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New Westminster Museum delves into local journalism in the internet age

A panel of journalists will be tackling the topic of local journalism in the internet age at Anvil Centre this weekend.
New Westminster Museum
Getting the Word Out, the latest exhibition in the New Westminster Museum, runs until April 28, 2019.

A panel of journalists will be tackling the topic of local journalism in the internet age at Anvil Centre this weekend.

In conjunction with its current exhibit, Getting the Word Out, the New Westminster Museum and Archives is hosting a panel of local journalists who will be discussing the challenges they face getting to the truth as they juggle multiple tasks, navigate social media and feed the insatiable beast that is the internet.

New Westminster Coun. Patrick Johnstone is moderating the panel, which will tackle a range of issues, from the role of social media in news gathering, to the perils of citizens being under informed as the news media shrinks.

The panel is comprised of: Mario Bartel, a photojournalist/reporter who currently works at the Tri-City News and worked at the New West NewsLeader for more than 20 years until the paper closed in 2015; Chris Campbell, who is currently the editor of the New West Recordand Burnaby Now and has worked at various community and daily papers in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley for nearly three decades; Melanie Green, a reporter with Star Vancouver who is skilled at live Tweeting as she’s reporting her stories; and Maria Rantanen, who has worked at several community papers in the Lower Mainland and is currently covering city council and school board for the Richmond News.

The panel discussion is on Saturday, March 9 from 10:30 a.m. to noon in Room 411 at Anvil Centre, 777 Columbia St. It’s free and open to folks of all ages.

This weekend’s panel discussion is one of a number of media literacy programs and talks that the museum has held as part of its Getting the Word Out exhibit. Running until April 28, the exhibit looks at New Westminster’s past of fake news, clickbait and alternative facts.

The New Westminster Museum is open Monday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (with late openings until 8 p.m. on Thursday).