Critical Focus: A Forum on Media Today

Episode #6: Changing the Media

May 10, 2007
Live from CCTV Studio
675 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge

Whereas the first five episodes of this series put the media under a microscope and looked at it through a variety of lenses, this final episode takes a different tack, focusing on how concerned citizens can productively convert these media critiques into fruitful actions that begin to change the media. A terrific panel of experts reveal practical tips and strategies for both general audiences who are concerned about the media, as well as for people who consider themselves activists.  If you’re unhappy with the media, watch and learn what you can do to start changing the media!

Guests for Episode #6

The panelists for this episode include:

Lauren-Glenn Davitian 
www.cctv.org
Lauren-Glenn Davitian is the Executive Director of CCTV's Center for Media & Democracy in Burlington, Vermont. She has worked tirelessly in support of free speech, public access and open networks since 1982. The Center operates Channel 17/ Town Meeting TV (a regional government access/ public affairs cable channel), CCTV Productions (a media production company for nonprofits) and delivers training and technical services to regional nonprofits. The Center's current focus is strategic communications planning and new media training. As a guest editor for Community Media Review, Ms. Davitian is currently collaborating on an issue to help Community Media Centers take advantage of network-centered organizing and web 2.0 tools.


Steve Provizer 
www.zumix.org
Steve Provizer worked for many years as a print journalist and as an editor/producer in both commercial and Public television. He came across the concept of low power radio in 1996 and started Radio Free Allston. Although publicly declaring its illegal status, RFA got great support from all sectors. The FCC closed the station in the fall of 1997. In 2000, hoping to get an LPFM license, Provizer started A-B Free Radio. When the battle for urban LPFM licensing was lost, the station went "pirate." Provizer remained until 2003. In 2004 he set up the infrastructure for what is now known as GRLZ Radio in Dorchester, an all-girl's station. In 2005, he was invited to start a station under the auspices of ZUMIX, an after-school program in East Boston.


Nettrice Gaskins
www.massart.edu 
Nettrice Gaskins is an artist, educator, youth advocate and community practitioner.  She received a BFA in Computer Graphics from Pratt Institute and an MFA in Art & Technology from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.  She has well over a decade of experience in multimedia/digital media, education/training, leadership, youth work and program development, recently as the director of the Boston Neighborhood Network (BNN) Multimedia Center. Currently, Nettrice is working at the Massachusetts College of Art (MassArt) and the College of Public and Community Service at University of Massachusetts Boston (UMass). As Computer Arts Academic Liaison at MassArt she instructs and supports students and faculty. She handled the administration and development of all aspects of the Commonwealth Broadband Collaborative.  She is on the national board of NAMAC and previously CTCNet.


Danielle Martin 
www.ctcvista.org
Danielle Martin is a VISTA Leader at the CTC VISTA Project and program coordinator and trainer at massIMPACT. This year, she has been conducting train-the-trainer digital storytelling workshops for massIMPACT’s Spreading the Stories program, and working to bring new programs and collaborations to technology centers in MassHousing technology and community centers. In 2005-6, she served the Community Technology & Media Program at UMass Boston as a curriculum and resource coordinator as well as the Assistant Editor of the Community Technology Review and the Project’s newsletter, the Digest. Prior to that, Danielle was the Technology Director at the Charlestown Boys & Girls Club Computer Clubhouse and a MIT Media Lab IDEAS Institute Fellow.


This episode also includes an edited roll-in compiling tips for changing the media from a wide variety of media policy-makers, academics, and community organizers, as well as segments from an interview with  Jonathan Lawson, Executive Director of the Seattle-based media reform organization Reclaim the Media.

The panelists for this episode include:

Lauren-Glenn Davitian 
www.cctv.org
Lauren-Glenn Davitian is the Executive Director of CCTV's Center for Media & Democracy in Burlington, Vermont. She has worked tirelessly in support of free speech, public access and open networks since 1982. The Center operates Channel 17/ Town Meeting TV (a regional government access/ public affairs cable channel), CCTV Productions (a media production company for nonprofits) and delivers training and technical services to regional nonprofits. The Center's current focus is strategic communications planning and new media training. As a guest editor for Community Media Review, Ms. Davitian is currently collaborating on an issue to help Community Media Centers take advantage of network-centered organizing and web 2.0 tools.


Steve Provizer 
www.zumix.org
Steve Provizer worked for many years as a print journalist and as an editor/producer in both commercial and Public television. He came across the concept of low power radio in 1996 and started Radio Free Allston. Although publicly declaring its illegal status, RFA got great support from all sectors. The FCC closed the station in the fall of 1997. In 2000, hoping to get an LPFM license, Provizer started A-B Free Radio. When the battle for urban LPFM licensing was lost, the station went "pirate." Provizer remained until 2003. In 2004 he set up the infrastructure for what is now known as GRLZ Radio in Dorchester, an all-girl's station. In 2005, he was invited to start a station under the auspices of ZUMIX, an after-school program in East Boston.


Nettrice Gaskins
www.massart.edu 
Nettrice Gaskins is an artist, educator, youth advocate and community practitioner.  She received a BFA in Computer Graphics from Pratt Institute and an MFA in Art & Technology from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.  She has well over a decade of experience in multimedia/digital media, education/training, leadership, youth work and program development, recently as the director of the Boston Neighborhood Network (BNN) Multimedia Center. Currently, Nettrice is working at the Massachusetts College of Art (MassArt) and the College of Public and Community Service at University of Massachusetts Boston (UMass). As Computer Arts Academic Liaison at MassArt she instructs and supports students and faculty. She handled the administration and development of all aspects of the Commonwealth Broadband Collaborative.  She is on the national board of NAMAC and previously CTCNet.


Danielle Martin 
www.ctcvista.org
Danielle Martin is a VISTA Leader at the CTC VISTA Project and program coordinator and trainer at massIMPACT. This year, she has been conducting train-the-trainer digital storytelling workshops for massIMPACT’s Spreading the Stories program, and working to bring new programs and collaborations to technology centers in MassHousing technology and community centers. In 2005-6, she served the Community Technology & Media Program at UMass Boston as a curriculum and resource coordinator as well as the Assistant Editor of the Community Technology Review and the Project’s newsletter, the Digest. Prior to that, Danielle was the Technology Director at the Charlestown Boys & Girls Club Computer Clubhouse and a MIT Media Lab IDEAS Institute Fellow.


This episode also includes an edited roll-in compiling tips for changing the media from a wide variety of media policy-makers, academics, and community organizers, as well as segments from an interview with  Jonathan Lawson, Executive Director of the Seattle-based media reform organization Reclaim the Media.

The panelists for this episode include:

Lauren-Glenn Davitian 
www.cctv.org
Lauren-Glenn Davitian is the Executive Director of CCTV's Center for Media & Democracy in Burlington, Vermont. She has worked tirelessly in support of free speech, public access and open networks since 1982. The Center operates Channel 17/ Town Meeting TV (a regional government access/ public affairs cable channel), CCTV Productions (a media production company for nonprofits) and delivers training and technical services to regional nonprofits. The Center's current focus is strategic communications planning and new media training. As a guest editor for Community Media Review, Ms. Davitian is currently collaborating on an issue to help Community Media Centers take advantage of network-centered organizing and web 2.0 tools.


Steve Provizer 
www.zumix.org
Steve Provizer worked for many years as a print journalist and as an editor/producer in both commercial and Public television. He came across the concept of low power radio in 1996 and started Radio Free Allston. Although publicly declaring its illegal status, RFA got great support from all sectors. The FCC closed the station in the fall of 1997. In 2000, hoping to get an LPFM license, Provizer started A-B Free Radio. When the battle for urban LPFM licensing was lost, the station went "pirate." Provizer remained until 2003. In 2004 he set up the infrastructure for what is now known as GRLZ Radio in Dorchester, an all-girl's station. In 2005, he was invited to start a station under the auspices of ZUMIX, an after-school program in East Boston.


Nettrice Gaskins
www.massart.edu 
Nettrice Gaskins is an artist, educator, youth advocate and community practitioner.  She received a BFA in Computer Graphics from Pratt Institute and an MFA in Art & Technology from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.  She has well over a decade of experience in multimedia/digital media, education/training, leadership, youth work and program development, recently as the director of the Boston Neighborhood Network (BNN) Multimedia Center. Currently, Nettrice is working at the Massachusetts College of Art (MassArt) and the College of Public and Community Service at University of Massachusetts Boston (UMass). As Computer Arts Academic Liaison at MassArt she instructs and supports students and faculty. She handled the administration and development of all aspects of the Commonwealth Broadband Collaborative.  She is on the national board of NAMAC and previously CTCNet.


Danielle Martin 
www.ctcvista.org
Danielle Martin is a VISTA Leader at the CTC VISTA Project and program coordinator and trainer at massIMPACT. This year, she has been conducting train-the-trainer digital storytelling workshops for massIMPACT’s Spreading the Stories program, and working to bring new programs and collaborations to technology centers in MassHousing technology and community centers. In 2005-6, she served the Community Technology & Media Program at UMass Boston as a curriculum and resource coordinator as well as the Assistant Editor of the Community Technology Review and the Project’s newsletter, the Digest. Prior to that, Danielle was the Technology Director at the Charlestown Boys & Girls Club Computer Clubhouse and a MIT Media Lab IDEAS Institute Fellow.


This episode also includes an edited roll-in compiling tips for changing the media from a wide variety of media policy-makers, academics, and community organizers, as well as segments from an interview with  Jonathan Lawson, Executive Director of the Seattle-based media reform organization Reclaim the Media.

The panelists for this episode include:

Lauren-Glenn Davitian 
www.cctv.org
Lauren-Glenn Davitian is the Executive Director of CCTV's Center for Media & Democracy in Burlington, Vermont. She has worked tirelessly in support of free speech, public access and open networks since 1982. The Center operates Channel 17/ Town Meeting TV (a regional government access/ public affairs cable channel), CCTV Productions (a media production company for nonprofits) and delivers training and technical services to regional nonprofits. The Center's current focus is strategic communications planning and new media training. As a guest editor for Community Media Review, Ms. Davitian is currently collaborating on an issue to help Community Media Centers take advantage of network-centered organizing and web 2.0 tools.


Steve Provizer 
www.zumix.org
Steve Provizer worked for many years as a print journalist and as an editor/producer in both commercial and Public television. He came across the concept of low power radio in 1996 and started Radio Free Allston. Although publicly declaring its illegal status, RFA got great support from all sectors. The FCC closed the station in the fall of 1997. In 2000, hoping to get an LPFM license, Provizer started A-B Free Radio. When the battle for urban LPFM licensing was lost, the station went "pirate." Provizer remained until 2003. In 2004 he set up the infrastructure for what is now known as GRLZ Radio in Dorchester, an all-girl's station. In 2005, he was invited to start a station under the auspices of ZUMIX, an after-school program in East Boston.


Nettrice Gaskins
www.massart.edu 
Nettrice Gaskins is an artist, educator, youth advocate and community practitioner.  She received a BFA in Computer Graphics from Pratt Institute and an MFA in Art & Technology from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.  She has well over a decade of experience in multimedia/digital media, education/training, leadership, youth work and program development, recently as the director of the Boston Neighborhood Network (BNN) Multimedia Center. Currently, Nettrice is working at the Massachusetts College of Art (MassArt) and the College of Public and Community Service at University of Massachusetts Boston (UMass). As Computer Arts Academic Liaison at MassArt she instructs and supports students and faculty. She handled the administration and development of all aspects of the Commonwealth Broadband Collaborative.  She is on the national board of NAMAC and previously CTCNet.


Danielle Martin 
www.ctcvista.org
Danielle Martin is a VISTA Leader at the CTC VISTA Project and program coordinator and trainer at massIMPACT. This year, she has been conducting train-the-trainer digital storytelling workshops for massIMPACT’s Spreading the Stories program, and working to bring new programs and collaborations to technology centers in MassHousing technology and community centers. In 2005-6, she served the Community Technology & Media Program at UMass Boston as a curriculum and resource coordinator as well as the Assistant Editor of the Community Technology Review and the Project’s newsletter, the Digest. Prior to that, Danielle was the Technology Director at the Charlestown Boys & Girls Club Computer Clubhouse and a MIT Media Lab IDEAS Institute Fellow.


This episode also includes an edited roll-in compiling tips for changing the media from a wide variety of media policy-makers, academics, and community organizers, as well as segments from an interview with  Jonathan Lawson, Executive Director of the Seattle-based media reform organization Reclaim the Media.

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