The '
Foundation for Media Alternatives
'' (FMA) is as a

non-government organization A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...

formed in 1986. Since its founding, FMA has "''sought to enhance the popularization and

social marketing Social marketing is a marketing approach which focuses on influencing behavior with the primary goal of achieving "common good." It utilizes the elements of commercial marketing and applies them to social concepts. However, to see social marke ...

of development-oriented issues and campaigns through media-related interventions, social communication projects, and cultural work.''"'Foundation for Media Alternatives, "History of FMA".

. Archived from the original

on January 13, 2007. It is a member of the

Association for Progressive Communications The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) is an international network of organizations that was founded in 1990 to provide communication infrastructure, including Internet-based applications, to groups and individuals who work for peace ...

(APC). FMA has worked in producing the public affairs

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

show ("Street Pulse", between 1986–1989), development-oriented

video Video is an electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving visual media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, which were quickly replaced by cathode-ray tube (CRT) syste ...

-documentaries (such as Gawad CCP 1991, "Dear Sam, …Sumasainyo, Juan", some of which were award-winning). It has also been involved in song-writing festivals (for instance, the 1992 Katipunan Centennial). Apart from this the FMA has been part of advocacy campaigns, and various publications to support different

civil society Civil society can be understood as the "third sector" of society, distinct from government and business, and including the family and the private sphere.Internet The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, pub ...

took root and grew in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

, FMA and others working in parallel fields increasingly felt that

information and communication technologies Information and communications technology (ICT) is an extensional term for information technology (IT) that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals) and computers, ...

(ICT) would be "''the

New Media New media describes communication technologies that enable or enhance interaction between users as well as interaction between users and content. In the middle of the 1990s, the phrase "new media" became widely used as part of a sales pitch for ...

or tool that will enable fellow civil society organizations to improve their respective processes, information sharing, collaboration, and in the long run allow them to achieve their respective visions.''" From 1997, FMA streamlined its services and programmes — in both the traditional and

— and undertook "strategic interventions" in campaigns for the right to information and right to communicate. FMA says it has also "''focused on democratizing

Information and Communications Technologies Information and communications technology (ICT) is an extensional term for information technology (IT) that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals) and computers, ...

(ICTs), aimed at empowering

Philippine The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

civil society Civil society can be understood as the "third sector" of society, distinct from government and business, and including the family and the private sphere.computer A computer is a machine that can be programmed to Execution (computing), carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (computation) automatically. Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic sets of operations known as C ...

-based) media.''" In 2011, its activities include developing a framework and pilot testing an "Open E-Governance Index", supporting the 'MDG3: Take Back the Tech! To End Violence Against Women' project being undertaken globally by the APC and working with

Privacy International Privacy International (PI) is a UK-based registered charity that defends and promotes the right to privacy across the world. First formed in 1990, registered as a non-profit company in 2002 and as a charity in 2012, PI is based in London. Its cu ...

to analyse

digital privacy Digital privacy is often used in contexts that promote advocacy on behalf of individual and consumer privacy rights in e-services and is typically used in opposition to the business practices of many e-marketers, businesses, and companies to colle ...

issues in the PhilippinesInternational Development Research Center, Privacy and the Information Society in Asia,

, Retrieved on May 26, 2011. Some of its mission goals include assisting civil society organisations (specially "people's organisations and

non-governmental organisation A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from g ...

s, and

social movements A social movement is a loosely organized effort by a large group of people to achieve a particular goal, typically a Social issue, social or political one. This may be to carry out a social change, or to resist or undo one. It is a type of Group ...

) in "asserting the people's right to information and the right to communicate through the democratization of appropriate media resources and services to the greatest number".

References

External links

FMA website
{{Authority control Communications and media organizations based in the Philippines Foundations based in the Philippines Organizations established in 1986 1986 establishments in the Philippines