ANNUAL REPORT

2008
MISSION
The Twin Cities Media Alliance brings together media
professionals and engaged citizens to improve the quality,
accountability and diversity of the local media.

VISION
We envision a participatory democracy in which citizens from all seg-
ments of society—and especially those who have been traditionally
denied access—are able to use the media as a tool to share informa-
tion, hold the powerful accountable, build community, and work
together for the common good.

HOW WE DO IT
We do this by

• Offering citizen journalism classes and media skills workshops

• Publishing a professionally edited local news website and

community information resource, the Twin Cities Daily Planet

• Building partnerships with neighborhood and community media

serving diverse Twin Cities communities

• Organizing public forums and networking opportunities for media

professionals and engaged citizens
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT

We are living in interesting times—times of economic

turmoil and rapid change in the media world. Every week
brings us headlines of local newspapers and television
stations laying off journalists, and gee-whiz stories about
the latest applications for smart phones and other
techno-gadgetry. The same digital revolution that is
destroying the business model for newspapers has put
powerful communications tools in the hands of millions of
ordinary people.

The future of news depends on how we the people use

those tools—and who gets to participate in the media. Our
mission at the Twin Cities Media Alliance is to enable everyone to have access to these
tools, and use them to share information, build community, and work together for the
common good.

2008 was a year of tremendous growth and accomplishment for the Twin Cities Media
Alliance. In this report you’ll find details about our expanded program of classes and
workshops, our sponsorship of the Minnesota Ethnic and Community Media Awards, and
the improvements we’ve made to the Twin Cities Daily Planet under editor Mary Turck.

We face some very big challenges in 2009. Several foundations that have supported us
generously in the past have informed us that, because of the current financial crisis, they
have fewer resources, and many more requests for support. In response, we need to
diversify our funding by increasing income from individual donors and advertising, and
developing alternative sources of revenue, such as sponsorships and public events.

We also need to adapt to meet the changing needs of the community we serve. The
economic crisis is making the economic vitality of neighborhoods a priority, and we are
responding by offering classes that teach neighborhood businesses and community
organizations how to create their own free websites, using open-source software and
free hosting.

Although financial viability is an urgent concern, we will not lose sight of our basic
mission: to improve the quality, diversity and accountability of the media, and to
enable all members of our community to participate more actively in the emerging
media environment.

-Jeremy Iggers, Executive Director

 TCMA PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

The TCDP Citizen LUNCH WITH A JOURNALIST

Journalism class forces Our monthly Brownbag
you to go out and get Lunch With a Journalist
your hands dirty by taking series at the E. Lake
Public Library gave
an active engaged role in
community members the
your community, then chance to engage with
asks you to think harder some of the most
about you see and hear. talented journalists in
the Twin Cities, including
What a gift! Pulitzer Prize winner
Chris Ison, former NY
Times reporter Doug
McGill and KMSP’s
Robyne Robinson.

ANNUAL FALL FORUM

In October the Twin Cities Media Alliance held its fourth annual Fall
Media Forum at the downtown Minneapolis Public Library. The theme
was “Tools for Democracy, Strategies for Change” and featured
speakers included Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, on how
citizens can use new media as tools for participation in electoral
politics; Robyne Robinson on how to use mainstream media; and
Amalia Anderson of the Main Street Project, on organizing for media
reform and media justice. Afternoon workshop topics included media
justice and media reform, digital skills training, and a talking circle for
journalists, participants and witnesses of the RNC protests.

CONFERENCE FOR MEDIA REFORM

In June, TCMA and KFAI Community Radio co-hosted the welcoming
party for the National Conference on Media Reform, which brought
more than 2500 activists, journalists and scholars to the Twin Cities.
As presenters at the conference, we were able to share the Daily
Planet model with participants from around the country, and recruit
local citizen journalists and media professionals who were previously
unfamiliar with our work.
ETHNIC AND COMMUNITY MEDIA AWARDS

I begin every day by

visiting five websites: the
BBC, the New York Times,
the Star Tribune, the
Pioneer Press, and the
Daily Planet. The Daily
Planet again and again has
shown me the world
begins at home. We are
the world. In addition, it
In December, the Twin Cities Media has been a great place to
Alliance sponsored its first annual publish pictures, stories
Minnesota Ethnic and Community and videos making me a
Media Awards, in partnership with part of the community.
New America Media. Nine local
media organizations were
recognized with trophies, It is a website that bonds
certificates and cash prizes for their us together.
work in five categories, including
Investigative, Global Local, -Mike Hazard,
Community Service, Arts and The Center for
Culture and Commentary/Opinion.
International Education
We also published our first edition
of the Minnesota Ethnic and
Community Media directory,
designed to improve the ability of
local publications to generate
revenue from local and national
advertisers. The directory and the
media awards booklet are both
available for download on the Daily
Planet and TCMA website.

I love how the TC Daily
Planet compiles
interesting articles from
so many different
sources. I would never
have time to read (or find)
all of the different
publications that [it]
covers.
-Heather Johnson,
Wilder Research
TC DAILY PLANET EDITOR’S REPORT
A YEAR OF
GROWTH
This was a phenomenal year of
growth for the Twin Cities Daily
Planet. More than half a million
visitors came to the Daily
Planet in 2008, a dramatic
increase from 2007. While we
continued to republish the best
work of nearly 80
neighborhood and community
media partners, we increased the number of original articles to an
average of three to four each day by the end of 2008.
AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM
While blogs and the Free Speech Zone offer more freewheeling
discussion, our original reporting is always fact-checked and edited
to meet professional standards of fairness and accuracy. The
Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists recognized our
commitment to excellence by naming the Daily Planet the Best
Independent News Web Site of 2008. Here’s what SPJ’s judges said:
“The breadth and depth of this site is terrific. It connects
on multiple fronts: reader engagement, neighborhood
coverage, local opinions, 24/7 updates and a strong
commitment to a diversity of voices. Tcdailyplanet.net
really taps the power of the medium to make the
community part of the conversation – a lesson some of
its competitors could benefit from.”
ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION
In 2008, we started several new features to increase interactivity
with readers, including Things People Say, News You Can Use, Arts
Highlight, and From the Editor's Desk features, and increased
multimedia content. We also expanded use of social media,
including Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Flickr and YouTube.
-Mary Turck, Editor
ARTS COVERAGE
2008 was also a remarkable
year for arts coverage, with arts
editor Jay Gabler growing
content and partnerships. With
contributions from dozens of
citizen journalists and media
partners, we covered big
events—from the Fringe Festival
to Art-a-Whirl—while also
The Daily Planet is a
highlighting the ethnic and great news source in
community events that the the area. Competent,
mainstream media often miss. unbiased, and
transparent, the way a
Our arts coverage and partnerships fit naturally with our committment good newspaper
to diverse community organizations and media. Significant
developments in our arts coverage include:
ought to be. The Daily
Planet gives us the
MORE ARTS CONTENT local, neighborhood
On an average day we publish two or more original arts stories and
news we need, as well
blog entries, and often republish media partner stories. The as cogent
substance, quality, and volume of our arts coverage makes us one of commentary. In
the top sources for arts news in the Twin Cities. Our arts blog, Arts particular, the Daily
Orbit is a unique collection of arts writing from our partners. Planet understands the
value of the nonprofit
AN ENHANCED EVENT CALENDAR sector as other media
Our calendar, uniquely open to community submissions, features have not.
many events for every day of the year.
Supporting the Daily
A WEEKLY ARTS NEWSLETTER Planet strengthens
Our free weekly newsletter, sent to hundreds of readers, highlights what is already a
the week’s local arts coverage and recommends both mainstream strong voice.
and under-the-radar events.
-Jackie Alfonso
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
We formed partnerships with the Minneapolis-St. Paul International
Film Festival—hosting a rate-and-review site for MSPIFF—and the
Minnesota Fringe Festival, hosting several prominent bloggers who
formerly published their work directly on the Fringe site.
 DIVERSITY AND OUTREACH
The writers who contribute to the Daily Planet are as diverse as the
communities we serve—among them, Jennifer Holder, Dwight
Hobbes, Nekessa Opoti, Nelima Kerré, Steven Renderos, Deb
Pleasants, Rachel Dykoski, Lauretta Dawolo and Seng Vang. We also
republished many other local ethnic and immigrant writers, from the
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, Hmong Today, La Prensa de
Minnesota, Mshale, African News Journal, Asian Pages, and Asian
American Press.

Not only does the Daily Our blog pages also reflect the diversity of our community, with
Planet provide excellent contributors ranging from Erica Mauter, whose Cinna.mn is “a place
where I (and others) can talk about the sometimes strange
coverage of the local
experience of being a person of color in Minnesota” to Daniel
Somali community, Cubias (Hispanic Fanatic), and Engage Minnesota, a multi-author
usually written by local blog by and about Muslims in Minnesota.
Somali immigrants, it
provides links to other OUTREACH EFFORTS
resources about the
Outreach coordinator Lisa
Somali community. Peterson-de la Cueva's work
This is very important to with local organizations included
me because, as an ELL dozens of meetings with
teacher who works Minneapolis and St. Paul
with many new i nonprofits, neighborhood groups
mmigrants from Somalia, and district councils.
These groups ranged
I really need to know from the Folwell
where my students are Neighborhood
coming from. Association and
Saint Anthony Park Community Council
-Alison Morse, to Neighborhood House
ESL teacher in St. Paul and the
Minneapolis Urban League.
We developed collaborative
relationships with many of these
organizations, including teaching
classes through NRP and providing
programming at Pillsbury United
Communities. More than 100 people
attended several panel discussions,
including with the Hawthorne Huddle and
East Side Social Leader's Action Network.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING

In a time when
gazillions of different
technologies, media,
ideas, countercurrents
and counter-counter-
currents are affecting the
so-called institution of
journalism today,
We dramatically increased our educational offerings in 2008, in participating in
partnership with organizations ranging from Minneapolis Community citizen journalism is a
Education and the Experimental College of the Twin Cities to great opportunity to see
MnArtists.org and Intermedia Arts. These classes were geared toward
for yourself how
regular citizens with an interest in communications and journalism.
We also co-sponsored a workshop on investigative reporting for
journalism is changing,
ethnic media, presented by IRE, the national organization of and how it all boils down
investigative reporters and editors. The ongoing mentoring and to: you & me! I had lots of
training opportunities that editorial staff provide to our contributors fun interacting with people
and community members distinguishes us from other media. from all different ages and
occupations, talking with
CLASSES them about what
Classes included three of our four-session introduction to citizen journalism is, how to get
journalism workshops, and a four-session bilingual class, You and the
stories from people, and
Media/Tu Y Los Medios de Comunicación, as well as workshops on
podcasting, photojournalism, and arts writing and criticism.
how "citizen" journalism
differs from, well, the New
York Times.
WRITERS’ GROUPS
Writers' groups meet every Monday, offering training in journalism
-Hae Ryun Kahn
skills and workshop treatment of articles that writers bring to the
meetings. These groups bring together experienced journalists,
Student
people interested in writing about their communities, citizen
journalists, and interns from area colleges.
TCMA COMMUNITY
2008 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chair: Rich Broderick, professor, Anoka-Ramsey Community College
Vice chair: Barry Madore, web developer, Advantage Labs
Secretary: Pam Colby, executive director, Mpls Television Network
Treasurer: Sheldon Mains, independent technology consultant
Lauretta Dawolo, news director, KFAI Community Radio.
Howard Kling, director, Labor Education Service, U. of M.
Greg Patterson, reporter, Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Incoming 2009: Troy Pieper, ARP (Arts Review and Preview)
Incoming 2009: Diane Hang Garvey, Hmong Arts Connection

STAFF:
Mary Turck is editor of the Twin Cities Daily Planet. She also conducts
citizen journalism classes and mentors participants in the Daily Planet
writers group.

Jay Gabler is associate editor of the Daily Planet. Jay is responsible

for arts coverage and our social networking initiatives, edits and
mentors contributors’ work, and occasionally teaches classes.

Lisa Peterson-de la Cueva is community outreach coordinator for the

Daily Planet. She recruits citizen journalists, builds relationships with
community organizations and teaches classes.

Emily Pearson Ryan is operations manager for the TCMA. Emily’s

responsibilities include book-keeping, tracking progress on grant
obligations, and developing work plans for staff.

Jeremy Iggers is executive director of the Twin Cities Media Alliance.

He supervises staff, maintains financial oversight, writes grants, and
communicates with the public and the board.

THANKS TO:
The B.C. Gamble and P.W. Skogmo Fund of the Minneapolis Foundation
The Otto Bremer Foundation
The Saint Paul Foundation
The McCormick Foundation
The McKnight Foundation
The Still Ain't Satisfied Foundation
TCMA 2008 FINANCIAL REPORT

EXPENSES 2007 2008

_______________________________________________

Program service 78,590 167,450

Management and general operations 12,412 27,888
Fundraising 5,188 11,822
Total functional 96,190 207,160

REVENUE 2007 2008 Audited financial statements

_______________________________________________ are available for review in the
Twin Cities Media Alliance
Contributions and grants 145,859 222,860 Office, containing all required
Program service revenue 780 14,591 disclosures and financial
Investment income 2,224 837 statements.
Other revenue 6,457 0
Total 155,320 238,288 Summary 990 statements are
available on the Twin Cities
Media Alliance website at
www.tcmediaalliance.
wordpress.org.
INDIVIDUAL DONORS
Still Ain't Satisfied Foundation • Hendry Family Foundation • D Shapiro • J Iggers •
E Tisel • J and L Kramer • R Broderick • Community Supporters • M Entenza and L
Quam • S and B Mains • Minneapolis AFL-CIO • J O'Connell • B Craig • R Lafleur • C
Bouska • B Ferguson • J and J Gabler • P Colby • D Pleasants • S Clemens • P
Bouska • C Madison • T and L Babler • R and Y Corson • D Postiglione • D Garvey •
N Stavrou • E Arnason • J Schatz • A Treacy • A Morley • G and W XXX •
S Connors • H Kling •K Conlow • J Gepner and E Newman • S Lesch • M Thoemke •
R and S Roscoe • B Madore • M Turck • J Hively • M Lunde • H and M Mohring • E
Pearson Ryan • S Toftness • D Brauer and S Duniway • R Dechert • B Gabler • B
Mastin • S Herridge • Kathee Foran • A Nicolai • E Allis • P Lindquist • M Gross • J
Martin • K Clarke Anderson • S Kaplan • J Harshner • S Kawakami • K O'Svien • J
and M Landsman • P Pope • A Young • M Sulander • P Carney • J Austin • D Parker •
P Gilje • H Van Denburg • M Treacy • G Berquist • G D'Amour • R Cramer • C
Steinman • J Marty • E Wynne and L Johnson • T Shaw • L Schutz • K Blauvelt • J
Meyer and L Hotka • D Weissbrodt • T M Cohen • M Hazard • M Griffin • E Lipschultz
• K Eukel • P Eichten • M Alternam • M Weber • L Davis • L Savran • C Lundoff • C
Griffin • Y and F Abul-Hajj • David Zarkin • A Levenson-Falk • A Galloway •P
Ohmans •L Pogoff and J Zuckerman • P Bennett • N Zett • N Johnson •J Powers
• J Parker • A Vaaler • N Osendorf • M Berlowe • Melisande Charles • P Rachleff •
Kenneth Barklind • Art Hughes

DONATED SPACE OR SERVICES

Triangle Park Creative • Rondo Community Outreach Library • East
Lake Library • Hennepin County Public Library • The Databank
MEDIA PARTNERS
COMMUNITY AND ETHNIC MEDIA African News Journal • The Alley • Asian American Press • Asian Pages • The Bridge • Camden News
• The Circle • Hiiraan Online • Hmong Today • Inside Minnesota Politics • Insight News • KFAI Radio • Korean Quarterly • Land Stewardship Project •
La Prensa de Minnesota • The Liberian Journal • Minneapolis Labor Review • The Minneapolis Observer • Minnesota 2020 • The Minnesota Daily •
Minnesota Independent • Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder • Minnesota Women’s Press • The Mix • Mshale • MTN • The Northeast Beat • Northeaster
• North News • Park Bugle • Phillips Community Television • Session Weekly • Session Daily • Southside Pride • SPNN • St. Paul Union Advocate •
Truth to Tell on KFAI • Twin Cities Indymedia • The Uptake • Uptown Neighborhood News • Workday Minnesota • Dayton’s Bluff Community Council •
Lake Street Council • The Lake Line • St. Anthony Park Community Council • Standish-Ericsson Neighborhood Association ARTS MEDIA AND
BLOGS Alchemy ARP (Art Review & Preview) • Barefootblogger • Beckett’s Martyr • Booked in St. Paul • Brit Rock at the Top • CakeIn15 • East-
Lake.net • 50,000,000 Sparber Fans Can’t Be Wrong • HowWasTheShow.com • InDigest • Le Petit Connaisseur de la Monde • l’etoile magazine • Life
of Cyn • Little Lost Causes and Little Relaxed Minds • live.eat.play.twin cities • Midway Journal • Midwest Broadcast • Mill City Scene • The
Minneapoline • Minneapolis Review • Minneapolis Street Art Observer • Minnesota Historical Society Minnesota • Mist • MinnesotaPlaylist •
Minnesota Theatre • mnartists.org • MNDialog • Northern Outpost • Perfect Porridge • Ren is the DJ • Reveille Magazine • Rhubarbism • Rift Magazine
• Sai Werd Ink• 3-Minute Egg • A Tiny Machine • We Heart Music BLOGS All Learning, All the Time • Arts Orbit • Blandin on Broadband • Building
Minnesota • Cabbages and Kings • Cinna.mn • Engage Minnesota • Eyeteeth • Hispanic Fanatic • Facts and Fictions • The Fifth Column • Flyover Land
• Fresh.mn • From the Soapbox • Front Row Seat • Ground Zero • Keeping the Faith • The Knothole View • Kolet ink • The McGill Report • MinneAfrica
• Minneapolis and St. Paul Restaurant Critics • Minnesota Budget Bites • New Minnesotans Speak • Nygaard Notes • Politics from the Precincts • Rants
and Ruminations • Rachel Says • Rosemary Writes • School Talk • Single White Fringe Geek (and Mom) • Womb With a View • Think Forward • World
Views

TWIN CITIES MEDIA ALLIANCE

www.twincitiesmediaalliance.wordpress.com 2600 East Franklin Avenue, Suite #2 • Minneapolis, MN 55406

TWIN CITIES DAILY PLANET • www.tcdailyplanet.net