http://www.northshoreoflongisland.com/Articles-i-2009-03-19-78874.112114-sub_News_literacy_critical_to_democracy.html
'News literacy critical to democracy' By Lee Lutzwrite the author March 19, 2009 | 12:46 PM "We must train the next generation of news consumers," said Howard Schneider, dean of the Stony Brook University School of Journalism. "They have to judge the credibility and reliability of information," he added, and such judgement is "crucial" to the future of our democracy. Schneider has been an advocate for news literacy for everyone — not just journalism students — since being named SBU's first J school dean in May of 2006. Toward that end, and demonstrating an influence unusual for a school so young, SBU's School of Journalism hosted a news literacy conference at the Wang Center last week, underwritten by the Ford Foundation and attracting heavy hitters in print and electronic journalism. Speakers included Arthur Sulzberger Jr., publisher of The New York Times, and panelists included former Nightline host Ted Koppel, now a senior news analyst for National Public Radio; Vivian Schiller, president and CEO of NPR; the presidents of Syracuse and Louisiana State universities and the chancellor of the University of Missouri. Andrew Heyward, the former president of CBS News, moderated one of the panel discussions during the three-day conference. Schneider said a "tsunami of information" from traditional outlets such as newspapers and network news programs and newer sources like the Internet and 24-hour cable news networks is "blurring the line" between news, press releases, public relations, blogs and Tweets. Without the ability to differentiate between reliable and questionable sources and stories, the public will be hamstrung in its ability to make informed choices, he argues. Schneider said the goals for the conference were to "share what we've learned, create a community of interest, and plan how to move forward." News Differ on issues, style, direction Employment help is at hand Rally for clean water this weekend Helicopter noise bill back Port Times Record Correction, clarification Halfway house has CO Two more candidates to enter PJ village race Man wanted for trespassing Village Times Herald School tax levy increase pegged at 3.32% for now Extras comments to this article letter to the editor about this article print this article "The news media is the largest continuing education institution in the world," Schneider said, but warned that without training in the critical consideration of news, citizens may be unable to discern the facts from the hype. Over 3,000 undergraduates at SBU, not just journalism students, have already taken the news literacy course at the university, Schneider said. He reported that over 120 people attended last week's inaugural news literacy conference, some coming from as far as Florida and California — and Bhutan, high in the Himalayas between India and Tibet. Siok Sian Pek-Dorji, executive director of the Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy and herself a writer and documentary film producer, presented a "Report From The Front" to the conference participants on Friday. Schneider said this week that Syracuse and LSU will begin news literacy programs of their own. Also — in what he described as a "proposal only" at this point, and still in need of a funding source — SBU would train 50 to 100 out-of-work journalists to teach news literacy at 25 or more universities across the country. In addition, Schneider said, the Ford Foundation has underwritten a two-week course in news literacy for high school teachers this summer at SBU. "On the whole," said Schneider, "we are very pleased with the results" of last week's conference. He said his J school is "certainly one of if not the key leader in driving this movement across the country." Support for the conference was also provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the McCormick Foundation, as well as Stony Brook University.by Lee Lutz [email protected] "We must train the next generation of news consumers," said Howard Schneider, dean of the Stony Brook University School of Journalism. "They have to judge the credibility and reliability of information," he added, and such judgement is "crucial" to the future of our democracy. Schneider has been an advocate for news literacy for everyone — not just journalism students — since being named SBU's first J school dean in May of 2006. Toward that end, and demonstrating an influence unusual for a school so young, SBU's School of Journalism hosted a news literacy conference at the Wang Center last week, underwritten by the Ford Foundation and attracting heavy hitters in print and electronic journalism. Speakers included Arthur Sulzberger Jr., publisher of The New York Times, and panelists included former Nightline host Ted Koppel, now a senior news analyst for National Public Radio; Vivian Schiller, president and CEO of NPR; the presidents of Syracuse and Louisiana State universities and the chancellor of the University of Missouri. Andrew Heyward, the former president of CBS News, moderated one of the panel discussions during the three-day conference. Schneider said a "tsunami of information" from traditional outlets such as newspapers and network news programs and newer sources like the Internet and 24-hour cable news networks is "blurring the line" between news, press releases, public relations, blogs and Tweets. Without the ability to differentiate between reliable and questionable sources and stories, the public will be hamstrung in its ability to make informed choices, he argues. Schneider said the goals for the conference were to "share what we've learned, create a community of interest, and plan how to move forward." "The news media is the largest continuing education institution in the world," Schneider said, but warned that without training in the critical consideration of news, citizens may be unable to discern the facts from the hype. Over 3,000 undergraduates at SBU, not just journalism students, have already taken the news literacy course at the university, Schneider said. He reported that over 120 people attended last week's inaugural news literacy conference, some coming from as far as Florida and California — and Bhutan, high in the Himalayas between India and Tibet. Siok Sian Pek-Dorji, executive director of the Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy and herself a writer and documentary film producer, presented a "Report From The Front" to the conference participants on Friday. Schneider said this week that Syracuse and LSU will begin news literacy programs of their own. Also — in what he described as a "proposal only" at this point, and still in need of a funding source — SBU would train 50 to 100 out-of-work journalists to teach news literacy at 25 or more universities across the country. In addition, Schneider said, the Ford Foundation has underwritten a two-week course in news literacy for high school teachers this summer at SBU. "On the whole," said Schneider, "we are very pleased with the results" of last week's conference. He said his J school is "certainly one of if not the key leader in driving this movement across the country." Support for the conference was also provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the McCormick Foundation, as well as Stony Brook University. ------------------------------------ -- INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTMedia mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. 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