Conversation continues about 'Vanishing' newspapers

The Media Center recently hosted a free public webcast, The Vanishing Newspaper: Survival and Public Service in the Age of We Media, and the discussions are still continuing.

The event looked at how historic mass-media institutions can use new communications trends and tools to make credibility and public service once again integral parts of their mandate, thereby turning threat into the means by which the business model transforms into one more suitable for the connected society.

Presenters included Phil Meyer (UNC, Chapel Hill), Mary Lou Fulton (Bakersfield Californian), Stefan Dill (Santa Fe New Mexican) and Tim Porter (Tomorrow's Workforce) and was hosted by Jeff Jarvis (advance.net and Buzzmachine.com).

Several universities set up special rooms for groups of students to be able to participate and a journalist in Shanghai informed The Media Center that he planned on using the archive for a special discussion at the Foreign Correspondents Club.

"The panel," wrote Antonia Zerbisias in the Toronto Star, "brought together five media visionaries who, along with moderator Jeff Jarvis, made it clear that the industry is at a crossroads."

For the archive, and links to the latest postings from the blog, go to http://www.mediacenter.org/webcast/march/2005/