Tax ‘Reform’ traps | The future of our economy depends on how well the media cover the tax debate
COMMENTARY
Martin Lobel writes that special interests are defining the terms of a debate in which the economy is at stake. And he offers an extraordinary resource to reporters who want to understand taxation issues better.

From Nieman Reports | A veteran reporter and editor, starting over and aiming to provide high-value local news
SHOWCASE
James O’Shea has been chief editor of the L.A. Times and an M.E. at the Chicago Tribune. Now he’s editor of the Chicago News Cooperative, a new venture trying to provide deeper, better local coverage. Will it work? O’Shea’s answer: ‘It’s too soon to say. But we would rather be out there trying to figure out how we can finance quality journalism than waiting for doomsday to arrive.’

From Nieman Reports | Dealing with massively corrupt reporting in Eastern Europe
SHOWCASE
‘I was wondering why any sane person would invest trust and respect in most of the journalists who work (in Romania),' writes Stefan Candea. 'Their main product is propaganda and their primary talent is withholding the truth.’ (From the Spring 2011 edition of Nieman Reports, the theme of which is 'Shattering Barriers to Reveal Corruption.')

From Nieman Reports | A call to dedicate a beat to the subject of secrecy
COMMENTARY
In Nieman Reports, Ted Gup cites secrecy as an instrument of government used to 'obscure process, avoid accountability, suppress dissent and concentrate power.'

An appreciation | John Moss and the battle for freedom of information, 41 years later
COMMENTARY
How one modest but stubborn congressman overcame the many entrenched obstacles to win the American people access to information about the activities of their government.

Memphis conference | Reform speakers take on the big media
SHOWCASE| January 13, 2007
Bernie Sanders says it’s time to turn up the heat on media conglomerates; FCC Commissioner Copps says there is ‘too little news, too much baloney passed off as news.’

Media reform convention | Propaganda as a juicy item on the ‘red meat’ panel in Memphis
SHOWCASE| January 13, 2007
In the morning, panelists shoot zingers at Bush, at Fox News, and at fake news. Then an afternoon panel focuses on 'youth media.'

Day 2 in Memphis | Iraq war, coverage of it, loom large at media reform convention SHOWCASE| January 13, 2007 The press gave up its one weapon, skepticism, and lost its way in coverage of the run-up to the war, says Helen Thomas. Improved coverage, she says, is in part responsible for the public’s turning against the war.

Activists, journalists, educators | Media reform conference opens in Memphis
SHOWCASE| January 12, 2007
Event runs Friday to Sunday; some speakers and sessions may be seen online. Among the topics are media ownership, the war on the press, and independent media supplanting the mainstream. Participants include well known journalists and bloggers and political and entertainment figures.

The Memphis conference | From creep to floodgate: Product placement and fake news
SHOWCASE| January 12, 2007
Panelists at Media Reform convention ridicule actors giving their all for Oreos, Crest, etc.; Donald Trump’s show was said to be the worst. And then there’s those corporate- or government-produced VNRs.