Event Description

Event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Register here.

Journalism plays a vital role in a democracy—a free press is among the first institutions to be gutted in an autocracy—and a thriving press is a sign of civic health. But dramatically falling revenue, the decimation of smaller newspapers, and an increasing reliance on the whims of a few social media companies for reach has thrown the industry into turmoil.

Worse, public trust in journalists has become deeply polarized. According to a 2017 Gallup poll, 72% of Democrats say they have a “great deal or fair amount” of trust in the media. Republicans? 14%.

Are journalists simply neutral fact-finders, or is there good reason for this mistrust? Does the media lean liberal? Are the struggles journalists face just growing pains as they adjust to a new digital age, or signs of a slow death? How seriously should we take some of President Trump’s threats to journalists? Should we fear censorship or First Amendment curtailments?

Join us as we examine the state of the news, featuring: Western Washington University Journalism professors, Carolyn Nielsen and Betsy O’Donovan; and Bellingham Herald reporter, Kie Relyea. Moderated by former New York Times reporter and Pulitzer Prize nominee, Claudia Rowe.

This event is part of our statewide series, “Moment of Truth: Journalism and Democracy in an Age of Misinformation.”

We thank The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for their generous support of this initiative and the Pulitzer Prizes for their partnership.