The College of Idaho will host a number of local media representatives to examine the changing landscape of the 21st century media in the wake of “fake news,” social media influence and anti-media attitudes. The forum is entitled “Mediated Lives: The Future of Media in American Society” and will take place at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 2.
The forum will feature five representatives with decades of journalism experience between them, including current KIVI-TV Channel 6 news anchor Michelle Edmonds, Idaho Press-Tribune editor Scott McIntosh, Boise State Public Radio host Samantha Wright, C of I journalism professor and department chair Alan Minskoff and former KIVI-TV journalist/anchor and current C of I marketing and communications director Joe Hughes.
The event will be moderated by Paul Bennion, C of I vice president for student affairs and dean of students, and David Douglass, C of I vice president for academic affairs and dean of faculty. It will be hosted in the Shannon Lounge of the Kathryn Albertson International Center on the C of I’s campus.
Douglass said the upcoming session on media comes after two previous forums this school year on similarly timely issues, immigration and gun rights. He said the positive reception of the previous forums also came with a range of suggestions for future events, which helped inspire the need for a forum on media issues.
“Increasingly, media of various types are present in all facets of our lives, and they influence our values and decisions,” Douglass said. “Accordingly, understanding media should be a priority, and this panel aims to dispel myths and provide some useful information for surviving in a modern mediated world.”
Minskoff said he hoped those who attend the forum will come away with a more nuanced view of their own media consumption, as well as a better idea of media literacy.
“I hope this will get people thinking about where they get their news, and how they can better determine from their sources what’s accurate and what’s not,” Minskoff said. “How we analyze what matters and how we understand what actually is news is a major focus of what we’ll be talking about.”
The panel is free to attend for both the campus community and the general public. Light refreshments will be provided.
The College of Idaho has a 127-year-old legacy of excellence. The C of I is known for its outstanding academic programs, winning athletics tradition and history of producing successful graduates, including seven Rhodes Scholars, three governors and countless business leaders and innovators. Its distinctive PEAK Curriculum challenges students to attain competency in the four knowledge peaks of humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and a professional field—empowering them to earn a major and three minors in four years. The College’s close-knit, residential campus is located in Caldwell, where its proximity both to Boise and to the world-class outdoor activities of southwest Idaho’s mountains and rivers offers unique opportunities for learning beyond the classroom. For more information, visit www.collegeofidaho.edu.