The Common Ground Network for Life and Choice Manual

impartial. To the extent possible, we drew from the registrant pool and from there went to local
sources. The facilitator cadre met before the conference opened for an orientation session.
Restrictions on media
Since one conference goal was to increase public knowledge of our unique work, we
wanted to encourage media coverage. At the same time, we had to protect against the potentially
dampening effect of having reporters present. The balance we struck involved excluding
reporters from small group dialogues, limiting the number of reporters we credentialed to cover
the conference, giving them an orientation and "heads up" about the potential impact of their
presence, and asking for their agreement not to quote participants (as opposed to presenters) by
name without explicit permission. A press briefing was conducted before the conference opened
and a press conference was held mid-conference. These provided reporters the chance to get
background information and to meet participants volunteering to “meet the press.” We provided
a room for interviews and assigned a liaison person to handle press inquiries and act as a "gobetween"
when reporters expressed an interest in talking with particular people or types of
people. This strategy worked smoothly and without resistance from the media.
Restrictions on materials/literature
While we provided opportunities for sharing information about common ground efforts
and activities, we did not allow materials that advocated a particular position. This policy was
announced in the conference program.
Conference Sessions.
The multiple goals of the conference mandated different types of sessions. The design in
each instance, however, encouraged active participation by everyone in attendance. There was a
written session plan for the facilitators/moderators of each session that included
introductions/warm-ups, questions for dialogue/discussion, and a way to close the session.
Sessions were categorized as follows: