About The Media Consortium

Mission Statement

The Media Consortium is a network of the country’s leading, progressive, independent media outlets.  Our mission is to amplify independent media’s voice, increase our collective clout, leverage our current audience and reach new ones.  We believe it is possible and necessary to seize the current moment and change the debate in this country.  We will accomplish this mission by fulfilling our five strategic principles.

  • Foster Collaboration and Coordination
  • Build and Diversify Media Leadership
  • Focus on Audience Development
  • Bring Money and Attention into the Sector
  • Support Innovation in Journalism and Business Models

History

In 2005, two-dozen leaders of independent print, radio, television, and online media came together to discuss “Independent Media and the Future of Democracy.” It was the first time in at least a decade that independent media producers and distributors came together to plan how to strengthen our effectiveness.

We continued the conversation through 2005, expanding the participants to include many more media organizations. Our goal was to figure out how this network of independent media organizations could address two challenges we all face:

  • How to increase independent journalism’s voice in broader public debates about the crucial political and social issues of our day.
  • How to navigate the current wave of profound technological change that is reshaping the media business and redefining the practice of journalism itself.

In early 2006, we coalesced to to become The Media Consortium. Each project is tied to our three strategic work areas: Building Connections, Building Infrastructure, and Amplifying Our Voice. For more information about our projects, click here.

Membership

Our members take part in all levels of the decision-making process for a variety of collaborative projects. In order to be considered for membership or partnership, all interested parties must adhere to a strict set of qualifications (some of which are listed below) and exhibit a commitment to bettering the independent media sector.

Participating members pay annual dues based on a sliding scale. These members are able to vote, participate in Media Consortium-facilitated meetings, communications and projects. Members are also encouraged to actively participate in The Media Consortium’s governance committees.

A participating member of The Media Consortium must have:

  • A journalism-driven mission
  • Staff and organizational capacity to participate in projects that benefit the organization and the Consortium
  • The commitment of senior leadership to personally participate in Media Consortium activities, projects, and meetings
  • A mission that promotes progressive ideals

For more information about joining The Media Consortium, please contact us.

Staff

Tracy Van Slyke has dedicated much of her career as a journalist, communications professional and media producer to building a strong independent media infrastructure. As the Project Director of The Media Consortium, she works to organize effective partnerships and innovative projects that will change the terms of the American political and cultural debate as well as create a cooperative infrastructure that supports a sustainable future for independent media.  She is also co-author of the upcoming book, Beyond the Echo Chamber: Reshaping Politics Through Networked Progressive Media (December 2009, The New Press).  In October 2009, Van Slyke was named one of the Heeb Hundred-one of the top hundred Jews in the country to watch out for.

Van Slyke is the former publisher of In These Times magazine, a national, award-winning monthly magazine of progressive news, analysis and cultural reporting. In 2005 and 2006, she and Jessica Clark co-authored the landmark articles on strengthening the progressive media landscape including, “Making Connections: Why is the news so bad? What can progressives do to fix it?” and “Welcome to the Media Revolution: How today’s media makers are shaping tomorrow’s news.“

Prior to joining In These Times, she was the Communications Director for the National Training and Information Center.  In 2000 she was a fellow at Knight Ridder’s Washington D.C. bureau during the 2000 presidential campaign and covered national politics and events. She is also the co-editor of Build the Echo. Van Slyke also serves on the board of the National Training Information Center.

Erin Polgreen is the Senior Program Associate for The Media Consortium. From 2005-2007, she was the Associate Publisher for In These Times, where she managed advertising, marketing, event planning, and other outreach initiatives. Prior to working at In These Times, Erin served with City Year Chicago, an Americorps program, where she co-led a team of literacy tutors at an elementary school on the West side of Chicago.

Erin has written for In These Times, Campus Progress and Care2, among other publications. She is an active member of Chicago’s cycling community.

Jeanne Brooks is the Program Associate for The Media Consortium. As the former Outreach Coordinator at the Center for Public Integrity, she managed the Center’s outreach efforts and the online marketing/donor campaigns. Prior to that she was the Managing Director of the Fund for Independence in Journalism, a support organization to the Center that was created to foster independent, high-quality public service journalism in the United States and around the world. While at the Fund she also assisted the research and editing of Iraq: The War Card, an online searchable database of false statements made by the Bush administration in the lead-up to the war. Jeanne began her career at the New Hampshire Commission on the Status of Women.