Summit Conference on Internet-Driven Changes in Politics, Communities and News
April 18, 2006
| Contact: | Bill Densmore 413/577-4370 |
AMHERST, Mass. – Leaders in media, politics, education and technology will examine the future and sustainability of journalism, democracy, and communities in the Internet age at a conference at the University of Massachusetts Amherst this summer.
Helen Thomas, the dean of White House correspondents, will be a featured speaker, along with leaders in Internet news such as Boston.com Editor Teresa Hanafin and veteran journalist Tom Stites, and political leaders such as Common Cause’s Chellie Pingree. For an updated list of other participants and attendees, see www.mediagiraffe.org/wiki/.
“Democracy & Independence: Sharing News and Politics in a Connected World” is scheduled for June 29-July 1 at UMass Amherst, right before the 230th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence signing. Sponsors include The Boston Globe, MassLive.com, The Republican newspaper, Omidyar Network, the New England Press Association, and the UMass Office of Research Affairs. Christopher Lydon, host of Radio Open Source, an Internet-centered nightly radio interview show focused on media, arts, politics and culture, will broadcast live from Amherst to more than 30 public-radio stations nationwide.
“It’s a combination roundtable summit, workshop and conference on how the Web and multimedia technologies are redefining journalism, politics, democracy and communities,” says Norman Sims, a Journalism professor and principal researcher on The Media Giraffe Project, a non-partisan, interdisciplinary effort at the Amherst campus. “We’re creating a crossover meeting place for leading thinkers in four arenas: media, education, politics and education.”
The New England Press Association (NEPA) and Corante Media Hub are among co-conveners of the summit. NEPA support includes sponsoring summit participation by Helen Thomas, who covered the White House for UPI longer than any other living journalist and now writes a column for Hearst Newspapers. Thomas’ forthcoming book is: "Watchdogs of Democracy? The Waning Washington Press Corps and How It Has Failed the Public.”
“Internet technology and our changing culture are undermining the business of print and broadcast media,” says Bill Densmore, director and editor of the Media Giraffe Project. “We intend that the Amherst summit produce specific ideas for sustaining the independent watchdog journalism necessary for vibrant, participatory democracy.”
There will be panels, discussions, demonstrations and workshops on specific projects under way nationwide that use media in innovative, sustainable ways, Densmore says. A “Citizen Media Boot Camp” will present case studies of emerging Web-based community news efforts in a how-to format. A “Media Caf?” will provide a constant meeting place for informal discussions and ad-hoc presentations.
“Constituencies from mainstream and alternative media rarely meet together,” says Sims. “This conference has the potential to bridge the gap between new and traditional media.” Participants will include traditional and citizen journalists, political strategists, educators, media technology researchers, bloggers, and citizens who want “how-to” knowledge about participatory media.
The Media Giraffe Project is using a Web site, book and film projects, and events like the June conference to spotlight above-the-crowd individuals making innovative, sustainable use of media to foster participatory democracy and community. Some of the more than 300 “Giraffe prospects” identified so far will be at the UMass gathering.
“Democracy & Independence” will explore changes in the structure of the U.S. media industry, the impact of the Internet on its financing, new relationships among creators and consumers of news, and how democracy is affected. The event starts June 28 with a limited-enrollment roundtable summit followed June 29–July 1 by a four-track conference. It is designed for:
* Traditional media strategists, editors and practitioners
* Elected officials, political and public-policy strategists
* Info-tech pioneers and entrepreneurs
* Operators of local-news Web sites and blogs
* Podcasters and vloggers dealing with news, political, and public-policy issues
* Academic researchers and students
* Citizens who want “how-to” knowledge about participatory media
* Anyone interested in new innovations in Web, print, film and audio news creation, delivery and financing.
The conference is open to the public with advance registration required. For registration information go to http://www.mediagiraffe.org/conference/, call (413) 577-4370, (413) 458-8001 or e-mail mediagiraffe@journ.umass.edu.
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