Panel discussion on the future of journalism

Panel discussion on the future of journalism. The Wertevolle Zukunft Foundation invites you to a panel discussion on Tuesday, 30 November 2010, at 7.00 pm to discuss the future of journalism.

Although the media sector is faring somewhat better thanks to the economic recovery, fundamental questions remain: Where is the technological and economic transformation of the media leading us? Where are new forms of journalism emerging? And what is the best way to position oneself in a profession whose future is so uncertain?

In search of answers, the two journalists Anne Kunze and Felix Rohrbeck, supported by the Wertevolle Zukunft Foundation, embarked on a journey across Germany – interviewing media figures such as Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Kai Diekmann and Bodo Hombach. The result is the book *Journalism After the Crisis*, published in 2010 by Herbert von Halem Verlag.

Together with journalists Hans-Jürgen Börner and Kai Schächtele, who were also interviewed for the book, the two authors will discuss possible future scenarios for journalism on the panel. Börner, former editor-in-chief and presenter of the political programme “extra drei”, believes the economic crisis in the media is self-inflicted: He argues that journalism has become boring and, in order to win back readers and viewers, must become “more aggressive, more polarising and more distinctive” once again. Schächtele, who writes for publications including *Neon* and *brand eins* and founded a professional association exclusively for freelance journalists in 2008, sees the future of journalism in new forms of presentation and business models. He believes freelance journalists would play a pioneering role in their development.

The discussion will be moderated by Uwe Jean Heuser, head of the business section at *Die Zeit*.

The event will take place in the beautiful function room of the Alfred Schnittke Academy Hamburg, Max-Brauer-Allee 24, 22765 Hamburg. Following the presentations, you will have the opportunity to chat with the speakers and other guests over a glass of wine.

Please register for the event at sekretariat@wertevolle-zukunft.de.