Saving the News: Denver and the Future of Journalism

Earlier this year, the debate over the future of journalism in America hit home in Denver when the 150-year-old Rocky Mountain News closed its doors. However, Denver has also emerged as a vibrant testing ground where journalists and citizens are launching innovative new projects and debating what it will take to save the news.

On Sept. 16, you can join the debate. SaveTheNews.org is hosting a policy roundtable and forum on the future of journalism that will bring together concerned citizens, journalists, policymakers and community leaders to discuss what policies we need — and what actions we can take — to foster quality journalism.

• Polly Baca, Co-Chair of the Colorado Latino Forum and a former State Senator
• Laura Frank, award-winning investigative reporter for the Rocky Mountain News, and co-founder of the Rocky Mountain Investigative News Network
• Wick Rowland, President and CEO of Colorado Public Television, KBDI-TV/12
• David Sirota, Political journalist, nationally syndicated weekly newspaper columnist and bestselling author
• John Temple, former editor, president and publisher of the Rocky Mountain News and vice president/news for E.W. Scripps Co.
• Craig Aaron, senior program director, Free Press
• And more...

Check back here often for updates - we'll be posting more details as the event draws near.

Draft Agenda:

• 6:30 - Opening Remarks, Presentations from Policymakers
• 6:45 - Community Forum: Journalism and Policy in Denver and beyond
• 7:45 - Policy Roundtable: Strategies to Save the News
• 8:45 - Q&A with Panelists

Journalism and nonprofit leaders from all over Denver will be on hand to lead in-depth discussions about the issues facing the future of news. Topics will include:

• Who's a Journalist: Press Credentialing & Public Policy - John Tomasic, Colorado Independent
• Social Media and the News: A Networked Vision for News - Jen Caltrider and Alan Franklin, Progress Now
• New Commercial Models: How should we pay for news? - Steve Outing, author of “Stop The Presses!” for Editor & Publisher Online
• From Denver to DC: Media Policy and Journalism - Chance Williams, Media and Democracy Coalition
• Reimagining News and Public Media - Wick Rowland, KBDI
• Participatory Journalism: Of the People, For the People - Tony Shawcross, Denver Open Media & Adrienne Russell, University of Denver
• Journalism Education and Media Literacy - Andrew Calabrese, University of Colorado at Boulder
• After the Rocky: Lessons from the Experiments So Far - Steve Foster and Cindy House, Rocky Mountain Independent
• What Does Internet Policy Have to Do with the Future of News - Elena Nunez & Jenny Flanagan, Colorado Common Cause
• Form Follows Function: Alternative Funding Models for News - Lark Corbeil, Public News Service
• Holding Local Media Accountable - Bill Menezes
• Supporting Investigative Journalism at the Local Level - Wendy Norris, Fellow, Knight Digital Media Center News Entrepreneur Program
• Jobs and Journalism: Labor and the Future of News - Tracy Simmons
• The Future Journalism and Newsroom Diversity - TBD

We are at a critical juncture, and policymakers need to hear your vision for the future of news. With the changes facing our media comes a unique opportunity to re-imagine the structures and policies needed for critical journalism to thrive.

Directions and Parking: For a map of the local area around the museum, visit the Museum website.

Parking is available at the Cultural Center Parking Garage at 12th Avenue and Broadway. Open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Unattended lots and metered parking spaces are within walking distance. Handicapped accessible parking is available in the garage and along 13th and 14th Avenues.