THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, the region's major daily newspaper,  has many reporters, editors and columnists who can speak knowledgably about their special coverage areas as well as about trends in journalism or in the region at large.

THE ANNENBERG SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONS at the University of Pennsylvania studies the role of communications in public life through research, education and service. Its many programs include the Adolescent Risk Communication Institute, the Annenberg Scholars Program in Culture & Communication, and the Project for Global Communication Studies. Annenberg's eminent faculty can provide expertise on a wealth of topics, including this sample: the impact of the media on political knowledge and democratic engagement; media-making as a form of community-building and proselytizing among religious organizations; the reception of American popular culture overseas public opinion in conflict situations; election polling, and the interaction (or "synergy") of media industries.

TEMPLE UNIVERSITY'S JOURNALISM DEPARTMENT is more hands-on and less scholarly than Penn's Annenberg program.  It boasts a new, downtown Multimedia Urban Reporting Lab where students "experience 21st century journalism, exploring new ways of reporting and distributing news and information, neighborhood by neighborhood." The faculty, many of them working journalists, offer a range of expertise both practical (investigative reporting, radio news workshop and newsroom management) and scholarly (Race and Racism in the News, Ethical Issues in Journalism  and International News Communication).

WHYY RADIO is the city's top public-radio station. The leading programs produced at the Philadelphia station are "Fresh Air," a nationally distributed interview show, and "Radio Times," a local current-events show. Both are highly respected, and their hosts or producers could discuss how their select topics and guests, as well as their sense of civic mission.

RITTENHOUSE REVIEW is one of the region's liveliest Web blogs. It terms itself "A Philadelphia Journal of Politics, Finance, Ethics, and Culture." It was launched in 2002 by a fellow who claims "a lengthy career in financial journalism, securities analysis, and investment research, and in freelance writing, editing, ghost-writing, and writing instruction."

THE PROMETHEUS RADIO PROJECT is a progressive nonprofit that advocates for Low-Power FM Radio and resists the "unprecedented levels of consolidation, homogenization, and restriction in the media landscape." It support community groups in building community radio stations and holds events championing "media democracy." It says it has fought corporate consolidation of  power through street demonstrations, campaigns, formal comment before the FCC, and a high-profile lawsuit, Prometheus et al versus the FCC, which "made history by stopping the Bush agenda on media concentration in its tracks in 2003."

WHAT RADIO is a AM talk station that calls itself "the Voice of the African American Community." Albert Butler, who hosts the "Mr. Midday" show, and other staffers can talk about the issues they air and the influence they hold.

FOX 29 TELEVISION is a market leader in locally-produced programming. It also maintains an investigative team, FOX Undercover, led by reporter Jeff Cole.

EL HISPANO is a bilingual weekly covers matters of interest to the Hispanic community. Its reporters and editors are experienced observers and analysts of issues including immigration reform.

MEDIA TANK is a grassroots reform group that aims to "engage the public in creating a more democratic media system." It was founded in 2001 by media and social justice activists who were instrumental in the creation of independent media resources during the Republican National Convention here, and in advancing the issue of public access television in Philadelphia. It engages in grassroots organizing around media ownership and consolidation, cable (visit the Philadelphia Grassroots Cable Campaign), copyright and intellectual property, the state of journalism and more.

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS COMMUNICATION PROGRAM has a Digital Journalism track in which students learn to report news for online sources. Teachers include a board member of the World Wide Web Artists Consortium and producer and principal developer of countlesstories.com.

THE JERRY LEE CENTER OF CRIMINOLOGY at the University of Pennsylvania includes a program called Criminal Justice Journalists, which aims to help working journalists by suggesting sources and story ideas based on the expertise of public officials, academic researchers, professional organizations, and other experts. The program encompasses crime, crime prevention, and the criminal justice system - including law enforcement, courts, and corrections.

THE PHILADELPHIA COMMUNITY ACCESS COALITION is a grassroots coalition advocating to establish public access cable television in Philadelphia." It is part of a nationwide "cable activism" movement that believes big cable companies stifle public access cable. As it says, "The need for public interest capacity, separate from the commercialized media, is important to the economic, social and democratic health and well being of our communities. Communities across the country must have access to electronic greenspace, funding and local control, regardless of the technology delivery system."

THE PHILADELPHIA INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTER (PhillyIMC) says it is "dedicated to building media democracy by providing progressive, in-depth, and accurate coverage of issues that affect all communities and by increasing community access to available technologies and information for the production and distribution of news and analysis." A not-for-profit, volunteer-based collaboration of independent media makers and press liaisons, PhillyIMC operates "in solidarity with an international network of Independent Media Centers, which collectively serve to create alternatives to the profit- driven agenda of the corporate media."

SCRIBE VIDEO CENTER OF PHILADELPHIA is an alternative nonprofit that seeks to "explore, develop and advance the use of video as an artistic medium and as a tool for progressive social change." It produces programs but also provides access to equipment, collaborates with grassroots  groups in creating video programs about community interests and concerns,  hosts visiting media artists, and generally promotes video as "a tool for creative expression."

WFIL CHRISTIAN RADIO says it airs "the finest national and local teaching and edited sermon ministries available today, along with inspiring Contemporary Christian Music, and interactive talk programs." It also has an extensive online bulletin board of activities and produces local talks shows.

WPHT RADIO, known as "The Big Talker 1210 AM," features a mix of influential national and local personalities, most of them politically conservative. They include Rush Limbaugh, Rollye James and Michael Smerconish. They or their managers could talk about their influence in public affairs and their sense of civic mission and responsibility.

THE DELAWARE VALLEY NETWORK NEWSPAPER, published monthly, is designed to reach a black leadership-oriented audience. Featured articles include news of the minority business and professional community, career-building advice, entertainment features etc.

DONG-A DAILY NEWS is a daily Korean-language newspaper with a Philadelphia edition. It covers Korean local, national, and international news.

THE IRISH EDITION, published for the Irish-American community, covers calendar of events, news of local Irish organizations, profiles of local Irish-Americans, politics, history and the arts.

THE JEWISH EXPONENT is a Philadelphia weekly carrying articles of interest to the Jewish community, including international, national, and local news, health issues, and fashion.

LA ACTUALIDAD is a weekly Spanish newspaper covering Philadelphia news and events.

THE PHILADELPHIA NEW OBSERVER is a weekly edited primarily for "career oriented politically active, and educated" black readers.

THE PHILADELPHIA TRIBUNE is a biweekly owned and operated by African Americans reporting news from the black perspective.

SONS OF ITALY TIMES is pitched to Italian Americans who are involved with the Sons of Italy.

THE SUN is a newer publication geared to middle-class African Americans.

The UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC serves the 80,000 Ukrainians within the Greater Philadelphia Region.

FOCUS MAGAZINE calls itself "Metropolitan Philadelphia's independent business newsweekly," carrying general business news, news of company activities and finance, executive health articles, news of current developments in advertising, real estate, transportation and labor.

THE LEGAL INTELLIGENCER is a daily publication which covers all cases listed for trial in courts sitting in Philadelphia, as well as the disposition of those cases after trial, plus filings in the court system and other news and information of interest to attorneys, banks, insurance companies, accountants, real estate persons and credit persons.

ORBIS is a quarterly journal of the Foreign Policy Research Institute. It consists of exploratory research paper covering key current event questions of contemporary international politics.

PENNSYLVANIA MEDICINE is dedicated primarily to physicians who are members of the Pennsylvania Medical Society. The monthly publication contains articles on clinical medicine, medical practice management, legislation affecting physicians and Medical Society activities.

PHILADELPHIA BUSINESS JOURNAL presents local business and economic news edited for the full business community with features and standing sections on new businesses, real estate transfers, bankruptcies, contracts and personnel.

PHILADELPHIA MAGAZINE is a popular glossy monthly, featuring articles of general business, consumer and political interest, as well as restaurant reviews and listings of current events such as music, sports, theater, children's activities, art, night spots, real estate and others.