KCKCC plans symposium on media moments

by Kelly Rogge, KCKCC

A lot has happened in the media during the past year. But the loud, attention-grabbing stories rarely focus on important changes in the media marketplace that are not as flashy, but have a much greater influence on what we watch, listen to and read, according to a KCKCC journalism professor.

Kansas City Kansas Community College Journalism Professor Bryan Whitehead will present “The Year’s Biggest Media Moments” from 11 a.m. to noon Oct. 25 in Room 2325 on the KCKCC main campus, 7250 State Ave. The event is open to the public. The presentation is part of the college’s Academic Symposium series.

Whitehead said he plans to focus on topics that have been under-reported or ignored completely during the last few months.

“When I started making notes for this presentation, I wrote ‘No Trump Tweets!’ in big letters at the top of the page,” he said. “I’d far rather take a closer look at recent developments that have a real impact on our lives.”

Whitehead said the topics he plans to cover will include net neutrality, open records, media corporations and journalists in jeopardy.

“I find that people are genuinely curious about why the media works the way they do,” he said. “I hope to leave plenty of time after the presentation for questions and discussion.”

The Center for Teaching Excellence offers the Academic Symposium series each semester as a way to encourage academic discourse on campus. The mission of the Academic Symposium is to provide an open and public forum, which will allow the faculty and staff at KCKCC to make presentations of academic or artistic merit.

Proposals are currently being accepted for Spring 2019 Academic Symposium. There is a $250 Honorarium for each symposium, and it is open to KCKCC faculty and staff. Submissions are due by Oct. 30.