Democratic media is the backbone of a democratic society. In our current society, media is controlled by individual capitalists and corporations make up our societies elite. This is directly due to their control and power over societies resources or capital.

In relation to the media, control over the resources required to create media is increasingly being monopolised in the hands of a few corporations. They then have the power to control what type of media content is produced. Essentially this means that they have control over what ideas the rest of the community is exposed to. Control over ideas is the most effective method of social control.

All corporate media is oriented towards one overriding goal, the business interests of the owner. All other considerations are secondary, including their responsibility and role of honestly informing the public, to facilitate open, public discourse. This role is critical for a dynamic and healthy democratic society, but is necessarily considered after the need for profits.

The corporate media have a product, you the audience. The corporate media's real customers are other corporations, who are sold the opportunity to expose the audience to their propaganda, otherwise known as advertising.

Regardless of the content, this corporate propaganda always promotes a consumerist culture above all other democratic and egalitarian values and processes. No one is immune. Successful indoctrination require you to be unaware of it.

Here lies the importance of media activism. The process allows people within a community the opportunity to create alternative forms of media to reclaim democratic impulses and expressions. It is the ability to prevent our lives, our ideas, our communities being co-opted by corporate domination.

The forms of media activism are diverse. It is putting up a poster on a wall, creating a zine, or flyer, it is community radio, community TV, Indymedia and culture jamming. It can be painting on your car, t-shirt, or on an empty wall. It is making and sharing your own music, art, literature, video; or a simple as using your own mouth whenever you can. It is as much about creating and maintaining the resources to produce and distribute media, as it is about creating the content.

Regardless of the form of the media, the processes of media activism should be about self-empowerment that informs, entertains or connects others in the community. It should not be driven by the 'profit motive' or recreate hierarchies of power and domination. Anyone can do it. There are no rules, just values. The way we organise and live, is just as important as the message we spread.

A Brave New World is here. Just turn on the TV news to see it. There is no way to buy ourselves out of this.

You can listen to some of our shows at www.radio4all.net

Recent Interviews

Sam Watson speaks one week after Kevin Rudd's 'sorry' speech about his trip to Canberra and what he thinks the event will mean for indigenous people and their living conditions. HERE

Past Interviews

50th Anniversary of 1st Atomic Test on Australian Mainland 2003

Queensland government attempts to close democratic School 2003

Refugee Detention in Australia - 6 Jan, 2003

Narangba Anti-Nuclear Food Irradiation Campaign 2003

Paradise Dam no Paradise for the lungfish 2003

Water More Precious Than Gold: Barrick Gold threatens Sacred Land at Lake Cowal, Australia 2004

Climate Justice: Climate change, oil, refugees. What responsibility does the West share? 2004

Double standards in animal welfare at the RSPCA 2004

Australian Aid funding Burmese regime and Climate Change 2004

Aboriginal Deaths in Custody Rally in solidarity with Palm Island 2004

Australia's Secret Nuclear Ambitions Revealed 2004

2004 Law Council Human Rights Winner Julian Burnside on Australia's treatment of Refugees 2004

Forest blockades in Orbost, Victoria. Kim interveiws Billy Dain. 2005

Brisbane Indigenous Mob Commomorate Death of Dundalee 150 years ago for Invasion Day 2005

Filmmaker David Bradbury talks about his new film on depleted uranium "Blowin' In the Wind" 2005

On the anniversary of the death of TJ Hickey, a young indigenous boy killed while being chased by police in Redfern, Sydney in 2003. Linda Rose interviews Ray Jackson.

Ask my wife if I glow in the dark?: one veterans case against Nuclear Weapons. Interview with Lincoln Grahlf by Robin Taubenfeld.

Conscientious Objection and living in Israel- Linda Rose interviews conscientious objector Rotem Dam Mor. Rotem visited Brisbane to speak as part of the Students of Sustainability Conference. He spoke on Radio Democracy about his journey as a Conscientious Objector and about media and life in Israel.

Report from October 10 rally for justice over the death of Mulrunji who was killed by a police officer in 2004 on Palm Island. Features Sam Watson, Peter Beattie, Alec Doomadgee and others.

Three speakers from October 10 rally for justice in Palm Island death in custoday case. Recorded in Queens Park Brisbane.

Program put together from November 18 rally to demand justice for Mulrinji Doomadgee who died in custody November 19 2004. Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley has been found to be responsible for the death after in inquiry by Queensland deputy coroner Christine Clements. The case has been refered to DPP Leanne Clare. A spokesperson for Ms Clare has said she has requested and is waiting for further information. This edit features Sam Watson, Dennis Walker, Rev Alex Gator and others. Music is from DJ Morphism, Non Bosse Posse and Justin Mullins.

With the police set to protest over charges of manslaughter and assault being laid against Snr Sgt Chris Hurley over the death of Mulrinji Doomadgee indigenous and non indigenous community members met at Jagera Hall South Brisbane to discuss how to respond.

Interview with Darlene Lieblich producer of Heart of the Beholder. This film is about a video shop owner who was bankrupted because Fundamentalist Christians didn't like some of the films he was playing. The interview covers some of the difficulties the makers of this film have had due to 'fundies'.

Professor Ward Churchill talks to Franklin Lopez of subMedia in Vancouver to talk about pacifism, HR1955, the Weather Underground and voting.