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FTC Holding Workshops on Journalism in the Age of the Internet

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will hold 2 days of workshops on Dec. 1 and 2, 2009, in Washington, D.C., to explore how the internet has affected journalism. The event is free and open to the public. For information, visit www.ftc.gov/opp/workshops/news/index.shtml. A webcast will also be available at http://htc-01.media.globix.net/COMP008760MOD1/ftc_web/FTCindex.html.

The workshop will assemble representatives from print, online, broadcast, and cable news organizations; academics; consumer advocates; bloggers; and other new media representatives. The questions and issues for discussion are listed in a Federal Register notice at www.ftc.gov/os/2009/09/090930mediaworkshopnotice.pdf.

Some questions to be addressed in the workshops include the following:

• How is the internet changing the way consumers access news and how are advertising dollars spent?
• What economic challenges do news organizations face today?
• What cost-cutting measures have news organizations considered? Which have they adopted, and how have they affected the provision of news to consumers?
• What collaborations are news organizations undertaking or considering to deal with financial challenges brought about by the internet?
  How is the internet changing the way news organizations and others research, write, edit, produce, and distribute news?
  What innovative forms of journalism have emerged due to the internet?
• What are the business models, including the revenue sources, for journalism on the internet?
  How are news organizations likely to compete for audiences and advertising in the future?
• Are new or changed government policies needed to support optimal amounts and types of journalism, including public affairs coverage?
• Should the tax code be modified to provide special status or tax breaks to all or certain types of news organizations?
• Do current U.S. copyright protections provide enough incentive to create news content?
  Should the federal government provide additional funding for news organizations?

Source: FTC