This is a collection of work I’ve created – or co-created – on issues around media and communication for social change movements, radical politics, community building, and anti-oppression.
Please browse through the sections below to see what might be useful or of interest…
It is difficult to understate the importance of these issues, with so much societal and movement reliance upon communication platforms and structures, and thus reliant on how they are designed and who controls them (/and/ “the medium is the message”).
It is troubling, I think, that many people don’t think – or do – too much about the media systems that underpin how we share information and connect with each other.
My various involvements in media over two decades reflects my prioritizing of this issue – this includes freelance media-making (writing and later audio/radio and video), as well as organizing / editing/ producing, community media projects, and ‘PR’ support for various grassroots efforts.
This page last updated September 5, 2020.
Highlights:
These are two longer in-depth, opinion / analysis / proposal pieces:
- What Media Could Do To Help With Climate Action, and What It Is Doing To Interfere (2020)
This is a rough initial draft written to deadline in February 2020. I’m looking for a future publishing home for an expanded version – but given the urgency and importance, wanted to make it accessible in its current form for now.
* Format is ‘imposed’ PDF printable zine, which means print double-sided on short edge and fold into booklet (, or read diagonal down then up)
*UPDATE April 2023: Now published as a regular-text piece at CounterPunch.org.
- How Can We Make Our Media More Effective in Contributing to Social Change? (2014)
This is an exploration of some key ideas, also written somewhat quickly to deadline – for a workshop I was facilitating – and that could be elaborated but do stand well on their own.
* Available in four-page PDF form as well as online text article.
Collective work:
- Holding Out for Un-alienated Communication (2017)
Written with a group of Indymedia activists from the 2016 World Forum on Free Media.
- Alternative Media Movement Assembly report – Peoples Social Forum (2014)
Various Topics and Reporting:
- What to Make of Germany’s Ban of Linksunten Indymedia (2017)
- Book review: McChesney’s “Digital Disconnect” analyzes corporate control of our digital communications future (2013)
- Book Review: The Media Ecosystem – Growing better media gardens (2012)
- Supporting Independent Media: Funding and Public Policy are Key (2012)
- Represent?! – The Multimedia & Multiculturalism challenge (2011)
- Challenging Corporate Media (2008)
- Iced In Black: Canadian Black Experiences on Film (2001-2003) digital archive. Published 2023, for the 20th anniversary.
Indigenous Media Topics:
- Nuxalk Radio, Nuxalkmc Language: Slts’lani interview, talk, and documentary trailer (2019 from 2017)
- Book Review – We Interrupt This Program: Indigenous Media Tactics in Canadian Culture (2018)
* Includes video of the late Les Carpenter’s talk at Future of Indigenous Broadcasting - Competition between regional broadcasters and APTN for Indigenous radio licences ends in mixed result (2017)
- Indigenous Perspectives and Representations in the Media (1-hour video, 2012)
Panel discussion featuring Jennifer David, Jocelyn Formsma, and Howard Adler, that I moderated
Content from a course and various other workshops:
A grassroots course on “Interdependent Media” that I initiated/led in 2011:
- Pre-course article: Thoughts on Interdependent Media (and the upcoming course)
- Midway through the course: Finding out more about Interdependent Media
- Post-course article: Issues in and about the media
- Videos of the guest speakers:
Simmi Dixit, UNAC Multiculturalism & Multimedia Initiative
Corinne Mason + Jordan Fairbiarn, WAM: Women, Action, & the Media
Workshops:
- From Concordia University’s “Open University” Summer Program, 2008:
Notes from an open-format session on Independent Media
https://equitableeducation.ca/2008/notes-on-ind-media - From Uncensoring Media Morphosis conference, Carleton University 2003:
Survival Strategies for Independent Media: What is our future?
and Building a Local Independent Media Network (a workshop I led) - Compiled from sessions I led or co-led in Toronto and SW Ontario, 2003:
Independent Media (Indymedia) – ideas & strategy
Multi-media:
- Audio (13min, 2011):
Me interviewed about the Interdependent Media course, and more
https://soundcloud.com/equitableeducation-ca/the-underwhere-show-greg - Video (6 min, 2014 — segment starts at ~3min) :
My intro to the Alternative Media Movement Assembly at the People’s Social Forum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrD9YJSCA84
Interdependent media & in-person learning opportunities for those who are inspired to be part of movements for social justice.
