The 4th annual International Media Democracy Day (IMDD) will be celebrated in Montreal at Concordia University, on Monday, October 18th, with a day of discussions, workshops, screenings and an all-day media fair.

Media democracy promotes a mass media system that informs and empowers all members of society. IMDD is a day of action based on three themes:
Education - understanding how the media shapes our world and democracy
Protest - against a media system based on commercialization and exclusivity
Change - call for media reforms that respond to public interests, promote diversity and ensure community representation and accountability.

IMDD Schedule - October 18/2004 - Concordia

10 AM – 4 PM:
Media Fair on the Mezz
Over 25 media groups and organizations will be present all day on the mezzanine of the Hall Building to display information and engage in discussion with students. There will also be fairtrade coffee, music, and a photojournalism display. Raffle tickets will be sold, with prizes being awarded at the day's end at Reggie's. Contact Johanne (joha...@uberculture.org) if you would like to have your group represented at the Media Fair.
Location: The Mezzanine, Hall Building.

10:30 AM – 11 AM (media scrum)
Media Scrum – H-110

11 AM – 12:30 PM (panel discussion)
Democracy on the Line:
Are alternative voices drowned out on the Internet?
Can active citizens and grassroots organizations be heard on the web? Do they make an impact? Can we all become the media? Has it already happened? Hear our panelists talk about their efforts to make alternative media more accessible in the age of information overload. Debate the state of the net and whether it really serves the needs of marginalized voices.
Location: H-110, Hall Building.

Panelists include:

Chad Lubelsky, Alternatives (Moderator)
Ingrid Hein, Citizen Shift/National Film Board
Paul Shore, Canada Bureau Chief, Guerrilla News Network - alternative news media
Julie Gendron, Ties that Bind – Internet access for the disabled
Anuj Khosla, Homeless Street Archives – media democracy for the marginalized
Michael Leczner, Iles Sans Fils – free wireless internet

1 PM – 2:30 PM (workshop)
Media Wars For (and Over) Your Mind
In our increasingly media-saturated world of messages, understanding the media requires a critical understanding of what goes into making it. How does the CBC or CNN decide to report on which stories and why? Why not others? This session will delve into the world of media literacy, specifically looking at news and advertising. Looking at television, print, radio and the internet, how can one deconstruct the media as we address a number of key questions: how is it made, who makes it, who pays for it, what’s included and forgotten in it and why, is it credible and truthful, and how do we evaluate the symbols, meanings and messages embedded in it? We will look at media ethics, bias and propaganda and compare media produced and disseminated by mainstream versus alternative companies.

This interactive and participatory-dependent media literacy workshop will be led by Guerrilla News Network, Canada Bureau Chief Paul Shore.
Location: The SCPA Building, 2149 Mackay.

2 PM – 3:30 PM (panel discussion)
Sink or Swim? Paddling the Mainstream
This panel discussion will centre on whether “alternative