Democracy Forum 4/21/17

Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine    
Engineer: Amy Browne

Issue: Participatory Democracy

Program Topic: Fake News: Who Can You Trust?

Key Discussion Points:
We’ll talk about the proliferation of news sources in the internet age
The role of independent journalism in a liberal democracy
The challenges for citizens in finding real news. b)

Guests:
John Christie, co-founder and senior editor for the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting. pinetreewatchdog.org/about/
Naomi Schalit, co-founder and senior reporter for the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting. pinetreewatchdog.org/about/
Melissa Zimdars, assistant professor of communication at Merrimack College in Massachusetts www.merrimack.edu/live/profiles/586-melissa-mish-zimdars

To learn more about this topic:
Study: Breitbart-led right-wing media ecosystem altered broader media agenda, Columbia Journalism Review, March 3, 2017
The Real Story About Fake News Is Partisanship, The Upshot, New York Times, January 11, 2017
There’s an intriguing sociological reason so many Americans are ignoring facts lately, Business Insider, February 27, 2017

The all-volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes:
Starr Gilmartin
Maggie Harling
Linda Hoskins
Ann Luther
Maryann Ogonowski
Pam Person
Leah Taylor
Linda Washburn

FMI re League of Women Voters of Maine: www.lwvme.org

Notes from the Electronic Cottage 4/20/17

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

We all feel like the world is changing around us as technology seems to grow almost minute by minute. Two big changes on the not so far horizon are quantum computing and virtual reality. Here’s a tiny peak at what those things may mean – possibly for our world, and certainly for the world our children will be living in.

Wabanaki Windows 4/18/17

Producer/Host: Donna Loring
Engineer: John Greeman

Program Topic: Indian Child Welfare Act

Key Discussion Points:
What is the Indian Child Welfare Act? (ICWA)
What is Goldwater Institute? Why is it against ICWA?
Why is ICWA so important to Tribal Nations?

Guests:
Eric Mehnert, Chief Judge of the Penobscot Nation Tribal Court
Sherri Mitchell Esq. Penobscot Tribal member and Attorney
Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap