Merrill faculty will speak about the evolving media landscape and what those changes mean for communicators.

The journalism landscape is going through a period of seismic change as trust in the press is eroding, many local outlets are shifting and shrinking, audiences are growing more fragmented, and AI is impacting the way news is reported and consumed. Legacy media are competing with content creators, social media feeds, and more.

Two members of our Merrill faculty, Jerry Zremski and Tom Rosenstiel, will unpack these changes and explain what they mean for communicators and the next generation of journalists. Zremski and Rosenstiel led the publication of the Maryland Local News Ecosystem Study in 2024, which takes an in-depth look at how local news is evolving across the state.

Rosenstiel, former executive director of the American Press Institute, is a veteran journalist, researcher, novelist, and author of 12 books, including The Next Journalism, released August 17. He lectures around the world and consults with media companies on the future of news and information.

Zremski serves as director of Merrill’s Local News Network. He formerly served as Washington bureau chief for The Buffalo News. He serves as the Klingenstein Family Endowed Chair in Journalism.

Event details:

• Date & Time: Thursday, Sept. 24, 2:30-4:00 p.m.
• Location: Turner Hall Auditorium
• RSVP: By Tuesday, Sept. 22 to raloisi@umd.edu