Bowling Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University's School of Journalism and Broadcasting and the Office of the Provost's American Democracy Project will host a celebration of First Amendment rights on Thursday, April 21, in the auditorium of Mass Media and Technology Hall.

"First Amendment First" will feature educators, philosophers and professionals in the journalism industry discussing the importance of First Amendment freedoms and encouraging students to embrace the freedoms granted to them as journalists. Participants from both newspaper and broadcast news will be attending from across the country.

"First Amendment First" will feature several notable speakers, including Pulitzer Prize winning columnist William Safire, former publisher of the Courier-Journal Barry Bingham Jr., former chairman of NBC Julian Goodman, executive director of the First Amendment Center Gene Policinski, photojournalist Molly Bingham, and David Yalof and Kenneth Dautrich with the University of Connecticut, who conducted a project for the Knight Foundation on high school students' opinions of their First Amendment rights.

Yalof and Dautrich found that three of every four students do not think about the First Amendment or say they take its rights for granted.

"This study was significant because these high school students are our leaders of tomorrow," said Dr. Pam McAllister Johnson, director of the School of Journalism and Broadcasting. "This study shows that we need to better educate our students about the First Amendment."

Invited guests will include students, regional and national media executives and journalism educators.

While WKU's School of Journalism and Broadcasting has earned an international reputation in the industry for being one of the best training grounds for journalists, the school has begun initiatives such as the "First Amendment First" celebration so that the school can also become known for championing First Amendment rights.

"I accepted the position of director of this school because, during the interview process, I found this to be a very solid journalism school," Dr. Johnson said. "This was confirmed when the school was reaccredited six months after my arrival. The Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications wrote a stellar report, and the school was rated in compliance on all 12 ACEJMC standards."

The national and student chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists are also partnering on the "First Amendment First" project. Faculty member Jim Highland serves as SPJ National Vice President for Student Affairs. Two past national SPJ presidents, Mac McKerral and Al Cross, will be on the Town Hall Meeting panel.

Other sponsors for "First Amendment First" include WKU President Gary Ransdell, the Office of Development, the Technology Division, Spirit Masters, the School of Journalism and Broadcasting Ambassadors and the school's faculty and staff.

The event will be taped and made available on DVD.

The schedule for the April 21 "First Amendment First" celebration follows:

9 a.m. -- Brunch

9:30 a.m. -- Town Hall Meeting featuring William Safire, Pulitzer Prize winning columnist and chairman of The Dana Foundation Board of Directors and former White House Advisor/speechwriter during the Nixon era; Julian Goodman, former NBC chair and CEO; Al Cross, Interim Director of the Institute for Rural Journalism & Community Issues and former columnist for the Courier-Journal and SPJ President; Betsy F. Ashton, Vice President of the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation Board of Directors; Robert Leger, Springfield News-Leader Editorial Page Editor; Gordon D. "Mac" McKerral, immediate past national SPJ president; Hollis Towns, Cincinnati Enquirer Managing Editor; Jo-Ann Huff Albers, WKU School of Journalism and Broadcasting law and ethics professor and former school director; and moderated by Adam Clayton Powell III, visiting professor with the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and former Vice President of Technology and Programs for the Freedom Forum.

11 a.m. -- Plenary Session with Molly Bingham, an award-winning photojournalist who was arrested for eight days in Iraq while on assignment for the World Picture News Photo Agency.

Noon -- Luncheon.

2 p.m. -- Keynote Address with Gene Policinski, Executive Director of the First Amendment Center and former page-one editor for USA Today.

2 p.m. -- Student roundtable with Barry Bingham Jr., former editor and publisher of the Courier-Journal and the Louisville Times.

5 p.m. -- Reception

5:30 p.m. -- Dinner

7 p.m. -- Community Forum with David Yalof and Kenneth Dautrich of the

University of Connecticut, who conducted the "Future of the First Amendment: What America's High School Students Think About Their Freedoms," a project sponsored by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

The Community Forum will be followed by entertainment from a member of the nationally touring "Freedom Sings" group through the Freedom Forum.

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you'd like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact Pam Johnson at (270) 745-4143.