The old slogan "be the media" has turned into "We the Media." Clearly people, in every country and every continent want to communicate with each other and often the world. Many younger people seek authenticity in media, truth in news, honesty in expression and outspoken anti-establishment attitudes. Hence, the appeal of the Comedy Channel as a source of news.
They are using instant messenging and SMS text technologies as never before. New interactive games are all the rage worldwide. Much of its content is entertainment but some new forms of political expression are being heard.
News is also going mobile along with our phones. The online world is 24/7, and there when you want it. which may be one reason that the governments and big companies are trying so hard to control it. Most want to keep us as passive consumers, not empowered citizens.
There is still a need a continuing need to challenge the media beast, to track TV News and combat media concentration. New Media today supplements Old Media but it has not yet offered a real alternative in the sense of a widely accepted mainstream, credible and competitive news and information system. We have more Internet sites than ever but not the well marketed and "branded" independent outlets we need for truly mass consumption.
Driven by an army of strategists, Old Media entities are investing large sums of money to co-opt new media's spirit while undercutting its independence and capacity to make change.
Gramsci was unfortunately prescient in saying "The crisis consists precisely in the fact that the old is dying and the new cannot be born." Well, at least, not without a fight. Remember, he also believed in "pessimism of the intelligence and optimism of the will."
It is this crisis that gives our emerging media and democracy movement, including organizations such as ours, Free Press, FAIR, Media Matters et.al. more than enough work to do.
We at Mediachannel are fighting to stay in this fight by finding new ways to update and transform our site with more visual material and interactive tools that can energize our base and network. Unlike some others, we see media reform as a global movement and are seeking partnerships and relations with media organizations worldwide.
We cannot stand still any more than the outlets we cover.
Just as major media is turning to citizen input, we need to find ways to activate citizens who recognize than having one's say is not enough""that we have to transform journalism, make media institutions more accountable and transparent and engage in the search for truth. Media is still the best way to learn about the world, and one way to change it.
Technology alone is not a solution. More of a commitment to democracy by the media could be.
And that means you!
New Dissector Danny Schechter is "blogger in chief" at Mediachannel. Org and author of "The Death of the Media and the Fight to Save Democracy" News. See Newsdisssector.org/store.htm. Comments to dissector@mediachannel.org
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
