"How the Digital Revolution Upended Journalism" Charles Whitaker, Hayek Lecture Series

On February 17, 2020, Charles Whitaker delivered, "Conflict and Crisis: How the Digital Revolution Upended Journalism and Democracy," as part of the Hayek Lecture Series. The digital revolution upended the media paradigm in ways that have both advanced and harmed society as we knew it. On the one hand, it democratized the production and dissemination of content, nullifying the influence of gatekeepers who once controlled the flow of information in print and across airwaves. But it also enflamed our tribal passions, allowing us to burrow into echo chambers that confirm our biases and stoke our grievances. And it hastened the dismantling of local and regional news outlets that served a vital function in the promotion of community and maintenance of our democracy. In this discussion, Whitaker traces the arc of the digital maelstrom and its socio-political consequences and tries to suggest a way forward. Charles Whitaker is dean and professor at Northwestern Medill School. To learn how you can support the Center and the Hayek Lecture Series, please contact the director, Bruce Caldwell, at 919-660-6896 or [email protected] Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more! Follow us at   / dukepolisci   Like us at   / dukepolisci   Follow us at   / dukepolisci   Produced by Shaun King, Duke University Department of Political Science Senior Public Relations Specialist