Next speaker in K-State's Lou Douglas series to ask why Americans under 40 tune out serious news

Media Relations and Marketing
9 Anderson Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506-0117
Phone: 785-532-6415
Fax: 785-532-6418

Information provided by K-State Media Relations, K-State's news service, may be reproduced without permission. The marks and names of Kansas State University are protected trademarks and may not be used in any commercial or private endeavor without the approval of the university.

Source: Olivia Collins, 785-532-8763, ocollins@k-state.edu
http://www.tryufm.org
News release prepared by: Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, 785-532-6415, ebarcomb@k-state.edu

Monday, October 9, 2006

NEXT SPEAKER IN K-STATE'S LOU DOUGLAS SERIES TO ASK WHY AMERICANS UNDER 40 TUNE OUT SERIOUS NEWS

MANHATTAN -- Why younger Americans tune out the news and what consequences that has for democracy will be topic of the second presentation in Kansas State University's Lou Douglas Lecture Series on Public Issues, which is sponsored by UFM Community Learning Center.

David T.Z. Mindich, author of "Tuned Out: Why Americans Under 40 Don't Follow the News," will speak at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, in Forum Hall at the K-State Student Union. The lecture is co-sponsored by K-State's A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Books sales and signings coordinated by Claflin Books and Copies will follow the lecture.

The lecture is free and the public is invited.

"Tuned Out," published in 2004, examines the growing apathy about news among young people. In his book, Mindich argues that American democracy is on the brink of a crisis. He says that as more and more young people turn their backs on political news, America is seeing the greatest decline in informed citizenship in its history, with enormous implications for overall civic engagement.

Mindich explores the roots of the problem, including the powerful lure of entertainment, which in recent years has grown exponentially, far overshadowing serious news programs. The challenge, he says, is to create a society in which young people feel that reading quality journalism is worthwhile. He offers a number of responses to this problem in his book.

Mindich is professor and chair of the journalism department at Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, Vt. Before assuming this position, Mindich worked as an assignment editor for CNN. He earned a doctorate in American studies from New York University and a master's in American civilization from Brandeis University. He has written articles for the Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine and other publications. He also is the author of "Just the Facts: How 'Objectivity' Came to Define American Journalism."

UFM Community Learning Center's Lou Douglas Lecture Series on Public Issues honors the memory of Douglas, a professor of political science at K-State who was known for inspiring students, faculty and citizens to instigate change. He was a longtime member of the UFM Community Learning Center board of directors until his death in 1979.