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News Release

Office of News and Information
Johns Hopkins University
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21218-2692
Phone: (410) 516-7160
Fax (410) 516-5251

September 9, 1999
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Leslie Rice
lnr@jhu.edu

The 1999 Milton S. Eisenhower Symposium:
"Redefining the Role of the Media"

This year's student-organized Milton S. Eisenhower Symposium at The Johns Hopkins University is Redefining the Role of the Media, designed to generate a thoughtful and provocative discussion on the role of the media in American society.

Established in 1968, the Eisenhower Symposium is a student-run lecture series, free and open to the public, that annually brings to campus experts with a variety of perspectives on an issue of national importance.

Few are immune to the media's influence, whether that influence is exerted through television, radio, print media or the Internet, this year's organizers say. The demise of political parties as distinct entities, the waning importance of the nuclear family, and the rise of the Internet as a cheap and accessible form of communication all have enhanced the media's role in society.

Symposium directors Feras Mousilli, a senior, and Sehla Ashai, a junior, say the series' task this year is to challenge participants to examine one of the most powerful influences in American society. How can the media, facing overwhelming growth, diversification and specialization in the industry, maintain standards of ethics in the face of corporate demands for financial success? How will American society handle the metamorphosis of media from a passive reflection of society to a political, social and cultural machine? To what extent will Americans use the media to fulfill their needs of expression and communication?

As in the past, the Milton S. Eisenhower Symposium is expected to draw 20,000 audience members. The two student chairs, selected by the undergraduate Student Council, are responsible for selecting the topics, securing all speakers, raising necessary funds and publicizing the series. The chairs receive some funding from Student Council but are responsible for raising the balance from corporations and foundations.

Covering topics like the nuclear arms race, human sexuality, freedom of the press and foreign policy and race, the symposium, established to honor the university's eighth president, has drawn speakers like James Carville, Jesse Jackson, Ralph Reed, Kurt Vonnegut, Carl Bernstein, Eugene McCarthy, Pat Robinson and Isaac Asimov.

Student chairs Feras Mousilli and Sehla Ashai can be reached at (410) 516-7683, or by e-mail at mse@jhu.edu.

See attached tentative schedule and, for updates, check out the 1999 MSE Symposium Web site at: http://www.jhu.edu/mse.

1999 MSE Symposium
Tentative Schedule of Events

Oliver Stone, Loveline's Dr. Drew Pinsky to Speak at the 1999 Milton S. Symposium

Students at Johns Hopkins University have announced part of the speaker schedule of the 1999 Milton S. Eisenhower Symposium: Redefining the Role of the Media. The lecture series, which is free and open to the public, hopes to generate a provocative discussion on the role of the media in American society. Organizers of the series expect to announce more speakers for the series over the next few weeks. All lectures will take place on the university's Homewood campus, 3400 N. Charles St. in Baltimore.

Events scheduled so far include:

Dr. Drew Pinsky
Friday, Sept.17, Shriver Hall Auditorium, 7 p.m.

As co-host of Loveline, the popular show on both radio and MTV, Pinsky dispenses advice each week on drugs, sex and relationships to his loyal young viewers and listeners. A board- certified internist and addiction specialist, he began hosting Loveline 15 years ago. Mixing humor and professional expertise, Pinsky and co-host Adam Carolla answer questions from viewers and listeners on topics like teen pregnancy, sexual dysfunction, depression and alcohol and drug abuse.

Nadine Strossen and Jack Thompson
Tuesday, Oct. 12, Shriver Hall Auditorium, 7 p.m.

Strossen was elected president of the American Civil Liberties Union in 1991. A professor of law at New York Law School, she has written, lectured and practiced extensively in the areas of constitutional law, civil liberties and international human rights. She is a frequent commentator on legal issues in the national media and her writings have been published in over 100 publications.
   Thompson, an advocate for more responsible American entertainment, has been a practicing medical malpractice attorney in Florida since 1977.He is credited with securing the first decency fines ever levied by the Federal Communications Commission in American history in a case against three "shock" radio stations. Thompson has been guest on shows like Nightline, Good Morning America, Oprah and many others.

Oliver Stone
Friday Oct. 29th, Shriver Hall Auditorium, 7 p.m.

The Academy Award-winning American screenwriter and filmmaker's credits include Born on the Fourth of July, JFK, Platoon, Natural Born Killers and Wall Street. (Note: Despite Stone's recent legal trouble, his agent has assured students that Stone will honor his commitment.)

Phoebe Eng
Thursday, Nov. 18, Room TBA., 7 p.m.

Eng is author of Warrior Lessons: An Asian American Woman's Journey Into Power. She is also the co-founding publisher of A. Magazine, a national consumer magazine targeted to the Asian population in the U.S. She is frequent media critic on issues like Asian identity, how the media shapes identity and diversity.

Johns Hopkins University news releases can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.jhu.edu/news_info/news/
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