The Twin Cities Media Alliance began in the winter of 2005 with an ad hoc group of individuals interested in bringing together media professionals and engaged citizens to improve the quality, accountability and diversity of the local media, and giving the public the tools they need to become more active participants in the emerging media environment.
We accomplish our mission through:
- Offering citizen journalism classes and media skills workshops
- Creating a community newswire and syndication service
- Building a partnership with neighborhood and community media serving diverse Twin Cities communities
- Hosting public forums
- Organizing networking opportunities for media professionals and engaged citizens
Funding and support for the Twin Cities Media Alliance is provided by the McKnight Foundation, Saint Paul Foundation, McCormick Tribune Foundation Otto Bremer Foundation, Minneapolis Digital Inclusion Fund, Still Ain’t Satisfied Foundation, Irwin Andrew Porter Foundation, Triangle Park Creative, and by generous individuals who contribute to the organization.
Twin Cities Media Alliance Board of Directors
Chair: Richard Broderick, professor, Anoka-Ramsey Community College.
Vice chair: Barry Madore, web developer, Advantage Labs.
Secretary: Pam Colby, executive director, Minneapolis Television Network
Treasurer: Sheldon Mains, independent technology consultant
Lauretta Dawolo, news director, KFAI Community Radio.
Howard Kling, director, Labor Education Service, U. of M.
Diane Hang Garvey, Hmong Arts Connection
Key Staffers:
Mary Turck is editor of the Twin Cities Daily Planet, and conducts some of our citizen journalism classes, as well as workshops on media strategies for non-profits, and works one-one-one with participants in the Daily Planet writers group.
Jay Gabler is assistant editor of the Daily Planet. Jay is responsible for Arts coverage, and is taking the lead on our social networking initiatives. (He is taking the lead in developing our Facebook page, and developing interactive features on the Daily Planet website.)
Emily Pearson Ryan is operations manager for the Twin Cities Media Alliance. Emily’s responsibilities include book-keeping, tracking progress on compliance with grant obligations, and developing work plans for other staffers.
Jeremy Iggers is executive director of the Twin Cities Media Alliance. His responsibilities include supervising the staff of the Media Alliance and Daily Planet, implementing the organization’s goals, maintaining financial oversight, writing grants, and communicating with the public and the board.
Lisa Peterson-de la Cueva is community outreach coordinator for the Daily Planet. Her responsibilities include finding and recruiting citizen journalists from diverse Twin Cities communities, and building relationships with neighborhood and community organizations.
