Democratic Media

It it don't work, break it some more, fix it, or build your own. Democracy is unattainable without a mediascape that people are able to participate freely in, sharing information and expressing and reflecting the opinions and values of a diverse society. Media allows us to build and also shapes our interconnectivity between various groups including institutionalized and grassroots. Therefore it is absolutely necessary society injects as many progressive democratic values into media making and media institutions as is possible. Without a democratic media, the voices of all cultures and communities are lost in the cacophony of corporate interest. In countries like Canada, the United States of America, and Italy -- to name a few -- media consolidation has reached unparalleled levels. Concentration of media ownership must be one of the world's first focuses. It is through media that we can express ourselves, share exprience and make sense of the world. When the environment and institutions to facilitate such a vital process are controlled by a small number of (white male heterosexual) individuals intent only on increasing profit quotas, the ability to express ourselves is superceded by the ability of dominating forces to impede such ability. Culture is the ultimate expression of society. Expression is communication. Communication is power. Power is what we need to take back from corporations which are increasingly cultivating a commercial culture, usurping the free expression of individuals - the essence of democracy. Media is but one discursive territory in this ongoing resistance against the anti-democratic control of imperialist corporate power. ezra winton is a co-founder of überculture. He is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Media Studies at Concordia University.