Forum on Truth Telling in Campaign Ads

Journalists and editors file stories in the face of nearly unprecedented political polarization, the flourishing of a vibrant and at times unruly blogosphere, and sophisticated political consultants determined to frustrate the press by programming candidates to robotically repeat poll-tested talking points. The longstanding press norm of objectivity is now being stretched as coverage of "both sides" often means coverage of extreme views, amplifying fractious debates and deflecting the press from performing its responsibility as a "watch dog." Meanwhile, Americans are bewildered and turned off, distrusting what the candidates say and journalists report.

The strains in news reporting have spawned justifiable alarm as well as inchoate and misplaced criticisms. The Humphrey School's Center for the Study of Politics and Governance is joining with the Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and Law and the Minnesota Journalism Center, both in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, to sponsor a series of forums in 2006 on news reporting of elections. The purpose of the series is to bring together prominent media commentators, working journalists and those who work on election campaigns in order to focus and ground criticism of the press and to foster an environment receptive to innovation in campaign reporting.

Kathleen Hall Jamieson, a nationally distinguished scholar and media commentator, will launch the series with a talk on "Truth Telling in Campaign Ads." Her presentation will be followed by a discussion with Pat Kessler (television reporter and radio host) and Tom Horner (a public relations consultant). Lawrence Jacobs (University of Minnesota professor) will moderate the event.