THE INTERNET FROM THE CREATORS PERSPECTIVE: A Briefing On Capitol Hill On The Internet, Net Neutrality, and Digital Piracy
ADVISORY: MEDIA INVITED TO ATTEND: -Tuesday, June 14, 2011-WHAT:Digital technology presents a vast range of possibilities to content creators and consumers alike. But, what would happen to these possibilities if creators were deprived of direct access to audiences, if digital media came to be dominated by a small handful of major players as in television and feature film? Join the Writers Guild of America, East, AFL-CIO (WGAE) as it presents some of today’s most prominent writers in digital media and television for a discussion on creating and distributing programs on the Internet and what it means for public policy. Among the issues addressed will be: net neutrality, digital distribution and online piracy. WHEN; Tuesday, June 14, 2011 1:00 PM – 3:00 PMWHERE: Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing Room (Dirksen 226) WHY:The WGAE represents writers who write, edit, and produce content for television, film, broadcast radio and television news, and digital media. Through their work, WGAE members know first-hand that an open Internet permits them to create more innovative, informative content and allows them to distribute their content directly to the public. Without the open Internet, their access to audiences would be limited, restricting their ability to earn a living. The WGAE supports net neutrality; it believes digital technology presents a unique opportunity to content creators and consumers alike and will continue to grow as a more mainstream distribution channel for both entertainment and news content.The WGAE opposes on-line piracy; it does not believe an open Internet will increase digital piracy. WHO:Panelists will include:Michael Winship – senior writing fellow at public policy research and advocacy organization Demos, former senior writer for Bill Moyers Journal, and current WGAE PresidentTom Ruprecht – former staff writer for the Late Show with David Letterman, current writer on How I Met Your Mother, and author of George W. Bush: An Unauthorized Oral HistoryDaryn Strauss – creator of the critically acclaimed web series Downsized and founder of DiigitalChickTv.com, the foremost hub for women-driven projects in new mediaThom Woodley – web video pioneer and founder of Diorama, web video channel aimed at programming television-quality independent contentJulie Ann Emery – creator, director, and executive producer of the award-winning web series Then We Got Help! Thomas Poarch – co-creator, writer, and producer of the web series BrosephsMichael Kantor – director, producer, and writer of the PBS documentary Broadway: The American Musical and co-writer/producer of Make ‘Em Laugh: The Funny Business of AmericaGina Gionfriddo – playwright of Becky Shaw, television writer for shows including Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Cold Case, and current WGAE Council MemberDuane Tollison – newswriter for CBS Radio Network and current WGAE Council MemberWHO:The Writers Guild of America, East is a labor union representing writers in motion pictures, television, cable, digital media, and broadcast news. The WGAE conducts programs, seminars, and events on issues of interest to, and on behalf of, writers. In addition, it represents writers’ interests on the legislative level. For more information on the Writers Guild of America, East, visit www.wgaeast.org.###
