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How social media ate news media’s lunch, and what to do about it

caption: Left to right: Paul Constant, Peter Jackson, Clifford Clawthon and Adrienne Russell at Town Hall Seattle.
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Left to right: Paul Constant, Peter Jackson, Clifford Clawthon and Adrienne Russell at Town Hall Seattle.
KUOW Photo/John O'Brien

It’s a brave new world for news media. The advertising revenue that kept newspapers afloat has dwindled. Reporters are being laid off.

People get their news online from various sources, some with less than journalistic standards. The so-called fourth estate, a crucial aspect of democracy, has lost the trust of many Americans.

To address Seattle’s experience of a shifting news business, Town Hall Seattle presented this Civics Series panel discussion called The Media Is Dying, in partnership with Fuse Washington on July 11.

Former Stranger editor Paul Constant served as moderator. The panelists include University of Washington professor Adrienne Russell, Bellevue College professor Clifford Cawthon and journalist Peter Jackson.

Why you can trust KUOW