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A free and vibrant media, full of diverse and competing voices, is the lifeblood of America's democracy and culture, as well as an engine of growth for its economy.

By endorsing the "Bill of Media Rights," your city would join the broad coalition of consumer, public interest, media reform, organized labor and other groups representing millions of Americans who are standing up for citizens' rights and a free and open media.

Add your voice to the effort and get your community involved! The steps below provide an outline on how to get the Media Bill of Rights ratified by your local government or City Council.

1. Define the Issue

Why should community members and local leaders care about media rights?
Citizens everywhere need a media system that reflects and responds to their local communities. The American public has a right to television and radio stations that are locally owned and operated, reflective of and responsible to the diverse communities they serve, and able to respond quickly to local emergencies.

What is at stake?
In one word: democracy. If your hometown news channel is not there to cover the local government, elections and the issues that are unique to your community, who will? The health of democracy relies upon an informed citizenry, and without an open, diverse and locally-owned media system, the local community could be left in the dark.

Are there local laws that might be impacted by your proposed resolution?
For example, do local laws ensure that Internet service is provided by multiple, independent providers who compete vigorously and offer affordable access to all neighborhoods in your community?

• Seek out laws that protect your right to access information, and oppose laws that favor industry interests over public interests.
• Compile packets of educational materials that explain the issue(s) and why a resolution is necessary. The Bill of Media Rights is a great tool for mobilizing your community.

2. Work in Coalition

Reach out to local community organizations, churches, neighborhood associations, unions, and businesses. Every locally-based organization and association should have an interest in this issue because they all need a responsive and reflective local media system to deliver their message to the greater community. Local media attention is especially important to organizations representing communities of color, women, labor groups, immigrants and Americans with disabilities, as the voices of these communities are often underrepresented and/or misrepresented by the mainstream, corporate media.

A diverse group of organizations and constituencies will show a broad base of support for your issue, so reach out to as many different organizations possible. Don't rule anyone out! The National Rifle Association and CodePink: Women for Peace joined forces to fight media consolidation in 2003.

Hold meetings to discuss the Bill of Media Rights and why it would benefit different constituencies. Be sure to utilize the literature we have provided and the various resources and assets of each coalition group.

3. Survey Your City Council

• Find out where members of your city council stand on the Media Bill of Rights.
• Try to identify which members are allies, which members are on the fence, and which members will present a challenge.
• Do some research to find out how you can tie media reform to the issues that are important to each member of the council. For example, is there a member who is a former school board member who might be concerned about the impact of commercialization on children? Do any members have higher political aspirations, but are reluctant to run for office because of the high cost of TV ads and the difficulty getting coverage from local media? Try to personalize your argument to make it more effective.
• Call the offices of city council members to gauge their awareness of and/or support of the Media Reform and the Bill of Media Rights.
• Schedule a time to meet with them individually to talk with them about the Bill of Media Rights, answer any questions, and leave them with information on the issue (more information on how to Schedule a Meeting).

4. Educate and Organize Your Community

Bring this issue to the attention of your community members by distributing copies of the Bill of Media Rights, gathering public signatures in support of the resolution, and trying to get a few minutes of air-time in public forums that have already been planned, etc.

Set up a Town Hall Meeting that features a panel of people representing the spectrum of opinion on the issue of local media and media ownership, a panel of Council Members, and a full audience of community members prepared to throw out questions and comments. Don't forget to inform journalists about the event.

Submit letters to the Editor and Op-Ed pieces to your local newspaper and/or pitch a news story to local news media about the coalition and the Bill of Media Rights.

At the City Council Meeting…

• Appoint spokespersons of the coalition to make the presentation to the council, preferably local experts who are well-respected in the community.
• Anticipate Council Members questions and potential points of opposition, and have your facts ready to answer or refute them. (Tips on Delivering an Effective Message)

 When the resolution is passed, don't forget to …

• Alert the local media with a formal press release from the coalition of community organizations.
• Hold a press conference featuring City Council member supporters or key members of the coalition.
• Distribute copies of the ratified Bill of Media Rights to all state and national elected officials.
• Send Thank You notes to all community members that provided support in your effort to get the resolution passed.
• Let us know! Inform the Media and Democracy Coalition of your success, so we can add your community to the growing list of endorsers.