Health & Social Issues Outreach

LTV's background in academia, journalism, entertainment and public policy offers a unique perspective and understanding of the delicate balance inherent in bringing social and health issues to the media. LTV can assist you in publicizing your health or social issue, can build a news program and garner you media publicity. I can write and organize your website. WeI also specialize in working with writers in the entertainment industry to incorporate factual information about health or social  issues into the storyline of films.

I am grateful to have worked with some of the brightest lights on the world stage during my career. 

Here is a picture of me (left)  escorting His Holiness the Dalai Llama during his visit to Yale University in the 1990s. During 

the visit His Holiness hugged me twice, to my immense delight! His humor, graciousness and wisdom were awe-inspiring.

 (Photo by Michael Marsland for Yale Office of Public Affairs)

Some examples of our Social Issues:

Energy Independence

National Energy Independence Plan (NEIP) - Public relations consultant for the team of internationally renown scientists creating the National Energy Independence Plan -- a step-by-step outline to bring the United States to a path of energy independence in the next 20 years. An ambitious project, but well worth it!  Check out NEIP's plan, delivered at the SACE Gulf Challenge semi-finals.

Social Issues in Entertainment

As Executive Director of Mediascape LTV led this national nonprofit media issues organization based in Studio City, CA in its work to bring open dialogue between entertainment industry, policy makers, academia and the public. During my tenure, we published seminal research on television violence, media effects on society, substance abuse in film and television, effects of video games, film and game ratings, and much more. 

National Television Violence Study, published by Mediascape 1995, the largest study of violence on tv coordinated by researchers from across academia.

Organized conferences, meetings, lectures, round tables and other forums that brought media makers together with policy makers and health professionals to create an open dialogue and understanding among these groups. Mediascope served federal government contracts and was the recipient of significant funding from Carnegie Corporation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, California Wellness Foundation, and others.

Author, Building Blocks: A Guide for Creating Children's Educational Television, with leading members of the children's television creative community.

Editor, More Than A Movie: Ethics in Entertainment (Westview Press), textbook used as foundation for Arizona State University Film & Media Production program.

Founding member of ERPA, the Entertainment Resource Professionals Association - This pioneering organization is working to bring factual information to writers, directors and other entertainment industry professionals abot myriad health and social issues. Founding member of NAMLE, the National Association of Media Literacy Educators.

Spokesperson on social issues in media for CNN, FOX, PBS and other national news media outlets.

Arts & Humanities

Yale University - Senior Public Affairs Officer -- LTV had the opportunity to obtain a unique understanding of the subtle balance between publicizing highly intellectual and complex material. Some of the professors regularly worked with include a young Robert Shiller, creator of the Case-Shiller Housing Indices, while hosting visitors such as U.S. Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton, and other world-renowned social scientists, philosophers, economists, laureates and artists.  Work included issues of scholars at Yale Law School, Yale College, Yale School of Organization & Management, Yale School of Architecture, Yale Drama School, Alumni Association and the Yale Corporation.

Panels:

Facing Racism On Film and TV: A Panel Discussion

Hollywood Comes to Chicago Conference for Screenwriters

Chicago, Illinois

         David McKenna, writer, American History X

         Laurie Trottta, media consultant

         Dr. Michael Dyson, activist and author

         Warrington Hudlin, director

Violence in America: Is the Media to Blame?

Association of Alternative Newspapers Annual Conference

Scottsdale, Arizona

         Moderator:      Laurie Trotta

         Panelists:       Jack Valenti, president, Motion Picture Association of America

                          Todd McFarlane, producer and writer, Spawn

                           Jack Thompson, Esq.

                           Kevin Saunders, Professor of Law, University of Oklahoma

God, Mom & Apple Pie: Exploring the Family-Friendly Programming Trend;

NATPE 2000 Convention, New Orleans, Louisiana

Explored the current popularity and success of wholesome and spiritual themes on prime time TV. Panelists: Andrea Alstrup, VP Advertising at Johnson & Johnson, founder of the Family Friendly Programming Forum; Larry Poland, Mastermedia, a nonprofit group working to support spiritual programming; Tim Johnson, Senior Vice President of Programming, Paxson Communications; Bruce D. Johnson; President and CEO, Porchlight Entertainment.

The Effects of Violent Scripts on Society

American Film Institute - Screenwriters Weekend

-- WGA Theater, Beverly Hills

Panelists:       Callie Khouri (Thelma and Louise)

                  David McKenna (American History X)

                  John Milius (Apocalypse Now)

                  Laurie Trotta (More Than a Movie, editor)

                  Jim Uhls (The Fight Club)

Through the Eyes of Children

Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, North Hollywood, CA

This major conference for creators, producers and actors of children’s television was produced in association with the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Federal Communications Commission.  Guests to address the 600 participants include actors Bill Cosby and LaVar Burton, FCC Chairman William E. Kennard and Academy President Meryl Marshall.  Mediasope panel, ”Redefining Children’s TV,” brought academicians and entertainment industry leaders for a debate on the responsibility of TV makers.

Children’s Media Summit: Developing Voluntary Guidelines for Creative Professionals; DIC Entertainment

Co-sponsored with DIC Entertainment a two-day summit for leaders in children’s entertainment to develop guidelines for creators of programming for kids.  Guidelines were written by Trotta and disseminated throughout the children’s TV industry.

Children’s Educational Television 101: Complying with the FCC Rules

Mediascope presented a panel discussion at NATPE 1999 on Children’s Educational TV to more than 80 buyers of children’s programming and others directly concerned with educational TV for children at the annual New Orleans conference.

Moderator:              Laurie Trotta; Mediascope

Panelists:                Donna Mitroff; Fox Kids Worldwide

                           Robby London; DIC Entertainment

                           Donald Roberts; Stanford University

                           Catherine Montgomery; Center for Media Education

                           Carol Martz; KCOP-TV

Canadian Senate Subcommittee on Telecommunications

Organized and hosted a meeting of children’s programmers and members of the Canadian subcommittee.  Topics included comparisons and similarities in Canadian/US law concerning children’s TV regulation, the international marketplace, and ratings.

Moderator/Host::                 Laurie Trotta; Mediascope

Participants:                      Nancy Steingard; Universal

                                    Robby London; DIC Entertainment

                                    Christopher Keenan; Warner Bros.

                                    Carol Monroe; KCOP-TV (UPN)

                                    Jerry Kramer; Canadian Consul General of Los Angeles

                                    Michel Patrice, Senate Subcommittee

On-Screen Violence: How Much Is Too Much?

Hawaii International Film Festival; Honolulu

Trotta organized and hosted a panel moderated by critic Roger Ebert for an exploration of the consistent popularity of violence in film and television. 

Moderator:               Roger Ebert

                           C. M. Chan, Producer (”Tongs: A Chinatown Story,” ”Guns of Dragon”)

                           Miguel Valenti, Producer

                           Bruce Fletcher, Former Canadian Government Censor

                           Jeff Portnoy, First Amendment Scholar and Attorney

                           Deborah M. Pratt, Executive Producer and Writer (”The Net,” ”Quantum Leap”)

Regulating Television in Canada and the US: A Look at the Issues; Beverly Hills, CA

Francoise Bertrand, Chairperson of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (equivalent to the US Federal Communications Commission) was guest of honor at an event during a briefing mission to Los Angeles.

         Host:             Laurie Trotta; Executive Director; Mediascope

                           Jerry Kramer; Consul; Canadian Consulate General

         Guest:           Francoise Bertrand; Radio-television & Telecommunications Commission

Participants:

Carol Altieri; Vice President; CBS Television Network ñ Program Practices

Mary Conley; Director of Children’s Programming, ABC Television Network

Carl Gottlieb; Vice President, Writers Guild of America, West

Robby London; Exec. VP of Creative Affairs, DIC Entertainment

Grant Marshall,. Behavioral Scientist, Rand ñ Social Policy Dept.

Rick Mater; VP Broadcast Standards, Warner Bros.

Roland McFarland; VP Broadcast Standards & Practices, Fox Broadcast TV

Donna Mitroff; VP Educational Policies & Program Practices, Fox Kids

Richard Mosk; Chairman Classification & Ratings, MPAA

Computer Game Developers Association Annual Conference

Long Beach, CA

In partnership with PCI, organized two major panel discussions as part of a new association to create a social track of discussions and breakout sessions for the 12,000 attendees of the CGDA Conference.  The events marked the first time that social issues were raised as a focal point with the game developers.  The panelists and discussions were as follows:

         VIDEO GAMES AND CHILDREN -- FUN, FANTASY ... OR HEALTH RISK?

Moderator:  Hal Josephson, Executive Director, Invision NewMedia Festival

Eugene Provenzo -- Professor, School of Education, University of Miami

Debra Lieberman -- media research consultant

Dr. Jeanne Funk -- Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Toledo

         GOT ANYTHING FOR GIRLS?

Moderator:         Annie Fox -- game designer & creator of Talk City’s The Insite

Yasmin Kafai -- Assistant Professor, UCLA School of Education

Kaveri Subrahmayam -- Assistant Professor, Child & Family Studies, Cal State LA

Cecilia Barajas -- Director of  Civilization II at Activision

Kathryn Jones, Girl Games, Inc., producer and designer

Alex Uttermann -- Journalist and game developer

FIRST ANNUAL COMPUTER GAMES FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY CONTEST

Trotta served as a judge for this first annual award, organized by PCI, to be bestowed upon a computer game designer who designs the most entertaining game with social responsibility aspects.  Selection was made from one dozen submissions ñ growth of this contest is expected as news of the $10,000 award prize money (through PCI) circulates among the game industry.

Depictions of Tobacco and Illicit Drug Use in the Entertainment Industry

MGM Main Theater; Santa Monica, CA

Trotta opened the day’s discussions of nonsmoking advocates, government health officials, nonprofit representatives, advertisers and entertainment industry executives assembled to examine the prevalence of smoking onscreen, and for a discussion on what could be done about it.  Sponsored by CDC, SAMHSA and Next Generation Alliance.

Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics

Arizona State University, Tempe

Served as a panelist during this three day, open ended discussion with a diverse group of internationally renowned scholars, artists and critics on the role of ethics in our lives and the role of ethics in art and social change.