Tag: National Conference on Media Reform

I know I’ve probably overdone the stories about my experience at the National Conference on Media Reform last weekend. But I just couldn’t help doing one more quick essay. That’s because they have finally produced a video of Amy Goodman’s speech at the plenary session last Sunday morning. And I wanted to provide the opportunity for you to witness the brilliance of what she had to say.

In a room of over 3,000 people, you could have heard a pin drop as Amy tells her story at the beginning of this speech. So I’d encourage everyone to take the 18 minutes or so to watch and know that it will be time well spent. In the end, I promise that you will be inspired to continue your work. What you do, no matter how large or small, is THAT important!!!

I’m a bit overwhelmed after the last day of the National Conference on Media Reform. It was only a half-day today, but boy did they pack it in. I don’t know if its a result of the impact of what I just heard or the exhaustion of 3 days of all this, but today I cried 3 times in 4 hours. I was that moved by it all. I’ll try to walk you through 3 speeches I heard today. I’m hoping some of it winds up on youtube and if it does, I’ll add it to the essay.

First of all, I watched a film distributed by the Media Education Foundation titled “Tim Wise: On White Privilege.” This guy packs some power into what he has to say. I’ve read and heard an awful lot about this topic. And this speech is perhaps one of the most powerful I’ve ever heard. Here’s a clip of it from youtube:

I went to the convention center early this morning because I wanted to get a good seat to hear Bill Moyers give his keynote address at the National Conference on Media Reform. As I sat there, this is the song that was playing in the background.

They say ev’rything can be replaced,

Yet ev’ry distance is not near.

So I remember ev’ry face

Of ev’ry man who put me here.

I see my light come shining

From the west unto the east.

Any day now, any day now,

I shall be released.

Fitting way to open the day, isn’t it?

I’m gonna start this one with the juicy stuff. I just got called “crazy” by Bill O’Reilly. So I think I have now arrived, haven’t I?

Yes, Faux News is at the event filming for O’Reilly. In a break-out session I attended where one of the panelists was Robert Greenwald, he took a few minutes at the opening of the session to point them out and we all had a bit of fun at their expense.  

I’ve just gotten home from my first day of attending the National Conference on Media Reform that is taking place here in the Twin Cities this weekend. Over 3,000 people from all over the country have convened to talk about how we can restore both our democracy and the media. It was a good day. My hope is to share some of what I’ve learned over the course of the weekend in several essays. And this is the first.

I’d like to start by highlighting the screening of a film I saw that was sponsored by The Nation magazine and Brave New Films. They have produced five short films pairing activists in conversation about their motivations, struggles and dreams. They are calling them This Brave Nation. Here’s the trailer:

OK, I’m psyched. Next weekend (June6-8), thanks to a tip from pfiore8, I’m going to attend the National Conference on Media Reform 2008 that is taking place here in the Twin Cities. Here’s a peak:

When I registered, I was asked whether I was representing a particular organization and what my position was there. I registered as a “Contributing Editor” at Docudharma (kewl, huh?), so I’ll be your eyes and ears at this event.