On November 4, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to approve the unlicensed use of "white spaces" - empty airwaves between television channels - to provide high-speed Internet access nationwide. Your voice helped lead the way to the landslide vote.

Nearly every market in the United States has available white spaces. In some communities, more than three-quarters of the broadcast spectrum is unused. This FCC vote allows innovators to develop new technologies that will bring Internet service to millions of Americans in rural and other underserved communities. This important victory moves us toward a more just media system. 

Thank you for joining the New Mexico Media Literacy Project, Main Street Project, Center for Rural Strategies, the Mountain Area Information Network and others who were part of the Rural White Spaces Campaign and for contacting the FCC and Congress about this important issue.

You can read some of the letters in support of white spaces at: http://freepress.net/whitespaces/letters

In solidarity,
The staff of NMMLP

On February 17, 2009, all full power, over-the-air broadcast TV will switch to a new digital format. Millions of viewers will need to install a special DTV converter box in order to keep watching free TV. Now is the time to get the information that you need to make the switch. 

Who will be affected by the transition?

If your TV is more than two years old, and is connected to an antenna instead of cable or satellite, you will need a digital TV converter box. 

If you are not prepared, you could be one of the 21 million households affected!

What do I need to do to get ready?

Order a free coupon from the government, good for $40 off the price of a DTV converter box (most boxes cost between $40 and $80). Order coupons online at www.dtv2009.gov or by calling 1-888-DTV-2009. 

Get your coupon as soon as possible--it will take three weeks for the government to respond. Also, order an extra coupon even if you don't need it--they're free (limit 2 coupons per household). You can donate your extra coupon to elders, shut-ins, group home residents, prisoners, or others who may have special difficulty preparing for the February 17 transition. 

Help reach those who will be hardest hit by this transition--Post DTV flyers in visible places, including your local schools, libraries, supermarkets, places of worship, and community centers. Tell your friends and family, and reach out to folks in your neighborhood and in your organization. Knowledge is power! 

New Mexico residents can contact NMMLP for DTV flyers or for more information go to www.nmmlp.org/DTV.

Visit the MAG-Net website to learn more about local groups in your areas that are engaged in Media Justice work at www.mediagrassroots.org

Visit the Leadership Council on Civil Rights website for multi-lingual materials at www.civilrights.org/dtv/toolkit.

Media & Bullying is an educational DVD-ROM that explores the topic of youth-related bullying through movie clips, news articles, website information, and magazine ads. Learners will expand their understanding of media literacy by examining fantasy and reality, target audiences, untold stories, and other deconstruction questions. The presentation format on the DVD-ROM allows instructors to discuss various aspects of real-life bullying using questions and answers related to the media examples.

While it can be used for individual study, Media & Bullying has been designed to be used in classrooms, community groups, and other group settings to:

- Understand media literacy in the context of bullying.
- Gain more awareness about bullying and its consequences.
- Explore portrayals of bullying in the media.
- Make positive choices with regard to attitudes, actions and  behaviors.

This DVD-ROM contains 17 selected media examples from films, TV shows, magazine ads and the Internet, accessed through a menu system. Optional SDH subtitles can be played with all audio and video clips.

The disc also includes a printable presentation guide you can use to lead a conversation about the media examples on the disc.  The presentation guide is available in Standard and Large Print versions.

This DVD-ROM can be used in any DVD player or in a DVD-ROM drive in a computer. Media & Bullying is available for $39 and can be ordered at NMMLP’s Online Store or by calling 505-828-3129. 

New Mexico Media Literacy Project continues to expand its reach nationally and internationally. Here is a look at where staff have been recently and where we will be in upcoming weeks:

NMMLP Executive Director Andrea Quijada recently returned from the state of Alaska, where she provided a weeklong training for teachers and students from September 29th to October 3rd in Anchorage for Safe and Drug Free Schools and the Anchorage School District.

Denis Doyon delivered a presentation on tobacco counter-marketing to 6th graders at Jimmy Carter Middle School in Albuquerque on Oct. 9.  Students compared effective and ineffective tobacco prevention messages in preparation for entering the Talk Back to Big Tobacco! Script & Storyboard Contest. Doyon will be leading a workshop, "Something Stinks in Hollywood! The campaign for smoke free movies" at the National Community Health Workers/Promotores Conference in Albuquerque on Oct. 21.  Both presentations are supported by the New Mexico Department of Health, Public Health Division, Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Program (TUPAC).

Christie McAuley taught media literacy to students at Ordinary Middle School in Moriarity, NM for Evone Nickerson's eighth grade language arts classes.  For five days, students deconstructed TV commercials, Hollywood movies, and print ads, and discussed ways that tobacco, alcohol, and food companies target young people.  As a culminating activity, students created counter ads using print ads from magazines.  This opportunity was made available through NMMLP’s TUPAC grant. 

Check back with NMMLP to see if we are coming to a community near you, or invite a speaker to your school, organization or community.