Contact:
Rod Hicks, SPJ Journalist on Call, 317-954-0025, rhicks@spj.org
Ashlynn Neumeyer, SPJ Communications Coordinator, 317-361-4133, aneumeyer@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS — The Society of Professional Journalists will hold a series of summer webinars on media trust topics targeted to college students who are preparing to begin journalism careers.

The sessions will feature prominent guests, including David McCraw, deputy general counsel for The New York Times; Amna Nawaz, senior national correspondent for PBS NewsHour; Katrice Hardy, executive editor of the Indianapolis Star; and Joy Mayer, director of TrustingNews.org. SPJ Journalist on Call Rod Hicks organized the series and will moderate all five sessions.

"Rod Hicks has put together a master class about journalism that will benefit any student aiming for a place in the media world," SPJ National President Patricia Gallagher Newberry said. "If they want real truth about how the public perceives the media; about the place of bias, opinion and trust in the news; and about why it's vital to learn to cover communities of color, they'll get that and more from Rod and his line-up of super smart guests."

The series will kick off Tuesday with a discussion of how and why the press lost so much of the public’s trust and end Aug. 25 with suggestions for journalists and news organizations to reclaim it. The sessions, held on Tuesday afternoons, will deal with a different topic each week, including coverage of communities of color, perceptions of bias in news coverage and how to identify credible sources.

“I want new journalists to know what they’re about to get into,” Hicks said. “I want them to know the press isn’t universally loved by the people it reports for but also that there’s a role each journalist can play to help turn that around. This profession can be very rewarding, and consistently producing accurate, fair stories in an ethical manner will enhance its credibility over time.”

The sessions are free, however, registration is required. College students who attend at least four of the five sessions in the series will receive a Media Trust Seminar completion certificate.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

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