A gunman shot and killed five newsroom employees June 28th at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis. That tragedy, at a local, community paper which has been in business for nearly 300 years – yes, that’s older than the United States – has rattled newsrooms around the country.
While this event is unusual, it raises questions about the safety of reporters today, their purpose, and the significance and trustworthiness of local journalism. What is this new environment that journalists and newsrooms find themselves in – or has this possibility been there all along?
With us to explore the challenges of local journalism, the pitfalls, the limitations, and the mission:
Tim Buckland, Senior Government and Politics Reporter for StarNews Media; he also covers New Hanover County.
Rob Kaiser, Publisher of The Greater Wilmington Business Journal and Wilma; former business reporter for the Chicago Tribune
Ben Schachtman, Managing Editor, Port City Daily