Fake News Blues

MARCH 20, 2017--On Monday, April 3, a panel of communication experts will examine the impact of fake news on the public's trust and confidence, how journalists and public relations professionals can restore and maintain trust, and the ethical obligations of both professions. The University of Delaware's Center for Political Communication Director Nancy Karibjanian will moderate the talk, which will take place at 7 pm in Mitchell Hall. The event is hosted by University of Delaware's Journalism Program and the Center for Political Communication, in partnership with the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Delaware Chapter.

Journalists and public relations professionals have developed a mutually beneficial, sometimes adversarial relationship in their separate missions to inform the public. But in recent months, broad distrust has risen on both sides, as President Donald Trump's spokespeople accuse the news media of bias, sabotage, and reporters push back on inaccurate information coming from the White House. The result is a confused, frustrated and further divided public.

The panel will discuss:

• The impact of the national showdown on the public's trust and confidence in government, media, and public relations professionals.
• Steps each profession can take to restore and maintain trust with each other and the public.
• Ethical obligations of journalists and public relations professionals, and how each profession can effectively manage intentional or unintentional breaches of trust.

The event is free and open to the community. To register, please visit www.bit.ly/fakenewsblues. Registration is preferred but not required. Call 302-831-7771 for more information.

The panelists include Charles Lewis (AS '75), founding executive editor of the Investigative Reporting Workshop at the American University School of Communication in Washington, D.C.; Nichole Dobo, staff writer and social media editor at The Hechinger Report; Jason Levine, editorial board editor and sports editor at The News Journal; and Leon Tucker, director of communications at the Delaware Department of Labor.

Charles Lewis (AS '75) was a producer for ABC News and CBS News 60 Minutes. The UD alum is now a professor and founding executive editor of the Investigative Reporting Workshop at the American University School of Communication in Washington, D.C. He founded the Center for Public Integrity and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. His book, 935 Lies: The Future of Truth and the Decline of America's Moral Integrity, was published in 2014.

​​Nichole Dobo is a staff writer and social media editor at the Hechinger Report. With more than 10 years of experience writing about education, her work has been published in the Los Angeles Times, the Atlantic's online edition, U.S. News and World Report, Mind/Shift, WHYY's NewsWorks, Slate, and in McClatchy newspapers. She has also covered government, courts, crime, business and religion and previously was a staff writer at the News Journal in Delaware.

​Leon Tucker is a communications expert whose background as a journalist has landed him in various roles over the course of his 20 years in the industry. He is director of communications at the Delaware Department of Labor. The veteran journalist began his career as a writer for newspapers in Miami, Boston, and Tennessee before coming to Delaware to serve as assistant city editor of the News Journal. Leon is the past president of the Delaware Chapter of PRSA.

Jason Levine is the editorial board editor and sports editor for the News Journal, where he has worked since 1998. He is a nationally honored writer and editor with more than 20 years of experience. Levine has expertise in digital and print media, social media, and branding. He specializes in managing and growing audiences on multiple digital platforms and analyzing online audience behavior.

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