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Saturday, November 05, 2005

Get the truth.

As a Southern black American woman, I am keenly aware that there are multiple versions of the "truth". Growing up, I'd often hear one version of history from my mother, grandmother, and father (Thanks y'all!) and a completely different version in school. So nowadays, I consult multiple media sources in an effort to get the truth. My favorite (read: most reliable) sources are independent media. You may want to peruse these resources to find independent, non-corporate newspapers, magazines, radio and television reporting:

* The Independent Media Institute "empowers people with independent journalism, information, and media tools to change the world."

* The Independent Media Center "is a collective of independent media organizations and hundreds of journalists offering grassroots, non-corporate coverage. Indymedia is a democratic media outlet for the creation of radical, accurate, and passionate tellings of truth." Read it in deutsch, Ελληνικά, português, español, nederlands, italiano, français, and english.

* AlterNet is a project of the Independent Media Institute and "is a highly acclaimed Internet information source that provides readers with crucial facts and passionate opinions they can't find anywhere else."

* Reporters Without Borders "is an association officially recognised as serving the public interest. More than a third of the world’s people live in countries where there is no press freedom. Reporters Without Borders works constantly to restore their right to be informed." Read it in français, español and english. Also, they have a great Handbook for bloggers and cyber-dissidents.

* The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters is "an international non-governmental organization serving the community radio movement, with almost 3 000 members and associates in 110 countries. Its goal is to support and contribute to the development of community and participatory radio along the principals of solidarity and international cooperation." Read the site in français, español and english.

* Indymedia UK is "a network of individuals, independent and alternative media activists and organisations, offering grassroots, non-corporate, non-commercial coverage of important social and political issues."

* Pacifica Radio has been "bringing listeners alternative, community, free speech, listener sponsored radio for over 50 years."

Don't settle for someone else's corporate-driven, politically-motivated version of the truth. Consult independent media and decide for yourself.

"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." -George Orwell, writer (1903-1950)

6 comments:

Unknown said...

100 Thankyous for opening up your RSS, Karama!

Your blog continues to keep my interest. :)

Karama said...

Happy to do it, Paul. I hope you and others will find it useful. Please continue to stop by the site to leave comments, peruse the archives, and click the links.

I'm pleased you continue to enjoy So what can I do. Thanks for your support!

Concerned Citizen said...

Another great post! Thanks for taking a stand for personal responsibility. Keep up the good work!

Karama said...

Glad you enjoyed this Kevin! The thing with personal responsibility is that it has to be taken willingly. In So what can I do, I try to provide rationale, ways and means to do so. Please stop by again soon, Kevin, and spread the word.

Anonymous said...

Hello Karama,
I'd like to add to this list of verity conscious story links, The Christian Science Monitor (www.csmonitor.com)

It's an awesome paper, but what inspires me most about it and why I thought it's in line with this post is that the monitor was established to "Injure no man, but to bless all mankind."

It doesn't shy away from hard news and troubling issues but with bureaus in 11 countries: Russia, China, France, the UK, Kenya, Mexico, Israel, and India (including the U.S.)it has the capability to rely more on their reporters rather than wire services.

The paper is written and speaks to the intelligence of its readers, and is known in the industry for its fair and balanced coverage.

Thanks again Karama!

Love you,
Kwadjo

Karama said...

Good suggestion, Kwadjo! I enjoy the Christian Science Monitor as well and am pleased to have a subscription in our home. It is a revolutionary concept: a newspaper whose goal is to "bless all mankind". I am pleased to support their work.

I appreciate your mention of the wire services. I didn't realize how reliant most newspaper were on them until I started reading more than one paper. The same stories show up over and over again. Thankfully, the alternative press and papers like the Monitor are around to do more of the hard work that makes the press worthwhile.

I love you too,

Karama