BRATTLEBORO — On Wednesday, March 23, at 7 p.m., Vermont Independent Media (VIM), publisher of The Commons , will host an online panel discussion and question-and-answer session with Vermont publishers and editors and local journalism students and interns about saving our broken system of journalism.
Topics of discussion include: What are our young people learning about journalism...is it enough? Why are young people getting involved in journalism? What issues do they face from parents and principals who might be uncomfortable with controversial subjects being discussed? How does that impact freedom of the press issues? What do they need to know about opinion writing? Who's in charge of what they can write? What are they learning about digital versus print publication? What programs exist to help educate and train a new class of journalists?
Panelists include: Jeff Potter, editor, The Commons; Tim Calabro, editor and publisher, The Herald of Randolph; Austin Mallan and Grace Waryas of Bellows Falls Union High School, both reporters for the school's news site, The Howler; Nancy Olson, retired head of the English department at Brattleboro Union High School.
The discussion will be moderated by Stu Strothman, the managing editor and advisor of The Howler.
This discussion represents one of a series of events VIM has been producing around media education as part of its Media Mentoring Project, according to Lynn Barrett, VIM board president.
VIM's founders envisioned a forum for community participation and media education that would build media skills among residents, students and the disenfranchised, and to reach these audiences through public workshops and special events.
Registration is required to attend. Email VIM Board Member Geoff Burgess at geoffburgess2@gmail.com for the Zoom link, or for more information.