Media Impact on Information Needs and Democratic Values

Media Impact on Information Needs and Democratic Values to be Examined by Knight Commission and Aspen Institute

Trends, Access, Quality, and Presidential Candidate Policies to be Studied in Aspen, CO August 9-12

The Annual Aspen Institute Forum on Communications and Society (FOCAS) (www.aspeninstitute.org/focas) will be held in conjunction with the second meeting of the Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy (www.knightcomm.org). The Commission's mandate is to determine community information needs, trends that affect how community information needs are met, and how public policy and private initiatives can better meet these needs.

Saturday, August 9th - The Knight Commission will convene to examine the current and future state of journalism including the growth of citizen journalism.

Sunday, August 10th - Tuesday August 12th - The Knight Commissioners and 40 other invited members to FOCAS will discuss how the media facilitates citizen engagement, the information rights and responsibilities of citizens, and the role of media in the electoral process. Participants will develop recommendations for citizens, media, and public institutions to serve the goals of American democracy better.

Participants include:

Jonathan Adelstein, FCC Commissioner
Madeleine Albright, Principal, The Albright Group
John Carroll, Former Editor Los Angeles Times
Reed Hundt, Former FCC Chairman
Alberto Ibargüen, President, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Henry Jenkins, Director, Comparative Media Studies and Professor, MIT
Paula Kerger, President, Public Broadcasting Service
Michael Lomax, CEO, United Negro College Fund
Marissa Mayer, Vice President, Google
Craig Newmark, Founder, Craigslist
Theodore B. Olson, Former Solicitor General of the United States
Philip Rosedale, Founder, Second Life
William Dean Singleton, Vice Chairman & CEO, MediaNews Group

WHERE:
Doerr-Hosier Center at the Aspen Institute Aspen Meadows Campus
1000 North Third Street
Aspen, Colorado 81611

WEBCAST: The Knight Commission will be webcast live and available for future viewing at www.knightcomm.org and FOCAS will be webcast live on www.aspeninstitute.tv.

TO ATTEND OR SCHEDULE PHONE INTERVIEWS CONTACT:
Sarah Snodgress
Tel. 202.736.5818
Email: sarah.snodgress@aspeninstitute.org

RSVP REQUIRED

http://www.aspeninstitute.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=huLWJeMRKpH&b=3818507&ct=5697319