NCMR 2011 - Egypt, Afghanistan and Beyond: Independent Journalism and Crisis
Channel: Free Press
Date: 2011-07-25

Independent media makers are using new tools to tell the most important stories of our time. When pro-democracy protests erupted in Egypt, independent and non-commercial journalists were quickly on the scene offering more in-depth coverage than mainstream media. In Afghanistan, independent reporters keep asking the tough questions about the longest war in U.S. history. 

The panelists in this session, held at the National Conference for Media Reform in Boston on April 9, are breaking new ground online and around the world -- by means of blogs, YouTube, streaming video and other platforms. How are independent voices beating mainstream media to the story, amplifying their message, and shedding crucial light in times of crisis? How are independent journalists prodding mainstream media to cover issues they might otherwise ignore?

Panelists: Sharif Abdel Kouddous, Democracy Now!; Jeff Cohen, Park Center for Independent Media at Ithaca College; Derrick Crowe, Brave New Foundation; Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, Al Jazeera English; Marcy Wheeler, FireDogLake.com.

Thanks to Walt Kosmowski of Beverly Community Access Media for the footage.

To see more of the conference, go to www.conference.freepress.net. For more about media issues, go do freepress.net.