Will We Ever Trust the News Again?
Trust in the media continues to decline in New Zealand, with fewer than one in three people now saying they trust the media in general. As traditional outlets struggle to hold public confidence, more New Zealanders – especially younger audiences – are turning to podcasts, social media, and algorithm-driven content to make sense of the world. At the same time, many journalists are debating traditional ideals of journalistic objectivity and neutrality, and whether today’s newsrooms do, or should, adhere to them.
This Socrates Seminar will seek answers to these and other questions: Do we need a new definition of news? How do we re-engage people with news at a time of rising media manipulation (including AI) and misinformation? And how can we function as a democracy without a shared understanding of what is true and false?
Join us for this exclusive Critical Conversation, moderated by Vivian Schiller, internationally renowned former media executive, current Aspen Institute Vice President and Executive Director of Aspen Digital. ‘Will We Ever Trust the News Again’ will examine the challenges facing the industry – and crucially, the promising paths towards a solution.
Seminar tuition is $1725 NZD (includes meals, excursion). Seminar fee includes tuition, meals during the seminar, and an excursion. Accommodation packages are available on request.
Vivian Schiller is the Executive Director of Aspen Digital, which empowers policymakers, civic organizations, companies, and the public to be responsible stewards of technology and media in the service of an informed, just, and equitable world.
A longtime executive at the intersection of journalism, media and technology, Schiller has held executive roles at some of the most respected media organizations in the world. Schiller is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations; and a Director of the Scott Trust, which owns The Guardian.
Policy 101
