Chicago Media Action

A Chicago group actively devoted to media issues.

Independent Media

As part of its mission, Chicago Media Action supports and helps build non-commercial, non-profit, independent media, in efforts to fight against the proliferation of corporate, profit-oriented, commercial media. Below are the efforts that Chicago Media Action has taken in this regard.

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

The new 'professionalized' Al Jazeera will not solve democratic deficits in US public media -- We need a revolution. (April 8, 2013)
Area groups announce 2010 Media Democracy Day - Chicago (October 30, 2010)
Chicago-area Media Networking Party: June 14 at New World Resource Center (June 11, 2008)
CLASSICAL DRAMA MEETS CNN: A production of Oedipus the King with a multimedia twist (February 18, 2008)
Robert Jensen at DePaul University, May 3 (April 27, 2007)
Sunday, Jan. 21: Chicago Solidarity Benefit - Film Screening for Conn-Selmer UAW Elkhart Strikers (January 18, 2007)
Eric Klinenberg on "Fighting for Air" at Hull House, January 17 (January 15, 2007)
John Nichols in Chicago on impeachment: Nov. 20 (December 26, 2006)
Two Chicago-area events with Robert Jensen, Oct. 19 and Oct. 21 (December 26, 2006)
John Nichols in Chicago on impeachment: Nov. 20 (November 17, 2006)
Two Chicago-area events with Robert Jensen, Oct. 19 and Oct. 21 (October 14, 2006)
Afghan Massacre: Convoy of Death (review from February 28, 2004) (May 26, 2006)
Afghan Massacre film reaction (August 15, 2003) (May 26, 2006)
Nov. 2 WiFi Hearing at City Hall (October 25, 2005)
Dispatch from Punk Planet magazine re: Distro Woes (October 25, 2005)
AFL-CIO Executive Council Announces Formation of First Industry Coordinating Committee Covering the Arts, Entertainment, Media and Telecommunications Industries (October 10, 2005)
IL Governor Blagojevich creates Broadband Deployment Council to ensure all Illinois residents have access to the Internet (September 6, 2005)
Community Internet Under Attack (September 3, 2005)
Support Public Access to the Public Airwaves & Help Save the 3650-3700MHz Band (Comment Deadline is August 11th!) (August 11, 2005)
August 11th Public Hearing on a City-Wide, High-Speed Internet Network (August 4, 2005)
Primer on the Media Ownership Reform Act of 2005 (MORA) (July 31, 2005)
Illinois Community Internet Dates of Note: August - November 2005 (July 30, 2005)
Public Hearing for a City-wide Wireless Network in Chicago, July 28 (July 23, 2005)
Public Hearing for a City-wide Wireless Network in Chicago, July 21 (July 14, 2005)
Democracy Now involvement at the 2005 National Conference for Media Reform (May 8, 2005)
Illinois Senate Approves Rewrite of State's Telecom Act (April 27, 2005)
Rare complication during heart procedure kills activist (February 11, 2005)
ILCA President Proposes Changes in Letter to AFL-CIO (December 23, 2004)
Was the Press Selling or Telling in Iraq War? WMD a Documentary Film (August 28, 2004)
Added screening of "WMD: Weapons of Mass Deception" (with Danny Schechter!) on Sat., Aug. 21 (August 17, 2004)
St. Peters, MO, trying to censor (cancel) Labor Beat and others (July 5, 2004)
Student Zine Festival - Kelvyn Park High School, June 5 (May 31, 2004)
Vigilant in Chicago (Letter in Conscious Choice, January 2004) (January 16, 2004)
The Battle for Algiers and the Battle for hearts and minds (January 11, 2004)
Review of "Weapons of Mass Deception" (January 6, 2004)
Media Conference On Friday, September 26 (September 23, 2003)
Media Democracy Day. Save the date! (September 22, 2003)
More with Cliff Kelley and friends at the Chicago Temple (September 22, 2003)
What a difference the media can make (July 11, 2003)
"We, the Media" (July 6, 2003)
Jeff Chester throws down a gauntlet (April 3, 2003)
WE are the 900-pound gorrillas (March 19, 2003)

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

New Article (April 4, 2013)
A paean to the Media Access Project: The loss of "a champion most people never knew they had" (May 1, 2012)
Thoughts on the 2008 NCMR (June 17, 2008)
Opportunities for solidarity! (August 14, 2007)
$everance: A novel about media concentration (May 6, 2007)
Just in case you were looking for something to do... (May 2, 2007)
The Chicago TV Takeover of 1987 (February 12, 2007)
Labor Solidarity Event This Weekend (January 18, 2007)
Back from Memphis (January 15, 2007)
Walking to Memphis (January 10, 2007)
Upcoming opportunities in radio and telecom (November 27, 2006)
Some upcoming presentations of possible interest (October 17, 2006)
Some Chicago-related media showdowns... (December 9, 2005)
Some Independent Media efforts can use your support (October 25, 2005)
More Hurricane Katrina media-related issues... (September 19, 2005)
On Chicago hearings for a city-wide wireless network... (July 22, 2005)
Callout to protect journalists and whistleblowers (July 5, 2005)
Juan Cole lays down the smack (April 26, 2005)
Open Source Media Criticism and Analysis (April 23, 2005)
Chicago vs. Illinois in the Illinois Telecom Wars (March 10, 2005)
Great idea regarding labor and media (December 23, 2004)
Good News -- Two Announcements (December 8, 2004)
Good readings for today... (November 30, 2004)
Truly amazing web sites! (November 29, 2004)
The 2004 Chicago Independent Media Guide (September 15, 2004)
Robert Jensen on Michael Moore... (July 7, 2004)
Neil Postman's obituary (October 9, 2003)
Point of Clarification (September 25, 2003)
Interview with Producer-Director of Afghan Massacre (September 23, 2003)
I'm no fan of crude bodily jokes, but... (July 27, 2003)
Roll your own...TV (July 17, 2003)
Thanks Danny! (July 3, 2003)
All Power To The Blogs (July 1, 2003)
Today's Reading... (May 5, 2003)
The forecast calls for brainstorms... (March 2, 2003)