PUBLIC POLICY FOR INNOVATION IN THE DIGITAL AGE SERIESCrowdsourcing, Paywalls, and the Future of NewsVIEW HIGHLIGHTS, PHOTOS, AND VIDEOModeratorJohn Villasenor Professor of Electrical Engineering and Public Policy, UCLAPanelistsTorie Bosch Future Tense editor, Slate/New America FoundationJames Rainey Political Writer, Los Angeles TimesDean Schaffer Producer, AllvoicesRuss Stanton Vice President of Content, Southern California Public RadioThe Internet and social networks have dramatically changed how news is acquired and delivered. Far more people than in the past are able participate in the newsgathering process. In addition, news consumers can also become news disseminators through the use of social networks to propagate links to timely stories. Consumer expectations regarding news have changed as well, with people often expecting nearly immediate information, particularly when there are breaking news events. Against this backdrop, traditional media organizations are working to identify business models that can allow them to maintain profitability while also maximizing audience in an increasingly cluttered news landscape. This panel of media leaders will discuss the extent to which models based on paid subscriptions are viable, and the policy issues that accompany an ecosystem in which full coverage news is accessible only to the segment of the population with the means to pay.Key questions:How has crowdsourcing altered newsgathering?How has crowdsourcing altered news dissemination?What is the role of social networks in disseminating news?How has crowdsourcing increased and/or decreased the accuracy of news reporting?For traditional news organizations, are models based on paid subscriptions viable? If so, is there room for only a few companies in a given segment?What are the policy problems that accompany an ecosystem in which news is no longer free – and in which it is therefore accessible only to the segment of the population with the means to pay? E.g., if much of online news is behind a paywall, and if radio and over-the-air television are playing a less significant role in news delivery than in the past, what are the appropriate policy responses?To what extent to legal protections for reporters apply to people involved in crowdsourcing?How are traditional news companies dealing with crowdsourcing?All Public Policy for Innovation in the Digital Age panels are free. Registration is Required. Seating will be first come, first served. Lunch will be served. Daily parking is $12. Pay-by-space parking is available also in Parking Structure SV.
Public Policy for Innovation in the Digital Age: Crowdsourcing, Paywalls, and the Future of News
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