Dear AOIR colleagues, I wanted to alert you to a new, diverse, and dynamic organization in the field of media reform/media justice and a potentially vital intermediary among scholars, advocates, and activists in ICT policy. Their website isn't up yet, but below is their contact info if you would like to learn more about how to link up with their plans and projects. RG Lentz UT Austin =============================================== CIMA: The Center for International Media Action, Inc. Catherine Borgman-Arboleda: 646-249-3027, catherine@mediaactioncenter.org Aliza Dichter: 518-755-1888, liza@mediaactioncenter.org THE PROBLEM The mass media and the Internet are becoming ever more central to our political and social lives, and the stakes are rising. Policy and technology decisions underway right now will determine media's evolution for generations. Meanwhile, social-justice values, civil rights efforts and dissenting voices are being blocked by concentrated and homogenous media. Journalism itself is endangered by commercial and political pressures -- locally, nationally and globally. An emerging force of media advocates and public concern could help advance media policies, practices and systems that reflect the needs and interests of citizens and communities. But despite a recent resurgence in media activism around these issues, the collective impact of that work is far less than the sum of the parts. Too often, advocates, academics, community groups and (inter)national campaigns aren't aware of --or able to build upon-- each other's strengths and research. CIMA was founded to help bridge those information and communication gaps. THE SOLUTION The Center for International Media Action (CIMA), a new not-for-profit organization, has been created with startup support from the Knowledge, Creativity and Freedom Program of the Ford Foundation to provide strategic services and tools to strengthen cooperation among media advocacy, education and reform groups. We will develop and disseminate publications, curricula, workshops and online information-sharing tools to help groups: " identify allies and collaborate effectively " translate key issues for broader audiences " share "best practices" " document media advocacy campaigns, projects, strategies and meetings CIMA seeks to help diversify the participants in media policy debates, prioritize local initiatives and promote points of engagement for media advocacy. Initial program work includes: The Media and Communications Policy Clearinghouse (MCPC): Interactive online tools to track, centralize and cross-reference news, proposals, research, campaign strategies and events in media policy from a public-interest perspective -- developed with participation from stakeholder groups. Organizing FCC and WSIS campaigns: Workshops, presentations and materials about the upcoming UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and current regulatory debates taking place at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and in Congress, focused on translating issues for a wider audience and highlighting possibilities for action. CIMA recently produced: "The Reporters' Guide To Media Ownership Rules And The FCC." WHO WE ARE Drawing on extensive interviews with media advocates, sector analyses and strategy conferences, CIMA was founded in February 2003 by media advocacy organizer and educator Aliza Dichter; communications policy researcher, activist and media consultant Seeta Peña Gangadharan; and Catherine Borgman-Arboleda, a nonprofit manager and documentary film producer specializing in international collaboration projects. We receive organizational and planning support from our Advisory Committee (in development): Melissa Bradley (President, New Capitalist), Hil Sherman (Managing Partner, Mirella Media), Dr. Robert Zuber (Senior Outreach and Education Specialist, Green Map System) and Malkia Cyril (Director, Youth Media Council).