000001261 001__ 1261 000001261 005__ 20240730134423.0 000001261 02470 $$a142013MR22 000001261 02470 $$2DOI$$a10.28971/142013MR22 000001261 037__ $$aIR 000001261 041__ $$aeng 000001261 245__ $$aFolk River: The Vital Current of Folk Music in Democracy 000001261 269__ $$a2013-04-30 000001261 270__ $$mrjmillerradio@gmail.com 000001261 336__ $$aThesis 000001261 502__ $$bMaster of Arts (MA) 000001261 520__ $$aAmerica’s technology-infused society is cluttered with torrents of information and often scarcity of facts. Many people never bother to check where information is coming from, whether the sources have been documented and if the presentation is fair, balanced and worthy of our democratic nation. Hundreds of experienced journalists have left or been forced out of newsrooms due to financial pressures in the industry and monumental changes in technology. These experienced journalists have been dedicated to serving as the eyes and ears of citizens who do not have time to attend hours of meetings, question those in authority, analyze details from multiple sources and request documents through the freedom of information process. Journalism is the ‘fourth estate,’ charged with maintaining a watchdog presence over the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. As newspapers, radio and television lean toward entertainment and sports programming, a vital stream of diverse voices comes through folk music. Long a channel for commentary on war, peace, work and social issues, folk music is a valuable, and increasingly critical, element for preserving a healthy democracy. 000001261 650__ $$aCommunication 000001261 650__ $$aMusic 000001261 650__ $$aPolitics 000001261 6531_ $$afolk music 000001261 6531_ $$ademocracy 000001261 6531_ $$ajournalism 000001261 6531_ $$afreedom of speech 000001261 6531_ $$afourth estate 000001261 690__ $$aFaculty of Arts and Sciences 000001261 691__ $$aArt 000001261 7001_ $$aMiller, Rhonda J.$$uRhode Island College 000001261 773__ $$tMaster's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview 000001261 8564_ $$991adfd73-2c54-4bb5-9c8d-576e8a536a37$$s2543193$$uhttps://digitalcollections.ric.edu/record/1261/files/Miller2013.pdf 000001261 982__ $$aMaster's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers