myLoyalist
Home Campus News LOYALIST COLLEGE JOURNALISM & COMMUNICATIONS FACULTY MEMBERS TO HOST PUBLIC FORUM ON LOCAL NEWS IN NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, MARCH 20

LOYALIST COLLEGE JOURNALISM & COMMUNICATIONS FACULTY MEMBERS TO HOST PUBLIC FORUM ON LOCAL NEWS IN NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, MARCH 20

February 21, 2018

Belleville, Ontario, February 21, 2018 – In an effort to enhance the quality and delivery of local news, faculty members from Loyalist College’s Journalism & Communications program invite the community of Northumberland County to take part in a Local News Forum.

The event offers an opportunity to engage in a conversation around how to strengthen local news coverage, particularly following the November 2017 closure of Northumberland Today newspaper, which served Port Hope, Cobourg, Hamilton Township, Alnwick Haldimand Township and the Township of Cramahe.

Building on the momentum of their September 2017 Public Forum on Local News in the Bay of Quinte, Loyalist faculty members, along with other journalists and community volunteers, are committed to making coverage better and to shaping the future of news in the community.

“This public forum is part of an ongoing effort by a group of individuals who are dedicated to strengthening local journalism in Northumberland County,” said Robert Washburn, Loyalist College faculty. “We’re hoping our efforts will assist this initiative and it will lead to innovation and deeper understanding of what can be done to build a more sustainable model for quality journalism that helps to make the community better.”

In attendance will be newsroom leaders from Northumberland County’s major news providers such as the Northumberland News, 93.3 myFM (My Broadcasting Corporation) and Northumberland 89.7 FM. (Truly Local Radio), The Now News Network, among others.

What:              Public Forum on Local News in Northumberland County

Where:            Concert Hall at Victoria Hall
                        55 King Street West
                        Cobourg

When:             Tuesday, March 20    
                        7 pm

Those unable to attend are encouraged to share their opinions through a survey hosted on local news blog Consider This (consider-this.ca) until April 30.


Additional Information:

The Shattered Mirror: News, Democracy and Trust in the Digital Age’ report covers the breakdown of the business model that previously sustained Canadian journalism; the rise of digital powerhouses like Facebook as the main way many of us now access news; the explosion of ‘fake news;’ and the diminishing ability of journalism to fulfill its civic function in an era of cutbacks and shrinking newsrooms. It also navigates the state of local news and finds that many of the issues mentioned above are having a real impact on the quality of journalism in communities across Canada.

About Loyalist College

Located on more than 200 acres in the beautiful Bay of Quinte region, Loyalist College is a close-knit community where students and their success come first. Loyalist provides personalized attention in small classes, rewarding field placements and superior student services. To prepare students for in-demand careers, Loyalist offers more than 65 full-time programs; apprenticeships; and hundreds of online, distance and in-class courses, as well as opportunities for continuing education through more than 70 university transfer agreements. The College’s wide selection of advanced diplomas, diplomas and certificates aligns with market-driven disciplines including applied sciences, biosciences, building sciences, business and management studies, health sciences, human studies, justice studies, media, arts and design, and skills and technology. In Ontario, the College’s new Digital Media Centre and The Bay of Quinte Skills Centre, which is LEED® Silver certified, are training centres of choice for students, as well as College business and industry partners. The College is a key driver of the social and economic health and prosperity of the area and contributes 5.4 percent to the Gross Regional Product. This represents an overall effect on the regional economy of $530 million annually – based on a 2014 Report by Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI). For more information on the College’s Belleville and Bancroft campuses and Port Hope satellite location, visit loyalistcollege.com.

 

-30-

Contact: Robert Washburn, Journalism & Communications faculty, Loyalist College,
rwashburn@loyalistcollege.com, 613-969-1913 ext. 2157

Categories: