Washington - Jun 25, 2007 - The Federal Communications Commission released further details of its previously announced Portland, ME, field hearing regarding localism. The hearing will be held on June 28 from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Portland High School.

• 4 p.m.: Welcome/Opening Remarks
• 4:30 p.m.: Panel Discussion 1: Perspectives on Localism

Speakers: C. Edwin Baker, Professor, University of Pennsylvania Law School; John Christie, president, Central Maine Newspapers; James Costello Jr., vice president of operations, Sun Media Group (Sun Journal); Richard D. Gleason, president and general manager, Mountain Valley Broadcasting; Ben Haskell, executive vice president and academic dean, New England School of Communications, Bangor, ME; Katharine Heintz, consultant, Children Now; Malcolm Leary, reporter, Maine Capital News; Alex von Lichtenberg, general manager, Entravision Communications, WUNI-TV; Chellie Pingree, former president of Common Cause; Dennis Ross, owner/manager, WJZP community radio station; Shelby Scott, former president, The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, former Boston TV news anchor; Steve Thaxton, president and general manager, WCSH-TV, Portland, ME

• 5:30 p.m.: Public Comments
• 7:30 p.m.: Break
• 8:00 p.m.: Panel Discussion 2: Perspectives on Localism

Speakers: Spencer Albee, Portland-area musician and promoter; Rob Blethen, advertising director, Portland Press Herald; Cynthia Finney, business manager, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1837; Suzanne Goucher, president and CEO, Maine Association of Broadcasters; Cary Pahigian, president and general manager, Portland Radio Group/Saga Communications; Reverend Peter Panagore, First Radio Church of Maine; Daniel Panici, Professor, University of Southern Maine; James B. Shaffer, dean and professor of business, University of Southern Maine School of Business; Tim Stone, trustee, WSCA- LP, Portsmouth, NH, community radio station; Anthony Vigue, Manager, South Portland Community Television; Gordon Wark, president and general manager, NEPSK, WAGM-TV8, Presque Isle, ME

• 9:00 p.m.: Public Comments
• 11:00 p.m.: Wrap-Up/Adjournment

The moderator will be Clyde Ensslin, Office of Media Relations, FCC.