Top journalists, communicators to take part in ASU Cronkite School lecture series

Fernanda Santos, Phoenix bureau chief of The New York Times, is among the professional journalists and communicators, who will take part in the fall “Must See Mondays” lecture series at ASU's Cronkite School.

By Joe Giordano |
August 22, 2016

Leading professional journalists and communicators will explore the upcoming presidential election and the future of news media, among other topics, as part of a speaker series at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

More than two dozen journalists and communicators, from The New York Times to Google, are taking part in the fall “Must See Mondays” lecture series, which has featured more than 180 lecturers and panelists since 2008.

The free public lecture series starts Aug. 29 with a panel discussion on multimedia journalism with recent Cronkite alumni working at Phoenix media outlets and concludes Nov. 28 with a lecture from the winner of the Katherine Schneider Journalism Award for Excellence in Reporting on Disability from the National Center on Disability and Journalism, located at the Cronkite School.

The fall 2016 semester marks the 17th series, which has included numerous Pulitzer Prize-winning reporters, national television correspondents, editors of major newspapers, journalism innovators and entrepreneurs and public relations experts.

“This season’s ‘Must See Mondays’ tackles important issues involving democracy and journalism,” said Cronkite School Dean Christopher Callahan. “We are thrilled to have some of the very best in journalism and communications share their expertise with our students, faculty and the community.”

Unless otherwise noted, the talks start at 7 p.m. in the First Amendment Forum of the Cronkite School on the ASU Downtown Phoenix campus.

Fall 2016 “Must See Mondays” Schedule

“Young Alums Reporting the News”
Aug. 29

A panel discussion on multimedia journalism with recent Cronkite School alumni: Alexis Amezquita (’14), producer and multimedia journalist, 12 News; Robby Baker (’14), sports multimedia journalist and digital producer, 12 News; Kylee Cruz (’11), news reporter, CBS 5; Liliana Soto (’13), video journalist, Univision Arizona; and Megan Thompson (’15), multimedia journalist, ABC15. The talk is moderated by Kim Tobin (’10), weekend anchor and multimedia journalist, ABC15, and includes an introduction by Heather Dunn, Cronkite News content director.

“News Media in Black and White”
Sept. 12 (special 6:30 p.m. start time)

A panel discussion on race and media with Cloves Campbell, publisher/editor, Arizona Informant; Nicole Carroll, executive editor, The Arizona Republic; Retha Hill, director, New Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab; Ilana Lowery, editor-in-chief, Phoenix Business Journal; Mi-Ai Parrish, publisher, The Arizona Republic; Julia Patrick, publisher, Frontdoors News; and Andy Ramirez, real time editor, ABC15. The talk is moderated by Denise Meridith, chair, Strategic Alliance Subcommittee, National Coalition of 100 Black Women Phoenix.

“Transforming a News Story into a Book”
Sept. 19

Fernanda Santos, Phoenix bureau chief of The New York Times, discusses the development of her new book “The Fire Line,” which tells the story of the 2013 Yarnell Hill fire tragedy.

“Dissecting the Debates”
Sept. 26 (special 6 p.m. start time)

View the first presidential debate, followed by Cronkite News analysis from executive editor Kevin Dale, Southwest Borderlands Initiative Professor Angela Kocherga and Jessica Pucci, Ethics and Excellence Professor of Practice.

“Blogging the Election: How Native Americans Are Changing the Political Landscape”
Oct. 3

Mark Trahant, independent journalist and Charles R. Johnson Endowed Professor of Journalism at the University of North Dakota, examines the growing impact of Native Americans on U.S. politics.

“Defining Journalism Ethics in the Digital Age”
Oct. 17

Milton Coleman, Edith Kinney Gaylord Visiting Professor in Journalism Ethics at the Cronkite School and former senior editor of The Washington Post, explores journalism ethics in the age of smartphones, social media and virtual reality.

“A Photographer’s Life of Love and War”
Oct. 19 (special Wednesday program at 1:30 p.m.)

Lynsey Addario, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist at National Geographic, discusses the power and impact of photojournalism around the globe.

“Google News Lab: Building the Future of Media”
Oct. 24

Nicholas Whitaker, media outreach manager at Google, explores how journalists and entrepreneurs are collaborating with Google to help build the future of media.

“How the News Media Covered the 2016 Election Campaign”
Oct. 31 (special 6 p.m. start time)

Leonard Downie Jr., the former executive editor of The Washington Post and Weil Family Professor of Journalism at the Cronkite School, analyzes the media’s coverage of the 2016 election.

“The U.S. Presidential Election: View from Abroad”
Nov. 7

International journalists participating in the U.S. State Department’s Humphrey Fellowship Program at the Cronkite School share their perspectives on the 2016 election. The talk is moderated by B. William Silcock, director of Cronkite Global Initiatives and associate professor.

“The Barlett & Steele Awards”
Nov. 14

The 2016 Barlett & Steele Award winners discuss the very best in investigative business journalism. The talk is moderated by Andrew Leckey, president, Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism at the Cronkite School.

“NCDJ Award: The Best in Disability Reporting”
Nov. 28

The winner of the Katherine Schneider Journalism Award for Excellence in Reporting on Disability explores the importance of covering the disability community. The lecture includes an introduction by Kristin Gilger, Cronkite School associate dean and director of the National Center on Disability and Journalism.