Wyoming Public Media and BridgeUWYO collaborated to host a social event about the role of journalism and media on campus and in communities.
The event, hosted in the fireplace lounge on October 3rd, featured executives from BridgeUWYO and journalists from Wyoming Public Media who wrote out a series of questions on posters in order to encourage discussion and learn more about student wants in regards to media.
When asked why these types of events are important, journalist Kamila Kudelska stated, “we want to connect with the people that we are reporting about and they tell us what needs to be reported.”
BridgeUWYO chose to collaborate on this event because, “media plays a critical role in informing on and combating political polarization and by hosting events like these we are able to partner with journalists and the media to discuss important and polarizing issues,” stated BridgeUWYO Vice President of Operations Hayden Mackenzie.
Some of the questions WPM and BridgeUWYO asked on their posters were: “What should journalists do to more accurately portray you and the communities you’re a part of?” “What do journalists often get wrong about you or your life?” and “Do you see issues or concerns from your own life reflected in the news?”
Responses on these questions varied from “getting to know the community,” quotations on “misquotations and intent or getting grouped into groups inaccurately,” as well as self-identifying issues and concerns in the news like, “immigration,” “economics,” and, “addiction.”
The event saw attendance by a variety of different students from a wide variety of demographics and majors.
In the hour that the event ran the students discussed with journalists and the executives about their opinions on the media’s role in society. Many students believed that national media has become oversaturated with shock stories and fake news and that the real and important news is not often properly reported on.
In terms of local news, many students admitted that they do not frequently check local news due to assuming it does not affect them or involve them in any way. They did however note that local news is often much better and more real than its national counterpart.
