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"Why we need local news"

“A good newspaper . . . is a nation talking to itself.” – Arthur Miller
The same can be said of a community – a good source of local news is a community talking to itself - discussing what is good about it and what is bad, and how it can be better.

Stephanie Finucane, Opinion Editor at The Tribune and keynote speaker at the League’s Opening Meeting on September 30 at the Madonna Inn, will discuss how we can ensure an informed public in the current media environment of limited resources, breaking news, short attention spans, and polarized views of what the news really is.

• How does local media serve our community?
• What happens when a local newspaper shuts down or greatly curtails coverage of local events?
• What can be done to ensure our community gets the information we need as members of a democratic society at a time of diminishing resources for quality local journalism?

Opinion Editor Stephanie Finucane is a native of San Luis Obispo County and a graduate of Cal Poly. Before joining The Tribune, she worked at the Santa Barbara News-Press and the Santa Maria Times. At The Tribune she worked her way up from reporter to Opinion Editor. She has received awards from the California News Publishers Association (CNPA) for Opinion & Enterprise writing; the McClatchy Co. President’s Award in 2014; and the AP News Executives Council Public Service Award in 2004.

The in-person meeting will be held in the Madonna Inn Garden Room. The fee for the in-person meeting, including brunch, is $40. Brunch includes a quiche and fruit buffet, coffee and muffins.

Doors will open for check-in at the Madonna Inn at 9 am, with the meeting starting at 9:30 am for in-person and Zoom attendees. If you are unable to attend in person the meeting can be viewed on Zoom but registration is required. The Zoom link will be sent in an email following registration. A $20 donation is suggested to help us cover the cost of providing the meeting virtually on Zoom.

Register now to attend the Opening Meeting in person or on Zoom.

Register here

Or call us at 805-242-6990 to register by phone. Registration for this event has closed. If you are interested in attending please email us at events@lwvslo.org and we will notify you if there is a cancellation.