regional, national, and international level to ensure long-range planning, coordination, action, and accountability across constituencies.
The main recommendations include:
- the dissatisfaction with the current media systems should be capitalised to bring individuals and groups together to discuss and envision what a just and inclusive media system might look like
- the development and expansion of local, regional, national, and international media change and justice networks are key for generating momentum and innovative strategies to challenge and transform the current media system
- it is important to support the development of alternative media outlets and networks. Alternative media bases are a vital source of power for groups to disrupt the norms of mainstream media, to challenge dominant social categories and codes, and to render visibility to local and global social justice issues
- media change work cannot simply be for the sake of media change. This movement needs to be anchored in disenfranchised communities and driven by social justice issues.
- learning about successes in other social movements;
- the position of media and communications in social change; and
- power analyses of who has and could build power.
