PMN Connector

An illustration of two figures seated across from each other at a round table, each with a speech bubble containing audio waveforms, with sound waves radiating outward — suggesting active dialogue and the exchange of ideas.
Notes from the Network

The Courage to Keep the Table Open

I want to say something I believe deeply, and I want to say it plainly. We are living through a moment that requires courage, not the dramatic kind, not the kind that makes headlines, but the quieter, harder kind. The…

A graphic of many silhouettes of people's heads and profiles in multiple different colors, all partially transparent and overlapping.
Impact StoriesPMN Connector

“Knowledge, empowerment, and expression…”

Some of the most meaningful things that happen in a community begin with something simple: a place for people to gather. When John Safapour was looking for a home for Meaningful Conversations, a weekly discussion group centered on listening, reflection,…

gavel to gavel over image with american flag in background
PMN Connector

Gavel to Gavel: Upcoming Local Government Meetings and Key Agenda Items – April 27 – 28

Monday (04/27): Comstock Township Board of Trustees (6:00 PM, PMN3): The Comstock Board will provide Second Reading of Ordinance 567 regarding the 5057 E Main and 1654 Leigh Ave- Rezoning Request. The Board will also continue discussion regarding Public Comment…

An illustration showing a diverse group of people surrounded by media and communication icons — including a microphone, camera, speech bubbles, and data charts — alongside a network diagram connecting voices and information, representing community media and public access to communication.
Notes from the Network

You Don’t Need a Press Credential

Somewhere along the way, we started treating civic life as a spectator sport. Not because people stopped caring. Most people care deeply about what happens in their communities. They care about the decisions made at city hall, the changes coming…

gavel to gavel over image with american flag in background
Local GovernmentPMN Connector

Gavel to Gavel: Upcoming Local Government Meetings and Key Agenda Items – April 20 – 23

Tune in for another week of Local Government Meetings! Let's highlight some key agenda items this week. Monday (04/20) City of Kalamazoo Committee of the Whole (5:00 PM, PMN4): The Committee of the Whole will hold a work session discussing…

David F. Gakodi gives a big smile. He is a young Black man wearing a black t-shirt with a microphone in front of him. A pink banner at the bottom of the photo reads ALL STORIES MATTER with Marvinetta Woodley-Penn
Impact StoriesPMN Connector

In honor of David F. Gakodi

Last fall, video podcast host Marvinetta Woodley-Penn sat down with a young man named David F. Gakodi. She had no idea that he was going to pass away unexpectedly just a couple of months later.  I often talk about public…

An illustrated graphic contrasting community media and corporate media. On the left, a green panel shows a community-rooted media ecosystem — people with microphones, a local broadcast station, public infrastructure icons, and community investment. On the right, a blue panel depicts corporate media consolidation — a skyscraper controlling chained screens, money changing hands, and crumbling public spaces. Created with NotebookLM.
Notes from the Network

Media You Own vs. Media That Owns You

Someone asked me recently why Public Media Network even needs to exist. YouTube is free. Facebook reaches everyone. Why bother? It's a fair question. And honestly, it's one I don't mind answering, because the people asking it aren't wrong about…

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