The Changing Media Landscape

As we say in the description of our upcoming Rapid Response program, the traditional media revenue model of selling advertising has produced a diminishing return and can no longer support most outlets.

As things shift, a wide variety of revenue models are taking shape: for-profit, non-profit, grant funding, individual donors, micro-pricing and hyper-local advertising. Is any one model rising above the rest? What would you be willing to pay for your news? Are there conflicts of interest with some or all of these funding sources? Would you trust one funding source more than another?

We've gathered a stellar collection of local media heavy-hitters, and we want you to join us with your questions. Representatives from Seattle P-I, Seattle Times, Next Door Media, Crosscut, Publicola, Investigate West and Xconomy will hash it out over drinks and appetizers on Wednesday, June 30.

But wait! Lest you think this is a standard-format forum - we'd like to point out a few things:

1. Happy hour! Appetizers, drinks, and a post-work hour that makes it much easier for you to join us! Doors at 5:30 p.m., event 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
2. You'll have the opportunity for questions throughout the program. For those who haven't been to one of our Seattle Speaks programs, this set-up is more like a full conversation between our panel participants and our audience - rather than a short period at the end for audience questions. We - and our panelists - want to hear your ideas, too!

The conversation will be lead by Hanson Hosein of UW's Digital Media program. As director of the program, Hosein "specializes in storytelling, social media strategies and business models of communication." A little biographical information about Hosein:

     Hanson was one of the first contributors to a nascent MSNBC.com. He produced pioneering digital content as a globetrotting solo broadcaster in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. [...] His company, HRH Media Inc., Hanson helps advise organizations and companies how to communicate effectively and directly by building relationships through storytelling and social media platforms. In his previous career as a war correspondent, Hanson was embedded with the U.S. military in Iraq, reporting for NBC News. Often armed only with a laptop, satellite phone and camcorder, he filed ongoing live coverage from the Persian Gulf. He also covered the impact of the war from Beirut, Damascus, Amman and Jerusalem. Hanson won Emmy and Overseas Press Club awards for his NBC News coverage “The Fall of Kosovo.” He was NBC’s Middle East Producer and MSNBC.com correspondent from 1997 to 2001. Prior to that served as an investigative producer at “NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw.”

So join us! To see the full panel, visit our event website. Here's a handy list of our panelist's organizations on Twitter:

• @crosscut
• @invw
• @nextdoormedia
• @publicolanews
• @Xconomy
• @seattlepi
• @seattletimes

You can register online or via phone (206-682-7395)! We'll see you there.

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