About this Event
What Works: The Future of Local News
Moderated by Dan Kennedy and Ellen Clegg
Local news is in crisis. Yet meaningful participation in civic life––and democracy as a whole––is impossible without it. In their 2024 book , veteran journalists Ellen Clegg and Dan Kennedy cut through the pessimism surrounding this issue, showing the public that new, innovative journalism models are popping up across the country.
Join Clegg and Kennedy for an inspiring conference aimed at solving the local news crisis, and putting the lessons learned from What Works into action. The event will offer a space for local news leaders to connect, collaborate, and discuss the challenges in their work. In a series of 50-minute sessions, Clegg and Kennedy will moderate panel discussions with experts on data storytelling, audience engagement, nonprofit newsrooms, collaborations between student journalists and communities, and more. There will be a book presentation and signing at lunch.
This event is co-sponsored by the School of Journalism; the Center for Communication, Media Innovation, and Social Change; and the CAMD Dean’s Office.
Transportation:
Parking is available in Renaissance Park Garage.
Northeastern University is accessible via the Green Line, Orange Line, and several bus routes. Plan your trip here.
Agenda:
9:00 AM - Coffee & Breakfast
10:00 AM - Panelist Session I (50 minutes) - “Student Reporters, Community Journalism: How Universities Can Build Partnerships to Help Fill the Local News Gap”
11:00 AM - Panelist Session II (50 minutes) - “What Do the Numbers Say? Bringing Data Storytelling and Visualization to Local News”
12:00 PM - Lunch
12:30 PM - Book talk and Q&A with Dan Kennedy and Ellen Clegg
2:00 PM - Panelist Session III (50 minutes) - “Innovations in Local TV News: Lessons from GenZ That Can Help Build Your Audience”
3:00 PM Panelist Session IV (50 minutes) - “Building a Nonprofit Campaign: How Local News Organizations Can Improve Their Visibility and Audience Engagement”
4:00 PM - Drinks & Mingle - Mingle with colleagues, hors d'oeuvres and an open bar after the conference. Northeastern students will be tabling and sharing information about work they've done while on journalism co-ops.
About the hosts:
Ellen Clegg and Dan Kennedy are the co-authors of What Works in Community News, a case study-based book that shows readers how new, innovative journalism models are popping up across the country to fill news deserts and empower communities. Their website, WhatWorks.News, tracks developments in local news and is the home of their podcast.
Ellen Clegg was previously the Editorial Page Editor of The Boston Globe. During her tenure as Editorial Page Editor, writers on her staff won the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing and the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. She is also the cofounder and co-chair of Brookline.News, a nonprofit digital news startup in Brookline.
Dan Kennedy is a professor at Northeastern University’s School of Journalism, specializing in opinion journalism, media ethics and the future of local news. From 2007 to 2022, he wrote a weekly column on media and politics, first for The Guardian and later for GBH News. His blog, Media Nation, is a nationally recognized source of news and commentary.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
EXP at Northeastern University, 8th floor, 815 Columbus Avenue, Boston, United States
USD 0.00