BOSTON/South Boston - In 1999, author and media scholar Bob McChesney published the book "Rich Media, Poor Democracy: Communications Politics In Dubious Times." This weekend, more than two thousand activists, government officials, journalists, artists, and media consumers have joined McChesney at Boston's Seaport World Trade Center to discuss those "communication politics and dubious times."

Open Media Boston is pleased to offer this live video feed from the National Conference for Media Reform courtesy of Free Press and Free Speech TV. The feed will be active during conference hours (EST) April 8-10. Enjoy!

Cambridge, MA - In preparation for a huge national gathering of media reform activists on April 8-10 in Boston, local activists gathered last week to discuss opportunities for organizing a reform network focused on Metro Boston.

About 50 people gathered at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge on March 22 to hear Nolan Bowie, Senior Fellow at the Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and a panel of representatives of the local host committee for the National Conference for Media Reform.

BOSTON/Dorchester - By a vote of 366 to 179, members of the Boston Newspaper Guild approved a contract with Globe owner The New York Times Company. The deal, which includes wage and benefit cuts amounting to $10 Million was said by owners and employees alike to be necessary in order to keep the newspaper financially viable until a new owner can be found.

The Times has hired investment broker Goldman Sachs Company to find buyers for the Globe, the Worcester Gazette and Telegram, and Boston.com.

Quincy, MA - Representatives of the Boston Globe’s largest employee’s union and owner The New York Times Company this week announced an agreement on a new contract that calls for significant cuts in wages and benefits for reporters and others but are less severe than the givebacks included in a proposed contract voted down by union members earlier this month.

Quincy and Milton, MA - Referring to contract discussions held Monday and continuing into early this morning between the Boston Globe’s largest employee union and corporate owner The New York Times Company, Boston Newspaper Guild President Dan Totten’s statement was short and concise:

"Talks are continuing. They will resume again on Tuesday."

Quincy, MA - Dan Totten, President of the 1,000 member Boston Newspaper Guild, representing 700 editorial, advertising and business staff at the Boston Globe, announced today that the Guild would file a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board to stop Globe management and owner The New York Times Company from imposing a 23 percent pay cut starting next week. Last night, union members voted 277 to 265 to reject a contract including severe cuts in wages and benefits.

BOSTON/Dorchester - The Boston Globe’s largest employees union, the Boston Newspaper Guild, yesterday rejected the latest contract offered by parent company, the New York Times. During contract negotiations the last two months, Times officials have been saying that huge givebacks by workers, including an overall reduction in salaries and benefits of 10 million dollars, would be necessary to avert the closing of New England’s largest circulation newspaper.

Mel King, activist, community organizer, teacher, writer, former State Representative, on the power of people to effect changes in the way the government governs media and access to electronic communi