Mission

The mission of Milum Enterprises is simple:

To serve!

To this end, we aim to…

(1) To deliver competitive BUSINESS COMMUNICATION SERVICES — both on a quality and price basis.

(2) To provide a news alternative to the corporate gatekeepers through our free services such as the Milum Blog.™

On this second point, we offer the following:

The Fifth Un-Estate

The Old Guard (print journalists and their cousins, TV talking heads) have historically been referred to as the "Fourth Estate."*

In the past, the fourth estate limited what you could read or watch. (But we know they did not limit what you thought!)

The term, "Fifth Estate," is now being bandied about to describe electronic journalism. However, we here, at the MILUM NETwork, proudly proclaim your independence (as well as ours) and announce that our goal is be the "Fifth Un-Estate."

We intend to be nothing more than a portal to a variety of information sources from which you choose to sample (or not). In other words, you play the role of editor, not us. Simultaneously, we seek to be no less than a timely, independent news source as well as a forum for independent thinkers whose views are not welcomed by any of the so-called "estates."

In keeping with our mission to be your Fifth Un-Estate, we ask that you keep us apprised of your thoughts (e.g., as to how we’re doing, what enhancements you would like to see, etc.). Remember, we want to deliver for you but we cannot do a very good job without your input.

So, come on, climb aboard and, please, send us an e-mail. We want to hear from you!

Comments@Milum.Net

* The Estates-General reigned supreme in France from the fourteenth to the eighteenth centuries. This ruling body consisted of people from three factions: the nobility, the clergymen, and the commoners. It was finally dissolved in the 1700's under the unfortunate rule of Louis XVI. Years later, after the French Revolution, a fourth estate was added to this trio of classes. The press had finally gained recognition as the Fourth Estate.

The true conception of the idea of a fourth estate originated in the writings of English historian Thomas Babington Macaulay. In 1828 he wrote in an essay, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm." Since then the term has been used to refer to the press in general.

Courtesy of tmchale@lagunablanca.org (Trish Mc Hale)