Have you been a victim of fake news? Do you find yourself gravitating to the news sources that confirm your beliefs? How does fake news affect a free press and a democracy? How does it affect the work of policy-makers?
Learn how to evaluate your news sources with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Doug Oplinger at:
Fake News Community Discussion
7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2
or call 330-653-6658
After 46 years at the Akron Beacon Journal, Oplinger joined the Your Voice Ohio statewide media collaborative of print, radio and television journalists. With the assistance of several state and national civic engagement/research organizations, among them the National Institute for Civil Discourse and Kettering Foundation, the project attempts to change the culture of journalism, reconnecting journalists and citizens in a trusting relationship that fosters a healthy, vibrant community.
Oplinger will lead a discussion with: Doug Livingston, reporter, Akron Beacon Journal; Iris Meltzer, League of Women Voters Ohio board member; Mitch McKenney, associate professor, Â鶹ÊÓƵ School of Journalism and Mass Communication; and Michael Beam, Ph.D., assistant professor, Â鶹ÊÓƵ School of Communications Studies.
Beam's research investigates the impact of media systems on the process of information creation, exposure, and processing. His research has focused on the impact of information systems using personalized algorithms on news exposure and health communication, the influence of partisan media sources on political polarization and political information processing, and how new media systems change information distribution patterns. His research has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Communication Research, Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, New Media & Society, and the Journal of Health Communication. He teaches courses in new communication technologies, media effects, and quantitative research methods. His interest in communication research stems from his experience working in media and information technology. Before entering academia, he spent over a decade working as a computer system administrator and network technologist. He also has worked in community radio for over 15 years and produces a weekly radio show and podcast, . More information is available on .