The Chicago Independent Media Alliance
The Chicago Independent Media Alliance (CIMA) is a coalition of community-centered media organizations committed to building a more equitable and representative local media landscape. Our members span legacy print outlets, digital-first platforms, newsletters, podcasts, youth-led media, filmmakers, and more—many of them BIPOC-owned, BIPOC-led, and rooted in historically underserved communities.
CIMA supports both nonprofit and for-profit outlets, some with fiscal agents, all united in reaching diverse Chicago communities, including Black, Latinx, Asian, Arab, Polish, LGBTQIA+, and immigrant populations.
In February 2024, CIMA transitioned from the Reader Institute for Community Journalism (RICJ) to Public Narrative, a trusted Chicago nonprofit that amplifies community voices and strengthens local journalism.
Together, CIMA members …
Primary outlets reach a combined audience of 4.5 million.
Represent all of the city’s 50 wards and many nearby suburbs
Produce content in 6 languages
Uplift a wide range of voices to ensure that media is inclusive of —and accessible to— diverse communities.
Photo Credit: Tafari Melisizwe
Photo Credit: Tafari Melisizwe
Why Community-Based & Independent Media Matters
Just as Chicago thrives through the power of its diverse communities, our media ecosystem flourishes when independent, community-based outlets work together to inform, reflect, and uplift those communities. At our 1st Annual CIMA Retreat, members came together to identify shared challenges, affirm core values, and envision a stronger future for local media. One thing was clear: community-based media is not only essential—it’s transformative.
CIMA members:
Reach and reflect communities often ignored by mainstream media, especially in Chicago’s “news deserts,” where trusted local coverage is limited or nonexistent.
Hold systems of power accountable, acting as watchdogs deeply embedded in the communities they serve.
Provide critical, accessible information, including multilingual content that meets the needs of immigrant, BIPOC, and working-class communities.
Share authentic, community-rooted storytelling that centers lived experience and cultural identity.
Redefine what media can be, from century-old newspapers to nonprofit newsrooms, youth-led platforms, podcasts, filmmakers, and digital-first creators.
At the retreat, members emphasized the need for collective solutions—from resource sharing and mentorship to joint fundraising and other infrastructure needs. This growing solidarity is the foundation of CIMA’s mission: to support an ecosystem where community media can thrive, not just survive.
Independent, grassroots media is critical to civic engagement, cultural preservation, and a more equitable Chicago. Through collaboration, CIMA members are building a future where journalism serves all of us.
Explore the CIMA Media Directory to discover the power and potential of community-driven media in action.
OUR MEDIA GUIDES
We help guide the news ecosystem to produce news that matters.
Whether it’s training communities on the ground, gathering voices through our programs and events, or establishing strong partnerships to make greater impact, Public Narrative has worked through the decades to focus on what matters most–the people who shape our city through their voice and actions.