Wednesday, August 22, 2023 (2:30 pm – 4:00 pm)
Host: Antoine Haywood
Session participants:
- Antoine Haywood, University of Pennsylvania
- Carole Carmichael, Chestnut Hill Local
This session intended to discuss the role community access media centers should play in the larger effort to “advance journalism for all.”
Despite being the only two participating in this session, we were the right two people in the right space, having a productive conversation at the right time.
Antoine and Carole started by discussing and comparing observations they made while talking to Philadelphia residents about what news and information that are most interested in receiving. Carole mentioned that most people wanted information about housing and wrap-around services. Support services for youth and seniors were also critical. Antoine said that while many people in the city still have cable television services, many don’t trust or watch local news.
Antoine and Carole discussed many issues related to cable and broadband connectivity. The two agreed that new technologies don’t always supplant older ones. Many communities, especially older groups, still prefer to get their local information from printed weekly papers and cable television. They also discussed consumer protections, neighborhood connectivity, media ownership, and service affordability.
A concrete action item that developed in this discussion was forging a relationship between the Chestnut Hill Local and PhillyCAM.
Carole asked many questions about Philadelphia’s community access media center—PhillyCAM. After Antoine explained what PhillyCAM provides for community groups, Carole suggested that the Local could have a digital media reporter get trained at PhillyCAM and then produce a program to run on community access channels and stream online.
Carole also suggested that this could be a good case study to write about for the paper and publish in the Columbia Journalism Review. Antoine agreed.
A few questions were noted at the end of the sessions:
- How can these two organizations support each other long-term?
- Could this collaboration serve as a model for future collaborations in other places?
- What kinds of funding could this partnership generate?
Antoine offered to facilitate a connection between the Local and PhillyCAM. Carole offered to facilitate an introduction with the Local’s editor, Carla Robinson.