[mdd] jhally keynote release

8/6/2019 [MDD] Jhally Keynote Release

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Media Release

School of Communication, Simon Fraser University

8888 University DriveBurnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6

Contact: Dr. Stuart Poyntz, Advisory Committee Director, Media Democracy Day 2011Office: (778) [email protected]

Gala Milne, Head Coordinator, Media Democracy Day 2011

Office: (778) [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dr. Sut Jhally confirmed as keynote for Media Democracy Days 2011

Founder of the Media Education Foundation to kick off three-day Canadian media symposium

VANCOUVER, B.C. – August 15, 2011 – The School of Communication at SFU,OpenMedia.Ca, and the Vancouver Public Library are pleased to announce Sut Jhally, Founder

and Executive Director of the Media Education Foundation, as the opening keynote speaker for Media Democracy Day 2011’s expanded program, taking place November 11-13 at the Pacific

Cinematheque, the VPL, and SFU Woodwards Goldcorp Centre for the Arts.

A world-leading media scholar, filmmaker and analyst Dr. Jhally brings tremendous insight tothe task of understanding the media’s role in shaping our social identities through gender and

race, commercialism, violence and politics. He is the producer and director of various films and

in explaining the power of documentary media to help us understand and confront our fears henotes that: “In a state of fear, citizens are vulnerable to manipulation by opportunistic politiciansand a sensationalist media.” Speaking on Remembrance Day, as well as the tenth anniversary of

the US Air Force bombing of the Kabul office of Al-Jazeera, Dr. Jhally is an ideal speaker toopen Media Democracy Day and introduce the film War Made Easy: How Presidents and

Pundits Keep Spinning us to Death on November 11th

, 2011 at the Pacific Cinematheque.

In 1991, Dr. Jhally founded the Media Education Foundation (MEF) after receiving his Ph.Dfrom the School of Communication at Simon Fraser University. As a non-profit organization, the

MEF aims to inspire critical reflection on the social, political, and cultural impact of Americanmass media. “The media in the modern world have become like the air we breathe. If you want to

be an aware citizen in the world, you have to be aware of the environment you live in, and in themodern world, media are that environment.” Through the creation of documentary film and

educational resources, Jhally believes we are better able to contextualize our role as mediaconsumers and critics. “Media education matters because we want people to be active agents in

how they think about the world and the role they play in the world.”

Dr. Stuart Poyntz, Advisory Committee Director for MDD is enthusiastic about welcoming SutJhally back to Vancouver for the event’s 10

thanniversary. “Jhally’s work in furthering the media

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education movement has proven inspirational for many independent media producers inVancouver, and we are thrilled to have him speak at Media Democracy Day this fall.”

About Media Democracy Day:

Launched simultaneously in Vancouver and Toronto in 2001, MDD responded to a growing

global media democratization movement. This movement seeks to create a more participatorymedia system by supporting independent and public service media production, celebratinginnovation and creating dialogue around the politics and biases linked to our increasingly

corporate and concentrated media. To learn more, visit http://www.mediademocracyday.org.

About the School of Communication:

For more than 35 years, the School of Communication at Simon Fraser University has fosteredthe development of critical, interdisciplinary approaches to the study of media and technology

with a commitment to social theory and political economy. Led by an award-winning team of educators, the School of Communication is at the leading edge of media policy research,

technological innovation and cultural transformation on a global scale. For more information,

visit http://cmns.sfu.ca.

About OpenMedia.ca:

OpenMedia.ca is a national, non-partisan, non-profit public engagement organization working toadvance and support an open and innovative communications system in Canada. Our primary

goal is to increase public awareness and informed participation in Canadian media, cultural,

information and telecommunication policy formation. More at: http://openmedia.ca.

About Vancouver Public Library:

Vancouver Public Library is one of Canada's largest library systems and is dedicated to meetingthe lifelong learning, reading, recreation and information needs of the people of Vancouver.

Annually, the landmark Central Library and 20 neighbourhood branches serve over 5 millionvisitors who borrow almost 10 million items, including books, CDs, DVDs, magazines and

countless online resources. For more information about the Library, call 604-331-3603 or visithttp://www.vpl.ca

Contact: Gala Milne, Head Coordinator, Media Democracy Day 2011Office: (778) 782-7353

[email protected]

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[mdd] jhally keynote release

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