Notes from the Network
What Michigan’s Media Landscape Tells Us About the Future We Need to Build
Something is broken in how communities get the information they need to function, and a new statewide report puts data behind what many of us already know from experience. The Michigan Media Ecosystem Report, published in November 2025 by The…
The People Who Keep the Record
Every community has people doing quiet, important work. They show up to a neighbor's art show with a camera. They sit down with an elder and ask about their life. They record a local nonprofit explaining what they do and…
Communication Is Infrastructure, Too
When I was finishing my environmental studies degree, our capstone class focused on sustainable communities. Each of us was assigned a system to study. Some looked at roads.Some studied housing and land use.Others focused on water, parks, or energy. I…
Participation Is a Practice
It can be easy to think the way decisions get made in our communities just takes care of themselves. Meetings are scheduled. Agendas are posted. Votes are taken. If something important happens, surely someone will tell us. But participation doesn’t…
Community Media is Public Infrastructure
Why These Moments Matter The meetings and stories we share each week matter because they shape real lives and real decisions. Neighbors speak about housing. Local leaders plan for public safety. Artists share work that reflects their community. These moments…
Why Open Media Matters in a Platform-Driven World
Social media has changed how people organize, communicate, and share information. It has helped neighbors find one another in moments of crisis, allowed movements to grow quickly, and lowered barriers for people to speak publicly. For many, these platforms are…
Why Government Meeting Coverage Matters
Many of the decisions that shape our daily lives happen in rooms most of us can’t attend. Township boards, city commissions, and county committees meet during work hours or on weeknights. Even with meetings being open to the public, showing…