Mainstream, corporate media is owned by a handful of billionaires. These media outlets reflect the narrow interests of their owners and have become increasingly dangerous for democracy and inclusion. We believe independent media has a vital role to play in increasing  active citizenship and citizen sense-making in communities and places. As well as exposing wrongdoing, corruption and abuses of power. We believe citizen led, and community owned Independent media has a vital role to play in the unprecedented scale of societal change required to address the complex challenges of the next decade.

The Independent Media Association was set up to support the independent media sector, represent the interests of its members and showcase their work.  Unlike many other representative organisations in the sector, the IMA is democratically organised and made up of, and delivered by people who run independent media platforms day in, day out. It is the largest grassroots, non-partisan, cooperative for independent media platforms in the UK.  The IMA currently represents over 50 independent media publishers across the UK, with a combined annual reach of more than 8 million per month.

As the publisher of Now Then Magazine, Opus is a founder-member of the IMA. Opus Director Tchiyiwe Chihana is the current Chair of the IMA board and Opus Director James Lock currently holds the position of General Secretary.