This month's topic - Media and Democracy in the Digital Age
Journalism is in crisis. The digital age has not been kind to the traditional news organization. Easy availability of free online content has eroded the revenue base of the old print advertising model, pushing many well established outlets towards eventual insolvency and bankruptcy. News outlets have reacted in varying ways to these headwinds. In some cases they have consolidated into media behemoths, like Disney, Viacom and New Corp. They have shifted to more “infotainment” stories and away from expensive in-depth reporting to meet cost pressures. We have also seen the proliferation of partisan outlets that openly disavow objectivity for opinion journalism, catering exclusively to a stable loyal audience.
These changes are transforming the media’s public role as the Fourth Estate acting as a check on power. One such transformation is already apparent in the recent UK hacking scandal. Far from acting as a check on power, News Corp subsidiaries acted as power brokers colluding with corrupt police officers and duplicitous politicians in pursuit of profits, at the expense of the public’s right to privacy. Many are now looking to new digital platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Wikileaks to usher in a new era of greater transparency and citizen journalism. Others worry that these platforms cannot do what the traditional news organizations can. After all, the hacking scandal was not exposed by citizen journalists on Facebook or Twitter. It was relentless hard-nose reporting by another newspaper, The Guardian that brought the scandal to light.
Discussion Questions:
1) What are the consequences media consolidation? Does it undermine the independence of the press?
2) Do citizen journalists have a place in the media's role in democracy? What are the consequences of niche media like right-wing and left wing outlets? Does this lead to greater political polarization? Or is this a necessary balancing process?
3) How can or should journalism be funded?
Articles for Discussion
1) "Scandal Stirs U.S. Debate on Big Media" by Brian Stelter, New York Times, July 19, 2011
2) "Britain's Scandal, Private Media, and Public Interests" Interview of Nicholas Lemann, Dean of the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University, Council on Foreign Relations, July 28, 2011
3) "Funding Journalism in a Digital Age" by Magda Abu-Fadil, Huffington Post, August 1, 2010
4) "Julian Assange and the New Wave", The Economist, July 7, 2011
Bring your opinion and an open mind! Doors will open at 6:15 PM, during which relevant articles will be distributed. However, we encourage you to read the articles online beforehand (see above). Introductions will begin at 6:30 PM. Discussion of the topic and articles will begin promptly at 6:35 PM and will last until 8:00 PM.
This event was developed by members of the World Affairs Council's Young Professionals International Forum (IF) -- a volunteer subcommittee of young professionals with a passion for international affairs. To learn about other IF events and ways to get involved, please join our Facebook Page or our Email List.
Introduction: 6:30 PM, Discussion: 6:35-8:00 PM
Please register at
http://www.itsyourworld.org/assnfe/ev.asp?ID=3036&SnID=287846603
