Topic: College of Communication Information and Media

September 26, 2008

The Ball State Digital Policy Institute will host its first national conference Oct. 3-4 called "Digital Policy in the Information Age." The event will bring together regulators, policy makers and industry professionals to discuss national digital policy and regulatory issues.

The conference highlights the institute's mission of creating an environment to foster critical thinking across disciplines on national public policy issues related to emerging media. Dom Caristi, associate professor of telecommunications and a fellow with the Digital Policy Institute, said the goal of the conference is to open the lines of communication and create a forum.

"Issues of copyright, terrorism and marketplace regulation are not new, but in a digital world they have taken on new aspects," Caristi said. "To make informed decisions, the various constituencies need to talk with one another."

"Digital Policy in the Information Age," will feature speakers in three concurrent panels discussing  topics ranging from online crime and terrorism to Internet neutrality, mobile advertising and privacy, and online behaviors.

Congressman Mike Pence will be the keynote speaker at the Friday luncheon. Other nationally-recognized speakers include:

  • Ann Bobeck, associate general counsel of the National Association of Broadcasters in Washington D.C.
  • Wayne Dunham, anti-trust division, U.S. Department of Justice
  • Bill Lehr, MIT
  • Mike Bennett, executive director, consumer and government affairs, AT&T Services, Inc.
  • Mitch Oscar, executive vice president of Televisual Applications
  • Fred Campbell, president of the Wireless Communication Association
  • Hance Haney, Discovery Institute
  • Patrick Ross, executive director of Copyright Alliance.
  • Larry Landis, Indiana Public Utilities Commission
  • Mike Bloxham, Ball State's Center for Media Design

Register online at
http://www.cardfreeservices.com/bsudigitalpolicyconference/registration.aspx.  Registration is open up until the day of the event. General admittance for the conference is $100. The faculty rate is $50, and students will be charged $25.

By Hillary Tribbett