National Press Club Forum, Oct. 7
Journalism school to host National Press Club Forum on the future for journalism
The National Press Club and the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media are teaming up to look at the future of the news media and how to protect its core values.
The Oct. 7 National Press Club Centennial Forum will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the journalism school’s Carroll Hall auditorium. It is open to the public and admission is free.
The forum on “The First Amendment, Freedom of the Press and the Future of Journalism,” features some of the leading journalists and professionals shaping the news business, including:
Orage Quarles, publisher of the Raleigh News & Observer;
Penny Muse Abernathy, Carolina’s Knight Chair in Digital Media Economics who is a veteran reporter, editor and media executive with organizations including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal;
Deborah Potter, who runs NewsLab, a consulting service for television news departments; and
Jim Hefner, former vice president and general manager at WRAL-TV who joined the school’s faculty in July 2008.
Donna Leinwand, a USA Today correspondent, the press club’s vice president and a Carolina alumna, will moderate the panel.
“In these tumultuous times for journalism, we are gathering the best people we can find across the country to talk about how to adapt to the changes without sacrificing quality,” said NPC President Sylvia Smith.
“Good journalism is vital to achieving the ideals of democracy,” said Jean Folkerts, dean of UNC’s journalism school. “We have a responsibility to train the next generation journalists and to help lead the profession to economic viability in the new media environment.”
This forum is part of a nationwide conversation the National Press Club is holding during its 100th anniversary to look at where the news business is going and what news consumers should be demanding. This is one of 35 forums the Club is hosting this fall.
Information about coming forums and highlights of past events can be found on the press club’s Web site at www.press.org.
The event begins with a preview of the press club’s centennial documentary, “A Century of Headlines,” which follows the history of American journalism through the lens of one of its leading institutions. Everyone who attends this forum will get a copy of the documentary.
The NPC Centennial Forums program is sponsored by Aviva USA. In addition, the company is funding the production and distribution of 12,000 DVD copies of the “Century of Headlines” documentary and supplemental education materials.
Tom Godlasky, chief executive officer – Aviva North America, said, “Our partnership with the National Press Club is based on shared values and a belief that the First Amendment, freedom of speech and professional journalism are fundamental to democracy, personal freedom and free enterprise.”
The National Press Club is taking its programs across the nation to help promote the First Amendment and freedom of the press and to look at where the journalism profession is heading.
Contact Benji Cauthren for more information.