July 1 – “Whither the Press”

The fourth of the seven Unitarian Universalist principles speaks to the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. A free and strong press seems a key prerequisite to effectively accomplish pursuit of that principle. But the mainstream American press in many ways is under siege in 2018, relentlessly attacked as biased – or “fake.” The media also is facing challenges caused by the increasing fragmentation of audiences sorting themselves into ideological echo chambers. At the same time, disruption of its economic models threatens the industry’s capacity to continue to create high-quality journalism. Against that backdrop, I will talk about the past, present and challenging future of the American press. Paul is Editor and publisher of The Capital Times and FUS member.

The Heartland Marimba Ensemble will play the musical offerings.

Paul Fanlund