Join us for a conversation on journalism, objectivity and an equitable approach to local news in Oakland.
Two months after the 2016 presidential election, radio journalist Lewis Raven Wallace proclaimed “Objectivity is Dead and I’m Okay With it” to highlight how “neutrality” in newsrooms can be a tool of white supremacy. While journalism schools and newsrooms often tout objectivity as a pillar of the craft, Wallace argues that if you look back at how journalists in the U.S. reported on issues like slavery or the early LGBTQ movement, “many of the journalists who’ve told the truth in key historical moments have been outliers and members of an opposition, here and in other countries.”
Wallace is now launching a book and accompanying podcast, The View from Somewhere: A Podcast About Journalism With A Purpose, and going on tour to facilitate conversations about “objectivity,” oppressed communities, and the news.
At this special event in Oakland, Wallace will talk with journalist Tasneem Raja about the harm caused by the myth of objectivity, and facilitate a group discussion on how journalism can better serve and reflect Oakland.
Climate scientist Mike Mann, community organizer Andres Soto, and investigative journalist Antonia Juhasz will discuss ways of countering the fossil fuel industry’s shifting tactics to block a just and equitable transition off dirty fossil fuel production.
