[ecrea] cfp Digital Diversity: Serving the Public Interest in the Age of Broadband

Call for Paper Proposals
Digital Diversity: Serving the Public Interest in the Age of Broadband

A by-invitation experts' workshop to be held at
Fordham University, Lincoln Center Campus
May 3-5, 2011

As the delivery of mediated content experiences an historic 
transformation with the transition to delivery over broadband 
networks, some policy goals of media regulation remain the same. 
Central among them is the public interest goal of ensuring diversity. 
Promoting diversity in broadcasting has been a pillar of media 
regulation, but online there is no 'spectrum scarcity,' the 
foundation of broadcast regulation, no licensing and arguably no 
'mass media' at all. As a result, the customary tools for promotion 
of diversity must be reinvented. Broadband is a radically different 
environment in which the provision of unregulated content may have 
far more impact than traditionally-regulated television and radio. 
New theoretical constructs and mechanisms are needed to address 
issues such as 'voice,' economic equity, and serving un-served and 
underserved communities. Minorities are creatively exploring new 
online tools for community building, communications, and business 
opportunities. How can the public interest standard be applied to 
support them in this new context?

The Institute for Information Policy at Penn State University and the 
Donald McGannon Communication Research Center at Fordham University 
are pleased to announce this call for paper proposals in which 
diversity enhancement in broadband networks serves as the main theme. 
Authors of the selected papers will be invited to present and discuss 
them during a three day by-invitation-only experts workshop de-signed 
to bring together up to a dozen American and international experts 
and to be held at the Lincoln Center Campus of Fordham University in 
New York City. This workshop is part of a series of events focused on 
'Making Policy Research Accessible,' organized by the IIP, with the 
support of the Ford Foundation.

Invited topics include, but are not limited to:

Changing concepts of diversity in the 21st century
Comparative notions of diversity and changing demographics
Defining and measuring the scope and desired outcomes of broadband 
diversity policy
Diversity, new media, social media, and opportunities on the Internet
Diversity and Internet entrepreneurship
Diversity and network neutrality
Diversity and community websites and media (e.g., community online newspapers)
Minorities embedded in major media enterprises in content creation 
and as performers
Cultural/linguistic/racial/gender/religious diversity - are they all 
being served?
The marketplace of ideas and diversity

Abstracts of up to 500 words and a short bio of the author(s) should 
be submitted to (pennstateiip /at/ psu.edu) by January 31, 2011. Please 
write IIPDMCWS: YOUR NAME in the subject line. Accepted presenters 
will be notified by March 1, 2011.

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