Public Narrative set to launch ‘The Chi Media Exchange’: The Advertising Marketplace where Government, Community, and Local Media Connect
CHICAGO, April 9, 2026 – The Chi Media Exchange is a groundbreaking effort and advertising marketplace designed to streamline and formalize the way government entities—including city departments and sister agencies—access and secure advertising opportunities within local media. Historically, the process of placing paid advertising with local publishers has been fragmented, inconsistent, and difficult to navigate for both government buyers and local media outlets.
The Chi Media Exchange, launching Thursday, May 14th, positions local publishers to build sustainable, recurring business with city, county, and state government, creating a reliable revenue stream that supports the long-term health of independent, community-serving journalism across Chicago. This digital space ensures that public dollars earmarked for community outreach and public information campaigns are efficiently connected to the local publishers best positioned to reach those audiences.
Leading this effort is a legacy organization and stewards of the Chicago Independent Media Alliance (CIMA), Public Narrative, with nearly four decades of commitment to sustaining and strengthening community journalism. The organization brings both institutional credibility and deep-rooted relationships with local media, making it uniquely suited to serve as the backbone of this effort. “This is a promising solution sure to drive collaboration, social impact, and sustainability among participating publishers and government entities,” said Public Narrative President and CEO, Jhmira Alexander.
Public Narrative is slated to pilot The Chi Media Exchange in partnership with 13th District Cook County Board Commissioner Josina Morita, who tapped the nonprofit to support the launch of an Ethnic Media Consortium. “In a county as diverse as ours, clear communication is a matter of equity and access. Creating this ethnic media consortium is essential because it bridges the gap between government and our multilingual communities, ensuring more inclusive and equitable access to critical information, resources, and opportunities,” said Commissioner Morita.
ABOUT PUBLIC NARRATIVE (PN)
Founded in 1989, Public Narrative facilitates training, programming, and resource building focused on cultivating media literacy, uplifting community voices in media, and shifting narratives around public health, public safety, and public education. www.publicnarrative.org.
Contact: Sylvia Ewing, Vice President of Journalism and Media Engagement, sewing@publicnarrative.org
Press Release Download - Public Narrative Unveils The Chi Media Exchange for Government Advertising