The Role of Digital Influencers in Online Journalism

"Clout Atlas: The Role of Digital Influencers in Online Journalism" sponsored by Tow Center for Digital Journalism, Columbia Journalism School. Admission is FREE but RSVP Required: http://bit.ly/RoleofDigitalinfluencers.

The rise of social media platforms has created a crop of so-called digital influencers who communicate with and advertise to their audiences in more direct ways than traditional media figures. Influencers raise especially difficult questions when it comes to journalism: While some offer vital perspectives that are underrepresented in the mainstream media, others use their unique positions to advance misleading or extremist content.

The Tow Center will bring together a group of journalists, academics, and industry leaders to discuss the evolving role of digital influencers within the online media ecosystem: How do influencers build audiences and foster engagement? How do the dynamics of influencer networks compare to those of the mainstream media? How do social media platforms navigate their relationships with influencers? What can be done about influencers who promote harassment or misinformation?

PROGRAM

5:00pm: Introductions by the Tow Center

5:10pm: Panel 1 - What are influencers and where did they come from?
Shareen Pathak (Digiday)
Taylor Lorenz (The Atlantic)
Brooke Erin Duffy (Cornell University)
More speakers TBA

6:00pm: Panel 2 - Emerging business models for influencers
Max Willens (Digiday)
Natalie Silverstein (Collectively)
Sapna Maheshwari (The New York Times)
More speakers TBA

6:50pm: BREAK

7:00pm: Panel 3 - Influencers, journalism, misinformation, polarization
Lisa Conn (Facebook)
Becca Lewis (Data & Society)
More speakers TBA

7:50pm: RECEPTION