Canadian Journalism Foundation is present this J-Talk in Ottawa Wednesday, April 9, 2014 from 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm
From Canadian Journalism Foundation – Members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery recently voted unanimously to assert their right to scrum Prime Minister Stephen Harper so they could “fulfill our functions as journalists in a democratic society.”
The vote was a reaction to restrictions on access to the PM and his ministers—and a revealing glimpse of how the ground has shifted on Ottawa political reporters.
The regular prime ministerial press conference is a thing of the past. Senior bureaucrats hesitate to brief journalists. The PM and ministers take their message on the road or send it out on weekly video clips. Opposition MPs use the same techniques.
As a result, is the influence of political reporters on the wane in the face of shrinking resources, wide use of social media, and the distance Ottawa puts between government and reporters?
Does the national media coverage of the government matter as much as it used to?
Join Jennifer Ditchburn, senior parliamentary correspondent for the Ottawa bureau of The Canadian Press, Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister of Multiculturalism, Senator Jim Munson, a former long-time member of the Press Gallery, and Paul Wells, political editor of Maclean’s for this discussion.
Join us at our cocktail reception for a chance to meet the speakers at 8:30 p.m.
Early Bird: $25 (Limited quantity. General Admission: $30)
Student Tickets: $15 (ID at the door. Limited quantity available.)
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