Last Post from Memphis

The conference ended with energetic speeches from Jane Fonda who mainly addressed the need for a multiplicity of viewpoints in the media - and especially greater access and presence of women. She mentioned two organizations she helped found - Greenstone Media and the Women's Media Center. My favorite quotes from her speech were that media should support democracy not the government, and enrich people not corporations. Amen...

The final speech was given by Van Jones, founder and head of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights. He emphasized the need to always put forth not just criticism of how things are, but a vision for how things should be. I couldn't help thinking of the potential that NPR news represents - news of the "public," in the public's interest--instead of celebrating consumer products, the stock market, the power of the military and those holding high office.

This will be my last post from the conference. In a day or so I should be back to listening and commenting on NPR news shows. Until then keep writing NPR's ombudsman when you can and if possible get involved with your local NPR station. The station manager of our local NPR station, WILL AM 580, was attending the conference and spoke up during a session noting that many local stations like his are very open to media activists.

Three Ds and NPR

Today at the National Media Reform Conference I attended an afternoon session on the future of public broadcasting. One of the panelists was David Brancaccio of NOW. He spoke of the need for all public broadcasting to meet the criteria of "the three Ds": diversity, democracy, and daring. I found myself pondering these reasonable demands relative to NPR's news. Does it's coverage reflect the diversity of opinion, race, gender, interests etc. that one finds in this country? Does its coverage encourage democracy, people getting involved, organizing for their interests, taking action, being knowledgable? And finally, is the coverage daring - surprising, taking risks against power, stepping out of the mainstream?

Saturday Morning from the Media Reform Conference

Went to a great session on propaganda and the press. Presenters from Newshounds, Institute for Public Accuracy, Project Censored, and the Center for Media and Democracy discussed their work. I have to put in a plug for Sourcewatch (from the Center for Media and Democracy); it is extremely helpful in identifying many of the "experts" that NPR turns to - and whose interests they actually are representing. I've hyperlinked these groups; check out their websites.

I was quite interested that IPA functions like AP, Reuters, etc. in sending their releases to thousands of news outlets (I assume NPR) so it is clearly not a matter of NPR not being aware on perspectives outside the narrow Center-right to far-right perspective they offer on the news.

Again I would note that there was a great deal of interest shown when I spoke up about my work - and a shared agreement that NPR offers very little in the way of alternative perspectives or informative news.

At the Media Reform Conference

So far I haven't found any defenders of NPR News here at the National Conference for Media Reform. On the contrary, when ever I have spoken up about my blog, I've noticed many heads nodding in agreement.

Several presenters such as Juan Gonzales (co-host on Democracy Now!) and Jeff Cohen, author of Cable News Confidential commented on the sad state of NPR news coverage. In talking with several attendees, many of them expressed a great deal of frustration with NPR's on air personalities never asking the "hard question" of rightwing guests.

The schedule is pretty full, so I won't have many opportunities to catch NPR News stories. I'll be back to regular commentary on Monday or Tuesday.