The National Press Club Comes to Minneapolis
The National Press Club, the world’s leading professional organization for journalists, and the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication‘s Minnesota Journalism Center are teaming up to look at the future of the news media and how to protect its core values.
The Nov. 17 event will begin at 7:00 p.m. at the University’s Coffman Memorial Union on the east bank of the Minneapolis campus. The event is free and open to the public. Parking information is available at http://www1.umn.edu/twincities/maps/CMU/CMU-map.html.
This NPC Centennial Forum on The First Amendment, Freedom of the Press and the Future of Journalism will feature leading Minnesota journalists: Nancy Barnes, editor and senior vice president, Minneapolis Star Tribune ; Thom Fladung, editor and vice president, St. Paul Pioneer Press; Joel Kramer, chief executive officer and editor, MinnPost; and Nora Paul, director, University of Minnesota Institute for New Media Studies. The panel will be moderated by Alan Bjerga, a Bloomberg News correspondent, the Club’s treasurer, and a University of Minnesota alum.
“In these tumultuous times for journalism, the Club is pleased to have such a prominent group of Minnesota journalists join us at the university,” said NPC president Sylvia Smith.
“We are honored to host this NPC forum for the regional community. We can’t think of a more important topic for those who care about the role of journalism in sustaining a representative democracy,” said professor Kathleen Hansen, director of the Minnesota Journalism Center.
This forum is part of a nationwide conversation the National Press Club is holding during its 100th anniversary to look at where the news business is going and what news consumers should be demanding. Schedules and video highlights of forums in other states can be found on the Club’s Web site: www.press.org.
During the same week as the University of Minnesota event, the Club will be holding forums at Arizona State University on Nov. 17, at San Diego State University on Nov. 18, with the San Diego Press Club and with the Los Angeles Press Club on Nov. 19.
The event begins with a preview of the Club’s centennial documentary, “The National Press Club: A Century of Headlines,” which follows the history of American journalism through the lens of one of its leading institutions. Everyone who attends this forum will get a copy of the documentary.
The NPC Centennial Forums program is sponsored by Aviva USA, one of the nation’s fastest-growing life insurers (www.AvivaUSA.com). In addition, the company is funding the production and distribution of 12,000 DVD copies of the “The Century of Headlines” documentary and supplemental education materials. Tom Godlasky, chief executive officer, Aviva North America, said, “Our partnership with the National Press Club is based on shared values and a belief that the First Amendment, freedom of speech and professional journalism are fundamental to democracy, personal freedom and free enterprise.”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Gil Klein – National Press Club Centennial project director, 703-338-2721. E-mail gklein@press.org.
Jen Keavy – communications manager, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, 612-625-8095. E-mail jkeavy@umn.edu
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB
The National Press Club is the world’s leading professional organization for journalists. Founded in 1908, the Club has 3,700 members representing most major news organizations. Each year, the Club holds more than 2,000 events including news conferences, luncheons and panels, and more than 250,000 guests come through its doors.
ABOUT THE MINNESOTA JOURNALISM CENTER
The Minnesota Journalism Center was established in 1979 through a gift to the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication from the late John Cowles, Sr., chairman of the Minneapolis Star and Tribune Company, and his wife, the late Elizabeth Bates Cowles. The Center’s purpose is to improve the practice of journalism, promote interaction between media professionals and the academy, and serve as the outreach arm of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
2008 SCHEDULE OF NATIONAL PRESS CLUB FORUMS
May 23, Washington D.C.
June 4, Chicago, Ill.
Sept. 9 Denver, Co.
Sept. 15, Washington, D.C. with two-way satellite communication with West Virginia University.
Sept. 18 Syracuse, N.Y.
Sept. 22 Providence, R.I.
Sept. 22 Kingston, R.I.
Sept. 23 Boston, Mass.
Sept. 25 Northfield, Vt.
Oct. 1 New Orleans, La.
Oct. 3 Birmingham, Ala.
Oct. 6 Richmond, Va.
Oct. 6 College Park, Md.
Oct. 7 Chapel Hill, N.C.
Oct. 8 Columbia, S.C.
Oct. 14 Atlanta, Ga.
Oct. 16 New York, N.Y.
Oct. 21 Portland, Ore.
Oct. 22 Seattle, Wash.
Oct. 23 Spokane, Wash.
Oct. 27 Columbia, Mo.
Oct. 29 Des Moines, Iowa
Oct. 30 Milwaukee, Wis.
Nov. 6 Salt Lake City, Utah
Nov. 10 Washington D.C. Webcast to the University of Alaska (Anchorage and Fairbanks) University of Nebraska, University of Idaho, University of South Dakota, and University of Montana
Nov 12 Cleveland, Ohio
Nov. 13 Norman, Okla.
Nov. 13 Houston, Tex.
Nov. 17 Phoenix, Ariz.
Nov. 17 Minneapolis, Minn.
Nov. 18 San Diego, Ca.
Nov. 19 Los Angeles, Ca.
Nov. 19 Philadelphia, Pa.
Dec. 2 Indianapolis, Ind.
Dec. 3 Ann Arbor, Mich.
Dec. 8 Naples, Fla.
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