Media Democracy Day 2017
http://mediademocracyproject.ca/media-democracy-day-2017/
And Facebook event - http://Media Democracy Day 2017: Solutions Media
Join us for our 17th annual free public conference!
Vancouver and its region as a hotbed of Solutions Media makers who are using the power of media and technology to advance social change. This year, Media Democracy Day invites leading thinkers and practitioners in solutions media, from academic and videographers to technologists and activists, to share their skills and offer their perspectives on the meaning and potential of this emerging field of communication.
The conference begins with the Spry Memorial Keynote Exchange that will launch MDD with a critical reflection of Solutions Media and how it might play a role in a strong, vibrant, and civically engage Canadian media landscape. After our minds have been sparked, we’ll invite the public to unpack the idea of solutions media in roundtables and workshops that explore how media can be a vehicle for deeper public engagement. What works? What’s next? Come, collaborate, help invent the next wave of solutions-focused media.
When: November 18th, 10am - 6pm
Where: Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch
Our dynamic program includes:
- The 2017 Spry Memorial Keynote Exchange with Darin Barney, the Grierson Chair in Communication Studies at McGill University, and Angela Sterritt, an award-winning Gitxsan journalist, artist, and writer: http://
- Solutions Media Showcase: Six minute reports (or stories) about solutions media: http://
- Workshops + Roundtables: http://
- Design Jam on the public's role in soltuions media with Vancouver Design Nerds: http://
- Pre and Post MDD events: http://
Partners: SFU School of Communication, SFU Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology (FCAT), Vancouver Public Library, Gen Why Media, Graham Spry Fund, Vancouver Design Nerds
ACCESSIBILITY INFO: The Lower Level, including the spaces that will be used for this year’s Media Democracy Day, is accessible from an elevator that stops at both the promenade and parking levels, as well as the stairs. All washrooms throughout VPL are labelled “trans people welcome” and include wheelchair-accessible stalls. A single stall accessible washroom is also available on the main floor inside the library.
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What is Media Democracy Day?
Since 2001, Media Democracy Day (MDD) is the signature event for independent and democratic media in Canada. It was first organized by a coalition of concerned citizens, researchers, academics and activists in response to the growing concentration of ownership in the media sector.
What is solutions media?
Solutions media uses communication tools to respond to social problems. It can take a diversity forms, including journalism, digital tools, cultural products or public campaigns.
Why does solutions media matter now?
The rise of fake news, divisive partisan politics, social media bubbles, and the growing insecurity created by climate change and income inequality often results in a media landscape dominated by depressing and dismal perspectives on the world. Many people tune out as the news often leaves us feeling powerless, anxious, and resentful. This disengagement hurts not only our democracy but the resilience of our communities. This event is a step towards re-thinking how media can be a tool to drive more effective citizenship, more accountable government and a more vibrant public sphere.
We acknowledge that this event takes place on unceded and occupied Coast Salish territory, which include the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ (Tsleil-Waututh) nations respectively (Vancouver, Canada).
Accessibility:
The Lower Level, including the spaces that will be used for this year’s Media Democracy Day, is accessible from an elevator that stops at both the promenade and parking levels, as well as the stairs. All washrooms throughout VPL are labelled “trans people welcome” and include wheelchair-accessible stalls. A single stall accessible washroom is also available on the main floor inside the library.
