Z Communications is a radical left-wing media group founded in 1986 by Michael Albert and Lydia Sargent.[1] It advocates participatory socialism as a replacement for capitalism.[2] Its publications include Z Magazine, ZNet, Z Media, and Z Video.
Z Communications is based outside Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Regular contributors to its publications include Uri Avnery, Noam Chomsky, Alexander Cockburn, Tim Wise, Amira Hass, Norman Solomon, Robert Fisk, John Pilger, Edward S. Herman, Anthony Arnove, Joshua Frank, Eleanor Bader, Barbara Ehrenreich, Bashir Abu-Manneh, Howard Friel, "Mickey Z", and, formerly, Howard Zinn.
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Z Magazine (formerly Zeta) was founded in 1987 by two of the co-founders of South End Press, Michael Albert and Lydia Sargent. It is an independent monthly magazine focusing on political, cultural, social, and economic life in the United States. It is published in print and on-line. The print magazine is fifty pages (having been reduced in size during the summer of 2008), with articles of many lengths and focuses. The on-line magazine, updated monthly, reproduces the print as closely as possible and has two versions—one public (an archive), and the other for subscribers only. The latter appears simultaneously with the print version. The former appears a few months later.
Founded in 1995, Z Net is a large website updated many times daily to "convey information and provide community," generally focusing on politics from a left-wing perspective. It claims a readership of over a quarter of a million people a week, and features diverse "watch" context focus on hot-topic issues, sub-sites, translations, archives, links to other progressive sites, and a daily commentary program. The website was featured in the movie Shooter starring Mark Wahlberg.
The site offers a comprehensive archive of Noam Chomsky's online materials for its users.[3]
Founded in 1994, Z Media Institute provides classes and other sessions in how to start and produce alternative media, how to understand mainstream and alternative media better, how to enhance organising skills and knowledge, and how to better comprehend and develop radical theory, strategy, and vision.
Founded in 1998, Z Video produces videos about politics, economics, foreign policy, and the World Social Forum.
In March 2010, a call was made for a membership organization and a Participatory Socialist International[4].