Cultural Amenities

The challenges facing media in Ireland are those facing media the world over, and how we deal with them is critically important to the kind of society we want to live in. They include:

• The growth of social media platforms as the main source of, and pathway to, news and current affairs and, for many, their understanding of the world around them and of their role in it;
• Linked to this, the perilous state of many independent media outlets due to the loss of advertising to social media giants;
• A new type of deliberate destabilisation, at a cultural level, of the very idea of truth in all forms of news and journalism, for narrow political gain and to the benefit of a few media corporations;
• Growing challenges to public service media, and a failure to redefine its vital remit in a way that resonates with all sections of the public and especially young people.

Big problems need big solutions and we consider that Cork Community Media Hub will be an important asset to Cork City to address some of the problems outlined above. The Hub will be a place where communities are supported and facilitated to create their own media messages, to promote social inclusion and to document and celebrate Cork's rich artistic and cultural heritage. We would like to see Cork Community Media Hub supported by Cork City Council as part of the next Cork City Development Plan.