Ideas on Tap: Fake News: Making Our Way in Post-Fact America
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
The Barley House Restaurant & Tavern, Concord
Why Does It Matter?
Misinformation, disinformation, and political rhetoric are not new, but is this more acute today than in the past? We are overwhelmed by information and the inexhaustable number of news sources that bring it to us. In this program we looked at the impact of “fake news” and how we as citizens can remain educated, thoughtful, discerning consumers of information. Click the video link (above right) for a glimpse of the Fake News program.
The Big Questions...
• What is fake news? How do you define it for yourself?
• How do you identify what’s fake and what’s not?
• Is fake news really new or different from what we’ve seen before?
• What impact does fake news have on civic engagement?
• Is reporting on fake news amplifying the problem?
• Are we drawing more attention to it by... drawing attention to it?
• How do we balance the benefit of free speech against the burden of propaganda?
• What are your top three tips for evaluating sources and information?
Moderator
Erika Janik, Executive Producer, NH Public Radio
Erika Janik fell into radio after volunteering at Wisconsin Public Radio to screen listener calls. She co-founded and was the executive producer of “Wisconsin Life” on Wisconsin Public Radio for seven years. Trained as a historian, she’s the author of six books, including Pistols and Petticoats: 175 Years of Lady Detectives in Fact and Fiction, and freelances for a variety of publications. She has an M.A. in American history and an M.A. in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Panelists
Mark Timney, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Journalism, Keene State College
Mark Timney has over 25 years of professional media experience and has won national awards as a mass communicator and educator. Before accepting his position at Keene State College, Mark worked as a television reporter, producer, and news anchor. He has also been director of public relations for a hospital, a freelance magazine and Internet writer, and operator of his own public relations and advertising company. He earned his M.S. in journalism and Ph.D. in mass communication from Ohio University. When he isn’t at Keene State you might find him attempting an extreme sport that he is too old for.
Wilbur Glahn III, Esq., Director, Litigation Department, McLane Middleton
Bill has practiced at the firm for more than 37 years. In his more than 45 years of litigation experience he has handled nearly all aspects of commercial and business litigation in the state and federal courts. He has argued dozens of cases in the NH Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Bill is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and has consistently been ranked as one of the top five commercial trial lawyers in NH. Bill received his J.D. from the University of Chicago School of Law and his B.A., with honors, from Trinity College.
Tiffany Eddy, Principal, Tiffany Eddy & Associates
Tiffany Eddy & Associates is an award-winning agency specializing in strategic communications, crisis management, media training, and public relations. Tiffany spent nearly two decades as a broadcast journalist, taking complex issues and synthesizing them into understandable concepts for a large audience. She has been honored with the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award and is a three-time Emmy nominee whose work has been recognized for excellence by two NH Governors. She now works with clients on multiple platforms to assess their specific needs and execute the best plan to communicate their message.
2018-2019 Ideas on Tap series generously sponsored by
For more information about Ideas on Tap, please contact Dr. Tricia Peone, Program Manager, at 603-224-4071, ext. 115 or tpeone@nhhumanities.org.
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