1	"The 2008 Free Speech" The 2008 Free Speech National Conference for Media Reform “Past Success and Future Possibilities” Panel Nicholas Johnson June 7, 2008 2:30 p.m.
2	We May Not Sing, but We’re “Young At Heart” Rev. Dr. Everett Parker Dr. George Stoney Charles Benton Nicholas Johnson And the youngsters . . . Randall Pinkston, Stevie Converse, and Michael “MediaMic” Hazard Credit: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/youngatheart/
3	Only One Question What on earth are you talking about? What’s “media”? “Media reform?” Free Speech says: TV, radio, movies, books, papers, Internet – videogames? Media consolidation (intra & inter-media) Future of the Internet (“Internet for Everyone”) Public media (CPB, PEG, LPFM, Internet) Quality journalism (content, community) Civil rights (ownership, content, employment) Building media reform movement (public inclusion)
4	The Early Sixties 2-1/2 network economy (ABC, CBS, NBC) Broadcasting is America’s most racist & sexist industry Little cable availability; no direct broadcast satellites No LPFM, PEG, YouTube, Web pages, blogs Citizens locked out of FCC, courts (no “standing”) Lucky to get 17 people to a media reform conference But “Golden Age of responsible regulation” vs. today News, public affairs, PSAs; long-form 3-year renewals Started non-commercial public radio & TV
5	Today . . . Mixed Bag Fewer owners . . . More choice . . . Less content Greater opportunity for women & minorities 100s of cable channels; satellite radio & TV Explosion of personal outlets PEG & YouTube; community radio; Web pages, blogs WLBT & citizen “standing” . . . But unresponsive FCC Media reform everyone’s “Second Priority;” 4000 here Decline in quality journalism and Internet freedom; advertising proliferation; Wall St. calls the shots
6	Future Possibilities Education may be best strategy Media literacy programs Media reform movement; Free Press; NCMR Encourage public participation – letters, call-in Utilization of global media - BBC Challenge of over-the-air in a cable environment Why is technology/transmission the touchstone? Re-think regulatory rationale – what, who, why? James Carville: “It’s the Internet, Stupid!”
7	We’ll be back in a moment, but first this word . . .
8	Beyond this 10 minutes . . . Just published Your Second Priority Collection of my reflections From last 40 years Available NCMR Soon available Bookstores Amazon.com, etc.
9	Coordinates . . . Web site . . . www.nicholasjohnson.org With links to blog . . . FromDC2Iowa.blogspot.com Thousands of screens with prior books . . . How to Talk Back to Your Television Set Test Pattern for Living Articles, columns, references