Why Journalists and Futurists Need to Talk

Mar 10, 2023

11:30am – 12:30pm CT

Recording: Why Journalists and Futurists Need to Talk, Mar 10, 2023

Journalism is often described as the first draft of history. But it strives to frame the future. Journalists deal in a constant stream of predictions, promises, and forecasts, yet often address times to come in damaging ways: extrapolating linearly from current events, without much attempt to understand the full range of possibilities; outsourcing statements about the future to pundits and experts with little accountability for or follow-up on claims that turn out to be false; and giving far more weight to past events than to future possibilities in coverage. So what might a journalism look like that took the future seriously –– and playfully? How might we embrace both rigor and imagination as part of our responsibilities? In short, how do we cover the future?

Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.

photo of Stuart Candy
Stuart Candy

Carnegie Mellon University

photo of Matt Thompson
Matt Thompson

The New York Times

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