The dilemma that news organizations face in dealing with newsworthy but demonstrably false information will be the focus of a Tuesday evening (Oct. 5) virtual panel discussion organized by the Chippewa Valley Post as a part of the national observance of News Engagement Day.
The program – which is open to the public – will feature local journalists working in the television, radio and newspaper fields. It is intended to provide a way for Chippewa Valley residents and news media to participate in the national observance of News Engagement Day, which occurs annually on the first Tuesday in October.
Panelists will include Matt Milner, editor of the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram; Shannon Hoyt, co-anchor of the 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts at WQOW-TV; and Rich Kremer, an Eau Claire-based reporter for Wisconsin Public Radio. The discussion will be moderated by Mike Dorsher, emeritus Journalism professor at UW-Eau Claire.
The program is scheduled to run from 7:30 to 9 p.m. and will provide an opportunity for members of the virtual audience to direct questions to the panelists. It is co-sponsored by the UW-EC Communication and Journalism Department.
Information on how to access the online discussion will be available closer to Oct. 5.
The panelists will grapple with how to deal with false comments or assertions by people whose comments are newsworthy enough to be included in news reports, which traditionally make no mention of the truth or falsity of statements included in news reports. A second dimension of this topic is how to handle such false statements when they are included in letters to the editor or are included in comments posted in response to an online news story.
News Engagement Day began in 2014 on campuses with journalism and communication programs and has grown into a worldwide event. Its goal is to provide students and the general community with a greater understanding of the role that news media play in helping to develop an informed citizenry,
It is sponsored by the national journalism/mass communication educators organization.