News

ST. LOUIS — At the National Conference for Media Reform on Sunday, Bill Moyers will make his first public statement on the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s (CPB) controversial efforts to hold PBS to a partisan litmus test.

WHAT: National Conference for Media Reform

WHERE: Millennium Hotel, St. Louis, Mo.

WHEN: May 13-15, 2005

WASHINGTON — Free Press and the Center for Media and Democracy today applauded Congress for barring federal agencies from producing video news releases (VNRs) that do not clearly disclose the government as their source. But the groups called on lawmakers to make the one-year ban permanent and pass stronger measures against the broadcast of government and corporate propaganda.

WASHINGTON — Free Press, the nonpartisan media reform group, today called on Kenneth Tomlinson, chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), to resign for failing to uphold CPB’s nonpartisan mandate.

WASHINGTON – Free Press, Consumers Union, Common Cause and the Consumer Federation of America today announced a plan to “take public broadcasting to the people,” proposing a series of local hearings across the country where the public will talk directly to broadcasters and policymakers about the future of public broadcasting.

LAS VEGAS – Free Press, the national, nonpartisan media reform group, will announce the nominees for The Big Media Hall of Shame at a press conference this morning in Las Vegas. The five nominees, all prominent media and government figures, will be saluted for their public disservice and contributions to media consolidation.

WASHINGTON – Free Press, the nonpartisan media reform group, today endorsed a series of proposed reforms to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a U.N.

WASHINGTON — On Wednesday night, the Federal Communications Commission called on all television newscasters to clearly disclose the origin of video news releases (VNRs) used on their programs.

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. — Free Press, the national, nonpartisan media reform group, today applauded the defeat of Arizona House Bill 2563 – which would have gutted local “franchise fees” across the state that sustain local media and support public safety.

WASHINGTON – Municipal broadband networks can provide an essential catalyst for market competition, economic development, and the achievement of universal, affordable Internet access, according to three new reports released today by the Media Access Project (MAP), Consumer Federation of America (CFA), Free Press, and the Florida Municipal Electric Association.