What's Next for Regional Reporting?

The regional reporters who cover the nation’s capital for audiences outside the Beltway today face a host of challenges: Shrinking newsroom budgets have closed or decimated many D.C. bureaus, leaving those reporters who remain under major pressure to fill the gaps. The nation’s federal offices are more opaque than ever, making it difficult for journalists to hold them accountable on behalf of the public. And the public itself has become increasingly skeptical of--and sometimes hostile toward--the news media. How can regional reporting adapt to, and once again thrive in, this environment?

Join us for a conversation among four distinguished panelists with distinct perspectives on the topic: Veteran regional reporter Jerry Zremski will discuss how his job has changed after three decades in Washington and his biggest challenges as he seeks to keep his readers informed about what their representatives are doing in D.C; the Pew Research Center’s Michael Barthel will share his research about the local news landscape and public trust in journalism; and former U.S. Reps. Ryan Costello, R-Pa., and Jim Moran, D-Va., will talk about their experiences being covered by local and regional reporters and how the changing face of the news media impacted the way their constituents engaged with them.