The forces of change appear to be gaining strength and are thrusting us into very interesting and challenging times, where living by the same standards and values that have led our lives up this moment no longer seems to work. Nature leads the way in this process. Whether we want to or not, we are being forced to change as the environment around us is transformed.

Yet change is also becoming more and more apparent in many other aspects of our lives and the role of media and journalism is no exception. The global economic recession and the competition from online news sources have considerably affected revenue of the print media. Many publications have closed down in the last months. Publications that were created mainly as income producing products are having a very hard time under the current circumstances.

Today the media has to compete within an environment of free access to information, social networks and user-generated content. With the advent of communications technology not only do we have immediate access to any event around the world, but also today anyone with a video camera or cell phone can become a reporter and keep us informed about what is happening where they are. This phenomenon is called the "democratization of the media," which has enriched the exchange of ideas throughout the world and exponentially expanded our access to the creativity of humanity.

There are some drawbacks about making this our only source of information because we can never be 100% sure if what someone is reporting is based on confirmed facts or mere interpretation of an event presented through personal biases and limited understanding. At the same time it is becoming more and more evident that established media is controlled by corporate interests that filter information to protect and promote their own agendas.

It is within this scenario that the media of the future is emerging.  The current state of affairs presents the opportunity for new and independent media to become the providers of investigative journalism or original stories or interpretations that people are still interested in and value.

We think these new media should exist for fundamental reasons, which include informing, giving voice to people, making people in power accountable for their actions, inspiring communities to work together to solve common problems, and disseminating culture and knowledge that enriches our lives.

In its essence journalism is an act of service. If we were to perceive human action in a continuum that goes from absolute selfishness to being willing to give one's life for others, journalism should be closer to the further end of this spectrum.

SuperConsciousness Magazine is part of these new media and we are proud to have you as our reader. Your interest and support are what allow us to continue on this journey.

We hope you enjoy reading this issue and thank you for being part of the future!

Happy Holidays!