Promoting Social Cohesion through Broadcast Media:
A U.S.-European Best Practices Exchange

(Nov. 7, 2011) - A delegation of media scholars and practitioners from the U.S. and Europe discussed the current environment, strategies, and benefits of encouraging diversity in international and domestic media representation at a colloquium in Washington D.C. on November 7.

The colloquium was organized by the U.S. Department of State and Meridian International.

Different panel session discussed the status of social cohension and diversity, diversity best practices, and program success stories in the U.S. and Europe; the role of ethnic media in building bridges among communities; and the role of U.S. NGOs in shaping media narratives.

The U.S. Department of State invited Louisiana State University's Forum on Media Diversity to participate in this colloquium. Dr. Ralph Izard shared the activities, web-based research resource, and diversity publications of the Forum on Media Diversity at the "Best Practices" session of the colloquium.

Speakers included:

Ambassador Sharon P. Wilkinson, Meridian International Center;
Hannah Rosenthal, special envoy to monitor and combat anti-semitism, U.S. Department of State;
Professor Gary Weaver, American University;
Vanessa Cardenas, director, Progress 2050, Center for American Progress;
Ellen Sudow, board member, Southern Poverty Law Center;
Mo Asumang, film director, journalist and TV host, MA Motion Filmproduktions;

Phylis Eagle-Oldson, president and CEO, Emma L. Bowen Foundation;
Dr. Cassandra Caldwell, founder and president, International Society of Diversity and Inclusion Professionals;
Dr. Ralph Izard, Louisiana State University Media Diversity Forum;
Milica Pesic, Media Diversity Institute;
Michelle Duke, vice president, National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation;
James Jones, vice president of education programs, National Association of Multi-Ethnicity in the Media;
Jon Sawyer, executive director, Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, RTDNA;
Dori J. Maynard, president, Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Excellence;
Eric Peterson, manager of diversity and inclusion initiatives, Society for Human Resource Management;

Erik Hogenboom, coordinator, Europe's Prix Iris;
Stephanie Misar, marketing director, MHz;
DeLinda Mrowka, PBS-Not in Our Town;
Essayias Bezabeh, producer and broadcaster, Ethio Diaspora and Netsanet Radio;
Minhaj Hasan, editor, Muslim Link Newspaper;
Lori Montenegro, national correspondent, Telemundo;
Elisa Munoz, director of research & training, International Women's Media Foundation;
Ari Rabin-Havt, executive vice president, Media Matters for America;
Michelle Mittelstadt, communication director, Migration Policy Institute;
Stacy Burdett, director of government & national affairs, The Anti-Defamation League;

Frans Jennekens, head of diversity, NTR Television, and president, Intercultural and Diversity Group European Broadcasters' Union; and
Bogdan Banu, program officer, Meridian International Center.

Last update Nov. 14, 2011