Award-winning journalist visits PSU

Greg Palast, award-winning reporter for BBC Television’s “Newsnight” and The Observer of London, will speak about his book, “The Best Democracy Money Can Buy” and the war in Iraq on Saturday at Portland State University.

Palast received international attention for his investigative work into the events surrounding the state of Florida’s contested presidential election in 2000.

The event is being held as a fund-raiser for “alternative media” resources The Portland Alliance, 90.7 KBOO, Portland IndyMedia and Portland State student publication The Rearguard.

“We had sponsored Greg last year, so we have a working relationship with him,” said Dave Mazza, editor of the Portland Alliance. “He’s a big supporter of the alternative media.”

California native Palast began as a reporter in the United States, but after doing a series of investigative pieces that were summarily quashed by the mainstream media outlets that he worked for, he decided to move to the United Kingdom and work with the BBC, Mazza explained.

It was there that Palast did most well-known work, winning Britain’s highest journalism awards for his 1998 undercover work exposing “influence peddling” by U.S. corporations in British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s cabinet.

Palast will be joined by former Oregon State Rep. Joann Bowman on April 5 at 6 p.m. in the main gym of the Peter Stott Center. Tickets are available at the PSU box office; $10 general admission, $5 for students and seniors.