200 Journalists and Citizens Discuss the Future of News in Denver
The Colorado History Museum gift shop in Denver is already selling collector’s copies of the final edition of the Rocky Mountain News for $5 a piece.
But last night, more than 200 people showed up at the museum to prove that quality journalism is not yet a thing of the past. At an event organized by SaveTheNews.org and Denver’s IWantMyRocky.com, local citizens, journalists and nonprofit leaders came together to talk about the future.
The in-depth community forum included 14 table discussions on varying journalism topics, including: how to reinvent public media; what makes a journalist; how social media affect the news; the lessons of participatory journalism; and the connection between Internet policy and the future of journalism.
The conversations, which were facilitated by local media reform organizations, journalists and academics, were lively and led to new connections and collaborations between participants.
The panel discussion that followed built on the themes that emerged from the community forum. Former Rocky editor and publisher John Temple; Colorado Public Television CEO Wick Rowland; award-winning investigative reporter Laura Frank; former state Senator Polly Baca; and syndicated columnist and author David Sirota reflected on the shifting media landscape in the months since the Rocky closed, and discussed what the future holds for new and traditional media alike.
The Q&A session focused on themes surrounding media consolidation, diversity of viewpoints, and the public’s trust in the media.
At the end of the event, two people approached me. One was a journalist who said he could not believe how many local people showed up to talk about journalism. "I didn't know this many people cared about the future of news," he said.
The other person was a Denver resident who said she couldn't believe so many journalists came out to take part in these discussions. "I can't believe they want to hear from me," she remarked.
Bringing local people together with local journalists and policymakers to re-imagine journalism is exactly what we need to confront this crisis.
The energy and excitement in the room was so palpable, and a number of local groups are already developing plans for a follow-up meeting.
Check back soon for more blog posts and video from the event.
I'm sorry I didn't make it,
I'm sorry I didn't make it, but I am glad to see video of the event will be made available.
online tv
Yup, those times when Denver
Yup, those times when Denver writers were on the pick are in the far-far land))). What has happened? I don't know, but I want back those spicy interviews be Shery McDonald, I want Mike Rudeen to write actual research paper, I want old Rocky Mountain News back!!!
September 17, 2009, session at the Colorado History Museum
I am not a journalist; I am a consumer of journalism's product. I attended the session on September 17, and I am glad that I did. It was a good session.
That said, I was disappointed that the discussions, both in the small group at the table where I sat and in the panel of experts, seemed to focus on the mechanics and financing of the media, while little concern was shown for the content of what the media provides to the consumer. I think that content is very much a factor in the creation of the perilous situation in which the media finds itself, even though content was not seriously discussed at the session.
(During the panel discussion, after someone had stated that perhaps the public was losing its trust in the media, Mr. Temple stated that the public's distrust of the media is a good thing. Unless he was simply trying to act as a gadfly, I think his statement was preposterous.)
I am thoroughly disgusted with the content of what the media provides to me; let me explain: We are facing serious economic problems at the city, state, national, and international levels; we are involved in two unbelievably costly (in lives, casualties, and dollars) and seemingly endless wars (that benefit no one other than those companies that supply the war machine); we are involved in a serious debate about our dysfunctional health care system and how to correct it, with tons of money being spent by the insurance carriers and the pharmaceutical companies to oppose serious reform; we have massive unemployment because of the actions of the financial giants of the country as we go through the worst recession in several generations; we are witnessing genocide in Darfur; we are seeing the development of nuclear weapons by a country that is our open adversary and has sworn to "wipe [a near-by country] off the map"; we are witnessing abject poverty, pandemic illness, and the denial of basic human rights in many countries; and what does the Denver Post regularly plaster -- complete with big graphics -- all over the front page of the front section both above and below the fold? What's happening with the Denver Broncos and the Colorado Rockies!
Notwithstanding that the Denver Post has a business section and a sports section (and I submit that the Broncos and the Rockies are basically businesses and arguably sports), the Post continues to put information about two local sports franchises (especially so if the Post can find or create a controversy about them) as the most important stories of the day. That is nothing more than a blatant insult to the intelligence of its readers. I am not that intelligent, but the Post has managed to find what little intelligence I have, and to insult it, with its hammering me with fluff instead of substantial and important news.
Similarly, the commercial electronic "news" media continue to hammer me with emphasis on violence, sex, gore, fear, and sensationalism, not to mention more than a small amount of unchallenged lies.
The reason I am saying this is that I believe that the poor choice of content emphasis in the media (think the endless media feeding frenzy over Jon Benet Ramsey), and not just in the Denver Post, may be an important factor in creating the difficult situation in which the media finds itself, but that factor was not really discussed at the session on September 17. If the local news media wants to ascertain all of the factors involved in their current difficult situation, perhaps they should look in the mirror.
Please consider this as my response to Josh Stearn's public statement that "It's time for us to stand up for the news we need." I agree with him wholeheartedly.
I'm sorry I didn't make it,
I'm sorry I didn't make it, but I am glad to see video of the event will be made available.