American democracy is facing very serious challenges, as we have noted in much of our work (see just a few examples here and here and here). One of the greatest threats is that posed by misinformation and disinformation, as many Americans turn away from credible news and information sources and instead rely on low-quality outlets.

With this in mind, on November 2, 2021, we hosted a panel to discuss the importance of journalism in restoring our democracy. Our panel included:

• Jason Adrians, executive editor for the Wisconsin State Journal and national editor for Lee Enterprises
• Lolly Bowean, program officer at the Field Foundation (formerly with the Chicago Tribune and Times-Picayune)
• Michael Deas, journalism faculty member at Northwestern University (formerly with the Chicago Tribune)

Episode music:

• “Please Listen Carefully” by Jahzzar (creative commons)
• “Make Your Dreams Reality” by Scott Holmes Music (creative commons)
• "Reading by Lamplight” by Maarten Schellekens (creative commons)
• “Happy Trails (To You)” by the Riders in the Sky (used with artist’s permission)

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