The Courage of Chris Geovanis

Posted by Mitchell - March 2, 2024 (entry 769)

As noted previously, we lost the founder of Chicago Media Action -- Chris Geovanis. Chicago Media Action would never have formed, nor would it have worked as hard as it did for as long as it did and as successfully as it did, had it not been for Chris.

We remember Chris' courageous action in a very lengthy essay (actually, what was once a draft of a book chapter): Chris Geovanis and "A New Group".

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Christine Geovanis, presenté!

Posted by Mitchell - February 15, 2024 (entry 767)

I'm sending this message outside of the normal schedule for Chicago Media Action newsletters to share some important but sad news.

Christine Geovanis -- a longtime Chicago activist whose protest and arrest in 2002 resulted in the creation of what became Chicago Media Action -- passed away this week, on Monday, February 12, 2024.

If you're in the Chicago area, Chris' visitation is scheduled for Sunday, February 18, 2024, at the Kuratko-Nosek Funeral Home in Des Plaines, Illinois. Her funeral service is scheduled for Monday, February 19, at 11AM local time, also at Kuratko-Nosek Funeral Home. More information is here.

I'll have more to say about Chris and her legacy in the days and months to come.

Thank you.

Christine Geovanis, presenté!

Getting mad at MAADD

Posted by Mitchell - February 2, 2024 (entry 766)

In this month's post, we revisit the story of the Ministerial Alliance Against the Digital Divide, a group of black Chicago ministers devoted to equity in telecommunications access, and their apparent conversion (pun intended) from grassroots activist group to corporate-backed front-group to apparently nothing at all.

If you wish to join the CMA mailing list, please email cma@chicagomediaaction.org. Thank you.

The National Association of Broadcasters Bastards Beggars

Posted by Mitchell - January 2, 2024 (entry 764)

This website has had some unkind, but thoroughly justified, things to say about the National Association of Broadcasters in the past. We continue that tradition, complete with a oh-how-the-mighty-have-fallen update, in this month's dispatch, NAB - The National Association of Beggars?.

If you wish to join the CMA mailing list, please email cma@chicagomediaaction.org. Thank you.

A rather pricey CAN TV gala

Posted by Mitchell - December 2, 2023 (entry 762)

On the heels of last month's commentary about CAN TV, I attended the CAN TV 40th annversary gala, which I report on in this month's newsletter: A Report from the CAN TV 40th Anniversary Gala.

If you wish to join the CMA mailing list, please email cma@chicagomediaaction.org. Thank you.

40 Years of CAN TV

Posted by Mitchell - November 2, 2023 (entry 760)

This year marks the 40th anniversary of CAN TV, the fleet of Chicago's public access cable television channels. CMA has supported CAN TV, and CAN TV has supported CMA. I discuss the network and experiences over the years, among other topics, in CAN TV: Past, present, future?

If you wish to join the CMA mailing list, please email cma@chicagomediaaction.org. Thank you.

Speaking of dominoes, here's more commentary on broadcast license challenges.

Posted by Mitchell - October 2, 2023 (entry 758)

A previous Chicago Media Action newsletter essay led to another essay published as an op-ed, and then commentary came and then I wrote an essay as a response to some of that commentary. I relate the whole story in this month's feature essay, "Is a broadcast license revocation a form of censorship?".

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Revisiting the First Domino

Posted by Mitchell - September 2, 2023 (entry 756)

In addition to this month's Chicago Media Action newsletter, I have two announcements of note:

  1. On the heels of last month's post about broadcast license challenges, we now have a dispatch published on the website of Project Censored on the same topic. Check it out.

  2. The U.S. government's Federal Trade Commission is taking public comment on future policies regarding corporate antitrust. This can matter because the Biden administration has appointed FTC commissioners who have a history and interest in cracking down on corporate mergers. I already posted a comment, and I also shared a Chicago Media Action research project from 2010 to the docket. You can also see related commentary on my personal website for more inspiration, along with this excellent commentary by anti-monopoly activist Matt Stoller.

    We have a rare opportunity to shape policy on corporate mergers, antitrust, and big business -- whether or not they're media related. And this is definitely media-related: Many big media mergers require FTC approval, in addition to FCC approval. You have until September 18, 2023, to respond. Go to this page on the regulations.gov website, click the blue "Comment" button on the upper-left of the page, and add in your comments on corporate mergers, antitrust, and big business.

Thank you. Now, on with our feature essay, The First Domino, about an inspiring victory that took place twenty years ago this weekend.

We've got a new high-profile broadcast license challenge.

Posted by Mitchell - August 2, 2023 (entry 754)

I had been meaning for a long time to revisit the topic of broadcast license challenges, and a new challenge which just dropped made for an excellent opportunity to delve into the topic. You can read more in Reflections on broadcast license challenges, past and present.

If you wish to join the CMA mailing list, please email cma@chicagomediaaction.org. Thank you.

The many sides of Bobby Rush

Posted by Mitchell - July 2, 2023 (entry 752)

Bobby Rush -- Black Panther Party co-founder, Chicago alderman, and decades-long Congressional representative -- stepped down this year after a long career in politics. Chicago Media Action had a number of interactions with Bobby Rush and his staff, some good, some less so. You can read more in this month's post, Reflections on Bobby Rush.

If you wish to join the CMA mailing list, please email cma@chicagomediaaction.org. Thank you.

The parade of anniversaries continues: Now it's the FCC's wretched media ownership vote

Posted by Mitchell - June 2, 2023 (entry 750)

Twenty years ago to the day of this post, the Federal Communications Commission voted to squelch its remaining media ownership rules, marking a sea change in media, the FCC, and the public. I talk about it in It's been 20 years since the FCC's horrid media ownership rule rewrite.

If you wish to join the CMA mailing list, please email cma@chicagomediaaction.org. Thank you.

Viva Gigi Sohn!

Posted by Mitchell - May 2, 2023 (entry 748)

We recently saw the end of an unsuccessful effort to put the longtime media and policy activist Gigi Sohn on the Federal Communications Commission. I talk about her, the campaign to squelch her nomination, and some possible next steps in Viva Gigi Sohn!

If you wish to join the CMA mailing list, please email cma@chicagomediaaction.org. Thank you.

April 2, 2003

Posted by Mitchell - April 2, 2023 (entry 746)

Two very impactful events on my life happened twenty years ago on this date -- one family-connected, one media-policy connected. I talk about them both in April 2, 2003: My Uncle and the Midwest Forum on Media Ownership.

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DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed on this website are those of the individual members of Chicago Media Action who authored them, and not necessarily those of the entire membership of Chicago Media Action, nor of Chicago Media Action as an organization.