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Youth Producers Take On Mainstream Media

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Posted on August 23, 2004

This election year has generated an inspiring level of political activism and mobilizing efforts by various nonprofit organizations. In this highly charged political environment, independent media has become an effective tool to communicate and express perspectives not represented by the mainstream media. The success of Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 911 not only illustrates how powerful an influence media can be but also the public's desire for alternative viewpoints. However, one does not need to be an internationally renowned filmmaker or even an "adult" to produce and participate in mass communication.

The Youth Media Council launched in April 2001 as a media capacity-building and watchdog project dedicated to developing youth-led strategies for media justice. And in this Political Convention season, youth activists have been strategizing on how media production of their own can be used to communicate their unique and important voices.

Youth Channel produces media by youth and for youth.

As our Just Media Project elucidates, the mainstream media is financially and politically controlled by corporate interests and therefore has little motivation to represent a group such as youth, who have no direct monetary or political clout. This has cultivated a media culture of exclusion that will most likely be evident in the media's coverage of the upcoming Republican National Convention.

Manhattan Neighborhood Network is spearheading the efforts to counter the absence of youth voices in mainstream media. During both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, MNN is leading a coalition for organizations interested in youth representation and media production. This coalition includes Global Action Project, Educational Video Center, United for Peace and Justice, The Young Republicans, The Prison Moratorium Project, Justice For Youth, Henry Street Settlement, Books Not Bombs, and Urban Word.

Visit their Web site to learn more about Youth Channel's free video training for young people.

Youth Channel was founded to provide equal media access for all youth regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or social status. During the Democratic National Convention, a small team of Youth Channel producers went to Boston for four days of independent event coverage. They went to collect footage for an upcoming documentary and shot segments of the PolitcalRap Youth Forum, the Hip Hop Summit at Roxbury CC, the C-Span press box at the Convention and the Patriot Act protest. They interviewed a delegate from Georgia and conducted many on-the-street interviews all over Boston.

Youth Channel plans to establish an even more visible presence at the Republican National Convention with their program Youth Voice 2004. This hour-long live variety show will broadcast nationally on Monday August 30 on Free Speech TV and locally in Manhattan between 6pm and 7pm on Manhattan Neighborhood Network's channel 34. The show will feature a panel discussion with representatives from various youth organizations, and will be shot in front of a live audience. Panelists will include members of the New York Young Republicans as well as members of DRUM (Desis Rising Up and Moving) and others. Discussion will focus on the social and political issues that are affecting youth today. Panelists will be expected to articulate opinions on education, the draft, immigration issues, healthcare and health issues, the prison industry, voting issues, civil liberties, and racial profiling.

Youth Channel's media makers at the Democratic National Convention.

In addition to the panel discussion, Youth Voice 2004 will also air video segments by Youth Channel producers. The various project titles include Communities in NYC Affected by the RNC and their Opinions, Books not Bombs and Youth March. Seven minute excerpts will be shown and the projects will be broadcasted in their entirety on Youth Channel at a later date.

Youth Voice 2004 will cover other convention events and feature live spoken word performances by Anthony McKoy, Tahani Salah, Jhon Valdes and Naomi from Urban Word NYC. Youth Channel held planning meetings for Youth Voice 2004 on Wednesdays at MNN's Youth Channel offices. Although it is not too late to be apart of this event, time is short as their broadcast date is set for August 30th.

Youth producers conducted interviews on the Boston Commons during the Democratic National Convention.Watch a trailer for their documentary.

Youth Channel is also teaming up with Paper Tiger TV and Indymedia to produce Unconventional TV. This group will produce one hour of programming every day during the convention from August 29 to September 4. Unconventional TV will air on MNN from 9-10pm. If you are an independent media maker who plans to cover the convention you can submit a segment for Unconventional TV.

Paper Tiger TV is also part of the NYC Grassroots Media Coalition that will provide a large 24 hours a day, workspace for independent media makers from August 27 to September 4. The Independent Media Convergence (IMC) space will be the central hub of independent media production efforts during the RNC. The space will provide shared and rotating workspaces to all registered independent media makers on a first-come, first-serve basis. You can join one of the media teams â audio, photo, print, video or web â or work on producing your own independent media for posting on the NYC Indymedia newswire. Other youth media portals include MediaRights' Youth Media Distribution site, YMDi.org where you can post your youth media projects and learn about youth media distribution and Listen Up!, a youth media network that connects youth producers to resources, support and projects.

Learn more about MediaRights' Youth Media Distribution initiative.

As the political climate heats up, mainstream media will continue to cover the elections through a very narrow lens. The presence of youth media activists at the Democratic and Republican National Conventions is a vital counterforce to this deluge. Thanks to Youth Channel, Paper Tiger TV and all the other nonprofit and activist groups participating, the youth voice will not be overlooked!