Date: Mon, 13 Jan 1997 20:44:41 -0500 From: uzs106-AT-IBM.rhrz.uni-bonn.de Subject: Freeing the Media Event, Jan 31- Feb 1, NYC (fwd) FREEING THE MEDIA A Two Day Independent Media Teach-In and Speak-Out ************************************************************* Date: January 31, 1997 Loc: New York Society for Ethical Culture 2 West 64th Street, NY, NY Date: February 1, 1997 Loc: The Learning Alliance 324 Lafayette Street, 7th Floor, NY, NY ************************************************************* Organized by the Learning Alliance, Paper Tiger TV and Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting in cooperation with the Media and Democracy Congress ************************************************************* For info and registration, contact: The Learning Alliance (212) 226-7171 email: lalliance-AT-igc.apc.org www: http://www.papertiger.org CALL (212) 226-7171 to confirm event locations! ************************************************************* EVENT DESCRIPTIONS - see web site above for full details! ************************************************************* OPENING RECEPTION 6:30 PM, FRIDAY, JAN. 31. Opening reception with music. Meet with the presenters and other participants. ------------------------------------------------------------ PANEL DISCUSSION 8:00 - 9:30 PM, FRIDAY, JAN. 31. Strengthening Our Voice, Framing the Issues and Mobilizing the Movement. What do freedom of speech, public space, and democracy mean in our age of corporate mergers, Disney towns, and Channel One? How can the struggle for democratic communication be won as a human right? What are the best tactics for advancing community media in the face of monolithic commercial powers? How can we expand our audiences while staying grounded in the needs and cultures of our local area? Join cutting edge media producers and activists in a discussion of the urgent threat that conglomeration poses to local culture, political debate, and our individual creative, spiritual and social well-being. Instead of a single keynote, five speakers will have equal time to discuss the obstacles and visions for mobilizing the movement for democracy and media. Come with questions and ideas for the Q & A period to follow. Victor Navasky, The Nation Jeff Cohen, Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting Amy Goodman, WBAI/Pacifica Radio Juan Gonzalez, New York Daily News Loretta Ross, Center for Human Rights Education Danny Schechter, Global Vision ------------------------------------------------------------ SPECIAL SCREENING 9:30 PM, Friday, Jan. 31 A Video Address from Chiapas to the NYC Gathering by Subcommandante Marcos! ------------------------------------------------------------ WORKSHOP REGISTRATION 9:00-9:30, Saturday, Feb.1 ------------------------------------------------------------ PANEL DISCUSSION 9:30 - 11:00 AM, SATURDAY FEB. 1 Big Brother: The Problems of Commercial Media Conglomeration and Roads to Action. Its time to create new models and strategies to ensure the publics access to telecommunications. With historical and theoretical perspectives on American media policy, this panel will look at how we got to where we are today, why the old paradigms wont work and what we can do in the policy, legal and activist arena to build the movement toward a more democratic media. Nolan Bowie, Temple University Linda Foley, The National Newspaper Guild Bob McChesney, University of Wisconsin Mark Crispin Miller, Johns Hopkins University ------------------------------------------------------------ WORKSHOPS 11:15 - 12:30, SATURDAY FEB.1 Skills-sharing sessions and discussion with workshop presenters. 1. The Grassroots Speak Join individuals from Manhattan Neighborhood Network, World War III Illustrated, Deep Dish TV and Steal This Radio in a presentation and discussion of local media strategies for community development and movement building. Moderated by Linda Iannacone. 2. Talking Back to Big Media: The Case of Contra-Crack How can we respond when the establishment media act as an information blockade? Using the Contra-Crack story as a case study, well discuss the possibilities of confronting the mainstream press through talk radio, the internet and media activism. Extra!s Jim Naureckas will facilitate the conversation. 3. Learning Strategy and Confronting the Right This session will be a focused conversation on how to research the religious right in your community and how to think strategically about responding to the challenge to democracy and pluralism presented by the religious right in America. What we can learn from the success of the right in the U.S., and how can these lessons be applied to everything from political writing to organizing? Join Fred Clarkson, Loretta Ross and Shula Koenig to discuss how fighting the right is a human rights issue and how the media plays an integral role. 4. Forming Alliances: Community Networking and the Alternative Media Community computer networks and centers are blazing new trails in communications and education. Why are these new computer networks important to the alternative media? How can alternative media producers and community computing organizers work together to free the media? Participate in a discussion moderated by Nancy Kranich, Associate Dean NYU Libraries. Invited participants are NOAH, Big Apple Net and University Settlement House. 5. Toxic Sludge Is Good For You: Environment & The Media In our commercially saturated culture, corporations pay PR firms millions to divert public attention away from the degradation of our air, land, food, and bodies. Concerned citizens stay informed through grassroots video networking, the internet, newsletters, and community meetings. Join Karl Grossman, Steve Jambeck, Paul Ryan and others for a workshop on how the media blacks out on green issues and how we can best use our resources to influence the mainstream media. We need to create our own alternatives to help save the planet. ------------------------------------------------------------ DISCUSSION IN THE ROUND 1:15-3:00, SATURDAY, FEB. 1 Bigger Sister: Independent Media Solutions. Okay, we know what the problems are, but what are we going to do about it? If we call the opponent Big Brother, this session is about naming ourselves Bigger Sister. The goal of progressive media is social change, but the left often gets stuck on "struggling." This is an opportunity to articulate our goals and set strategies to succeed. A dynamic group of media makers and activists are here to initiate a discussion with you and to work together to formulate why and how we can create real change starting with the media. How do we exercise genuine democracy in a mediated world? What are strategies to reach beyond the usual constituencies in media work? And how should we distinguish difference among us while creating an inclusive but unified agenda? What do YOU want to see happen? Join us in a collective moment to do some real brainstorming and firestarting. Seating will be circular in an effort to eliminate the panel/audience dynamic. David Barsamian, Alternative Radio Laura Flanders, Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting Karl Grossman, EnviroVideo Don Hazen, Institute for Alternative Journalism Lillian Jimenez, Media Network Cynthia Lopez, Libraries for the Future Richie Perez, Nat. Congress for Puerto Rican Rights Cyrille Phipps, Dyke TV George Stoney, NYU and producer The Uprising of 34 Debbie Zimmerman, Women Make Movies ------------------------------------------------------------ WORKING GROUPS 3:00 - 4:30, SATURDAY, FEB.1 Meet with participants to strategize about on-going work in the following areas: 1. Media & Democracy Video Forum Freeing the Media involves an understanding of corporate conglomeration and an engaged public actively involved in creating solutions. Join Linda Iannacone and Jessica Glass to tackle these goals by sharing skills and learning how to produce and distribute a eight-part series on Media and Democracy for airing on Manhattan Neighborhood Network and other community channels around the country. 2. Models For Media Activism: Highlighting Labor Labor advocates know they can't rely on corporate-owned media for fair or accurate portrayals of their concerns. Media corporations themselves are often among the most anti-union companies around. This working group will focus on ways organized labor/worker advocates can work with alternative and independent media, produce their own media, and get their stories heard. Facilitated by Janine Jackson, F.A.I.R. 3. Storming the Reality Studios: Direct Action Working Group "Its not too late," wrote the Situationists" to take advantage of the fact that radio and television stations are not yet guarded by troops." Join performance artist, radio pirate, and media mischief-maker Penny Arcade, and others, for a working group to plan and strategize "the creation of situations": direct actions that resist, with our art and our humor, corporate culture's society of the spectacle. Challenge the media! Get immediate! 4. Plug Into Telecom Policy Now! Telecommunications Working Group The next few years will witness the greatest revolution in telecommunications policy since the Communications Act of 1934. We need your help NOW to ensure affordable access and a public space for non-commercial content. Join representatives from various New-York based groups including Access for All and Libraries For the Future to learn why universal service and cable refranchising is important, express your ideas on how to free the telecom media, and mobilize a growing movement for telecom policy that serves that public. Facilitated by Nancy Kranich and Jamie McClelland. 5. For Humanity & Against Neoliberalism: Building Intercontinental Networks of Alternative Communication "Why is everyone so quiet? Is this the democracy you wanted?" So ask the Zapatistas, the indigenous group of Mexican rebels who are calling for a decentralized "international network of alternative communication" for supporting resistance & democracy projects worldwide. Join Hye Jung Park, Mario Murillo, and others for a working group on how linking up with communities around the world helps bring democracy home. ------------------------------------------------------------ PLENARY SESSION 4:45 - 5:30, SATURDAY, FEB. 1 Working group reports and assessments. Have we created sustainable ways of continuing this work? Also, how should we plan to link ourselves up with other media/democracy events nationwide, including working toward the 2nd Media & Democracy Congress in the Fall of '97. ************************************************************ EVENT PARTICIPANTS Mike Albert - Z Magazine; Penny Arcade - Performance Artist; David Barsamian - Alternative Radio; Mariaelena Bartesaghi - Cultural Environment Movement; Nolan Bowie - Temple University; Jeff Cohen - Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting; Fred Clarkson - Author and Researcher; Laura Flanders - Counter Spin; Linda Foley - The National Newspaper Guild; Juan Gonzalez - NY Daily News; Amy Goodman - Pacifica Radio- Democracy Now!; Karl Grossman - Enviro Video; Don Hazen - Institute of Alternative Journalism; Edward Herman - Manufacturing Consent; Linda Iannacone - Manhattan Neighborhood Network; Janine Jackson - Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting; Lillian Jimenez - Media Network; Shula Koenig - Peoples' Decade for Human Rights Ed.; Nancy C. Kranich - NYU Libraries; Cynthia Lopez - Libraries for the Future; Samori Marksman - WBAI Radio; Robert W. McChesney - University of Wisconsin; Jamie McClelland - Libraries for the Future; Mark Crispin Miller - Johns Hopkins University; Mario Murillo - WBAI Radio; Jim Naureckas - Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting; Victor Navasky - The Nation; Bob Parry - Investigative Reporter; Richie Perez - National Congress for Puerto Rican Rights; Cyrille Phipps - Dyke TV; Radio Free Al - Radio Broadcaster; Loretta Ross - Center for Human Rights Education; Paul Ryan - Earth Score; Lydia Sargeant - Z Media Institute; Danny Schechter - Globalvision; George Stoney - New York University; Debbie Zimmerman - Women Make Movies ************************************************************ Co-sponsored by The Nation, WBAI, Alternative Radio, Culture Environment Movement, Z Magazine, Libraries for the Future, Deep Dish TV, EnviroVideo, Steal this Radio, Monthly Review, Project Censored, South End Press, and Open Magazine Pamphlet Series. Co-organizers Jessica Glass and Greg Ruggiero extend a special thanks to Randi Cecchine, Michael Eisenmenger, Mike Grabowski, Viveca Greene, Dee Dee Halleck, Cecilia Rodriguez and the Veatch Program. Michael Eisenmenger <eisenmen-AT-rci.rutgers.edu> --- from list avant-garde-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
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