How To Launch An Info District

Information is power. But decisions about how information gets discovered, shared, and used are made by those already in power. In most places, the people who are most in need of information have little say in those decisions. This is a proposal to change that.

This guide, produced with support from the Reynolds Journalism Institute, is intended for people who want to organize their communities to change how decisions are made about what news and information gets produced, how it’s distributed, and – most importantly – why.

Social media platforms and the majority of our news media exist for profit. The products and services they provide maximize the extraction of information and wealth from our communities. Mission driven news organizations and public institutions exist for our benefit but most resemble for-profit corporations in their decision making. Foundational issues are decided on by a handful of people usually far removed from the impact of their decisions.

If news and information is what fuels democracy then it should be guided by democracy.

For the Community Info Coop, the process is the product. We believe you cannot have a democratic outcome without a democratic process. This guide outlines what a democratic process could look like if it was targeted at understanding a community’s information needs and mobilizing collective action to meet them.

Download the guide here.