Center for Cooperative Media

ABOUT THE CENTER The mission of the Center for Cooperative Media is to grow and strengthen local journalism and support an informed society in New Jersey and beyond. Mission, vision and values As a program of the School of Communication within the broader scope of Montclair State University, the Center is situated within the University's mission, vision and values. The University s mission statement can be found here and its vision and values can be found here in its Project Soar 2025 strategic plan. Therefore, it s important to note the definition of the Center s own vision and values should be seen through the narrower lens of the Center s mission, which is tied to local news and information, and not outside the scope of the University s overarching guidance. We found this exercise to be especially valuable to help us articulate our work to outsiders, especially funders, who seek to understand what the Center is working for while it sits within the broader context of a university setting. MISSION The mission of the Center for Cooperative Media is to grow and strengthen local journalism and support an informed society in New Jersey and beyond. VISION The Center for Cooperative Media envisions a world where people work together to create the news and information needed to participate in society, tell stories that reflect true experiences, and live with dignity and purpose. VALUES - Access to information: People have universal critical information needs and we believe the work of providing for those critical information needs should be valued and promoted as a necessary public good. - Collaboration: We believe that by working together we can do better work than we can alone. - Proaction: We believe in taking steps as quickly as possible to respond to problems presented to us and test solutions. - Community and inclusivity: We believe it is critical to create a sense of community that is open and welcoming among the people we work with and for. - Equity: We believe that access to and distribution of power and resources should be determined using a lens of justice and fairness. - Joy: We believe that enjoying our work is essential to successful outcomes.