Last week when I heard that our local NPR station, WUNC, was going to have a show about NASCAR I was skeptical. Mainly because I’ve noticed a trend at WUNC, which broadcasts from the “liberal” University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, towards mainstreaming. Mainstream radio content in this case – in this state – is more politically conservative. There’s a ton of evidence for this. Read about the serious error by WUNC over women’s reproductive health here. Plus much more. But let’s look at what I THINK they are doing right.
Archive for the ‘Silly big media’ Category
NASCAR drivers’ salaries and WUNC
Monday, June 6th, 2005Media Reform and Media Revolution
Wednesday, May 25th, 2005Dru Oja Jay has a well-written and detailed article called Media Reform and Media Revolution: A Critique of Free Press and the National Conference on Media Reform. Here is one of my favorite parts.
“If we want to reform the media, we must undermine their credibility and their very existence from one end, while providing a “reasonable” way out on the other. If they do not heed the call of reform, and we replace them, so much the better.”
This article makes all kinds of wonderful points. It ends very constructively with 12 great suggestions for Free Press and us. They’re about how to “water and fertilize the grassroots and sow seeds of resistance” and how the media reform agenda can mesh with radical media’s concerns for social justice and a more democratic society. It really gets to down to the issues with both sides – reform and radical – who want to change media. This article hits me to the core and puts into better focus the goals of AudioActivism. Thanks for the link Rabble!
Making vs Lobbying reform movements
Tuesday, May 17th, 2005Rabble over at AnarchoGeek.com has a post called Follow up on the National Conference On Media Reform. It describes the tension between the two reform movements. The making your own media groups (one ex. Indymedia) and lobbying for media reform within the existing media establishment groups. I am absolutely in the making media reform crew, but feel caught inbetween sometimes. On one hand I’m in AmeriCorp and on a town tech committee (within established systems) on the other hand I make grassroots media and sometimes think traditional media should just be allowed to die a slow respectful death (outside established systems). Damn I’m split! How can I live in both worlds? Crazy thing is I enjoy it. If I can build bridges between the suits and the brilliant kids in the streets I will. (Maybe blow up ‘the bridges’ too. Metaphorically speaking that is.) But I will not facilitate the trade of someones individuality and personal rights – how ever they define them – to a Corporate entity with no feelings of it’s own.
John Stewart lauds blogs
Wednesday, February 16th, 2005Well if you thought the Crossfire show were John Stewart said, “Stop, stop, stop, stop hurting America.” was popular, wait a few more minutes until the February 16, 2005 Daily Show hits the Internet. Without a doubt one of the funniest episodes I’ve seen in a while. Stewart and Colbert were cracking each other up it was so bizarre! Go google the show and find out for yourself. So now you might be wondering why would I give Comedy Central the blog PR? Welllllll… it’s ’cause they get the blogosphere and deserve our praise. Welcome o’ un-hip big media to THE PARTY! (Just for the record it’s our party and you can’t have it! nah nay nah) 