Dennis Kucinich made a surprise appearance at the National Conference for Media Reform. Before the crowd of 3,000, he announced that there is going to be a new Domestic Policy Subcommittee of the House Government Reform Committee, and that he would be the chairman. The subcommittee will oversee several government agencies, including the FCC.

Kucinich intends to address a variety of concerns for today’s media, including ownership caps, consolidation, network neutrality, and the fairness doctrine. He told the conference:

“The media reform movement is opening up holding the media to a higher standard of accountability […] The urgency of media reform has never been more obvious. The media has become a servant very narrow corporate interests.”

I hope that he forces the other Democratic presidential candidates to take these issues seriously.

The state of journalism has a pair of stories this week on recent hires that deliver a little good news a Little not so good.

Journalism on public television has taken a turn for the better with the announcement that Bill Moyers will return to PBS with a weekly show called, ”Bill Moyers Journal.” It’s especially gratifying to learn of Moyers return the same week we learned of Kenneth Tomlinson’s departure. Tomlinson was instrumental in Moyers leaving PBS two years ago. The first installment of the Journal, airing April 25, is titled, “Buying the War,” about the role of the press in the run-up to the invasion of Iraq. I can’t think of a better subject for the premiere.

On the other hand, journalists have embarrassed themselves with their selection for the featured guest at this year’s White House Correspondents Association dinner. If you recall, last year’s guest was the eerily inspiring Stephen Colbert. So what have they come up with as a follow up? Rich Little. That’s right, the comfy, G-rated impersonator from the 70’s is apparently still available for Bar Mitvahs and press dinners. You think they’re over-compensating just a bit?

You might expect that the closing session of the National Conference for Media Reform would present rousing speakers that reaffirm the previous days experiences – the information, inspiration and connections – and act as a catalyst to provoke impassioned and sustained activism. That expectation was met. But one speaker, Van Jones, founder and executive Directer of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, delivered a unique insight that we would all be well served to contemplate.

After acknowledging the necessity for inclusion of minorities, women, youth, and every facet of our diverse culture in the media reform movement, he cited the excuses that Don Rumsfeld and his colleagues employed to explain our difficulties in Iraq. Rumsfeld had said that we were not prepared for our “catastrophic success.” While pointing out the Rumsfeld was, of course, lying, he turned the question back on us. The struggle to achieve our goals, whether they be media reform, health care, fair trade, environmental, whatever, consume such a great portion of our awareness, we may be neglecting to consider what we will do when we succeed.

That is not a triviality that we can address when we get there. There actually is some truth to the notion that America was not prepared to act productively after the fall of Baghdad. And there is also evidence that our new Democratic majority in congress was taken a little by surprise. As an example, many of the first comments from Democratic leaders were egregiously free of any mention of Iraq. And worse, some were asserting that they would support the President’s surge, …um escalation, …um augmentation. That was a symptom of not being prepared. But within days, after being forcefully reminded by the people that we wanted out of Iraq and that’s why we elected them, the leaders reversed course. We will have to be there to remind them often, I have no doubt.

Recognizing that victories can be hollow without confirmed action to sustain them, is something we must all be thinking about now.

For those of you who were not fortunate enough to attend the National Conference For Media Reform, I have compiled a few moments that may be of interest.

Jeff Cohen of Fairness and Accuracy in Media:After pointing out some disturbing stats that prove that broadcast media favors right wing pundits and commentators, he itemized his three goals for reform.

• Challenge the mainstream media to open up.
• Build independent and non-profit media.
• Structural reform of the Internet, promoting community access and preserving network neutrality.

Chellie Pingree of Common Cause:
Chellie made the fascinating observation that when Jimmy Carter was asked to observe elections in the U. S. as he has done throughout the world, he had to decline because the U. S. did not meet the criteria for such observation. Specifically, that elections be run by non-partisans and there be national standards. Neither of which is true here.

Amy Goodman of Democracy Now:
Amy told a disturbing story of the Covey Plantation. Covey was a slave “breaker”. That is precisely what it sounds like. Slaves that were resistant or troublesome were sent to Covey for training. One of those was Frederick Douglass. Douglass escaped and made his way north and the rest is history. Except this bit of history that is not widely reported – the Covey Plantation is now the home of … are you sitting down?… Don Rumsfeld!

Sen. Bernie Sanders (That felt good to type):
Bernie told us emphatically that, if you are concerned about foreign policy in Iraq; if you are concerned about health care; if you are concerned about the economy; if you are concerned about global warming; you are kidding yourselves if you are not concerned about corporate control of the media. And he reminded us that the media is just as responsible for the war in Iraq as Bush.

Norman Soloman of the Institute for Public Accuracy:
Norman made the astute observation that the New York Times will correct misstatements of fact, but not statements like, “The Bush adminstration is seeking democracy in Iraq,” although it is just as untrue.

The National Conference For Media Reform opened this morning with speeches by FreePress’ John Nichols, and Yolanda Hippensteele, as well as the Mayor of Memphis, Dr. Willie Herenton. But the runaway rock star of the day (and of conferences past) was Bill Moyers.

Moyers delivered an inspiring and infuriating discourse on the similarities between today’s government and corporate dominated media, and the domination of African Americans imported to this country as property. He called it the “Plantation Mentality.” The crux of this view could be boiled down to this brief and powerful line from his presentation:

“This is the moment Freedom begins. The moment you realize that someone else has been writing your story and it’s time to start writing it yourself.”

That is why I began News Corpse two years ago, and that is why I relentlessly advocate that everyone recognize that each voice in the world adds to the tide that will eventually erode the barriers to Liberty, Equality, and Free Expression.

Each voice = your voice. No matter how insignificant or futile you feel, the cumulative force that we can produce cannot be ignored or defeated. Your voice is rare and precious. Don’t let it go to waste.

FreePress generally posts video, audio, and transcripts of their featured speakers after the event. Be sure to catch the whole experience of the Moyers speech. But you don’t need to wait wait to start writing your own story or, at least, putting together a first draft.

I will be attending the National Conference On Media Reform this week. And hope that many of my readers will be there as well. From the Conference website:

The National Conference for Media Reform is for anyone who is concerned about the state of our media and committed to working for change. This energizing weekend presents ideas and strategies for winning the fight for better media and connects you with thousands of media reformers from across the nation.

Hopefully we will have an opportunity to meet one another. I will be blogging the conference and should have some useful and entertaining treats for y’all when I return.