The news is full of the lack of news. Everywhere pundits, commentators, and academics mourn the death of the crusading journalism of the fourth estate. My own organization, Media Alliance, was founded in 1976, in the heady days following the Watergate scandal that ended a presidency. Movie stars Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman portrayed the Washington Post reporters who tracked an obscure break-in to the upper reaches of the White House. The film now seems like an antique, a dinosaur in an age when the off-the-cuff comments of long-time White House correspondent Helen Thomas garner more attention than her interrogations of presidents. Continue reading Looking for Journalism in all the Wrong Places→
Pictures from the last training session which ran from 10/15/08 to 12/20/08.
Participants will build their skills base in a variety of media technology – from computer and online basics to podcasting video and audio on the Internet. Participants will also gain media messaging and analysis skills to help shape public opinion about themselves and their communities. Women of color, young people, new residents and individuals with little to no technology or computer experience are encouraged to apply. Continue reading Raising Our Voices Rises Again!→
For many, who switched to cable and satellite services with thousands of channels, no big deal. But for some, who still jiggle rabbit ear antennas, the switch is a problem, forcing them to replace their televisions, subscribe to cable service they may not be able to afford, or buy and install a converter box using a government coupon. The people most affected by the change are often elderly, disabled, on fixed incomes or from non-English speaking households. Continue reading The Day TV Goes Away: The Digital Television Transition→
An open letter signed by 50 social justice groups, including MA, detailing the final phases of federal prison phone reforms: Coordinated by the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR)
Internal Comcast documents leaked and posted on Reddit contain instructions to “immediately” transfer customers who ask about network neutrality, Netflix (with whom Comcast has been ensconced in a long battle) or the telecom’s new and unpopular data caps unrolled in several states (not yet in California) to a special customer service division called “The Customer Security Assurance (CSA) Team”. Continue reading Special Customer Service For You→
The CPUC’s Division of Rate Payers Advocates has filed a petition at California’s Utility Commission asking the State of California to go above and beyond the boilerplate cable franchise renewal process laid out in the Digital Infrastructure and Competition Act (DIVCA) and institute a real public process that allows the users of a cable franchise to talk about the quality of service provided by the franchisee.
Note sent to the House Energy/Commerce Committee about keeping local broadcast channels on the low price tiers of cable and satellite systems.
This is an important issue for low-income communities, especially foreign language speakers and senior citizens in times of emergency or natural disaster. Continue reading Keeping Broadcast TV Accessible→
