All full-power TV stations in Washington D.C. and 29 states - including New Mexico - will conduct two tests in preparation for the transition to digital television (DTV) on February 17th. The one-minute tests will be conducted at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, Dec. 17 and Saturday, Jan. 17.

At that time, televisions receiving analog TV signals will display a red banner with text on the screen alerting viewers that they must take action to continue receiving TV programs after the DTV conversion on February 17, 2009.  Televisions receiving digital TV signals will display a green banner with text confirming that their TV is ready for the DTV conversion. People are encouraged to watch a local Albuquerque TV station at 7:30 pm on Dec. 17 or Jan. 17 to confirm whether or not they need to take action.
 
For a complete list of Albuquerque TV stations participating in the tests click here.
 

The New Mexico Media Literacy Project (NMMLP) is partnering with SouthWest Organizing Project and Quote Unquote Channel 27 to work on issues of media justice in our state.  The three organizations are part of the Media Action Grassroots Network (MAG-Net), a project of the Center for Media Justice.

New Mexico’s upcoming legislative session offers an opportunity for our state to take a step towards media justice. Representative Antonio Maestas will be introducing a bill mandating that all NM high schools offer a media literacy course as an elective.

For more information on media literacy or media justice, please visit NMMLP online.

Advertising dominates our world. In our media, in our schools, in our communities, the values of commercial advertising permeate many aspects of our lives. It is that time of year again when concerned students, teachers, and community members can talk back to advertisers by participating in the New Mexico Media Literacy Project's Bad Ad and Counter Ad contests.

Here's how the contests work: Interested students in grades 6-12 select a current advertisement or advertising campaign that they find annoying, misleading, or offensive, and "talk back" to the ad by deconstructing the bad ad or creating a counter ad.

2008 Bad Ad Contest
Find a bad ad in a magazine, newspaper, or other print source.  Write an essay about why it's bad and how it could be better.

- Contest rules
- Scoring guidelines
- Entry form
- See the winning entries in last year's contest

Winners in each category (middle school & high school) receive $100.  Runners-up receive $50.


2008 Counter Ad Contest
Take an ad and change it into a counter ad, delivering a more truthful or constructive message using altered images, words, or persuasion techniques.

- Contest rules
- Scoring guidelines
- Entry form
- Sample counter ads

Winners in each category (middle school & high school) receive $100.  Runners-up receive $50.

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'll be in the coming weeks:

Executive Director Andrea Quijada attended the Media Justice Institute on November 22-25 in Austin, TX. The institute was an opportunity for MAG-Net members to strategize goals and outcomes for this funding year. She will be attending the NGLTF Creating Change Conference in Denver, Colorado on January 28th to February 1st.

Director of Media Production Denis Doyon did tobacco counter-marketing trainings in conjunction with the Talk Back to Big Tobacco! Script & Storyboard Contest at Zia Pueblo on November 18th and Wilson Middle School in Albuquerque on December 4th. He also presented at a STOMP disparities training in Albuquerque on how to use media literacy resources to address tobacco-related disparities on December 2nd.

2008 Annual Youth Summit at the Hotel Albuquerque welcomed Associate Program Director Jessica Collins for a workshop on Media Literacy 101, Big Tobacco and Media Activism on December 3rd.

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.