First hour: Local journalists discuss the film, Spotlight, and the state of newsrooms today
Second hour: Fast Forward Film Festival
In our first hour, our monthly media panel discusses the film, Spotlight, a new drama about the Boston Globe’s “Spotlight” investigative team that from 2001-2002 uncovered a pattern of sexual abuse of children by Roman Catholic priests in Massachusetts. The team’s story, which exposed the cover-up by the Boston Archdiocese, won the Globe the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. The Spotlight team devoted more than a year of reporting to publish the story. This raises questions about journalism today, where budget cuts and the threat (and reality) of layoffs impact the time and resources devoted to stories. We’ll talk about the state of today’s newsrooms and the ongoing struggle for dollars and resources. Our guests:
- Sean Lahman, Watchdog reporter, Democrat and Chronicle
- Justin Murphy, education reporter, Democrat and Chronicle
- Steve Orr, Watchdog reporter, Democrat and Chronicle
- Scott Pukos, public relations coordinator, The Little Theatre
In our second hour, we discuss the Fast Forward Film Festival. Now in its second year, the festival encourages local filmmakers to utilize the power of visual storytelling to raise awareness and knowledge of environmental issues. Fast Forward is now accepting submissions for shorts that inspire change and connect our community. We’ll talk with the festival’s founder, and two of last year’s award-winning filmmakers. Our guests:
- Andy Stern, founder of the Fast Forward Film Festival, and co-founder and executive director of The Lost Bird Project
- Tom Gasek, 2015 award-winning filmmaker and professor of animation at RIT
- Kristin Smith, 2015 award-winning filmmaker and Mercy high school student