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What is "independent" media and how do we know if we have it? I contemplated that question recently while viewing the documentary "Independent Media in the Time of War" at a conference luncheon for members of the independent press. As I watched rarely seen and very graphic footage of the Iraq invasion, it became increasingly difficult for me to enjoy my pesto-and-eggplant sandwich.

The guest speaker and narrator of the documentary was Amy Goodman, host of the independent, nationally broadcast radio show Democracy Now! In the film, Amy says, "Independent media has a crucial responsibility to go to where the silence is." She doesn't believe that can happen when journalists are "embedded" with troops. She defines "embedded" journalists as part of the "dependent" media. In her speech, Amy compared this sort of reporting with the more truthful type that occurred during Hurricane Katrina, when our government was not there to manage the situation — or the journalists. The comparison confirmed for me that media isn't independent when it is intimately aligned with the government. And it's not independent when it is owned by a handful of corporations, many with close ties to the government.

In the last 20 years, corporate-owned and -influenced media has benefited from many regulatory changes, resulting in the development of media giants such as General Electric, Time Warner, Sony, Bertelsmann, Disney and Viacom. Since 1975, the number of independent TV stations has decreased by one-third, and the number of independent newspapers has decreased by two-thirds. In fact, only 281 of the 1,500 daily newspapers in the U.S. are independent. In the 1920s, nonprofit groups owned one-third of all airtime; now it's down to 2 percent. Since 1996, the number of independent radio stations has fallen by 34 percent. Media heavyweight Clear Channel Communications now owns more than 1 out of every 10 radio stations. More and more, corporate media speaks with a single voice, drowning out the voices that beg to differ and leaving many of us feeling disenchanted and isolated in our beliefs.

In light of these consolidations, if The Polishing Stone or any other independent publication doesn't survive, is it a tragedy? Yes. In fact, the loss of indie publications is disastrous for a citizenship that cherishes freedom of speech. The beauty of the independent press is that it doesn't have to worry about offending corporate owners or answering to the government. While The Polishing Stone is not overtly political, our views differ from those expressed in mainstream media. We encourage people to eat wholesome foods, support alternative energies and adopt more sustainable lifestyles. These views are different, and we express them in a different way — by focusing on the good things happening in our world, with the belief that caring for ourselves and caring for the earth are compatible goals. As a magazine that has no corporate ties, we are free to step out of line and say: This is how I want to live my life. Here is the world I want to leave for my children. It feels good to do our part to keep media independent.