News Release

D.C. reporter on campus

Friday, April 9, 2010

Little Falls native and Washington Post reporter, Karl Vick will kick off a discussion of the dangers facing contemporary journalists at the 38th annual First Amendment Forum Friday, April 16, in the Atwood Theatre.

Vick, and Minneapolis Star Tribune reporter Mark Brunswick, both of whom have covered war, will open the morning session with a talk on the safety of journalism.

Last year about 70 reporters, editors and photojournalists were killed while covering various news stories and 136 journalists worldwide were imprisoned by the end of the year.

The event, "Is Journalism Safe? Lives – Jobs – Ideals," begins at 9 a.m.

See the poster for the event here.

At 10 a.m., a panel of media experts will join Vick and Brunswick to share their perspectives on covering crises and how journalists can be protected.

Participants in the panel include:

• Paul R. Hannah, a First Amendment attorney often called upon to help journalists
• Casey Mahon, a leader of Central Command’s press operations during Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield in the 1990s
• Kari Petrie, a reporter who covers crime and public safety issues for the St. Cloud Times.

At 11:30 a.m., Hannah will receive the "First Amendment Award" given to individuals who have devoted their lives to preserving a free press in Minnesota. He will then discuss the state of the First Amendment in Minnesota.

At 1:30 p.m., Vick and other reporters will discuss how new media and social networking is changing the nature of news and how journalists do their work.

Participants in the panel include:

• Ramla Bile, a writer for American Somali websites and for Mshale, the African Newspaper of Minnesota
• Bob Collins, a blogger and creator of electronic political games and former managing editor of online news for Minnesota Public Radio
• Ambar Espinoza, Minnesota Public Radio reporter who recently used Facebook to gather information to break a major story on the use of Facebook to spread hate in St. Cloud
• Joe Fryer, a reporter for KARE-11 television in the Twin Cities
• Adam Hammer, a creator of dramatic multimedia web pages and entertainment reporter for the St. Cloud Times

Mark L. Mills, chair of the department of mass communications, will moderate the morning panel. James W. Gray, operations director for KVSC radio, will moderate the afternoon discussion.

The Society of Professional Journalists, College of Fine Arts and Humanities, St. Cloud State department of mass communications, Minnesota Newspaper Association, St. Cloud Times, Upper Midwest Chapter of the National Television Academy, Michael Vadnie, professor of mass communications, and KVSC radio are sponsors of the First Amendment Forum.

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