Foley Foundation Partners in webinar “Protest and Polarization: Covering the Republican and Democratic National Conventions” ahead of political conventions, July 10 

WASHINGTON -WASHINGTON – The James W. Foley Legacy Foundation has partnered with IJNet, Marquette University, Northwestern University and the Committee to Protect Journalists in create a webinar “Protest and Polarization: Covering the Republican and Democratic National Conventions,” to prepare journalists for covering democratic elections. The virtual panel is Wednesday, July 10, at 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT. 

A panel of journalists and media safety experts will discuss what reporters must keep in mind as they cover the conventions. Panelists will discuss how to stay safe reporting on demonstrations surrounding the conventions, how to effectively engage audiences on important election issues and more. 

Registration is open and available online. Links to resources for journalists covering the conventions in Milwaukee and Chicago will be made available. 

The U.S. presidential election will be a reprise of four years ago in terms of candidates, but the conventions promise to be a flashpoint of the polarization and turmoil characterizing this historic election season. The RNC takes place four days after former President Donald Trump’s scheduled sentencing on criminal charges, and the DNC is expected to spark massive pro-Palestine protests and possibly large counter-protests. 

As Americans — and the rest of the world — follow along, journalists will play a critical role in informing about developments on the ground and the issues at stake.  Panelists include Craig Gilbert, Washington Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Katherine Jacobsen, U.S. and Canada program coordinator at CPJ; Elena Schneider, national political reporter at Politico and a Northwestern University graduate; and Hope Moses, a recent graduate from Marquette’s Diederich College of Communication, where she served as executive director of the Marquette Wire.