Communication hosts conference on ethics in the media, Sept. 19

Janel Shoun-Smith | 

Demtria Kalodimos is one of the panelists at the Sept. 19 event

Morality and the Media conference explores the media coverage of three issues crucial to Tennesseans

Lipscomb University’s Department of Communication and Journalism presents a free conference on ethics in the media, titled “Morality and the Media: Guns, Gays and Politics” on Friday, Sept. 19, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., in Lipscomb’s Ezell Center.

The all-day conference will feature panelists drawn from Tennessee’s top media outlets and guest speakers from the Poynter Institute, the Florida-based international leader in journalism education, to explore and analyze media coverage of these three controversial topics: guns, gays and politics.

“The quality of media coverage surrounding these three crucial issues is important to all Tennesseans,” said Alan Griggs, chair of the communication and journalism department and coordinator of the event. “With outside groups and individuals involving themselves more and more in our state and the Tea Party establishing itself as a growing influence, how do the media present a clear and accurate description of our changing society?”

Among the local media and political representatives participating on the panels are:

  • Dwight Lewis, retired editorial page editor, Tennessean, Nashville;
  • Demetria Kalodimos, reporter/anchor, WSMV-¬TV, Nashville;
  • Kathleen Chandler Wright, chapter leader, Moms Demand Action Tennessee, a group currently running a publicity campaign against Kroger groceries for allowing customers to carry guns into their stores;
  • Brian Murphy, news editor for Tennessee and Kentucky, Associated Press;
  • Steven Hale, reporter, Nashville Scene;
  • Scott Stroud, politics and government editor, The  Tennessean;
  • Tom Humphrey, retired state capitol bureau chief, Knoxville News-Sentinel;
  • Glen Casada, Tennessee State Representative, 63rd legislative district;
  • Ben Hall, investigative reporter, NewsChannel 5 WTVF-TV, Nashville;
  • Dorinda Carter, director of communications, Office of Davidson County District Attorney Glenn Funk; and
  • Craig Fitzhugh, Tennessee State Representative, 82nd legislative district, minority leader, Tennessee House of Representatives.

 

Kelly McBride, vice president for academic programs at the Poynter Institute and one of the nation’s leading voices on journalism ethics, will kick off the day with a presentation entitled, “Making Sense of the Media.” Al Tompkins, senior faculty member for broadcast and online at Poynter, will deliver the conference’s keynote address during lunch.

The panels will also include pro and con voice on the gay and guns issues and a Republican and Democrat voice on the politics issue, discussing their viewpoint of how the media has covered their issue of interest. For a complete listing of the panelists and speakers go to http://www.lipscomb.edu/communication.

The event will include light refreshments in the morning, a complimentary lunch and will conclude around 3 p.m. with a summary presented by McBride. Those attending are asked to register ahead of time at http://www.lipscomb.edu/communication.

 

About The Poynter Institute

The Poynter Institute for Media Studies is an international leader in journalism education and a strategy center that stands for uncompromising excellence in journalism, media and 21st century public discourse. Poynter faculty teach seminars and workshops at the institute in St. Petersburg, Fla., and at conferences and organizational sites around the world. The institute’s website, www.poynter.org, produces 24-hour coverage of news about media, ethics, technology, the business of news and the trends that currently define and redefine journalism news reporting. The world’s top journalists and media innovators come to Poynter to learn and teach new generations of media professionals and to build public awareness about journalism, media, the First Amendment and protected discourse that serves democracy and the public good.