Press Release
Media Reform Takes Center Stage in Memphis
Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
MEMPHIS - On Jan. 12-14, nearly 2,500 people from across the country will flock to Memphis for the National Conference for Media Reform - for an extraordinary weekend event showcasing the growing movement to a more accountable, democratic and diverse media.
"This event is for anyone who cares about the media and is committed to making it better," said Josh Silver, executive director of Free Press. "Millions of people have come to understand that progress on any other issue they care about is impossible unless we first fix the problems of the media. This event will bring together a broad array of policymakers, scholars, media producers, grassroots activists and concerned citizens dedicated to making the media a viable political issue in America."
Headliners at the major plenaries include legendary broadcaster Bill Moyers, Rev. Jesse Jackson, actors and activists Jane Fonda, Geena Davis and Danny Glover, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Massachusetts Rep. Ed Markey, FCC Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein, and civil rights activist Van Jones plus musical performances by The Bar-Kays, Rev. Al Green's Gospel Choir and the North Mississippi Allstars.
The long weekend will kick off next Thursday night with SavetheInternet.com's "Party for the Future" on Beale St. and continue for the next three days with a jam-packed program of nearly 100 eye-opening panels, hands-on workshops and new films. The full conference program and schedule is now available at http://www.freepress.net/conference/2007-program.pdf
The nearly 250 speakers and presenters, many of whom will be available for interviews before and after the event, also include:
Ben Bagdikian, author, The Media Monopoly
Andy Bichlbaum, The Yes Men
Duncan "Atrios" Black, blogger
Eric Boehlert, author and journalist
David Brancaccio, PBS
David Brock, Media Matters for America
Adrienne Maree Brown, Ruckus Society
Jeff Chester, Center for Digital Democracy
Rosa Clemente, R.E.A.C.Hip-Hop
Jeff Cohen, writer and media critic
Congressman Steve Cohen
Flavia Colgan, MSNBC commentator
Mark Cooper, Consumer Federation of America
Malkia Cyril, Youth Media Council
Davey D, DJ and hip hop activist
Phil Donahue, television host
Deepa Fernandes, WBAI
Laura Flanders, Air America
Linda Foley, Newspaper Guild-CWA
Wayne Ford, Iowa Brown & Black Forum
Kim Gandy, president, National Organization for Women
Dan Gillmor, Center for Citizen Media
Juan Gonzalez, New York Daily News
Amy Goodman, Democracy Now!
Robert Greenwald, Brave New Films
Congressman Maurice Hinchey
Ben Hooks, civil rights leader
Janine Jackson, FAIR
Gene Kimmelman, Consumers Union
Eric Klinenberg, author, Fighting for Air
Sonali Kolhatkar, Afghan Women's Mission
Mark Lloyd, Center for American Progress
Rev. Tim MacDonald, civil rights leader
Joan "McJoan" McCarter, Daily Kos
Robert McChesney, president, Free Press
John Nichols, journalist
Alex Nogales, National Hispanic Media Coalition
Geneva Overholser, University of Missouri
Chellie Pingree, Common Cause
Anthony Riddle, Alliance for Community Media
Paul Rieckhoff, Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America
Jay Rosen, New York University
Danny Schechter, Media Channel
Andrew Jay Schwartzman, Media Access Project
Gigi Sohn, Public Knowledge
Norman Solomon, media critic
John Stauber, Center for Media and Democracy
Matt Stoller, MyDD.com
Makani Themba-Nixon, Praxis Project
Helen Thomas, Hearst Newspapers
Jenny Toomey, Future of Music Coalition
Gloria Tristani, former FCC commissioner
Cenk Ugyur, The Young Turks
Patric Verrone, Writer's Guild of America, West
Noah Winer, MoveOn.org Civic Action
Tim Wu, Columbia University
Rev. Lenox Yearwood, Hip-Hop Caucus
Press credentials for the National Conference for Media Reform are available to members of the media who will be covering the event. Send requests to credentials@freepress.net or fax to (202) 265-1489.
More information about the National Conference for Media Reform is available at http://www.freepress.net/conference
"This event is for anyone who cares about the media and is committed to making it better," said Josh Silver, executive director of Free Press. "Millions of people have come to understand that progress on any other issue they care about is impossible unless we first fix the problems of the media. This event will bring together a broad array of policymakers, scholars, media producers, grassroots activists and concerned citizens dedicated to making the media a viable political issue in America."
Headliners at the major plenaries include legendary broadcaster Bill Moyers, Rev. Jesse Jackson, actors and activists Jane Fonda, Geena Davis and Danny Glover, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Massachusetts Rep. Ed Markey, FCC Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein, and civil rights activist Van Jones plus musical performances by The Bar-Kays, Rev. Al Green's Gospel Choir and the North Mississippi Allstars.
The long weekend will kick off next Thursday night with SavetheInternet.com's "Party for the Future" on Beale St. and continue for the next three days with a jam-packed program of nearly 100 eye-opening panels, hands-on workshops and new films. The full conference program and schedule is now available at http://www.freepress.net/conference/2007-program.pdf
The nearly 250 speakers and presenters, many of whom will be available for interviews before and after the event, also include:
Ben Bagdikian, author, The Media Monopoly
Andy Bichlbaum, The Yes Men
Duncan "Atrios" Black, blogger
Eric Boehlert, author and journalist
David Brancaccio, PBS
David Brock, Media Matters for America
Adrienne Maree Brown, Ruckus Society
Jeff Chester, Center for Digital Democracy
Rosa Clemente, R.E.A.C.Hip-Hop
Jeff Cohen, writer and media critic
Congressman Steve Cohen
Flavia Colgan, MSNBC commentator
Mark Cooper, Consumer Federation of America
Malkia Cyril, Youth Media Council
Davey D, DJ and hip hop activist
Phil Donahue, television host
Deepa Fernandes, WBAI
Laura Flanders, Air America
Linda Foley, Newspaper Guild-CWA
Wayne Ford, Iowa Brown & Black Forum
Kim Gandy, president, National Organization for Women
Dan Gillmor, Center for Citizen Media
Juan Gonzalez, New York Daily News
Amy Goodman, Democracy Now!
Robert Greenwald, Brave New Films
Congressman Maurice Hinchey
Ben Hooks, civil rights leader
Janine Jackson, FAIR
Gene Kimmelman, Consumers Union
Eric Klinenberg, author, Fighting for Air
Sonali Kolhatkar, Afghan Women's Mission
Mark Lloyd, Center for American Progress
Rev. Tim MacDonald, civil rights leader
Joan "McJoan" McCarter, Daily Kos
Robert McChesney, president, Free Press
John Nichols, journalist
Alex Nogales, National Hispanic Media Coalition
Geneva Overholser, University of Missouri
Chellie Pingree, Common Cause
Anthony Riddle, Alliance for Community Media
Paul Rieckhoff, Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America
Jay Rosen, New York University
Danny Schechter, Media Channel
Andrew Jay Schwartzman, Media Access Project
Gigi Sohn, Public Knowledge
Norman Solomon, media critic
John Stauber, Center for Media and Democracy
Matt Stoller, MyDD.com
Makani Themba-Nixon, Praxis Project
Helen Thomas, Hearst Newspapers
Jenny Toomey, Future of Music Coalition
Gloria Tristani, former FCC commissioner
Cenk Ugyur, The Young Turks
Patric Verrone, Writer's Guild of America, West
Noah Winer, MoveOn.org Civic Action
Tim Wu, Columbia University
Rev. Lenox Yearwood, Hip-Hop Caucus
Press credentials for the National Conference for Media Reform are available to members of the media who will be covering the event. Send requests to credentials@freepress.net or fax to (202) 265-1489.
More information about the National Conference for Media Reform is available at http://www.freepress.net/conference
