Reclaim the Media

Reclaim the Media

Founded in 2002 and "[b]ased in Seattle, Reclaim the Media is a small nonprofit organization dedicated to pursuing a more just society by transforming our media system and expanding the communications rights of ordinary people through grassroots organizing, education, networking and advocacy. We envision an authentic, just democracy characterized by media systems that inform and empower citizens, reflect our diverse cultures, and secure communications rights for everyone. We advocate for a free and diverse press, community access to communications tools and technology, and media policy that serves the public interest."

Reclaim the Media is fiscally sponsored by the Center for Social Justice.

People

 * Jonathan Lawson (Executive Director) has helped RTM play a catalytic role in the growth of a national movement focused on democratizing media policy. Jonathan also directs online communications for SEIU 775, sits on the advisory board for the Consumers Union's Hear Us Now project, and is a board member of the Washington News Council. He is a four-year veteran of the Independent Media Center movement, and has worked in community radio since 1986; he currently co-hosts the weekly creative music program Flotation Device on KBCS in Seattle. His articles on media issues have appeared in numerous publications including Adbusters, YES!, Clamor, and Z Magazine. Jonathan holds a Masters degree in Theological Studies from Harvard University.


 * Susan Gleason (Co-director) also serves as Media and Outreach Manager for YES! Magazine. Susan co-founded the nonprofit Earth on the Air Radio Works, producers of the award-winning, nationally-syndicated Earth on the Air radio magazine, where she served as radio trainer for grassroots journalists. She was board chair at WMPG (Portland, ME), and produced features for the award-winning public affairs program Big Talk. In 2000 she also co-founded the community web/radio station Voice of Vashon.


 * Daniel Hannah (Co-director) supervises RTM's media literacy education programs. Daniel serves on the board of SCAN Community Television. He is also a co-founder of the Seattle Independent Media Center.


 * Julie Chang Schulman (Co-director) is Northwest Regional Coordinator for Hip Hop Congress, Assistant Chapter Head of 206Zulu, sits on the Education Commitee for H2Ed, and on the board for Seattle Urban Debate League. She also recently co-founded the Seattle local organizing commitee for the Hip Hop Political Convention, and the Northwest Urban Arts Culture and Community Development Newsletter. Julie got her BA in Liberal Arts with a concentration on Emancipatory Education and Social Change from Antioch University, and teaches English at Brain Child Learning Center.


 * Jan Strout (Co-Director) is Northwest field director for the National Organization for Women. Jan is a former Executive Director of SCAN Community Television; and has years of experience connecting social justice and media issues working with the Media Works Initiative and the Paul Robeson Fund.


 * Karen Toering (Co-Director) is principal partner in The Gryphon Group, a media development and project management consortium. Karen co-founded The Albuquerque Project; promoting accountability in progressive media reform leadership, particularly in regard to the needs of people of color. She has served as Executive Director for two public access channels and the community media production facility 911 Media Arts. She is also a long-time regional leader in the Alliance for Community Media, and project manager for the Northwest Community Radio Network organizing project.

Contact

 * Web: http://www.reclaimthemedia.org

Related Sourcewatch articles

 * Arca Foundation
 * Media Action Grassroots Network