Revolution in the making: reshaping global media power

On 5th November, the organisation Media Revolution will announce a landmark stage in its movement to radically change the power balance from the broken global media system to one that works in favour of people and planet: the creation of a Media Consumers Union.

Media Revolution

It’s part of the movement’s challenge to three fundamental problems: the media ownership model that allows a few individuals to distort the lens through which millions of people perceive the world.; the manipulation of social media to amplify only certain content; and the corrupted “news values” that prioritise clicks and sensationalism over depth and nuance.

None of this is new.

But until now collaboration has been lacking between the many different independent media outlets, journalists, media campaign organisations and tech experts who have so far been responding to the crises in their own spheres.

Some have been trying in vain to improve representation of important topics, causes and voices in the malignant media, others are trying to replace it, and the various attempts to regulate it have been systematically shot down or bypassed. Media Revolution is pulling these responses together, to approach a complex problem collaboratively, and crucially, with the public – the media consumer – at its centre.

Therefore, Media Revolution will announce on 5th November the creation of a Media Consumers Union, which will extend the power of resistance to the public through boycotts and digital divestment from the attention economy.

The movement is also promoting the new decentralised platform Mo-Me, which offers news from independent, well-regulated media sources without advertising or algorithms.

Media Revolution aims to highlight that access to accurate information is a fundamental human right, essential for making informed decisions about our lives. Digesting media content is a highly influential and interactive experience, one which must have safeguards and protections.

At the same time, improving media literacy is vital. Media Revolution has created a network of News Clubs where members meet to analyse recent news stories, identify bias and propaganda, and delve into the real issues.

Liz Pendleton, co-founder of Media Revolution, said: “It doesn’t matter who you are or what you care about – disinformation and division are destroying our lives. Whether it’s climate denial, ignoring genocide or blaming migrants, we’re all targets for billionaire brainwashing. Politicians are either too scared of media monstering to do anything about it, or they’re in cahoots with the culprits. Real change is happening in communities, at the grassroots level. People are building a ‘movement media’.”

The full details of the Media Consumers Union will be announced on 5th November, Media Liberation Day, through the Media Revolution website and social media accounts.