By Frances Ward-Johnson
MAC PF&R Chair
Elon University

The Minorities and Communication Division has had a strong showing in Professional Freedom and Responsibility programming over the last year, and we want to continue that momentum. The division offered in-convention and out-of-convention programming addressing three of five PF&R areas including ethics, media criticism and accountability, and racial, gender and cultural inclusiveness during 2006-2007, according to Dr. Lillie Fears, past head, during her annual report at the MAC business meeting in Washington, D.C.

To recap in-convention activities, MAC sponsored five joint PF&R panels for the 2007 national convention and served as co-sponsor for two additional panels. Panels featured the expertise of a variety of academic and industry professionals.

As for out-of-convention activities, MAC co-sponsored several events. The issue of racial, gender and cultural inclusiveness was a central topic of a panel co-sponsored by MAC and the Southwestern Education Council in Journalism and Mass Communication at the Southwest Symposium in Baton Rouge, La., last Fall.

The MAC Division was also co-sponsor for the Ida B. Wells Annual Lecture at Alabama State University during Black History Month. The Wells Series is designed to highlight the relationships between the mass media and the African-American community.

Moreover, earlier this year, MAC joined several other national action groups to support the Minority Media & Telecommunications Council’s FCC initiative to preserve and expand minority ownership and equal employment opportunity, prevent discrimination and ensure universal telephone and Internet service.

While last year’s activities were exciting, we want to continue to build on our PF&R work. Once again, MAC will co-sponsor the Ida B. Wells Lecture at Alabama State University in February where the guest speaker will be Rose Afriyie, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast and Mid-South coordinator for the National Organization for Women.

Thanks, MAC members your continued support of our division’s PF&R activities! If you have other related activities that you would like for MAC to consider sponsoring, contact Frances Ward-Johnson at fward2@elon.edu.