Upcoming and Current Projects » Race & Media Forums

Upcoming Race and Media Forums

The Next Race & Media event will focus on Race, Media and Mental Health. It will be held in mid-October. More information to come.

Previous Race and Media Forums

  1. Matt Rothschild, The Progressive Magazine discussed their Media Project that helps nonprofit organizations and grass roots activists develop their op-ed writing skills and then helps distribute their writings/ideas through the McClatchy-Tribune News Service to get the messages from these often unheard voices out to the mainstream American public.


  2. A series of Mix and Mingle events (informal gatherings between representatives of communities of color and local media).


  3. Eugene Kane, Columnist, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, on the History of the Noose and other media images.


  4. Hemant Shah and students from the University of Wisconsin School of Journalism and Mass Communications analyzed coverage of race issues on local media websites.


  5. Patty Loew, screening and group discussion of the WPT/NAPT-produced film, Way of the Warrior.


  6. Discussion on Islam and Muslim community in Madison. Help media understand this growing population and their beliefs.


  7. Race. Media. Forum. When should race be identified in a news story?

    This forum was held on Tuesday, October 3, 2006 at the Catholic Multicultural Center in Madison, and funded by the Evjue Foundation and media donors. Neil Heinen, Editorial Director, WISC-TV moderated a panel of Madison media representatives. Media panel members gave 2-3 minute descriptions of their organization's policy on race (when is race identified in a story).

    A reactor panel from local minority media and persons from the communities of color responded to what they have heard from the media representatives, followed by a whole group discussion.

    The Madison City Channel 12 video of the October 3, 2006 forum is now available. Go to Madison City Channel 12 and scroll down the page to the Race & Media forum listing, or launch the RealPlayer video here directly.


  8. Race & Media Forum on The News We Need: Finding Balance in an Age of Spin.
    Forty-nine people attended the February 23, 2005 gathering, representing Madison's communities of color as well as print and electronic media. Discussion centered on how the media and communities of color can interact more effectively. It also focused on development of the Clearinghouse on Race/Media issues. This forum was sponsored by the Preview Forums, with funds from the Ford Foundation.


  9. The topic for this forum, held on May 18, 2005, was Education and Race: the three Madison Metropolitan School District referenda which would be on the ballot. Forty-three people attended to discuss:
    • What are the community conversations on the referenda?
    • Are you likely to support the referenda?
    • If they fail, what should the community do next?

  10. A Race & Media forum was held on September 15, 2005 at the Catholic Multicultural Center, 1862 Beld Street in Madison. The program was a newsroom decision-making simulation. Small groups of representatives from the communities of color and local media made decisions on which stories should lead in hypothetical print and electronic news outlets.

For more information:

Collaborative Partners:

Phil Haslanger, Managing Editor,Capital Times Newspaper; Neil Heinen, Editorial Director, WISC-TV and Madison Magazine; Shauna Rhone, Capital Times webmaster, Mark Anthony Rolo, University of Wisconsin-Madison lecturer; Capital Times Newspaper; Joni Theobald, Department of Equity, Diversity & Advocacy, Madison Metropolitan School District; Annie Weatherby, Education & Outreach Coordinator, Madison Equal Opportunities Commission.