Alliance For Community Media (ACM) Annual Conference ..by Doug Cain
A trip to Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the national Alliance for Community Media conference in early July recharged me to the importance of the work that goes on daily at a public access facility like MTN. Meeting with other access employees from across the nation and working on topics of mutual concern was an invigorating blend for me. A major part of the conference dealt with policy issues and advocacy for the continued existence of public access in this fast changing technological field. Awareness of the threats for survival and the need for allies in an arena of large corporate mergers and merging media is important as struggles go on for the control of media as the century comes to a close.
The most entertaining segment was the Hometown Video Awards for cable access programming. MTN was represented by the "Musical Chairs" (see page one) alongside two other staff finalists - John Akre and J.C. Bagdadi. Akre entered his "Mpls. Neighborhood News" in the informational professional category while Bagdadi entered his "Plant Dance" in the performing arts/prof. category. Our metropolitan region came away with nine awards. The ceremony squeezed in highlight clips of 120 different award winners which served to cover the whole gamut of program types and formats. It is quite amazing to see the astounding variety of productions. Categories ranged from youth and computer art to government and religious to live shows and seniors.
As an instructor in this community media - both in video production and internet, I was surrounded by folks doing the same type of things in their own communities. Working groups were formed in some seminars to communicate and support as well as strengthen one another in the coming year. I also discovered that MTN enjoys a leading position in the merging media of video and internet telecommunications. Many people came up to me to ask how our role as an ISP (internet service provider) is going and are just beginning their own first efforts at connectivity and providing service. Some of the topic lines or tracks featured included Access & Community Development,
Libraries & Educational Access, "Internetworking", International Community Media, Leadership, Advocacy on Public Policy, Training, Operations, Producer's & Non-Profit Organizations, Public Access Television, Franchises & Public Rights of Way. This last issue is important to understand because it is the basis for our argument re. the public right to have some control over the media.
One leader who has been through many seasons of battle - and had much wisdom to impart, was George Stoney. He brought tales from his multi-faceted career of collecting stories for community media. He spoke to the value of content - a strong vision which holds the program together and the "message" which drives it on - and showed many samples to illustrate his point. Stories were shared of how people have been connected to technology - and what has resulted when the technology has a communal face. Much was made of the strengths of cable access - and how "regular" people make television. This was a major theme of the conference - how important it is to protect and maintain a "soapbox" (outlet) for all voices, as our access to the media is being threatened by new owners' pressure to remove the PEG (public, educational, and governmental) access "must carry" rules currently in cable franchise agreements. It is vital for the consumers of media (all of us) to realize we give the media companies the right to inform and entertain us and the decisions of programming they make for us shouldn't be accepted without debate. We are participants in a dialogue - if we take our seat at the table. Otherwise they will continue to sell us their "products" as long as we remain silent. You may have noticed a bit of discussion going on around a V-chip (or violence filter, being marketed to quell concerns of parents - to be installed in new T.V.'s) but the larger discussion is being cut off - as to what drives programming decisions - and that is, sales of commercial product. Don't our children deserve to see programming which would educate (or entertain) them without being bombarded by violence and ads suggesting they'd have more fun if they had this doll or action figure or ate this high-powered cereal? And
barring major changes in the broadcast industry, "Access" is that non-commercial alternative we need to preserve. Other challenges include breaking up the media monopoly - as concentrated media ownership continues unabated. As our keynote speaker at lunch, Bob McChesnie, reminded us the globalization of media further takes away from the local involvement of communities... and the issues that may concern us more locally. He quoted a poll by the Wall St. Journal which stated 60% of Americans want more educational programming and attributed a quote to Andrew Young as predicting Media Access will be the next front for civil rights.
In the computer field much was covered on the merging technologies. Digital editing systems - Interactive services - Community networks - all connecting down the line. My favorite workshop dealt with the "fundamentals of emerging interactive mass media" - starting with early theories of the disemination of information ala Thomas Jefferson to the virtual architecture of the WWW. The presenter, Drew Shaffer from Iowa, made a strong case for the development of a mass phenomenology - or study of facts and perceptions. His definition of interaction was "feedback stimulated by format and content" and knowledge as "shaped information". Participatory media, he said would engage the audience in structuring formats, selecting contents, and producing simulations as well as be dependent on the art of involvement. His examples of the development of the mythology of computers was a fascinating trip from the philosophical to the pragmatic.
All in all, it was a fine experience. The conference ended on a musical note as the drum was passed to the Portland, OR. centers where next year's ACM conference will be held. A choir of young "differently abled" people sang a rousing set of cheerful songs which underlined the importance of all voices in the blend of a truly representative democratic media. And a Senegalese dance & drum pounded out the beat - adding to the metaphor "We are the drum" - and "public policy is the beat".
Page One: Cover Story