Youth-led media is any effort created, planned, implemented, and reflected upon by young people in the form of
media
Media may refer to:
Communication
* Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data
** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising
** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass e ...
, including websites, newspapers, television shows and publications.
Movement
These efforts form the basis of an international movement born in the early 1970s in
Ann Arbor, Michigan,
U.S.
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
by the publishing arm of a
left-wing
Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically involve a concern for those in soci ...
, teen-led organization called
Youth Liberation of Ann Arbor
Youth Liberation of Ann Arbor was an organization based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It existed from 1970 to 1979, and is often cited in more recent academic literature as one of the leading forerunners of several youth movements in the United States, ...
, which existed from 1970 to 1980. One of its founders went on to form the New York City-based Youth Communication, a youth-led media program for young people in foster care. Another organization in the early movement was
Children's Express, which operates programs around the world.
In the early 1990s this movement gained new expression in the United States in response to growing
media bias
Media bias is the bias of journalists and news producers within the mass media in the selection of many events and stories that are reported and how they are covered. The term "media bias" implies a pervasive or widespread bias contravening of J ...
against youth, i.e. the hyper-sensationalization of youth violence ala "
superpredators", and continued to grow due to the "Columbine" shootings. The first online, teen-written newspaper
The Tattoo began in 1994 with a promise of giving voice to teens. This movement features hundreds of individuals and organizations working across the United States to promote the roles of young people in society and in the media. Demonstrating the wide reach of youth-led media a program in
Oakland, California
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast of the United States, West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third ...
called
Youth Radio
YR Media (formerly Youth Radio) is a national network of young journalists and artists collaborating with peers across the country and media professionals to create impactful contentYR Mediahas operated as a non-profit production company in the B ...
has been featured across national media outlets in the U.S., including NPR and PBS. Other examples include the
Blunt Youth Radio Project {{refimprove, date=June 2012
Blunt Youth Radio Project is one of the oldest and most decorated youth media programs in the United States. It's a weekly, youth produced public affairs radio show on WMPG in Portland, Maine. The hour-long show feature ...
, which provides an hour-long, weekly, youth-produced public affairs radio show on
WMPG
WMPG is a community radio station broadcasting from Portland, Maine. It is located on Bedford Street at the University of Southern Maine Portland Campus. It is affiliated with the college, and a mix of USM students and volunteers from the greater P ...
in
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in the U.S. state of Maine and the seat of Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 in April 2020. The Greater Portland metropolitan area is home to over half a million people, the 104th-largest metropo ...
, and The Global Youth Review, an international literary magazine dedicated to amplifying youth voices. A general interest magazine called ''
Nang!
''Nang!'' is a general interest magazine based in Aldgate, London. Aimed at 14- to 21-year-olds, the magazine is free and is distributed at sixth forms colleges, universities, libraries and Connexions centres in the London area on a quarterly ...
'' is produced and distributed on a quarterly basis to 14- to 21-year-olds in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
.
Speak Africa is a Pan-African youth-produced multi-media communication initiative that works in print, radio, TV, the Internet and community theatre, and the
Vera Project is an all-ages, non-profit youth music organization in
Seattle, Washington
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region ...
. ''Coal Cracker'' youth-led news based in
Mahanoy City,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, is a quarterly newspaper and website with content by young journalists from 12–18 years old.
In the United Kingdom, th
BBC Young Reporter(formerly BBC News School Report) provides schools with the opportunity to host their own News Day in which students write news articles and interview people for a day. A student-led magazine name
DGSChapteris produced by students of
Dartford Grammar School who participate in the national scheme. National awards such as th
Shine School Media Awardspromote youth-led media as students compete for awards in a plethora of categories.
There are currently youth-led media programs and organizations around the world, including Central and South America, Africa, Europe, and Australia.
[McDonnell, I., Solignac Lecomte, H-B., and Wegimont, L. (2003) ''Public Opinion and the Fight Against Poverty''. Development Centre of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.]
See also
*
Youth-led media (category)
*
Youth voice
Youth voice refers to the distinct ideas, opinions, attitudes, knowledge, and actions of young people as a collective body. The term youth voice often groups together a diversity of perspectives and experiences, regardless of backgrounds, identi ...
*
Youth empowerment
External links
AlphaGamma , Business portal for young professionalsCoal Cracker youth-led newsHeadlinersYouth Media at TakingITGlobalYouth Out Loud!Youth Journalism InternationalThe 18-to-24 Bracket , a journal of youth perspectives on politicsUth TV Original media created by youth for youth
SpunOut.ieIreland's largest national youth media organisation
FlindersStudents a media service for young people at uni
One80 Canada’s largest publication circulated by youth
Elevate foster youth empowerment program that provides youth led media, CDs, DVDsNonprofit Research Collection on Youth MediaPublished on IssueLab
Roundhouse RadioA radio station run exclusively by young people (under 25) broadcasting 24/7 from London's legendary venue, The Roundhouse
PLURAL+ Youth Video FestivalWhat's Good? Online , Providing the UK's Online Entertainment, News, Events & Offers , The Future Youth Media PlatformColloquium News
References
{{Youth empowerment
Mass media
Media
Media may refer to:
Communication
* Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data
** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising
** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass e ...