ATHENS, Ohio -- Faculty members of Ohio Universityıs E.W. Scripps School of Journalism will present "The 9/11 Tragedy and our Media Dependency" at 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 17, in Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium at Ohio University in Athens. The public is invited to attend.

Michael Real, director of the Scripps School, will deliver the presentation and faculty members Mary Rogus and Bernhard Debatin will serve as commentators. Kathy Krendl, dean of the Ohio University College of Communication, will be moderator.

"Some of the goals of the discussion are to assist people in coping with the recent tragedy and to examine how people relate to the tragedy through the media," Real said. "We will talk about the mediaıs role in a crisis situation such as how reporters get their news and what goes into covering a tragedy."

"Media play a large role in the emotional responses of individuals," said Real, who has been interviewed extensively on media performance in crises, especially after the Columbine High School killings. "If overdone, the repeat playing of the most powerful scenes, namely of the twin towers being hit and then collapsing, may not just inform the public but possibly either desensitize or fixate individuals."

Beyond conveying news, the media actually serve an important ritual function in tragedies of this magnitude, Real explained. "The media serve to bring people together, reassure the public and provide a shared activity through which people can begin to come to terms with the tragedy," he said.

Members of the audience will be able to submit questions for the panelists to answer.