Next System Media: An Urgent Necessity

Summary

If we want a new economy and real democracy, we need to tackle the media question. Laura Flanders explores what a people-powered 21st century media ecosystem could look like at scale.

Absolute power over the means of making meaning is good for authoritarianism but as the framers of the US Constitution knew, it’s no way to run a democracy.  That’s why they put post offices in the Constitution, and supported cut-rate postal rates for periodicals and pamphlets.

“The whole system [of democracy] doesn’t come alive without a functioning media” says media historian and Free Press co-founder, Robert McChesney.

The same holds true for any next system. We can’t build civil society without civic-minded journalism. We certainly can’t cultivate solidarity economics, foster inclusive governance, and create beloved community with cash-controlled media that gives us fake news and fake friends, and teaches us to hate, rate, and “fire” one another.