In an age where breaking news on crises from climate change to political developments is incessant, the constant flow of information from various sources has paradoxically led to disengagement rather than energizing us. This relentless news stream leaves many citizens feeling overwhelmed and unable to process it all. As a result, their capacity to assess situations, make informed decisions, and actively participate in collective decision-making is compromised.
News becoming a spectacle turns citizens into spectators, raising concerns about its impact on democratic engagement. To address these pressing issues, the SNF Dialogues, curated and moderated by Anna-Kynthia Bousdoukou (iMEdD Managing Director, SNF Dialogues Executive Director and journalist) will convene one day before the official start of the iMEdD International Journalism Forum. The event will feature esteemed panelists like Dr. Laurie Ouellette, Professor of Media and Cultural Studies at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Darren Lilleker, Professor of Political Communication at Bournemouth University, and Dr. Timothy Shaffer, SNF Chair of Civil Discourse and Director of the SNF Ithaca Initiative to explore issues that are relevant to both journalism and citizens themselves.
The SNF Dialogues are held through the journalism non-profit organization iMEdD (incubator for Media Education and Development).
*The opinions expressed by Dialogues participants, whether officially representing institutions and organizations or themselves alone, at events, in articles, or in other audiovisual media are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the views of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) or iMEdD. Speakers' remarks are made freely, without prior guidance or intervention from the team.