Michael Elavsky, an assistant professor of media studies and coordinator of the symposium, will moderate the event.
"The symposium will illuminate students' understanding of the ways that their mass media is shaped," Elavsky said. "I want students to realize that their personal actions can influence media policy."
Following the roundtable, at 7 p.m., will be a lecture by Ben Scott, policy director at Free Press.
Free Press is a "national, nonpartisan organization working to reform the media and involve the public in media policymaking," according to its Web site, www.freepress.net.
Scott said his lecture, called "Our Media, Not Theirs -- Putting Congress to Work on the Problem of the Media," will focus on the relationship between media content, the policy that shapes it and how people can impact that policy.
Elavsky described Scott as "a compelling speaker who makes the topic accessible." Scott said he hopes students in attendance at the symposium will realize that "media policy matters, and it changes the way that media looks and sounds."
After the lecture, State College Mayor Bill Welch, Russell Frank, a journalism professor, and Jorge Schement, a telecommunications professor, will provide a response.
The final event, titled "Media Activism Workshop: The Media Affects You; Start Affecting It," will be held tomorrow from 3 to 5 p.m. and will be moderated by Scott, who said the discussion will focus on how people can get involved in media policy.
The discussion will feature Elizabeth Goreham, State College Borough Council member, as well as several representatives from the local media, including Cynthia Hahn, C-NET's executive director.
"I hope students will walk away from the event with a sense and a feeling of empowerment that they are able to impact their legislators concerning media policy," Hahn said.
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