UK conference on media coverage of modern warfare

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Journalists, public policy experts, historians and military officials will gather at the University of Kentucky this week for a conference focused on media coverage of modern military conflicts.

The UK School of Journalism and Telecommunications, in cooperation with the University of Edinburgh's Centre for the Study of Two World Wars, will present "Covering Conflicts in a Modern World" in Lexington April 8-11.

Topics for discussion include the role of media in foreign policy, military and media relations, media ethics in conflict reporting, U.S. war reporting from an international perspective, and representations of war in film.

The conference will open Wednesday evening with an address by Tom Curley, president and CEO of The Associated Press.

The conference follows a similar event held at the University of Edinburgh in November 2007, titled "War, Journalism & History."

UK journalism instructor Terry Anderson served as a guest presenter at the Edinburgh conference and shared his story as a former chief AP correspondent who was held hostage for seven years in Lebanon. He is organizing the UK conference with the help of the University of Edinburgh.

"This one should be just as fascinating. Our students, students from area universities and the public will hear some great people from journalism, history, politics and film discussing vital subjects," Anderson said.

Conference participants include former ambassador and special Middle East envoy Ryan Crocker; Robert Fisk, foreign correspondent and columnist for the London Independent; John Daniszewski, international editor of the AP; film star Steve Zahn; Dale Dye, actor, film producer and military consultant; Ahmed Rashid, Pakistani author and journalist; and Col. Mike Meese, head of the history department at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point.

The conference is open to the public.

To view a complete schedule of events, visit http://warconference.uky.edu