Discussion to focus on impact of new media on political process
In this historic presidential election, more people are turning to new media – blogs, YouTube, social networking sites – to learn about the candidates, discuss issues and participate in the campaigns. The question is, what effect is the digital world really having on the nation’s political process?
A panel of nationally known media professionals will discuss the impact of digital media on the 2008 presidential election in an interactive, public forum, “The Bloggers, the Campaign and the Future of Journalism,” Monday, Sept. 15.
The event, sponsored by the West Virginia University P.I. Reed School of Journalism and the National Press Club, will begin at 7 p.m. at the club’s Holeman Lounge in Washington, D.C. It will be broadcast live via satellite to WVU’s National Research Center for Coal and Energy building (Room 101 A&B), where students and others can take part in a two-way discussion.
Panelists include:
- Ana Marie Cox, founder of the influential political blog Wonkette and Washington editor of Time.com;
- Ross Douthat, senior editor at The Atlantic Monthly and blogger for TheAtlantic.com;
- Tom Rosenstiel, former media critic for the Los Angeles Times and director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism;
- Michael Tomasky, editor of GuardianAmerica.com; and
- Gil Klein (moderator), veteran national correspondent and director of the National Press Club’s Centennial Project, a celebration of the club’s 100th anniversary.
“We will be discussing a crucial news innovation in this presidential campaign at the same time we are pioneering a new tool to expand the reach of the National Press Club’s educational mission,” said Sylvia Smith, club president.
The forum is part of a nationwide education program launched by the club in its centennial year to bring together leading journalists to talk about the First Amendment, freedom of the press and the future of journalism. This year, the club is aiming to organize forums in cities and universities in every state to discuss where journalism is heading and what that means to the quality of the profession. The event with WVU is the club’s first two-way communication panel.
Maryanne Reed, dean of the School of Journalism, said working with the club on the digital democracy panel “is a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn about the impact of new media on the presidential election while participating in a two-way dialogue with national journalists and bloggers in Washington.”
The School of Journalism will be hosting participants at the NRCCE building. The event is free and open to the public. Those attending are asked to arrive and be seated by 6:50 p.m. Steve Urbanski, assistant professor and director of graduate studies at the School of Journalism, will host the WVU site. An informal reception will follow the event.
WVU alumni in the D.C. area who are interested in attending the panel discussion should call 202-662-7501 to reserve seating at the National Press Club location.
More on the Net: http://journalism.wvu.edu/