Saving Local News: The Story of the Storm Lake Times

Date and Time

Monday, November 15, 2021
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm PT

Location

Virtual

About

PEN America has been sounding the alarm as a deluge of misinformation and partisan punditry have damaged public trust in journalism, threatening the foundation of our democracy. The urgency of saving ethical, local journalism is powerfully demonstrated in Storm Lake, the new documentary from Beth Levison and Jerry Risius premiering November 15 on PBS.

How can local journalism bring together a community in the face of division and public health disasters? Join us with Pulitzer-prize-winning editor Art Cullen, co-directors Jerry Risius and Beth Levison, and PEN America’s Program Director of Digital Safety and Free Expression Viktorya Vilk for an important conversation about how a small, family-run paper is keeping accountability alive while local outlets across the country die out. The conversation will be moderated by Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, Emmy Award-winning journalist and vice president of the Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.