JOURNALISM: Into the Future | School of Journalism and Communication

At a time when the news media faces unprecedented challenges on all fronts ...

the work of journalists has never been more crucial.

Peter Mansbridge: “We are storytellers. And the stories we tell are true. The stories we tell change lives. The stories we tell matter.”

Photo by Chris Roussakis

A few months before his July 2017 retirement, the CBC’s Chief Correspondent, Peter Mansbridge, appeared at the School of Journalism and Communication.

Not to say goodbye, but to make a compelling case for journalism as a pillar of democracy.

“What is a society without information?” he asked. “What is a society without truth?”

The 18th Annual Kesterton Lecture with Peter Mansbridge

The pace of change

“The problem with talking about the future of journalism is it’s hard to project what’s going to happen in the next five weeks, let alone the next five years.”

Threats from without, threats from within

“Journalism is under attack, and that means the truth is under attack. Because journalists – good journalists – are truth seekers. The truth is not easy to get at. That’s always been the case. But it does feel more difficult today than it used to.”

Why journalism matters

“Journalism is designed to question authority and the status quo. It’s obligated to show the inequities and the unfairness and corruption in our society. Journalism is the vehicle to speak truth to power.”

Why public broadcasting matters

“Nothing less than democracy itself depends on a healthy and free press. And we at the CBC, we are the ones who should lead the way in demonstrating why good journalism is key to the future success of our society, our democracy and our country.”

In conversation with ...

Jennifer Ditchburn, the moderator for the evening.

Ditchburn is the editor-in-chief of Policy Options, a former long-time political reporter, and a graduate of the School’s Master of Journalism program.