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You may know that in January, 2000, dozens of freelance reporters from across the Americas, Europe and Asia went on strike against Pacifica Network News (PNN) to protest a wave of censorship engulfing the nation's oldest, listener-sponsored radio network. This labor action is part of a broader, national effort involving thousands to save Pacifica from an elite, corporate-style take-over from the top.

In recognition of this growing body of civic minded 'Net players, the news and syndication service AlterNet.org has announced the winners of its first annual ''New Media Heroes Awards.''

Welcome to the Corpwatch Blog! We're introducing this new feature as a tool for you to navigate our resources, and to help provide context to breaking news elsewhere on the Web.

As you may know, CorpWatch has undergone a series of changes over the last nine months, due in no small part to the economic downturn that has thrown many social justice non-profits into turmoil. We have had to face the question of how to maintain our mission and vision while making cuts in program and staffing.

The largest retailer in the world has 3,000 stores in the U.S. as well as chains in Britain, Germany, China, Korea, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. It opens a megastore every two days. It is the U.S.'s largest private employer, with 925,000 people on the payroll, and the second largest employer in general after the Federal government. The company also boasts the largest computer, surpassing the Pentagon's, and the world's largest fleet of trucks. Wal-Mart might as well appear in the dictionary under the word huge. I know the above statistics because I just watched ''Store Wars: When Wal-Mart Comes to Town,'' a documentary film by Micha Peled that will air on PBS in early June. ''Store Wars'' is not exactly a critique of Wal-Mart's business practices, but it is hard to come away with a favorable view of the company.