spring is here and i spent winter making media. you?

it’s been a long hiatus, i’ll be honest. it was cold and taking out my camera to take pictures just about froze my fingers each time. i started running from warm place to other warm place, fleeing from the icy air, zipping into buildings. perhaps i wasn’t walking around like the situationist i’m usually proud to be, but that doesn’t mean i didn’t seek, find and love those pure montreal moments where you know your community is alive and well, thriving despite the threats of corporate takeovers that are everywhere…

case in point: the dollarama and bank that are opening up on stlaurent. boooooo.

but let’s talk about happy things and community media is one of them.

montreal rocks for alternative and community radio, video, zine, internet (hello, who are we but part of that?). you name it, montreal has it. i’ve been dabbling in these different media all winter and i can tell you that 24hrs in my day has not been enough to participate in all the different ways i wanted to. the usual avenues of mainstream media are completely closed off to individuals in the community. we are but passive listeners, viewers and sheep audiences. we’re a demographic that may sell advertising revenue… what a tasty description of humanity, no seriously.

community-based media though seeks to give a voice to the voiceless, provide the tools of media and dissemination then let you represent yourself, get your issues out in the open, express your creativity. this kind of media makes you an active member of culture, gives you the power to express yourself.

tried and tested, i can personally attest that places like CUTV concordia based community outreach media education and production, the lovely and colorful CKUT community radio station just across from the royal vic, zine productions in montreal (that i found through art matters, on facebook -no she didnt- yes i did, and in the coop bookstore ) want you to get involved. they do, and i did, and it was overwhelming,and it was also empowering, and finally, i was hooked. but there’s much more out there, university radio stations galore, zines everywhere looking for contributions (or smarty pants, start your own zine!), cultural associations that grow and want you, yes YOU, to get in on all the action.

if you’re frustrated with not having your personality reflect in the world around you, why don’t you start expressing yourself? if we keep adding to the ranks of alternative media production, will we tip the scale and take over media altogether? what a delightful revolt that would be.

yours in mediatic production,

selin.

ps: some zines i love. msguided, experiential publication for the travelling woman. and behold lickety split, pansexual smut zine extraordinaire.