Michelle Ferrier, associate professor of communcations, moderated conversations on the evolving media ecosystem and how a new journalism may emerge from media innovations and new practices.
Michelle Ferrier co-facilitated an unconference gathering called “Journalism is Dead, Long Live Journalism” with Journalism That Matters colleagues Stephen Silha and Peggy Holman in Denver on April 3-4. Attendees created the agenda, which included topics on the sustainability of journalism, media deserts and the creation of a national media corps.
Ferrier is vice president of Journalism That Matters (JTM). More than 70 journalists, technologists, librarians and activists joined JTM at the Estlow Center at the University of Denver to discuss the new news ecology and the practices that must evolve to sustain journalism through this digital transition.
Ferrier interviewed Laura Frank, executive director of I-News, the Rocky Mountain Investigative News Network, and the evolution of her idea in the aftermath of the demise of several local papers. Frank discussed how her organization’s recent merger with Rocky Mountain PBS expanded the reach of I-News stories to a broader audience.
Ferrier also hosted two conference sessions, one on the Media Deserts Project, a research effort to map the media ecosystem using geographic information systems and the development of a media corps of new and skilled journalists and community members to help fill in the gaps where legacy newspapers have died.
During the closing session, Ferrier facilitated a conversation regarding new journalism principles and practices that if enacted, would transform the practices of journalism. They include:
- Nourishing community engagement is journalism’s bedrock purpose.
- We are committed to putting engagement at the center of our work.
- We choose to produce diverse, healthy, fresh news that nurtures community to conversation or action.
The work continues to evolve at: http://journalismthatmatters.org/newjournalism/