For the last three years, the Centre for Media Alternatives - Québec (CMAQ) has been building an independent media nexus for the region, and delivering coverage of views and events using its progressive open publishing web platform. From its April, 2001 beginnings at the protests surrounding the Summit of the Americas in Québec, to its current coverage of the neoliberal onslaught under Jean Charest, the CMAQ has provided the public with a unique tribune for the expression of a range of alternative political opinions, a place to discuss issues ignored and obscured by corporatist media.

Like other nodes on the Indymedia network, the CMAQ's non- profit, non-hierarchical structure has always depended on its user base for both content production and administration. Thanks to the efforts of volunteers and contributors, our readership continues to grow, tripling in the last year alone.

Independent media needs your involvement. Join us in a self-managed, collective and participative media experience!
Come to our next reunion, Tuesday, June 29th at 6:30 PM, at the Montreal CMAQ local. Newbies are welcomed an hour before regular meeting time (i.e., noon in this case), provided you advise us of your presence...

 
For the last three years, the Centre for Media Alternatives - Québec (CMAQ) has been building an independent media nexus for the region, and delivering coverage of views and events using its progressive open publishing web platform. From its April, 2001 beginnings at the protests surrounding the Summit of the Americas in Québec, to its current coverage of the neoliberal onslaught under Jean Charest, the CMAQ has provided the public with a unique tribune for the expression of a range of alternative political opinions, a place to discuss issues ignored and obscured by corporatist media.

Like other nodes on the Indymedia network, the CMAQ's non-profit, non-hierarchical structure has always depended on its user base for both content production and administration. Thanks to the efforts of volunteers and contributors, our readership continues to grow, tripling in the last year alone.

Energy

The CMAQ is more than an Internet site. The site requires the regular implication of many militants to ensure the coverage of different events, find original and pertinent content, perform validation tasks, create dossiers, etc.

There is a local on the McGill University campus, where we are trying to ensure a presence;

We also need people to take care of promotion, diversifying our sources of revenue, etc.

Content

The CMAQ has been the target of much criticism regarding the content that it provides. Some of the criticism is well-founded, while the rest seems to be wanton disparagement. Nonetheless, the diversification of our site's content depends primarily on the appropriation of the cmaq.net tribune by diverse organisations. Unfortunately, a number of Québec, Canadian, and international organisations whose actions and positions are perfectly compatible with the CMAQ's editorial orientation (i.e. advancing the democratisation of means of mass communication and promoting social justice) do not take advantage of this tribune, because they are not aware of it, or because they do not perceive its utility. The growth and progress of the CMAQ depends largely on the participation of these organisations. With 500 visits daily (a figure that grows every day), cmaq.net offers a single 'shop-front' for these organisations, whose orientations are often marginalised by the mass media.

A habit for information

Every day, the CMAQ gets closer to its goal: being a virtual nexus where thousands of individuals and organisations cross paths in their everyday struggle for more social justice. A weekly visit to cmaq.net is a must, in our opinion, for all the citizens and organisations who want to stay informed of upcoming activities as well those that took place in the course of the week, and to absorb different points of view on current events.

A responsibility, a right

The CMAQ cannot survive in isolation. It is not like traditional media. The CMAQ is a participatory media outlet from A to Z. The CMAQ can represent a concrete alternative to "mainstream" media only insofar as citizens appropriate it fully.

The CMAQ collective is composed of individuals coming from diverse horizons, working together respectfully as a diverse group with the common goal of abolishing the barriers that mass media outlets maintain, to bring about societal changes. Anyone interested in participating may join the collective, take up and manage projects, and become part of the decision- making process. All of our meeting dates are listed on the CMAQ's home page in the right-hand column. At the present time, women, anglophones, and cultural community members are underrepresented within our collective. Diversifying our collective will make us more representative of the community, and more coherent with our goal of collectively managing information.

All of our meetings are open, and the Montreal collective meets monthly at its local on the third floor of 3647, University street. New participants are greeted an hour before the normal meeting time. If you'd like to join us, send e-mail.

For any other information, don't hesitate to contact us.