WHAT:
Are Chicago citizens getting the information they need in order to solve community problems, coordinate civic activity, maintain public accountability, and foster the human connectedness that is the backbone of both community and democracy?

The Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy (www.knightcomm.org) is conducting a year long study to identify the information needs of communities in a democracy, assess how and whether those needs are being met, and recommend steps to improve the fulfillment of those needs.

In addition to reviewing research on information access and trends, including media developments, new technology, and innovations in civic and government communication, the Commission is soliciting testimony from experts and practitioners to hear about community "information ecosystems."

The Commission will issue a report in 2009 offering recommendations for achieving the news and information environment that democratic communities need in order to thrive.

WHO:
Panel: Information, Engagement, and Democracy at the Community Level
10AM-12PM. Click here to view the full agenda.

• Patrick Barry,
Chicago journalist and content manager for LISC/Chicago’s New Communities Program

• Jim Capraro,
Executive Director, Greater Southwest Development Corporation

• Mary Dempsey,
Chicago Public Library Commissioner

• Keith Hampton,
Assistant Professor, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania

• Alan C. Miller,
Founder, News Literacy Project and former investigative reporter,Los Angeles Times

• Toni Preckwinkle,
Alderman, Ward 4

Lunch Keynote Presentation "“ "Medill Chicago Storefronts - Immersing Journalism Students in Chicago Neighborhoods"
12:15-1:15PM

• Jack Doppelt and Michele Bitoun,
Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University

WHERE: Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center, South Hall
400 S. State Street, Chicago, IL, 60605

WEBCAST: Webcast live and available for future viewing at www.knightcomm.org.

TO ATTEND OR SCHEDULE PHONE INTERVIEWS CONTACT:
Erin Silliman
P: (202) 736-5818; C: (614) 286-6501
Email: erin.silliman@aspeninstitute.org
RSVP REQUIRED

BACKGROUND:

The Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy is a 15-member commission assembled to recommend both public and private measures that would help American communities better meet their information needs. The Commission's research-based approach examines the following three questions: What are the information needs of communities in our American democracy? What are the current trends affecting how community information needs are met? And what changes will ensure that community information needs will be better met in the future?

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation promotes excellence in journalism worldwide and invests in the vitality of 26 U.S. communities where the Knight brothers owned newspapers. Knight Foundation focuses on ideas and projects that create transformational change. Nearly 20 years ago, the Knight Foundation created the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics. That first Knight Commission has helped restore intercollegiate athletics to the control of university presidents.

The Aspen Institute mission is twofold: to foster values-based leadership, encouraging individuals to reflect on the ideals and ideas that define a good society, and to provide a neutral and balanced venue for discussing and acting on critical issues. The Aspen Institute does this primarily in four ways: seminars, young-leader fellowships around the globe, policy programs and public conferences and events. The Institute is based in Washington, DC, Aspen, Colorado, and on the Wye River on Maryland's Eastern Shore and has an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org. The Communications and Society Program is one of 25 policy programs at the Aspen Institute. It addresses the societal and democratic impact of the communications and information sectors.

Aspen Institute

Aspen Institute

The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute has campuses in Aspen, Colorado, and on the Wye River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It also maintains offices in New York City and has an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org or follow on Twitter @AspenInstitute.

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