University
of Illinois at Chicago Office of Public Affairs (MC 288)
601 S. Morgan St., Chicago, IL 60607-7113, (312) 996-3456, www.uic.edu/depts/paff
| April 2, 2001 | Contact: Anne Dybek (312) 996-8279; adybek@uic.edu |
PANEL EXAMINES THE 'NEW LOOK' OF NEWS
Noted Chicago journalists will join University of Illinois at Chicago professors in a public panel discussion on the changing look of newspapers and the role newspapers have played in defining our culture and sense of community.
The panel will discuss "The Form of News: A History" at 3 p.m. April 4 in Room 2850 of University Hall, 601 S. Morgan St. A reception will follow. The panel discussion is open to invited guests.
Sponsored by the UIC department of communication, the event coincides with the release of a new book, "The Form of News, A History" by Kevin Barnhurst, UIC professor of communication and John Nerone, research professor at the University of Illinois Institute of Communications Research.
In addition to Barnhurst and Nerone, other panelists include
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Steve Johnson, Chicago Tribune, media critic
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Mary Mitchell, Chicago Sun-Times, editorial board Jennifer George, Chicago Sun-Times, deputy design editor
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Doris Graber, UIC professor of political science, whose work has examined how citizens inform themselves and the role visuals play in that process
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Richard John, UIC associate professor of history, a leading scholar of communication systems in the early U.S. republic
In their book, Barnhurst and Nerone explore the role that newspapers play in shaping our understanding and perceptions of key historical periods, which include political, cultural, social and artistic trends. With over 70 illustrations, the book explores the role of news in a democratic society, the relationship between news and visual culture and the way that newspapers have shaped the meaning of life.
"The paper provides an environment," said Barnhurst. "Habitual readers enter it like a warm bath. The book shows how each wave of newspaper redesign has made the information bath weaker, producing a less public and less energetic news environment."
- UIC -