REQUEST FOR US SPEAKER ON POLITICAL SATIRE

UNCLAS BOGOTA 000040 SIPDIS DEPT FOR IIP/S (BARONE) WHA/PPD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OEXC SCUL KPAO CO SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR US SPEAKER ON POLITICAL SATIRE SUMMARY: Post requests IIP/S's assistance to recruit a renowned U.S. political cartoonist, to present a series of seminars and discussions on the role of political satire in the media, the democratic process, and civil society. The speaker would take part in a five-day program March 8-13, 2010 in Bogota and two other major cities in Colombia, meeting with leading Colombian media specialists, political cartoonists, young journalists, and major media outlets. Drawing on the rich tradition of political satire in the United States, the program would address the role of humor and satire in the political process, freedom of expression, as well as the role of an independent media in civil society and the democratic process. The program will include presentations at various venues for NGOs, special interest groups, and key university audiences in the three cities. Post will put together a media plan to ensure the broadest exposure possible, such as media encounters with opinion makers and television coverage and online news coverage. The program will also include representational functions for core audiences, strengthening post's relationship with media experts and the younger generation (early- to mid-20s) working in journalism, specifically in social media forums. Post's objective with this program is to focus the attention of young and potentially influential audiences on the role of media freedom in democratic development, while tying into post's broader slate of programs during Colombia's 2010 independence bicentennial. End summary. BACKGROUND: Programming a prominent U.S. political cartoonist who will interact with talented and much-respected Colombian political cartoonists - as well as the younger generation of journalists engaging in investigative and editorial journalism --will allow post to explore the importance of media and press freedom in developing and promoting civil society and democracy. Specifically, a Speaker who can explore the uses of political satire in the media, including from a historical perspective, will foster dialogue on a number of issues of bilateral and global importance. While Colombia continues to enjoy considerable media freedom compared to some of its more reactionary neighbors, media experts continue to struggle with persecution and/or hardships in their professional lives, especially when they faced with pressure from government or political organizations. This program will use U.S. experience to underscore the role of political satire and media freedom to foster grassroots change through raising awareness of key political, economic, cultural issues and trends, using humor and intellectual acuity to make such issues accessible to the broader population. U.S. SPEAKER: The speaker should be prepared to address the role of political satire and press freedom in the U.S. from a historical perspective, focusing on benchmarks in his or her professional career that have impacted the political, economic, and cultural issues he/she has addressed in the course of his/her career. The speaker should also be prepared to address how the boom of social media in the digital age has impacted the craft of political satire, referencing recent trends in journalism with the onset of Web 2.0 technologies. An overview of how core U.S. values such as diversity, freedom of expression, equality, and civil rights have affected political satire in the media will create a context to compare and contrast the U.S. and Colombian experience. The Speaker should also be prepared to address how political satire can be used in educational curricula. Post would like to request that IIP recruit an award-winning, recognized political cartoonist who has name recognition at the syndicate level and a breadth of experience. Additionally, if IIP can assist in locating a poster show of the Speaker's works -or alternatively of U.S. cartoonists as related to the goal of this program-this would further enhance the level and nature of the outreach and attract further media coverage. PROGRAM AND AUDIENCE: The speaker will take part in a mixed program of formal presentations, representational functions, and press encounters in Bogot????, Cali, and Medellin. In each location, the speaker will work with journalism and communications majors at local universities, as well as with press clubs, major media outlets, and members of the recently-formed Young Journalists Association that Public Affairs has been supporting since June ¶2009. One highlight of the program will be a round-table session with leading Colombian political cartoonists who work for major media outlets, both in print and online, giving these VIP members of the broader media community an opportunity to share their experience with the Speaker and one another. Press interviews will be arranged in all cities. Please schedule the speaker to arrive Bogot???? March 8 and return to the U.S. on March 13. Spanish fluency is a requirement for this program. CONTROL OFFICER: Control Officer for this program is IO Bridget Gersten. Office phone: 571-315-2496. Mobile: 313-870-1519; Program Coordinator is Senior Media Specialist Marianne Duarte. Office phone: 571-315-2159. Mobile:(310) 224-2168. FUNDING SPECIFICS: Program fully funded out of I-Bucks WAIVER: Mission requests waiver of the Department's policy not to send speakers to countries to which the State Department advises US citizens not to travel. All events in this program will take place in Bogot????, Cali and Medellin which are not indicated in the State Department travel advisory as particular areas of caution. RSO concurs with proposed travel and program, and will arrange a security briefing for the speaker. Speaker will be lodged in RSO approved hotels and will be accompanied by a PAS officer and senior FSN for all programs. Other than minor theft incidents no speakers have encountered any problems or threats to their safety in either of these cities. BROWNFIELD