Jeremy Scahill (Photo by Jeff Vespa, WireImage)
Jeremy Scahill, internationally renowned journalist and author of New York Times bestseller “Blackwater” (2008) and “Dirty Wars” (2013), keynotes a daylong discussion titled “The Ethics of Politics and the Press.” This interdisciplinary and cross-partisan event brings together politicians and political actors from both sides of the aisle, the media, academics and lawyers including (among others): nationally recognized political communications scholars Lance Bennett and Natalie Stroud, KTVI (Channel 2) reporter Charles Jaco, Democratic St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura Jones, Republican Strategist Todd Abrajano and St. Louis Beacon Reporter Jason Rosenbaum, to discuss the fundamentally symbiotic and also deeply antagonistic relationship between those who occupy the halls of power and the free press. The conference will take place at the University of Missouri–St. Louis on Nov. 14 and is hosted by UMSL’s Center for Ethics in Public Life.
This conference will be “an important conversation with serious implications for the future of our democracy,” said former Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan.
Currently, new technologies and an explosion of ideologically biased media outlets are revolutionizing how citizens come to view the political situation and how politicians can run afoul of or manipulate the press, as well as side-step traditional media outlets entirely via their own social media channels. Additionally, recent events have called much-needed attention to the delicate balance of national security versus the ideal of an open society, as well as engendered a heated debate on the subject of a federal reporter shield law. CEPL’s conference serves to foster open and productive dialogues on these issues.
Sessions address questions such as:
- How politically biased are media outlets actually?
- How have new media (online and social networks) altered the political process?
- Should a federal law shield journalists from revealing their sources and being prosecuted for publishing classified information? And how do we define who is a journalist?
- How do we balance the ideal of an open society against national security?
The event is free to attend; however, registration is required. To register, please visit cepl.umsl.edu or call 314-516-5655.
The Center for Ethics in Public Life presents this conference in cooperation with the UMSL Political Science Department and the Public Policy Administration Program. Co-sponsors include: UMSL Public Policy Research Center, FOCUS St. Louis, STL Beacon, Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs, St. Louis Public Radio, East-West Gateway, and the Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life.
Media Coverage:
St. Louis Beacon
St. Louis Public Radio | 90.7 KWMU
