The Movement for Media Reform is Growing

The Movement for Media Reform is Growing
By Mike Rhodes

“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb deciding on what to have for dinner. Liberty is a well armed lamb.” Thus started the speech by Bill Moyers at the opening plenary session of the National Conference for Media Reform, which is underway this weekend in Memphis, Tennessee. He claimed this was a quote from Benjamin Franklin. Moyers continued. . . “My fellow lambs.” The complete audio of Bill Moyers speech is below. You can find out more about the conference at: http://www.freepress.net/conference/ where they have audio and video of all major speakers.

Organizers announced today that there are over 3,000 participants at this years event, making this the largest conference, of the three media reform conferences held over the last couple of years. It was also announced that there are thousands of people watching and listening to the conference live on the Internet. In addition to Bill Moyers, featured speakers included Amy Goodman, Jessie Jackson, Jane Fonda and Senator Bernie Sanders.

A wide range of workshops are being offered throughout the three day event. Here is a sample of some of workshop titles:

Creeping Deeper: Advertising & Commercialism
Beyond Rights & Reform: Imagining a Global Movement for Media Justice Featuring You
Media & Campaign Reform:
How the Pro-Democracy Movement Fits Together
Race & Gender Matter in Media Ownership
Introductory Training in Media Literacy (PART 1)
From Computer Screens to the Streets: Activism in a Wired World
Film: Dreamworlds 3
Saving the Internet
Why Media Policy Matters for Media Content
Payola: Radio, Records & the FCC
Building & Sustaining Independent Media
Children & Media Policy
Winning on the Ground: Strategies for Stopping Big Media
Quality Journalists = Quality Journalism
Media & the Immigrant Rights Movimiento
Introductory Training in Media Literacy (PART 2)
Media Monitoring as an Organizing Tool
Film: Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People

There were regional breakouts with over 100 participants in the California group. Several participants were from the Central Valley - there were a lot from the Bay Area and Southern California. The conference is proving to be as much of a social networking opportunity as it is a chance to hear political news and analysis from national media activists.

The conference is organized by FreePress and more information can be found at: http://www.freepress.net/