This tape highlights the opening panel of the 1997 conference “Freeing the Media” which was organized by Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR), the Learning Alliance, and Paper Tiger. Panelists include Jeff Cohen of FAIR, Loretta Ross of the Center of Human Rights Education, Amy Goodman of Democracy Now and Danny Schechter of Globalvision Media. The conference concludes with a video message from Subcommandante Marcos in Chiapas, Mexico reminding the US independent media community of their role in international affairs.