Local journalism up for discussion

Local journalism has been hit hard by consolidation, social media, and the pandemic. Longmont city councilman Tim Waters is moderating a two-part series on the past, present, and future of journalism, reporting and accountability.

The first presentation, entitled "The Big Picture," will take place at the Longmont Museum on Sunday, Oct. 9, at 3 p.m., featuring Left Hand Valley Courier reporter Maria Karagianis, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist for the Boston Globe before she retired and moved to southwest Longmont to be close to family. Other panelists include former Denver Post editor Chuck Plunkett, and Colorado Sun senior editor Dana Coffield.

"Local newspapers provide the soundtrack for our communities, hold our public officials accountable, and help us better understand our nation and world," the brochure for the series states. "But the state of local journalism has never been in greater peril. More than 2,000 local newspapers have closed since 2005."

The second presentation is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 30, at 3 p.m. at the Longmont Museum, and is titled, "The Local Scene." Both events are free and open to the public.