Does News Matter? From social media influencers to news avoidance (CDST_V 450B – 204)
Professor Mary-Lynn Young, McLean Family Chair
3 credits | Term 2, Thursday, 9:30am-12:30pm
Course Description:
Does News Matter? From social media influencers to news avoidance (CDST 450) will provide an immersion experience for students focused on finding solutions to a central question in contemporary journalism: what is the social value of news. News avoidance is growing in Canada. Canadians are among the least likely to pay for news in the Global North, with audiences (particularly Gen Z) increasingly going to a diverse range of sources (from social media influencers to political YouTube channels) to meet their information needs. Students will hear from journalism leaders, conventional media sources from community groups to arts and culture, environment and business organizations to non-traditional actors such as journalism social media influencers to examine what is the social value of news for these groups and how they are managing their use and need for access to public information channels. Key course goals include: understand and apply knowledge of contemporary Canadian journalism and media systems and capacity building in applied problem solving and deep listening. If you enjoy working on important real world questions this course is for you.