Get Active

         

                                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                     

Join the Florida Media Coalition. Go to Media Democracy and click on "Take Action: Sign the Media Bill of Rights." Then, contact us by email, phone call, or letter to be added to our mailing list:

Mark A. Hart

Statewide organizer

Florida Media Coalition

PO Box 4177

Tampa, FL 33677-4177

Email

813-254-1687, ext. 12 or 813-340-0060(cell)

Who:   Florida Media Coalition [FMC] is an alliance of individuals and community, civic, media, non-profit and social responsibility organizations interested in promoting media that provide an uninhibited marketplace of ideas, use the public airwaves to serve the public interest and that reflect and respond to their local communities.

What:   A non-partisan grassroots effort.

Where:   FMC is headquartered at Tampa Bay Community Network in Tampa. Its efforts and coalition partners are statewide in Florida.

When:   Founded with a meeting of representatives of 35 interested community groups in February 2008 and launched in March 2008.

Why:    Florida’s Consumer Choice Act of 2007 threatens the future of public, education and government [PEG] cable access television. The downsizing of Florida media outlets and/or staff jeopardizes journalists’ ability to act as government watchdogs. These and other issues have prompted the banding together of those who believe that a vibrant media is the cornerstone of our democracy and efforts must be made to preserve and protect it.

How:   Through an educational campaign including a Bill of Media Rights, the FMC will inform policymakers, stakeholders and ordinary citizens of its concerns. Its aim is the preservation and protection of the PEG channels and the promotion of a diverse and accessible media that best serve the public interest. The FMC has been funded through a grant from the Washington, D.C.-based Media & Democracy Coalition

Supporters include:

Joe Dascola, Ken Malek Associates, Inc.
Earth Charter-US
Pastor John Epps
Florida Public Interest Research Group
Florida Voices for Animals
Full Gospel Tabernacle
I-Vision
Andy Opel, Ph.D., Florida State University, Associate Professor
Jean-Rene’ Rinvil
Southwest Florida Coalition for Peace & Justice
Space Coast Progressive Alliance
Speak Up Tampa Bay
Becky Steele, Attorney
Tampa Bay Community Network
Rich Templin [AFL-CIO]
Telemundo Tampa [WRMD]
The Education Channel
University of Florida Media Project
Ray Worley [F-CAN]



Contacts:

Mark Hart, State Organizer, FMC, 813-254-1687 or Email
Louise M. Thompson, Executive Director, TBCN, 813-254-1687 or Email
Brad Ashwell, Legislative Advocate, Florida PIRG, 850-224-332 or Email