NRB To Hold Discussion On New Media

Panel Discussion On May 15th

NATIONAL RELIGIOUS BROADCASTERS (NRB) will be sponsoring a discussion through its JOHN MILTON PROJECT FOR RELIGIOUS FREE SPEECH on MAY 15th from 3p to 5p (ET) in Room 340 of the CANNON HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING in WASHINGTON, D.C.

The discussion will center around the communications freedom issue between free speech on the Internet and the free market power of new media companies such as APPLE, GOOGLE and FACEBOOK to block viewpoints with which they do not agree.

The discussion will feature remarks from the office of Rep. TRENT FRANKS and a panel of experts that will include FCC Commissioner ROBERT McDOWELL; RYAN ANDERSON, WILLIAM E. SIMON Fellow in Religion and a Free Society at the HERITAGE FOUNDATION; NRB’s CRAIG PARSHALL; and KELLY SHACKELFORD, Pres./CEO of the LIBERTY INSTITUTE..

"This event will address one of the most important communications issues of our time: resolving the conflict between the free speech rights of citizen Internet users and the free market rights of new media companies to block otherwise lawful content because of the viewpoints expressed," said NRB Pres./CEO Dr. FRANK WRIGHT.

"The free market power of monolithic, web-based tech companies is on a collision course with the free speech interests of citizens, ministries, and organizations who use the Internet but who are at risk, as our JOHN MILTON PROJECT white paper report, "True Liberty in a New Media Age," illustrated last year, of having their Bible-based viewpoints censored off the web.  This discussion comes none too early.  We hope to forge an exploratory path to resolve this dilemma, where both freedom of speech and free enterprise can flourish," said NRB Sr. VP and General Counsel CRAIG PARSHALL who also heads the JOHN MILTON PROJECT FOR RELIGIOUS FREE SPEECH.

Space is limited.  Members of the press and other attendees are strongly encouraged to RSVP to ERIN KUBE at ekube@nrb.org.

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