Editorial

In this wintry Solstice season of long nights and short days, we are stimulated to reflect deeply about the realities of our existence. To contribute to such renewing reflection, learning and action, this issue provides you little known information about changes in the media, courageous actions for peace, and ongoing Center work on sustainable local communities.

People are slowly becoming aware of the nation-wide trend toward consolidation of media ownership by large corporate interests. One specific indicator of this trend is the ownership of daily newspapers. In 1945, 80% were independently owned, but by 1995, there had been a fundamental change in ownership and control to the point that 80% of US daily newspapers are now owned by corporate chains. For us this trend has resulted in our local daily, The Record-Eagle, being owned and controlled by the Ottawy Newspaper Inc. chain, a subsidiary of Dow Jones and Company.

Few people are yet aware of the pervasiveness and extent of the control of information through all media by a shrinking number of very large corporations. In this issue on pages 10 and 11, we show you documentation of the specific corporations -- including General Electric, Disney, Westinghouse, and Time Warner -- and what they own and control. One of the results of this consolidation is that the line between news and entertainment has become blurred. Very large corporations increasingly control decision making about what to include and exclude as "news." More and more news which is critical of corporate interests is omitted; so-called "news" which encourages consumerism and fascination with violence is always included. The democratic process suffers and citizens become increasingly disillusioned and cynical.

In response to these media trends, there is a small but growing movement made up of independent media organizations using television, radio, print media and the Internet which offer different perspectives than the corporate owned and controlled media. In October 1997, people connected in one way or another to independent media sources and deeply concerned about corporate media control met in New York City for a three day conference. Three of us from the Neahtawanta Center, Bob Russell, Bronwyn Jones and I (Sally) attended the conference. The cover picture was taken at a protest march we attended in Times Square in which 300 of us visited the "media moguls" to bring attention to corporate control of the media. The rest of the conference consisted of panels, speakers and workshops, finishing up with a showing of Michael Moore's The Big One, due out in March. Because we feel this topic is critical to all of the other issues we're involved in, we have devoted much of this issue of Synapse to this subject.

Bronwyn, in her article, State of the Media Environment, analyzes our media situation and discusses the importance of media literacy.

Three pieces describing our local independent media and their services and needs are included: two articles by Mike Kroes outlining the situation with tctv2, our local cable access TV station, and an article by Keith Schwartz, manager of WNMC, the community/college radio station.

We continue our tradition of focusing on peacemaking in Synapse's Winter Solstice issue. This year we have articles from two Neahtawanta Center members who are deeply committed, long time citizen activists for peace. Tom Shea, a leader in advocating and practicing non-violence in Michigan, describes his upcoming return to Hebron, Israel as part of the work of the Michigan Peace Team. And Martha Pierce, Sally's sister and a long time activist on behalf of the people of Central America, shares a moving, first-hand account of the recent, large protest at Forth Benning, Georgia, seeking the closing of the School of the Americas. (These articles are also examples of information and perspectives that you almost never find in the mainstream media)

Here at the Neahtawanta Center we continue working on the topic of building sustainable communities. Ruth Carey and Jim Crowfoot, participants in this work and Inn residents, report on the fall salons (evening potluck and discussion) focused on this topic. They also identify specific examples which are contributing to the sustainability of the Traverse City area. Jim continues his reporting on written resources which help to advance community sustainability.

Synapse is intended to be an ongoing discussion of issues relating to sustainable living, peace and personal growth. Our next issue will focus once again on the topic of sustainable agriculture. As always, we invite your further participation in the Neahtawanta Center and your letters and e-mail messages so we and our readers can learn your thinking on the topics we are covering. We live in a time of momentous change and we believe each of us working together with others in our communities can reduce unnecessary human suffering and move closer to a more just, peaceful and environmentally sustainable way of life.

Check out the back page for more news about the Neahtawanta Center and Inn.

Peace,

-- Sally Van Vleck and Jim Crowfoot

Return to the Index of Synapse 42, Winter 1997/98