NC Local News Summit countdown: A great time for talking about trust, and have you picked your breakout session?

This past week’s news of a mob storming the U.S. Capitol, partly because of mistaken beliefs about the presidential election, highlighted one of journalism’s greatest challenges: How can you inform people who don’t trust facts and are hostile toward media?

Local news outlets usually get higher trust marks than “media” in general, but are feeling the effects of distrust even as they try to enlist audiences and communities as engaged members, paying subscribers, and philanthropic supporters. How can new and existing organizations build credibility — including with people who have never trusted mainstream media, and in an age when people trust facts less than before?

We’ll address these questions and others in a breakout workshop on credibility and trust at the NC Local News Summit on Wednesday, Jan. 13, one of four concurrent breakout sessions taking on key questions about how to strengthen local news in North Carolina. Here’s a list:

Registration has been strong for the Summit, and we’re looking forward to a full and lively half-day — here’s the event page.

If you’ve already registered, check your email for a link to pick a breakout session.

If you haven’t registered, here’s the link.

We’ll send the Zoom meeting link on Tuesday, Jan. 12.

If you need help with any of this, email msill@elon.edu.

NC Local News Workshop