From The Future of Civic Engagement in a Broadband-Enabled World, a symposium hosted by the MIT Center for Future Civic Media in cooperation with the Federal Communications Commission’s Broadband Initiative (broadband.gov).
Keynote address by Eugene Huang, Director of Government Performance and Civic Engagement for the FCC’s National Broadband Plan.
First panel: “The Future of Government/Citizen Engagement”
From the Mayor of Newark’s tweets to the President’s online town halls, technology has already changed how the public engages with their government. In a world of ubiquitous broadband, this interaction can radically change how government operates and develops policy. This panel will explore how broadband can transform government/citizen engagement.
Moderator: Jerry Mechling, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
Speakers:
- Christopher Csikszentmihalyi, MIT Center for Future Civic Media
- Nick Grossman, The Open Planning Project
- Laurel Ruma, O’Reilly Media
- John Wonderlich, The Sunlight Foundation
Second panel: “The Future of Digital Public Media”
Public media has always played a critical role in our democracy, informing citizens, leading our public conversation, and fostering civic engagement. However, broadband presents an historic opportunity for public media to reach even greater heights. This panel will explore the challenges and opportunities for the 21st century digital public media ecosystem.
Moderator: Jake Shapiro, Public Radio Exchange
Panelists:
- Robert Bole, Corporation for Public Broadcasting
- Sue Schardt, The Association of Independents in Radio (AIR)
- Marita Rivero, WGBH-Boston
- Kinsey Wilson, National Public Radio
Closing Remarks: Damian Thorman, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, with introduction by Chris Csikszentmihalyi