Hi MACers,
 
FYI.
 
Cathy M. Jackson

________________________________

From: David Honig [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tue 8/15/2006 8:50 PM
To: MMTC Scholars List A-G
Subject: Call for Experts Minority Anti-Defamation Coalition


Call for Experts

A new organization in formation, tentatively named the Minority
Anti-Defamation Coalition, seeks volunteers to serve on its Panel of Experts.
The Coalition will address and counteract the growing incidence of racial
hate speech in the mainstream media.  The Coalition needs scholars and
journalists with expertise in any of these fields: 



        o   History 
        o   Linguistics, general semantics or rhetoric 
        o   Mass communications theory or practice 
        o   Journalism * print or broadcast 
        o   Ethnic studies 
        o   Communications, tort or constitutional law 
        o   Political science 
	


In response to the Call to Action by David Honig of the Minority Media and
Telecommunications Council (MMTC), an exploratory committee meeting was held
on Tuesday, July 11, 2006 in Washington, DC to discuss the issue of the
defamation of minorities by mainstream media news organizations and media
pundits. 1  As documented in the Call to Action, the incidents of racist
comments made by journalists, pundits, and other on-air personalities in the
mainstream media are shocking, harmful, and thoroughly unacceptable in our
society. 

It was agreed by all in attendance that racist statements, characterizations,
and innuendos are matters compelling further attention and action in the form
of quick and swift responses - in the same news cycle - by a watchdog group
such as the one we seek to form.  While many members of the exploratory
committee feel that in some instances government intervention is necessary to
proscribe or deter hate speech, the committee determined that the new
Coalition should be able to achieve its objectives without relying on
government intervention.  Therefore, in the civil rights tradition, the
Coalition will appeal to the best instincts of media owners, producers and
personalities.  It will condemn hate speech while also offering well-informed
commentary by members of a Panel of Experts.  The experts will explain the
origins and persistence of the stereotypes underlying specific hateful
expressions, and why these expressions are harmful in their contemporary
context.  Specifically, we are looking for scholars who have and/or are
willing to monitor the media or guide media monitoring studies, conduct
research and empirical studies, appear on radio or television programs,
participate in meetings or teleconferences with media executives and
producers, and write about this issue. 

If you are interested in this topic and would like to work with this group as
it organizes, please respond to me directly at [log in to unmask], attaching
your vita or biography.  We look forward to hearing from you and working to
address the harmful effects of the defamation of minorities in the mainstream
media. 

LaVonda Reed-Huff
Chair, Exploratory Committee for the Minority Anti-Defamation Coalition

c/o LaVonda Reed-Huff
Assistant Professor of Law
Syracuse University College of Law
E.I. White Hall
Syracuse, NY 13244-1030
August 15, 2006

1 The Call to Action and Notes of the Inaugural Meeting of the Exploratory
Committee of the Minority Anti-Defamation Coalition are attached.