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CHICAGO COMMUNITY MEDIA SUMMIT. Richard Somerset-Ward June 15, 2007. What is Community Media?. “Fundamentally, community media comes out of the community rather than commercial interests, and is focused on the transmission of ideas and services, not the selling of products or entertainment”
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CHICAGO COMMUNITY MEDIA SUMMIT Richard Somerset-Ward June 15, 2007
What is Community Media? “Fundamentally, community media comes out of the community rather than commercial interests, and is focused on the transmission of ideas and services, not the selling of products or entertainment” (Stolen from an email from Thom Clark to Jennifer Jobrack March 28, 2007 1:43 PM)
Defining Characteristics What’s Going On in Community Media Benton Foundation June 2007 • Localism • Diverse Participation • Storytelling & Deliberation • Empowerment
Community Radio (225 stations in USA – National Federation of Community Broadcasters [NFCB]) Low-Power FM (Recharged by LPFM movement post-1996 – micro-power station 3 ½ mile radius – Prometheus Radio Project) Public Broadcasting (‘Nuff said) Cable Access (PEG Channels – Alliance for Community Media (ACM) – Manhattan Neighborhood Network) Types of Media
Specializations • Media Arts Organizations • Ethnic Media • Civic Journalism • Community Networking • Community TV via Satellite
Benton Scan’s Four Communities • Boston • Portland, OR • Minneapolis/St. Paul • Chicago
Examples of Wired Communities • Glasgow, KY (pop, 14,000) – hybrid fiber coax network built by the Electric Plant Board, 1989 • LaGrange, GA (pop. 27,000) – bought Charter cable company, 1998 – LaGrange Internet TV – 92 intranets – economic development (Kia Automotive) • Fort Wayne, IN (pop. 500,000) – “the most wired city in America “ (Verizon) – development of “killer apps”
Connected Communities • Blacksburg, VA (pop. 36,000) – Virginia Tech, 1993 – a network entirely based on the Internet – an engine for economic development (128 new companies) • Taos, NM (pop. 30,000) – La Plaza Telecommunity, 1994 – offered the whole community high-speed access to Internet via T-1 lines and wireless – a distinctive local culture showcased and promoted by a local network – developed specialist content in health and medicine.
Grand Rapids Community Media Center (1980) “Building community through media” • Radio (WYCE) & TV (GRTV) stations • GrandNet – community email & web • GR Institute for Information Democracy • The Wealthy Theater
Grand Rapids Community Media Center (1980) • Tell, share and preserve our own stories • Better understand our differences • Discuss our challenges and develop solutions • Encourage and exercise the free exchange of ideas • Practice inclusion and empowerment • Promote and enable social change • Build collaborations and partnerships in pursuit of a better community
Community Media: The Story So Far “Underfunded, Underappreciated, Underutilized Underdog” (A very U description)
What Might Community Media Be? (It’s the mindset) Do we have to be second class citizens? Or are we afraid not to be?
What is a Community? • A community of interest? • A geographic community? As big or as small as you like • A state? • A town? • A city? • Chicago
A BROADBAND COMMUNITY NETWORK An agglomeration of broadband • Cyber • Fiber • Satellite • Spectrum (broadcast, wi-fi, wi-max)
A BROADBAND COMMUNITY NETWORK What can it do for a community? • Economic & Rural Development • Education • Democracy • Delivery of Services • Cultural Identity • Sense of Community
Where Do We Look For Models? • Nebraska – the old tradition • Minneapolis-St. Paul – old tradition, new approaches • North-East Ohio - OneCommunity
So How Do We Get It Done? • The Spine (try mapping the fiber) (take a look at ICN) • Wireless Overlay (the last mile) • The Apps • The Art of Partnering
What It Takes • Partnership skills • System of governance • Low budget • Must-have reasons • Information & Content • Services • Participation