theMediaNet Vision

theMediaNet has now been in existence for a year, and we are about to enrol our 500th online member.  Some people have asked where theMediaNet came from and what our vision is.  So I thought I would set it down as clearly as I can. 

The roots of theMediaNet go back over 40 years, to an organisation known as ACLB (the Association of Christians in Local Broadcasting.)  It existed as a fellowship for Christians who were working in the brand new medium of BBC local radio!  The group went through several stages, and emerged as the Church and Media Network.  The Network is a registered charity run by a small group of trustees all of whom have professional experience in the media.  It was part of the vision of that group to develop a forum in which Christians who work in all forms of media could encourage one another to live out our faith.  theMediaNet took almost three years to come to birth.  We launched in August 2009, and thanks to a grant from a charitable trust we were able to employ our first part-time Development Worker, Liz Hunter.  We now have a steering group, and we are developing the role of 'Sector Connectors', who are bringing together members within particular disciplines. 

This is the vision behind theMediaNet.  This is what we believe...

We believe that God is active in our world, touching individuals with God’s grace and transforming our society. We believe that part of that transformation is a media that reflects God’s character both in what it creates and in it’s internal dynamics. 

We hold onto that belief with a hope that God inspires in us.  We look for the signs of God’s transforming action and we celebrate them.  And we make ourselves available to God as agents for that purpose.

We believe God is calling us to work in the media.

Specifically we believe that God is calling us to:

• go to the places God calls us and stay there until God calls us elsewhere
• live lives of enthusiasm and integrity amongst our colleagues
• work hard and cheerfully to the highest standards we’re capable of
• make content of the highest quality we can achieve in the circumstances
• make content that bears witness to the creativity of God and God’s love for the world
• be prepared to speak clearly about our faith when the time is right

theMediaNet exists to call together Christians who work in media.

Specifically, theMediaNet exists to :

• encourage them to live faithfully and bear witness to their faith through their work
• challenge them to go further in following God’s call to work in media
• offer guidance in seeking God’s will, especially when there are difficult choices to make
• offer personal and professional support from peer to peer
• develop a common vision for the transformation of the media through God’s grace
• enable fellowship with other Christians who have walked down similar roads

We will do this by bringing people together into a community

Specifically we will:

• create an online space where Christians who work in media can find each other, share vision, wisdom, information and experience
• bring people together off-line where possible
• create “bands” in which small groups of Christians can support and encourage one another
• enable experienced Christians to take leadership roles within the community

We honour the Christians who have blazed this trail before us, and those who are working for similar ends in other organisations.

We are committed to making theMediaNet community accessible to all who call themselves Christians, in every part of the UK and in every sector of the media.