What is “the news” when covering law enforcement, and who decides what details we receive and how we receive them? Community members are invited to share their ideas and be a part of a facilitated discussion on this topic at 7 p.m. June 13 at Northcentral Technical College, the second in a series of “Beyond the Headlines” events.
Wausau Pilot and Review will participate in a future discussion in the series, slated for September.
This community dialogue on ‘Building Trust: Whose Story is it?’ will explore:
- How do headlines, breaking news and the first few sentences of a reported event frame the story and influence consumers?
- How do various outlets influence the public’s opinions?
- How does social media impact what is news, and how it is delivered and consumed?
Participants will hear from members of the local print and TV media and law enforcement, and will be able to work in small groups to prioritize a set of potential news stories – much like the local media does every day.
Local media and law enforcement presenters will be: Clayton Schulz, Everest Metro police chief; Robert Mentzer, USA Today Network – Wisconsin living and story telling editor; and Melissa Langbehn, WAOW News 9 TV anchor.
Registration, while not required, is appreciated, for planning purposes. To register for the June 13 event, go to wipps.org/bth/. To learn more about the full slate of speakers, sponsors and additional events around the state, go to BeyondTheHeadlinesWisconsin.org.
“In Wisconsin today, newspapers are struggling financially. People are getting less local news, and to make matters worse, many people fear that the news that they do receive – whether from social media or traditional media sources – may not be trustworthy,” said Dena Wortzel, executive director of the Wisconsin Humanities Council. “We launched Beyond the Headlines so that the public can meet members of the media face-to-face, and talk with journalists who work every day to bring information to the public on issues that affect our lives right here in Wisconsin.”
Beyond the Headlines is a project of the Wisconsin Humanities Council, in partnership with the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service, and other local media, law enforcement and citizen representatives in Wausau. It is funded in part by a grant from the Mellon Foundation, in partnership with the Pulitzer Prizes.
More community discussions with local law enforcement, media and community members in the “Building Trust” series will follow in June, September, October and November – in Wausau, Eau Claire, Milwaukee, and Superior.
