The Fifth International OURMedia – Nuestros Medios conference was held in Bangalore at the United Theological College (UTC) from the 5th- 9th of December. The United Theological College and VOICES, were the local partners for organizing the conference.

OURMedia 5 International Conference Democracy and Citizens’ Media

Conference Program

Plenary Session-Keynote Address
Chair: Dr. John Joshva Raja – United Theological College, Bangalore

Keynote Speakers
Raghu Mainali – Save Community Radio, Nepal
Lawrence Laing – Alternative Law Forum, Bangalore, India

Panel - 1 Politics of Community Media: Legitimizing Community Radio in India
Chair: Ashish Sen – Voices

“General” Narasamma- DDS, Hyderabad
Ramnath Bhat – Namma Dhwani
Dr. M. G. Krishnan – Bangalore University
Sajan Venniyoor – Prasar Bharati, India, Towards a policy on Community Radio in India

Panel 2 Community Media and Development
Chair: Vinod Pavarala – University of Hyderabad

Kanchan Kumar- University of Hyderabad, Lessons from Research on Community Radio in India
Ganesh Mandekar - Abhivyakti Media
Jethro Petitt – Participatory communication in Action Research
http://www.ourmedianetwork.org/files/Pettit.doc
Ratna Mala – M.S. University, Tamil Nadu, Media and Grass root Network: The role of media in Dalits political participation in Tamil Nadu
http://www.ourmedianetwork.org/files/Ratna_mala.doc

Day 3 – Wednesday (7-12-2005)

Panel - 3 Studying Community Media and ICTs for Social Change: Ethnographic Action Research Approach
Chair: Jo Tacchi, Queensland University of Technology, Australia

Ramnath Bhat – VOICES
http://www.ourmedianetwork.org/files/Budikote.doc
Seema B. Nair – VOICES
Karma Tshering – UNESCO, Nepal
Savithri Subramanian, UNESCO, India
Choy Arnaldo- Philippines

Panel - 4 Making Media Technologies Socially Effective and Culturally Empowering
Chair: Tanya Notley, Queensland University of Technology, Australia

Venu Arora – Equal Access, India
http://www.ourmedianetwork.org/files/equal_access.doc
Jo Tacchi – Queensland University of Technology, Australia
http://www.ourmedianetwork.org/files/Tacchi.doc
Tripta Chandola – Department of International Development, U.K.
http://www.ourmedianetwork.org/files/chandola.doc
Ben Grubb – Kothmale Community Radio Station and Media Center, Sri Lanka
http://www.ourmedianetwork.org/files/Kothmale_CR.doc
Sudhamshu Dahal – Equal Access, Nepal

Panel – 5 Intercultural Dialogue: Community Radio and Resistance
Chair: Juan Salazar, University of Western Sydney, Australia

Mario Alfonso Murillo – Hofstra University, USA
Colombia’s Indigenous Communication Quilt: Community Radio, Civil Conflict and Popular Resistance by the Nasa people of Northern Cauca, Colombia
http://www.ourmedianetwork.org/files/murillo.doc
Priya Kapoor – Portland University USA, Bridging the Cutural Divide: Community Radio in South Asia
http://www.ourmedianetwork.org/files/Bridging_the_Divide.doc
Otieno RJ Ndong’a – University of Botswana, Botswana, Empowering rural communities through effective communication channels: The refugee information network in Tanzania

Panel - 6 ICT for Development and Social Transformation
Chair: Alfonso Gumucio Dagron

Mary Francoli – Carleton University, Canada, Research on Information and Communication Technologies with Aboriginal Communities
http://www.ourmedianetwork.org/files/Francoli.doc
Carolyn Penfold, Internet Content Regulation
http://www.ourmedianetwork.org/files/Penfold.doc
Jocobie Vander Weijden-Any News on Indymedia? An analysis of how indymedia is cited

Day 4 – Thursday (8-12-2005)

Panel - 7 Social Impact of IT in Bangalore
Chair: T. B. Dinesh, Bangalore, IT ORG

Subbu Sastry – Environment Support Group, India
Chandra Shekhar – The Indian Institute of Geographical Studies, India
Balachandran - The Indian Institute of Geographical Studies, India
Datta Subrahmanya – Digital Global Soft, India
Jogi Panghaal – Doors of Perception
Bhargavi – Independent Consultant

Panel – 8 Journalism and Media Education for Democracy
Chair: Steven Muthu – Consultant – Media

I. Arul Aram – Chief Sub-Editor, The Hindu, Community Newspapers in Jaffna and Conflict Sensitive Journalism
Ram Pejawar, Bangalore TV for Kids
K. V. Raghunathan – Freelane journalist, Kochi, India Individual: A bonsai version of all social
organization evils: What is the way out?
http://www.ourmedianetwork.org/files/Raghunathan.doc

Panel - 9 Interactive Media for Participatory Communication
Chair: Juan Salazar, University of Western Sydney, Australia

Philip Dearman – Monash University, Australia, New Media and Prospects for Democratic Interactiviy: Dissemination or Dialogue?
http://www.ourmedianetwork.org/files/Dearman.doc
Chris Joyner – Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia, UsMob; an immersive interactive multi-platform series
http://www.ourmedianetwork.org/files/UsMob.doc
Sevda Alanku – Eastern Mediterranean University, Northern Cyprus , Reporting for the Women by the Women: Reflections on Alternative Women’s Media in Turkey

Final session OM – 5 Round Table – Alfonso Gumucio & Juan Salazar

Participants

Name Organization
Jethro Pettit Insititute of Development studies, Uk
Chris Joynser Us Mob, Adelaide, Australia
Carolyn Penfold Law School, UNSW, Australia
Dipti Kulkarni Centre for Media Studies, New Delhi
Dr. I. Arul Aram Chief Sub-Editor, The Hindu, Chennai-2
Ganesh Mandekar Abhiuyakti Media for development, Nashik
Otieno R.J. Ndonga Department Media Studies Iniversity of Botswana
Mario Alfanso Murillo School of Communication, Hofstra University, New york, Pacific Radio
Jahobien U.D Weigden University of Amsterdam
K. V. Raghunathan Freelance Media
Aileen A. Familara Isis International – Manila
Susanna George Independent Community media student
Alfonso Gumucio Communication for social change consortium
Mary Francoli Carlton University, Canada
Ruth Frankenby Freelance Journalism
Ammu Goswph Freelance journalism
Ayisha Abraham Freelance visual Artist
Vinod Pavarala University of Hyderabad
Sajan Venniyoor Community Radio India
Ram. S. Pejawar Independent
Ratna Mala M.S University, Tirunelveli Research Scholar
Anu Mundkur School of Information Studies Syrauise University
Sudhanshu Dalaal Equal Access Nepal
Ashish Sen Voices
Amena Ianery Voices
Sucharita Eashwar Certimedia
Philip Dearman Monash University
General Narasamma D.D.S India
Algole Narasamma D.D.S A.P India

Rev. Dr. Joshva Raja Associate professo r& Chairperson, Department of Communication, The United Theological college, Bangalore
Rev. Dr. Sham P. Thomas Lecturer, Department of Communication, The United Theological college, Bangalore
Vasikaran Williams Public Relation Officer, The United Theological College, Bangalore
Dr. Stephen Muthu Media consultant, India