GritTV: After the court ruling in Comcast v. FCC, it seems that FCC Chairman Genachowski might cave in to the demands of the big telecom companies and allow them to continue to have free rein over your Internet access. To discuss the situation, and what we can do about it, we speak to Tim Karr of Free Press and Amalia Deloney of the Center for Media Justice.
An appeals court ruled in April that the FCC lacked authority to ensure an open, affordable, and accessible Internet because of a decision it made during the Bush-era to classify broadband as a title I service instead of a title II service- with dire consequences for people of color and the poor. The Obama FCC can now fix this bad history by simply reclasifying broadband. According to the Washington Post, however, Genachowski intends to do nothing. Contact FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski at 202-418-1000 or julius.genachowski@fcc.gov, and Commissioner Mignon Clyburn at 202-418-2100 or mignon.clyburn@fcc.gov, and urge them to reclassify broadband as a Title II service. Check out MAG-Net's grassroots policy brief to learn more about "Reclassification" and why it matters to communities at the margins.
Press Briefing on What's at Stake for Immigrant Communities and Communities of Color: On Tuesday, March 2, 2010 over 40 journalists joined the Center for Media Justice, New America Media, the G.W. Williams Center for Independent Journalism, the Bay Area Black Journalists Association, and the Northern California Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists for a press briefing.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) needs to hear why the Internet is important to you, how you use the Internet, and what barriers you face to broadband access. As big media pushes policymakers to fully privatize the Internet, and the FCC works against the clock to develop the first ever National Broadband Plan, they need to hear the voices of people of color and the poor.
We have three positions open: Deputy Director, Associate Director (Programs), and an Americorp/Vista position with the Digital Arts Service Corp. More information is here. Please help us spread the word!
See Who Has Taken the Pledge for Digital Inclusion Support full broadband access and adoption and defend an open Internet. Across the Unites States, organizations based in, or working with, people of color, poor communities, and other marginalized groups, are raising their voices for rules that will defend an open Internet that is fast, affordable, and fair. If you represent an organization that cares about economic opportunity for marginalized communities and small businesses, download the pledge (English) (Spanish) to become a Digital Inclusion Champion. Type in your organizational information, and click here to email it to CMJ.
By Erick Galindo Hispanic Link News Service (January 10, 2010) Washington, D.C. – High-stakes political maneuvering is dragging Hispanic advocacy groups here deeper into battle over the future of the Internet. As the Federal Communications Commission moves ahead with plans to create a set of rules designed to block online monopolies from forming, supportive consumer Read more
On December 10, 2009, the Center for Media Justice—and its signature project, the Media Action Grassroots Network—brought together nearly 20 media justice advocates for our first National Policy Advocacy Day. Collectively, our contingent represented eight regions across the country and 14 different community-based organizations working at the intersections of social and economic justice and media policy.
Two weeks ago, the Center for Media Justice brought together a coalition of national media groups working on racial justice issues to discuss the issue of open and neutral online networks and the network neutrality rules being considered by Congress right now.
In cities and towns across the country, relationships between Blacks and Latinos have been fraught with fear, suspicion, and racism—but also nurtured by camaraderie, shared experiences, and mutual struggles. While the media, talk radio, and political commentators often take the opportunity to highlight and expose the divisions between Blacks and Latinos in the United States, they seldom give ample air time and ink to our mutual interests, projects, and joint efforts. This publication highlights the efforts involving Black- and Latino-serving nonprofit organizations that utilize strategic communications in their work, outlining common challenges and showcasing promising practices.