Monday, May 4, 2009

May 27 2009 - Conference on Future and Sustainability of Journalism

Two universities are bringing together journalists, researchers, scholars, entrepreneurs, technologists, regulators and the public in Washington, D.C., on May 27 for a "critical convening" on the future and sustainability of journalism and America's newspapers. Topics to be covered include privacy, advertising, personalization and subscription networks for web news and services.

The conference, "From Gatekeeper to Information Valet: Workplans for Sustaining Journalism," is set for Wednesday, May 27, from 10am to 4pm at the downtown Washington, D.C., campus of The George Washington University. It will include findings from a new national survey tracking consumer attitudes toward privacy, commissioned by the Reynolds Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism, the principal organizer of the event.

"The news about the news is jarring," said Bill Densmore, a fellow at the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI). "It includes hearings on Capitol Hill, new ideas about charging for content, services that profoundly affect user privacy, huge business losses among icons of American journalism and thousands of layoffs."

Divided into fast-paced briefing and participatory work and news sessions, the conference will be staged in state-of-the-art Jack Morton Auditorium at GWU. All-day registration of $55 includes lunch and refreshments.

Participants will exchange the latest news and ideas about tools, systems and services likely to sustain the values, principles and purposes of independent journalism. Participants will organize briefings on key initiatives and technologies, stage a round of afternoon breakout sessions and then wrap up by considering what's been learned and what next steps are required. In addition, RJI will describe the planned formation of the Journalism Trust Innovation Engine (JTIA) -- a place, and ideas, around which journalism's supporters can stand up, partner, experiment, leave the gates behind, and begin sharing in a new information commons.

Other event details planned include a strategic overview of news-industry opportunities and challenges and discussion of the Information Valet Project, another Reynolds Institute project.

After lunch, Dr. Lee Wilkins, professor, Missouri School of Journalism, will discuss findings from a new national survey of public attitudes toward the sharing of private information via the web. Then Missouri graduate student Emily Sussman will document and discuss a 14-year history of efforts to "monetize" news and other web content. Other briefings will be provided by Charles Lewis, founder of the Center for Public Integrity, one of the earliest non-profit watchdog journalism organizations, and Prof. James Hamilton, of Duke University, an expert on the financing of news.

The event is public, but attendance is limited. For required online registration, go to http://www.journalismtrust.org. The George Washington University Inn is providing a special lodging rate for attendees.

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