The second of two discussions exploring the relationship between journalism and democracy will be held at 6 p.m. next Tuesday (Oct. 9) at the L. E. Phillips Memorial Public Library in downtown Eau Claire.
It will feature a Skype conversation with Tom Rosenstiel, co-author of “The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect.” The book is the basis for the community read-and-discuss series which began Wednesday evening with a session led by Jan Larson, chair of the UW-Eau Claire Communication and Journalism department.
“The Elements of Journalism,” co-authored by Bill Kovach, is available for checkout at the Eau Claire library.
Kovach is a former Washington bureau chief for The New York Times and a former editor of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Rosenstiel is executive director of the American Press Institute and was the founder and for 16 years the director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism, a research organization that studies the news media.
The two discussions are part of “Beyond the Headlines” (BTH), a program of the Wisconsin Humanities Council funded in part by local organizations and media outlets in the Eau Claire area. Many of the BTH events here look at whether the news media’s coverage of poverty in Eau Claire county provides the amount and kinds of information that will lead to informed decisions and policies on that subject.
The Oct. 9 discussion is free, but those planning to attend are asked to register online in advance, at https://beyondtheheadlineswisconsin.org/eau-claire. The event will provide an opportunity for participants to ask Rosenstiel how he thinks the news media should report on poverty.
Larson said that the conversation was good among the dozen people at the opening discussion on Wednesday.
“As a journalist and educator, it was heartening to be part of a dialogue between journalists and community members interested in preserving the role of journalism in a democratic society,” she said. “Community members at the session encouraged local journalists to continue providing the news they need to make decisions in their lives and the lives of their community.”
“Beyond the Headlines” is one of more than 50 projects by state humanities councils nationwide that are funded by the Mellon Foundation as part of its “Democracy and the Informed Citizen” initiative which was created in partnership with the Pulitzer Prizes. Major funding for “Beyond the Headlines” also comes from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Note: the CVPost is among the local news organizations participating in “Beyond the Headlines” and its Board chair, David Gordon, is a member of the project’s steering committee.
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