Save the Date: Investigative Journalism in the Era of Facebook and “Fake News”
Can investigative journalism survive in the era of Facebook and “fake news?”Public interest in investigative reporting got a bump in late 2015 with the release of the movie called “Spotlight,” about the team at the Boston Globe that exposed sexual abuse by priests in the Boston Catholic Diocese.
The film depicted the reality of the task faced by the reporters and the care they took in pursuing the story.
Fast forward to 2017 and we have entered an era where the president of the United States daily berates journalists for reporting “fake news” — generating widespread mistrust of journalists — and digital giants like Facebook and Google are selecting news based on algorithms instead of trained editors, and swallowing up advertising revenue once coveted by traditional media.
Where is this going? Why should young men and women want to become journalists and how can sorely needed investigative reporting thrive in the decades ahead? Is investigative reporting falling off? Is it shifting to other journalism organizations? Has data crunching replaced shoe leather reporting?
The Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists invites you to attend a panel discussion focused on these questions and more on April 5, 2017.
WHAT: SPJ/LA’s panel discussion on investigative journalism in the era of Facebook and “fake news”
WHO: The panel moderated by SPJ/LA board member Joel Bellman will include:
Matt Doig, Los Angeles Times assistant managing editor for investigations
Joel Grover, NBC4 investigative reporter
Alexandra Berzon, Wall Street Journal investigative reporter
Vince Gonzales, professor of professional practice and coordinator of masters programs, USC Annenberg School of Journalism
WHEN: Wednesday, April 5, 2017. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.Panel discussion begins at 7 p.m.
WHERE: University of Southern California, Wallis Annenberg Hall, Room 1063502, Watt Way, Los Angeles, CA 90089
COST: Free and open to the public.
RSVP: Please RSVP at spjlosangeles@gmail.com
PARKING: Enter Gate 6 on Vermont Avenue at 36th Place to park in Lot A (a parking structure). Parking is $12.
CONTACT: Richard D. Hendrickson, Ph.D. (323) 806-1427 newsprof@mac.com