Mag-net

Self-portrait

Media Justice is a long term vision for a democratized media, with universal access, communications rights, and full representation for everyone. Media Justice has been achieved when the media and cultural environment results in connected communities, fair economies, racial justice and human rights for all.

Our Social Justice Approach

The Media Action Grassroots Network [MAG-Net] shares a vision for social justice that touches every aspect of our lives – from government and the economy, to civil society and systems of power and oppression. We believe that media justice is inseparable from social and economic justice. Opposing media consolidation is taking a stand for workers whose jobs will be eliminated and working families who will have to pay more for services. Greater representation and diversity in our media system means less hate speech, more coverage of our issues and constituencies, and less political cover for regressive policies that hurt our people. Community ownership of our media infrastructure leads to robust local economies, increased civic engagement and community cohesion. To hold those in power accountable for our digital rights is to resist surveillance that can weaken our movements. And organizing for greater access and protections maintains the human right to communicate for all.

(http://mag-net.org/about/our-story/our-vision/)

Description

MAG-net (Media Action Grassroots Network) is a network of community organizations in the US, committed to improve communication, representation, diversity and democratization in media, as a way of resisting information imposed by corporate and political interests, as well as the surveillance and oppression of protest movements.

Coordinated since 2004 by the Center of Media Justice, MAG-net has campaigned to address and solve media representation issues, such as the generalized white supremacy, discrimination and classism present in mainstream media outlets; for example, the campaign to “End The Media War on Black Lives” against Fox News (a newscaster promoting intolerance and racism in its daily content) raising awareness of their information manipulation tactics and calling on the company to change. In the case of open internet access, MAG-net has supported net neutrality laws. In 2015, the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) approved a series of laws to protect internet freedom and openness against corporations like Verizon and AT&T.

Fair Franchising campaigns demand corporations like Comcast to lower their costs and offer special fees for low income families. Currently under way, the “Net Neutrality is a Civil Right” campaign demands inclusion and diversity of voices, as well as information relevant to non represented groups. “Lifeline to the Future” is a program that connects low income families with broadband internet and telephone services to solve the service gap due to services being unaffordable.

Privacy protection laws are being proposed to counteract police surveillance tactics that result in discriminating practices, using hidden cameras and Stingrays. “Local Community Radio Act” is a campaign to create community radio broadcasters free from political or economic control, providing a space for communities to express themselves.

MAG-net’s website provides access to the Center for Media Justice library containing reports, case studies, tools and resources useful in communicating, organizing and fighting for media justice.

Links

URL: http://mag-net.org/

Wayback Machine: https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://mag-net.org/