News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Jennifer L. Kramer, APR
Director of Public Relations and Marketing Communications
College of Communication and Information
Kent State University
131 Moulton Hall
P.O. Box 5190
Kent, OH 44242
P 330-672-1960
C 330-714-8302
E jlkramer@kent.edu
National Ethics Conference Focuses on Entertainment
Journalism at Ninth Workshop
Industry experts will discuss topics such as Privacy vs. Adoration; Access to Celebrities; How to
Get a Job in Entertainment Media; Stalking and Paparazzi; and Dealing with Publicity and Press
Agents
Kent, OH – Aug. 26, 2013 – Celebrities are followed by the paparazzi, have minimal privacy and
are constantly in the public eye, yet they still want and need fans and attention. That attention,
in the form of entertainment media ethics, is the focus of this year’s Poynter Kent State Media
Ethics Workshop, “That’s Entertainment?” The ninth annual event will take place at Kent State
University’s Franklin Hall on Thursday, Sept. 19.
Specialized lesson plans will be available online after Labor Day for high school teachers and
university professors to use during discussions and assignments on entertainment media ethics
into their classrooms.
“We picked entertainment ethics because there’s so much entertainment and celebrity
journalism available in all media, whether it’s TV, online, magazines or newspapers, including
tabloids,” said Jan Leach, workshop organizer and associate professor in Kent State’s School of
Journalism and Mass Communication. “There’s so much spin from publicity departments, movie
studios and elsewhere. The news is often part truth and part rumor, but consumers may not
know how to distinguish between them. There are so many responsibilities for entertainment
journalists.”
Additional workshop speakers, in addition to Kelly McBride and Ellyn Angelotti of the Poynter
Institute include:
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Glenn Gamboa – Newsday's chief pop music critic. Gamboa headed the paper's team
chronicling the impact of hip-hop in America, a project that was a Pulitzer Prize finalist
in 2005.
Nekesa Moody – Entertainment Editor for the Associated Press.
Todd Mesek – Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the Rock & Roll Hall
of Fame.
Jack Breslin – Associate Professor at Iona College in New York. Breslin did publicity for
“Late Night With David Letterman” and worked on “America’s Most Wanted” for Fox.
Bill Frakes – Photographer for Sports Illustrated.
Kyle Michael Miller – Social media producer for the 4th hour of NBC’s Today Show and
Kent State University School of Journalism and Mass Communication alumnus.
Brittany Moseley – Associate Editor of Alternative Press, which is known for breaking
new musical artists like Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fall Out Boy and others. Moseley
is also a Kent State University School of Journalism and Mass Communication alumna.
Matthew Parrish –Attorney with Calfee, Halter and Griswold in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a
Kent State University political science and Honors College alumnus. Parrish represents
musicians, writers, performers and filmmakers and was named “2012 Leading
Entertainment Lawyer” in Newsweek magazine.
Gene Shelton – School of Journalism and Mass Communication Associate Professor and
former writer and publicist for Motown Records. Shelton also worked at CBS Records,
Columbia and Epic. At Epic, Shelton was Michael Jackson's press agent and wrote the
biography for the multi-platinum LP Off The Wall.
George Thomas – Sportswriter for the Akron Beacon Journal.
Katy Coduto – Kent State journalism student who writes for London-based Hi!
Magazine.
Wendy Wyatt – Associate Professor and chair of the Department of Communication and
Journalism at St. Thomas University in Minnesota. Wyatt is the author of The Ethics of
Reality TV: A Philosophical Examination (Continuum, 2012).
Other speakers and special guests will be announced soon.
Topics will include:
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The New Ethics of Journalism
Privacy vs. Adoration: Celebrity News as Journalism? Gossip? Both or neither?
Great Expectations: Who Gets Access to Celebrities and How?
So You Want to Walk the Red Carpet? - Getting a Job in Entertainment Media
Act 2: Getting the story and vetting the story: Paparazzi, stalking, ambush interviews,
social media.
Encore: Agents, publicists, legal reps
“Entertainment media ethics should appeal to professionals, educators and students, and the
public because so many people are fascinated by and obsessed with celebrity news and
information,” Leach said. “Getting that news and information to a wide audience still requires
commitment to accuracy, but journalistic commitment can be thwarted by publicists and others
who want tight control of a celebrity’s image and schedule.”
The program will draw a national audience through live streaming and mobile devices. Inperson attendees and Web viewers can contribute to discussions and ask questions via Twitter,
using the hashtag #ksuethics13.
“I hope attendees, in person and those who view online, come away with a better
understanding that entertainment media and celebrity journalism are still about telling stories
and the foundation of that storytelling is, or should be, the truth,” Leach said. “There are
guidelines for sources, celebrities and journalists that should be respected, such as privacy and
harm, and issues that should be addressed, such as access and legal rights.”
Detailed information:
What: Ninth annual Poynter Kent State Media Ethics Workshop, “That’s Entertainment?”
focuses on entertainment ethics
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, 2013
Where: FirstEnergy Auditorium in Franklin Hall, 550 Hilltop Dr., Kent State University
Cost: $25 for media and public relations professionals, $20 for educators and FREE for students
Event website for details and registration: http://mediaethics.jmc.kent.edu/2013
Twitter: #ksuethics2013
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ksumediaethics
Questions: Contact Jan Leach, 330-672-4289 or jleach1@kent.edu or Jennifer Kramer, 330-6721960 or jlkramer@kent.edu
The Poynter Kent State Media Ethics Workshop is sponsored by The John S. and James L. Knight
Foundation, the Akron Beacon Journal, the Akron Area Chapter of Public Relations Society of
America, Kent State University, the College of Communication and Information, the School of
Journalism and Mass Communication and TeleProductions.
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In its 75th year, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Kent State University is a
leading accredited journalism school with cutting-edge curriculum and facilities. The school’s
mission is focused on understanding the media marketplace and media -related careers while
providing professional undergraduate and master’s programs within the liberal arts tradition.
JMC teaches its students to gather information, to present it clearly and to think critically within
a legal and ethical framework. It serves as a resource for professional practitioners, for media
consumers and for Kent State University. For more information, visit kent.edu/jmc.