The Broadcasting Board of Governors' Workshop on New Media vs. New Censorship: The Authoritarian Assault on Information.

The challenges posed by the increasingly sophisticated efforts of authoritarian regimes to suppress and manipulate news online and in new media.

• Date: September 10, 2008
• Time: 9:00 am - 12:30 pm
• Location: Broadcasting Board of Governors Cohen Building, Briefing Room
  330 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC 20237

Schedule

9:00 -9:15 am
Coffee

9:15-9:40 am
Introduction:
Steven J. Simmons, Governor, Broadcasting Board of Governors
Opening remarks:
Paula Dobriansky, Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs

9:45-11:00 am
Panel 1: Global Trends in New Censorship and Internet Controls
A discussion of the developing trends in worldwide censorship of the Internet including legislation, technical interference, and content manipulation.

Moderator:
Ken Berman - Information Technology Director, Broadcasting Board of Governors, International Broadcasting Bureau

Panelists:

• Christopher Walker, Director of Studies, Freedom House
• Shiyu Zhou, Deputy Director, Global Internet Freedom Consortium
• Ivan Sigal, Executive Director, Global Voices

11:00 am - 11:15 am
Break

11:15 am - 12:30 pm
Panel 2: Worst Offenders - Case Studies
Case studies drawing on the in depth knowledge of our panelists of the Internet and new media environment as well as press freedom and censorship controls in China, Saudi Arabia, Cuba and elsewhere.

Moderator:
John Walcott, Washington Bureau Chief, McClatchy Newspapers

Panelists:

• Xiao Qiang, Director, China Internet Project and Founder and Editor of the China Digital Times
• Babak Yektafar, Editor-in-Chief, Washington Prism
• Mohamed Al-Yahyai, host, Alhurra TV, "Eye on Democracy" program

12:30 pm
Closing