A Chicago group actively devoted to media issues.

What is Chicago Media Action?  

Chicago Media Action (CMA) is an activist group dedicated to analyzing and broadening Chicago's mainstream media and to building Chicago's independent media.

Chicago Media Action has concentrated its activist work to a number of media-related spheres in Chicago and across the United States, including the Federal Communications Commission, U.S. public television (PBS), public and community radio, and cable public access television.

Chicago Media Action has also worked on outreach and education, to emphasize the importance of media as an issue in its own right. CMA's outreach has included a series of public education forums on various media-themed matters; various writings, articles, and dispatches; numerous appearances in radio, television, and in print; and assorted presentations to audiences large and small.

We encourage groups and individuals, in the Chicago area and elsewhere, to work with CMA. CMA maintains an online mailing list for sending a regular monthly newsletter and occasional alerts of timely interest. Plus, if there are media-themed issues which you believe might be worthy of CMA's attention, please let us know.

Chicago Media Action is the permanent name for what used to be known as the "Chicago Progressive Media Working Group."

Chicago Media Action is not affiliated with Chicago Media Watch even though the origins of Chicago Media Action stem directly from a controversy (and related expulsion and arrest) at the 2002 Chicago Media Watch conference as discussed in the Chicago Reader by Michael Miner.

The Chicago Media Action Statement of Principles is as follows:

Chicago Media Action Statement of Principles

Chicago Media Action monitors and analyzes media in the Chicago area in order to expose the economic and political interests which control them.

Chicago Media Action seeks to democratically empower and organize the working-class to challenge corporate control of major media, and to create their own media.

These are the major activities through which Chicago Media Action pursues its mission:

(1) Monitor and analyze content and ownership of media outlets in the Chicago area.
(2) Publicize the results of our analyses.
(3) Work with progressive community and labor organizations to fight for better representation of marginalized and dissenting issues and viewpoints in local media.
(4) Organize efforts to influence existing media through calling talk shows; writing letters to the editor, op-eds and articles; meeting with managers of media outlets; and other strategies.
(5) Support, create, and distribute independent media.
(6) Work toward making our government's media laws and regulations reflect its obligations for the greater good.

Agreed: January 19, 2003.



Past CMA articles on this topic are listed below in reverse chronological order.




Past CMA announcements on this topic are listed below in reverse chronological order.