On April 8, the Canadian Journalism Foundation in partnership with the Consulate General of Canada in New York hosted Navigating the New Normal: Media and Democracy in Challenging Times, at the Consulate General of Canada in New York.

In a year when more than four billion people in more than 70 countries around the globe will have the opportunity to vote, the media’s role in enabling informed decision making cannot be overstated. With the Consulate General’s office, we brought together news leaders and experts from Canada and the US to discuss how news organizations are stepping up to protect democracy amid the risks posed by AI, polarization, misinformation and changing business models.

The event opened with a fireside chat between A.G. Sulzberger, Chairman and Publisher, The New York Times, and Emily Bell, Founding Director, Tow Center for Digital Journalism.

Programme for the Day

Consul General of Canada in New York, Tom Clark delivered opening remarks.

CJF President and Executive Director Natalie Turvey and CJF Chair Kathy English delivered remarks from the CJF.

Fireside Chat: Democracy and Journalism: Navigating the Changing Landscape: A.G. Sulzberger, Chairman and Publisher, The New York Times and Emily Bell, Founding Director, the Tow Center for Digital Journalism.

Panel: Don’t Believe Your Eyes: AI, Misinformation, and the Search for Truth

Does truth stand a chance? While traditional news organizations continue to seek it out, bad actors are using generative AI to flood digital channels with misinformation at a speed and scale never seen before. This panel will draw upon recent and real-world examples of misinformation campaigns, the erosion of public trust in mainstream media, and possible steps news organizations can take to fight for the truth and to rebuild the public’s trust.

Moderator: Katerina Eva Matsa, Director, News and Information Research, Pew Research Center

Panelists: Brian Stelter, Special Correspondent, Vanity Fair; Aimee Rinehart, Senior Product Manager AI Strategy, The Associated Press; Joseph T. Yun, Ph.D., AI and Innovation Architect, The University of Pittsburgh

Panel: Reinventing Political Reporting when Everything Seems Broken

How should reporters cover politics when polarization is deepening and public trust in the media is at an all-time low? While the relationship between reporters and the press has always had its share of antagonism, many expect hostilities during the 2024 Presidential campaign to be higher than ever; many even fear political violence. This panel will explore the difficult conversations and changes that news organizations can make to the way they cover politics to deliver on their mandate and restore the public’s trust.

Moderator: Ali Velshi, Host, “Velshi”; Chief Correspondent, MSNBC

Panelists: Katie Simpson, Senior Foreign Correspondent for the CBC in Washington; Susanne Craig, Investigative Reporter, The New York Times.

Panel: Can we build back better?

The flight of the advertising dollars that have sustained news for so long has the traditional business model in tatters. Local papers have folded, newsrooms have shrunk, and budgets are a fraction of what they were. Legislative attempts to force social media platforms to compensate media for lost revenue have met with mixed results. This chat will discuss the business realities of this new operating environment and explore alternate models that could allow media companies to return to economic sustainability while delivering on their important mandate.

Moderator: Evan Solomon, Publisher GZERO Media

Panelists: Gina Chua, Executive Editor, Semafor; Nicholas Johnston, Publisher, Axios; S. Mitra Kalita, Co-founder and CEO, URL Media