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PITTSBURGH, PA – Newsapalooza, a first-of-its-kind event for Pittsburgh in celebration and support of journalism, will be held from Sept. 26 to 28, at Point Park University and its Pittsburgh Playhouse.
Presented by the University’s Center for Media Innovation, the day will include national and local experts, sessions, discussions and hands-on media-making activities.
“Newsapalooza is an investment in the Pittsburgh story – the people who tell it and the stories they tell,” said Andrew Conte, Assistant Vice President and Managing Director of the Center. “True stories are challenged across America due to the loss of key storytellers – trained journalists. We need to protect this vital civic function, and Newsapalooza is another great way to highlight that mission.”
The Center has long been a champion and supporter for journalism, and both its Pittsburgh Media Partnership and Downtown Pittsburgh Media Hub serve to provide resources to regional news outlets. Its McKeesport Community Newsroom continues to support citizen journalism and storytelling in the Mon Valley, an area where residents are filling gaps left by traditional news outlets.
“Local journalism is still the heart and soul of our communities. It’s the reporter covering the school board meetings, the photographer capturing the town fair and the investigative team exposing environmental hazards,” said Jennifer Bertetto, President and CEO of Trib Total Media, a member of the Pittsburgh Media Partnership. “By actively supporting local journalism, you don’t just gain brand recognition or goodwill. You become a stakeholder in the very fabric of your community.”
Newsapalooza also will act as the official launch for the next Center for Media Innovation project – the Next Generation Newsroom, a teaching program that fills gaps in local reporting, creates career pathways for early-career journalists and reaches a combined 6 million people through 29 publishing partners.
“The Next Generation Newsroom will further amplify the work we do to support local journalism in the Greater Pittsburgh Region,” Conte said. “The public and corporate support we already have received is a clear sign that this community understands the importance of good local journalism.”
The Center will continue to make announcements throughout the summer about special guests and participants in Newsapalooza.
For more information on the event and to purchase tickets, click here. Any person or organization interested in inquiring about a Newsapalooza sponsorship can email Kim Palmiero at kim.palmiero@pointpark.edu.
Contact: Lou Corsaro, Point Park University, lcorsaro@pointpark.edu, 412.392.6190 / 704.860.6186 (cell)
