The FT’s flagship Digital Media & Broadcasting Conference returns on 2-3 March 2011 at the Marriott Grosvenor Square, London. This flagship industry event will once again gather the key decision makers, strategists and visionaries from the worlds of music, broadcasting, advertising, publishing, social media and gaming to discuss where growth in digital lies and which strategies will help media businesses become leading players on the global stage. Attend and be part of the conversation shaping the future for digital media and broadcasting.
The 2010 event was a sell-out with 300+ attendees from around the world – and with tickets for the 2011 event currently selling even faster, you are strongly advised to REGISTER NOW in order to secure your place…

U.S. regulators called on a federal appeals court to deny petitions for a review of media ownership rules that were loosened in 2008. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julian Genachowski said the brief, filed Wednesday with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia, defended the agency’s authority to make the changes to media ownership rules but made no comment on the substance of the rule changes.

The changes, made before Genachowski was appointed last year, would make it easier for cross ownership of different types of media outlets in the same city or region. Read about how the courts kicked this problem down the road because they don’t want to actually solve it…

Ron Haviv

Ron Haviv is a world-renowned and award winning photojournalist, who’s iconic images have illustrated conflicts and human-rights issues for over 20 years.

Recently, he and several other photographers from the VII agency in New York, NY, traveled around the world to produce a series called Starved For Attention, which sheds light on the underlying causes of the global malnutrition crisis. More information can be seen here about the galleries here which launches today in New York City.

We asked Ron some questions about his background, and what we can expect to see at the gallery…

How and when did you first get into photography?

I was a journalism student at University and during my last year decided I would rather tell stories with images. I took an introductory photography course and taught myself the rest.

One of your first foreign photo-assignments involved covering the Panama elections back in 1989, and you ended up capturing a very disturbing image of the bloodied & beaten Vice Presidential candidate shortly thereafter. This photo made the cover of Time, Newsweek, and was published all over the country. Did you realize the initial impact your photograph would have? It was only shortly after that the US decided to finally intervene and over-throw Noriega.

When the photograph was published, I had no true understanding of the role that photojournalism could play in the world of communication. It was only when months later that the President of the US spoke about the images as one of the reasons that the US invaded Panama did the impact truly mean something beyond myself.

Ron Haviv's legendary photo of VP candidate Guillermo Ford in 1989, as seen on the cover of Time Magazine that same year. (photo by Ron Haviv)

I went to Slovenia, the first republic to secede, after reading a small piece in the newspaper about nationalism and a possible war. I spent more then 5 years between 1991 and 2001 covering the dissolution of the country with its various wars. Sometime during the Bosnian war it was apparent to me that I was going to see it through, and that my thoughts on the conflict would best be shown in a book and multimedia piece.

The upcoming Starved For Attention exhibit in New York (in June) will cover your recent work from Bangladesh. Can you describe your time in the country & what you saw there?

Bangladesh is a country of extreme beauty and hardship. From a feeling of immense overcrowding in the capital to the island of Bhola I witnessed a country struggling to do best for itself while fighting against nature and endemic poverty.

On the island of Bhola I spent time documenting a new approach to fighting health issues, especially malnutrition. By incorporating local level intervention with education, it is hoped that malnutrition, which is thought of us as normal, can be severely reduced.

With the constant bombardment of imagery and information on the web, is photojournalism losing it’s impact or is it gaining a wider audience?

I think that the responsibility is upon us as the audience to appreciate and understand the images that we are being shown. With the advent of the internet information is easily accessible by many more people. If we look to trusted sources we can all become better educated global citizens.

Does the general public under-estimate the power of photography in your opinion?

I think that the underestimation of the power of photography often comes from the heads of media rather then the public. When imagery touches people they respond.

What is your next assignment/project you’re currently working on?

VII is currently working on a project with the United Nations.

Thanks Ron for answering our questions!

Ron’s photography will be shown as part of the Starved For Attention Gallery this month in New York City.
Here’s the details:

Launch & Panel Discussion
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
The TimesCenter
242 West 41st Street, New York
Exhibit Opening & Reception 6 pm – 9 pm
Panel Discussion 7:00 pm

Also in Brooklyn, NY:

Gallery Exhibition
June 4 – July 2, 2010
VII Gallery
Daily from 10 – 6
28 Jay Street, DUMBO – Brooklyn
(2 blocks north of York Street station on F train)

For more upcoming Starved For Attention exhibitions around the world, see more info at:
StarvedForAttention.org
and help spread the word about this groundbreaking project!

Wayne Lawrence (photo by Mark Hartman)

Wayne Lawrence is a photographer originally born in St. Kitts, who currently resides in New York City, and his award winning photography knows no boundaries. His work has been exhibited at at The George and Leah McKenna Museum of African American Art in New York, The Corridor and Calumet Galleries in New York, The Nathan Cummings Foundation, as well as The African American Museam in Philadelphia.

He was also recently chosen as one of PDN’s 30 for their annual March issue of “new and emerging photographers to watch”. His photography & portraits cover a landscape of human beauty and emotion, that not only illustrate his passion for his work, but are infectious for the viewer as well.

How and when did you first get into photography?

A little over ten years ago I was an unemployed carpenter living in Reseda, California and searching for direction in my life when I discovered the biography of Gordon Parks and the work of Eli Reed and Richard Avedon at the public library. After reading the foreword to Eli’s book, written by Gordon Parks, where he congratulated Eli for being the first African American photographer accepted to Magnum, this prestigious photo agency, I went home immediately to investigate why in modern times that an agency with such a deep history only had one black member. Then I was blown away by the amazing work that these photographers were doing. I realized instantly that photography was a language to be learnt just like any other language and saw that each photographer there had their own distinct way of telling stories. I immediately enrolled in photojournalism classes at Santa Monica College and haven’t looked back.

Looking at your photographs, one gets the impression that there’s almost an innate level of trust between you and the people you photograph. Did you find this was something you’ve built upon time and experience in dealing with people?

I was an introvert for most of my life but I realized early on in my journey as a photographer that if I wanted to be good then I had to learn to engage my subjects in conversation. It was a real challenge in the beginning but as I’ve grown as a person I’ve become much more confident and people respond to that.

Your shots taken in the Dominican Republic put a human face on the issues there faced by Haitian immigrants. Tell us one of your experiences there that touched you the most.

Witnessing how difficult life is for Haitians living in the Bateyes of the Dominican Republic was heartbreaking and the work that I’ve done doesn’t even come close to addressing the issues that they’re faced with. What I tried to capture was the spirit of a people surviving in an environment ripe with a deep seeded hatred. What touched me the most was the generosity of everyone I met.

Your photos taken in Orchard Beach manage to visually capture (and tell) some compelling stories. Were you blown away by some of these random scenes you captured?

I wouldn’t say that I was blown away but I do feel a rumble in my gut when I meet someone interesting and am inspired by the conversations we share. Before I set out to work I make sure to get a good workout in, then meditate for a bit so that I can respond to any situation that I’m presented with. The stories are compelling because they reflect the world and the time we’re living in.

What is your “Itinerant New York” project, and what is your overall objective?

Itinerant New York is about my coming to terms with this city I call home. Aside from St.Kitts, this is my favorite place that I’ve lived and I truly enjoy heading out into the streets not knowing whom I’ll meet on any given day. My objective is to meet as many people as I can with the hope that our exchange will be mutually beneficial. I always approach my subjects with love and respect and express my appreciation for the time we share. I want my photographs to serve as testimony to our meeting and hope that the strength exhibited by my subjects will inspire others to live their best lives.

Do you have a favorite photograph or series that you’ve done?

I wouldn’t say that I have a favorite. It’s all a part of the journey.

Your work is getting a lot of recognition, and most recently you were chosen as one of PDN’s 30. What would you like to achieve long-term with your photography?

I am grateful that more and more people are becoming familiar with my work. I’ve been shooting for ten years now and it has been quite a journey. Still I feel that there is so much more of this world that I need to see and document. I’d like to continue working on stories that I feel need to be told for as long as I’m alive. Then find ways to have the work seen by as many people as possible.

Thanks Wayne for answering our questions!

See Wayne’s work on his website here…
You can also view his work at PDN’s 30 Gallery here

The Big Star Bassist discusses the recent Big Star memorial show in SXSW, reflects on Alex Chilton, and talks about the future……Prior to his joining Big Star (at an impromptu reunion at the University of Missouri in 1993), Ken Stringfellow was (and is) a member of the The Posies, and is a solo artist & producer as well.

(This interview was conducted via email between NYC & Bejing (where Stringfellow is currently working a recording project), and it’s been edited to fit the format of our site.)

You’ve just returned from SXSW and it looks (and sounds) like the show was a fitting memorial for Alex. What is your frame of mind having come back from this event, and how was it meeting & playing with Andy Hummell?

I think we did an amazing job, considering–it was hell to be there, really. I was hit very hard by Alex’s death, it just was so unexpected, and…who knows, I mean, I was very fond of Alex, but I didn’t see him that often. I hadn’t seen him since our Brooklyn show in November. But, somehow…I was just kicked in the gut by those events, and having to make a decision immediately about what to do with the scheduled show 72 hours after Alex died, phew…in fact, it’s a testimony to a lot of love and a lot personal strength that we did what we did, and did it well. After the event, I was wrecked, really…I was sick, tired, jet lagged. I left the next day for Paris, and the day after I got home I headed to Beijing, which is where I am now. I am coming out of my funk now, about a week later.

I met Andy in 2004, also at SXSW (he lives in Texas now). We had a panel about the music of Big Star [that year.] I swear he might have even jumped up and played on a song, or am I dreaming? In any case, it was a little more involved now–if he did play in 2004, I would have been *off* stage, having given him my bass. This time, He didn’t feel comfortable on the spot with playing “Way out West” on bass, so he went for guitar, and then he played “September Gurls”, the last song of the night, on bass–which was fine, I actually know Alex’s parts quite well on that one. I wish I could say I enjoyed it at the time, but looking back now, it’s quite a powerful memory. We have the event on film, so with a little distance, I’ll be able to look at it when I’m not deep in the emotional well of mourning, which I was that night.

When did you first meet Alex, and what was your initial impression of him?

Mr. Neutral. He didn’t say a lot, at first. He was cool, laid back. Of course, that just makes someone (when you’re 24 and a huge fan) quite intimidating but that was my head, really. He just did his thing, like always. This, by the way, was in 1993, when Alex and Jody came to rehearse with us leading up to the first Big Star reunion show that was recorded for a live album (“Columbia”). We knew Jody well by then, but had never met Alex until they came to Seattle for that two day rehearsal.

You’ve had a long history with Alex’s music, from your own work with The Posies, to the original Big Star reunion in 93′ to today. I’ve read some statements over the years where you’ve said Chilton “taught you a lot musically.” Can you give some examples of his approach to music?

He was very dedicated, and continually sought to improve his skills. He did things in a kind of unusual order. He learned the craft of songwriting quite well at a young age, [and he] did a total kind of anti-craft deconstruction – (his feedback-laden live shows in the early 80s, e.g.), and then ‘went to school’ as it were. Learning his jazz chordbook, learning how to transcribe and arrange music in written form. He just followed his interests, really, and his interests kept growing.

You perform music all over the world, as you did with Big Star. Was there a Big Star show in particular that made you or Alex say “This is the best show we’ve ever played”?

Alex was not given to superlatives, really. Or self-congratulatory statements. I think the last show we did was one of the best ones. We played superbly well, the venue was beautiful (this was the Masonic Temple show you saw), and Alex was healthy and in great spirits. The show was sold out, and the audience was fanatical. Even Alex, who tried not to be too impressed with himself or his achievements [especially given] Big Star’s resurgence, couldn’t restrain from being aglow. Nothing needed to be said.

What project are you currently working on as we speak, and when can we expect another album from Mr. Stringfellow?!

At this very moment I am in Beijing producing sessions for the band Hanggai, who mix Mongolian folk music styles with rock power. Really awesome. My band THE DiSCiPLiNES have just completed a glorious, brutal, fantastic album called ViRGiNS OF MENACE. Not sure when that will come out in the US, but [we’ll] probably concentrate on Europe first, and get a release date when we know we can come back – which might be awhile, because The Posies will record our 7th album, starting next month, in Spain; we plan to release it on Rykodisc in late September, worldwide tour to follow. So, my next solo album might be awhile.
We are planning to use our last previously scheduled Big Star show, May 15 at the Levitt Band Shell in Memphis, to put Big Star to rest and say farewell to Alex, presumably with some special guests….

Thanks Ken for answering our questions!

For more on Ken Stringfellow, you can check out this website here…

Tav Falco (Self Portrait) Slovenia 2004

The indie & alternative rock world was hit hard last week by the death of the musician Alex Chilton, the former singer of The Box Tops (in the 1960’s), and founder of the band Big Star (with Chris Bell, Jody Stephens and Andy Hummell), widely touted as one of the most influential bands of the 1970’s. Following Big Star’s breakup, due to record company distribution problems, and the death of his co-founder Chris Bell, Chilton embarked on a mercurial solo career of musical exploration that left no musical stone unturned, earning himself a reputation in rock circles for his refusal to adapt to record-industry norms.

It was during Chilton’s period of music-building and destructing, that he fell in with an animated figure named Tav Falco, a local performance-artist-musician in the Memphis scene, who impressed Chilton with his stage-act that included the destruction of a plugged-in electric guitar with a chainsaw. The resulting cacophony inspired Chilton to join forces with Falco, forming the band Panther Burns whose live shows were legendary for leaving their audiences shocked, confused and blown away simultaneously. To get insight into Chilton’s brilliance as a musician, we tapped Tav Falco who’s performing with Panther Burns to this day.

How & when did Panther Burns come together?
[It was in] 1979 in Memphis in the aftermath of a art-action guitar destruction/manifesto/ blues violation, on the stage at the Orpheum Theater with Mudboy & the Neutrons.

When did you first meet Alex, and what was your initital impression of him?
Formally at a soirée at my pad. The bass player of the KLITZ girl group had called him from my party, and he heard me playing guitar on the telephone. He came over that night, and I thought he was amusing.

When Chilton joined you in Panther Burns, the shows were rumored to be legendary.
Are there any moments and/or events with Alex that stand out in your mind from those years of playing?
[I have a] my new book coming out on Creation Books in the UK called Memphis Deathtrap. It covers some peeing off the stage episodes.

Upon Alex’s leaving of Panther Burns, (which I’m guessing was in the early 80’s) was this an acrimonious situation for you, or was it more “let’s both move onto other projects”?
Hardly. Alex had offered to get the band started, then Tav Falco would take over. He had a big hand in selecting guitarists for the group.

Chilton was into everything from rockabilly to R & B to jazz. As eclectic as his tastes were, did his guitar playing style fall directly in line with what you were trying to achieve with Panther Burns?
Alex defined the wreckabilly/atonal/Anold Schnönberg style of Panther Music guitar playing.
He also played classical as well. Alex could play anything from any genre.

You’ve always been a film/photography enthusiast – did Chilton share these interests as well? William Eggleston had contributed album artwork for Chilton over the years and I understand you studied with him as well?
Alex painted aquatints [and] I make films. Eggleston taught me photography.

On your Myspace page you mentioned the last time you saw Alex he was in Paris at Hotel George le Cinq. Was he in good spirits then?
High spirits, I should say. His wife Laura tells me there was absolutely no depression leading up to his demise. It came totally out of the blue.

Lastly, you’ve been a fixture in Europe for a quite a while. When is Panther Burns going to come back to the US and show us how rockabilly is done Memphis style?
Panther Burns are not a rockabilly band, we play Panther Music. There are rumors that the Unapproachable Panther Burns will play in Memphis in July after [our] new album, CONJURATIONS: Séance for Deranged Lovers, is released on Stag O Lee in May 2010[!]

Thanks Tav for answering our questions!