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Hate in the Headlines: Journalism and the challenge of extremism

As extremism has increasingly penetrated mainstream politics, journalists, especially political reporters, face new challenges.

Some news organizations have dramatically reframed coverage and created new beats to track the surge in extremism, but fundamental changes are still needed if audiences are to get a full and accurate view of how anti-democratic forces are infusing civic life, from local school board meetings to nationwide elections.

A recent report published by PEN America, Hate in the Headlines, found that without hypervigilance from journalists and editors, propaganda and disinformation can slide into reporters’ stories, especially as extremists deliberately target them to convey their messages to the broader public. But the report also identified lessons learned as journalists have reckoned with this shifting political landscape, and from reporters who have long covered extremism.

Join PEN America and the National Press Club Journalism Institute for a virtual discussion of how the mainstreaming of political extremism is affecting journalism, and how journalists and newsrooms are–or could be–shifting their practices in response.

Please contact Hannah Waltz with any questions or concerns, including accessibility requests, at hwaltz@pen.org.

Jan 31, 2023 01:30 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)