Community Media

In the reading, we see that there is an important connection between community media and self-representation. I do not think I have heard of the term "community media" until I read this, so it was interesting to see why the author thought it was so important and how community media could play into politics and help overcome civic apathy. Some of the pros for furthering community media include ensuring the "public's right to controlled communication resources", "encouraging free speech" and allowing diversity of perspectives (186). Community media can be one channel that represents what the individual and their community wants–their "self-expression," a way for them to  participate (187). I think the ability to voice concerns about what people really need and the policies they agree and disagree with is very important. Later the article mentions that increasing numbers of people feel that their voices do not matter and they have very little say about how the government is run, so I see how community media might turn this around. One quote that I thought was very poignant was this: "[A]lternative media spin transformation processes that alter people's sense of self, their subjective positionings, and therefore their access to power" (188).  It's pretty amazing to think about just how empowering it feels to communicate your thoughts and ideas.