CARBONDALE, Ill. — Journalist Ben Smith, co-founder of Semafor, a global digital news organization, will join Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute to discuss his views on the dramatically changing media landscape in a virtual conversation on June 28.
Smith and John Shaw, institute director, will discuss the digital news revolution and his book “Traffic: Genius, Rivalry and Delusion in the Billion Dollar Race to Go Viral” at 1:15 p.m. The online program via Zoom is free and open to the public,but registration is required. The conversation is part of the institute’s Understanding Our New World series.
A graduate of Yale University, Smith has been a reporter for the Indianapolis Star, Wall Street Journal Europe, New York Sun, New York Observer and New York Daily News. He was a media columnist for The New York Times and served for nearly a decade as the editor-in-chief of BuzzFeed News.
“Ben Smith has been at the front edge of the digital news revolution — a story he describes vividly in his provocative new book, ‘Traffic,’” Shaw said. “We are eager to understand Smith’s views on the media’s evolution and his efforts to rebuild trust in journalism through his new venture, Semafor.”
Attendees are encouraged to submit questions for Smith on the registration form or email questions to paulsimoninstitute@siu.edu.
More information, a list of the institute’s upcoming events and past speakers and events are available.
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