The Foley Institute and the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication present:
“Infotainment: Keeping the News Interesting”
Many news outlets provide news coverage as “infotainment,” where serious news stories are presented as comedy, entertainment, or advocacy in order to reach a larger audience.
Programs such as The Daily Show or The O’Reilly Factor offer easily-digested political commentary, but the coverage of series news stories becomes biased or trivialized in the process.
Does infotainment undermine traditional journalism and democratic efforts to inform citizens, or does it help to engage the politically inactive? Join the discussion with our experts.
Erica Austin, Professor, Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, Washington State University, has published widely on media decision-making and media literacy.
Geoffrey Baym, Associate Professor of Media Studies, University of North Carolina, is the author of From Cronkite to Colbert: The Evolution of Broadcast News.
Danna Young, Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication, University of Delaware, has carried out extensive research on political satire and the psychology of political humor.
Wednesday, April 25
1:15-2:45 p.m.
TODD 276