‘Defending Democracy’ series to focus on press freedom, Sept. 12

Defending Democracy poster
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From NJ 11th for Change:

NJ 11th for Change to Host Second of Three-Part Series on Defending Key Democratic Institutions 

On Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018, NJ 11th for Change will present the second of its three-part Defending Democracy series, featuring award-winning journalist Jonathan Alter, journalist and Montclair State University associate professor Tara George, and Committee to Protect Journalists executive director Joel Simon.

The panel will be moderated by Julie Burstein, Peabody Award-winning radio producer, creator of WNYC’s Studio 360, and author.

WHAT: Panel discussion Defending Democracy, Part 2: The Importance of a Free Press

WHERE: Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair, 67 Church St., Montclair.

WHEN:Wednesday, Sept. 12, 7:00–9:00 pm

Registration is free, but is required here.  

Event Information:

Elected officials have historically had an ambivalent relationship with the press, often bristling at the scrutiny while simultaneously acknowledging the necessity of a vibrant and independent media to the health of our democracy.

With cries of “fake news” and “enemy of the people,” we’ve entered entirely new territory under the current Administration. We have a president who viciously attacks the press and eggs on his supporters to do the same.

NJ 11th for Change talk in Montclair  about press freedom  will feature (clockwise) journalist Jonathan Alter; moderator Julie Burstein; Joel Simon, Executive Director of the Committee to Protect Journalists; and Professor Tara George of Montclair State University.
NJ 11th for Change talk in Montclair about press freedom will feature (clockwise) journalist Jonathan Alter; moderator Julie Burstein; Joel Simon, Executive Director of the Committee to Protect Journalists; and Professor Tara George of Montclair State University.

These relentless assaults not only have the potential to intimidate journalists, spread disinformation, and undermine trust in the news, but also to put journalists in physical danger.

Like our other most fundamental institutions, our free press is tested during turbulent times when democratic norms are threatened. Fortunately, the American press today continues to prove its resilience, fulfilling its role as the “Fourth Estate” by vigilantly searching for the truth and holding the powerful to account.

It is up to us, in turn, to not only be vigilant in our intake of the news, but also to support and protect this vital institution.

Defending Democracy – Part 1 focused on the U.S. intelligence agencies. Part 3 (date and location TBD) will focus on the arts.

About the Speakers:

Jonathan Alter is an award-winning journalist, reporter, radio host, and author. He is a TV analyst for NBC News and MSNBC, and a columnist for the Daily Beast. He spent 28 years at Newsweek, and has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, The New Yorker and other publications.

Tara George is Head of Journalism and Television/Digital Media at Montclair State University. She was a reporter for the New York Daily News, and her work has appeared in The New York Times, New Jersey Monthly magazine and on NJTV, as well as internationally. As an educator, she’s trained hundreds of student journalists, and as a writer she’s explored the struggle in local news to find new models of sustainability.

Joel Simon is Executive Director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide and defends the right of journalists to report the news without fear of reprisal. His next book, We Want to Negotiate: Inside the Secret World of Kidnapping, Hostages and Ransom, will be published in January 2019.

Julie Burstein is a Peabody Award-winning radio producer, TED speaker, and author of Spark: How Creativity Works. Julie is the creator of WNYC’s Studio 360, and has spent her working life in conversation with highly creative artists, scientists and business professionals — creating live events and public radio programs about them and their work.

About NJ 11th for Change:

NJ 11th For Change is a 501(c)(4) grassroots, unaffiliated organization dedicated to advocating for all people of New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District. We foster an engaged and informed community that has the power to shape our political representation so that it reflects the values of fairness, compassion, inclusivity, and a decent quality of life. We demand transparency, responsiveness, and accountability from our representatives and promote an ongoing dialogue with our elected and appointed officials.

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