The Profession of Journalism Is in Crisis, with Bernard Starr and Richard Schiffman

The Profession of Journalism Is in Crisis, with Bernard Starr and Richard Schiffman This session replaces Politics 2024 just for Feb 15.
February 15, 2024 @ 1:00-2:15pm

Venerable publications have been shutting down, many others are downsizing. Standards of fairness and objectivity are being challenged by increasingly partisan reporting. In addition, the proliferation of information sources online means that more people than ever are getting their news from alternative sources. Is this "democratization" of information a good thing, or will it lead to permanent polarization of society into warring camps that don't just have different opinions but different sets of facts? Bernard and Richard are veteran journalists who have observed these changes first hand. In this session they will discuss what they think these changes mean and how journalism is likely to adapt in the future. Please come prepared to share your views and observations. Are you optimistic or feeling discouraged about the future of news? Bernie is Prof. Emeritus, CUNY, a psychologist and gerontologist; he has published 400 articles with several prominent news services and publications, including a syndicated column. Richard is a reporter specializing in health and the environment, a poet and author of two biographies. His journalism has appeared in The NY Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Scientific American, on NPR, and many other publications. His latest poetry collection is What the Dust Doesn't Know.