The role of New Hampshire’s independent media
Currently, trust in national, corporate media has been dropping rapidly. As a result, our organization the Seacoast Friends Preserving Democracy recently organized a panel discussion in Portsmouth that included several representatives of New Hampshire’s independent and non-profit media outlets. As the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa observed, “If journalism, as it is practiced, is lost, democracy is lost as a consequence.” The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that no law should be established that abridges the freedom of the press, underscoring its importance to protecting our democracy.
The panelists included: Jim Schachter of NH Public Radio, Dawn DeAngelis of NH PBS, Steve Fowle of the NH Gazette, Nancy West of InDepthNH and Dana Wormald of the NH Bulletin.
During the panel discussion and the Q&A, each panelist described their unique mission and reporting that provide New Hampshire residents with reliable and insightful information to educate the public about the issues that affect our lives and our state and national institutions. Independent journalism promotes voting and the accurate and reliable information that is valuable for voters.
It is more important than ever for New Hamsphire residents to step forward and support these media outlets financially or by becoming members or subscribers.