There’s a lot happening in Minneapolis this week catalyzed by the National Conference on Media Reform taking place this weekend at the Minnesota Convention Center.

The NCMR, the fourth over the last six years staged by Free Press, the leading organization fighting for a more democratic media, is always an interesting, edifying, booze-heavy affair featuring star-studded panels and parties plus ample opportunity for activists and concerned citizens to share information and ideas. It’s not too late to register. Almost 2,800 have already signed up. This year’s speakers include Bill Moyers, Van Jones, Amy Goodman, Dan Rather, Lawrence Lessig, Arianna Huffington and Nation writers Naomi Klein, John Nichols and Roberto Lovato, among many others.

Watch this video to see what it’s about.

Check out the NCMR’s conference schedule for a full listing of events. And for the bulk of you not residing in or around Minnesota, many of the sessions will be webcast live and archived at the conference site for viewing on demand.

Here are two Nation-related conference highlights:

A Night with Phil Donahue
Join John Nichols, Robert McChesney, antiwar campaigners, media activists and fans of daytime television for An Evening with Phil Donahue. Donahue will debut his new antiwar documentary film at the National Conference on Media Reform in Minneapolis on Friday, June 6. The showing of the film will be followed by a lively discussion of the war and media coverage featuring Donahue, McChesney, Nichols and the audience. The event starts at 8:00pm in Auditorium 1 of the Minneapolis Convention Center.

This Brave Nation
Get a sneak peek at the new documentary series, This Brave Nation. A collaboration between The Nation and Brave New Films the venture brings together the most intelligent, passionate and creative voices of one generation with the activists, journalists and artists of the next to dialogue on loves, lives, politics and history the result is a kind of “living history” project in this age of amnesia. At this special screening episode #5 of the series featuring Naomi Klein and Tom Hayden will be shown publicly for the first time. Taking place on Friday, June 6 at 3:30 in room 208 C D, the screening will be followed by a Q & A with Robert Greenwald and yours truly.

And there’s much, much more….

Also taking place in and around the NCMR are two major confabs both featuring, coincidentally, one of the Nation‘s busiest writers John Nichols.

Claim Democracy: An Evening Celebration
Following a cocktail reception join journalists Amy Goodman of Democracy Now!, John Nichols of The Nation and author Walter Mosley who will share their insights and passion about moving toward a more perfect union in 2008 and beyond. In These Times editor Joel Bleifuss and Common Cause president Bob Edgar will comment on their speeches before moderating audience questions. Taking place at the Minneapolis Hilton Hotel on Thursday, June 5 from 6:00 to 7:30pm.

Live From Main Street with Laura Flanders
The Nation is excited to help present Live From Main Street – a series of televised town hall events designed to highlight what’s really at stake this election season. Please join us for the premiere event at the Women’s Club of Minneapolis at 2:00pm on Sunday, June 8. Hosted by RadioNation’s Laura Flanders and KFAI and Insight News’s Al McFarlane, the event features Amy Goodman, John Nichols, Malkia Cyril, Colleen Rowley and many others. Click here to RSVP for this free afternoon event. This event will also be webcast at FreeSpeechTV.org.

I’ll try to find some interesting things to highlight from Minneapolis. Shouldn’t be hard.