Samuel G. Freedman Discusses Decline of Traditional Media, Media Literacy and Leadership

This past January, Samuel G. Freedman, an award-winning author, columnist and professor, visited the Buccino Leadership Institute and the College of Human Development, Culture and Media for a mediated discussion on media literacy, emphasizing the critical role leaders play in identifying and combating misinformation in the media and news. A former New York Times columnist and professor at Columbia University, Freedman has written ten acclaimed books, including his latest, Into the Bright Sunshine: Young Hubert Humphrey and the Fight for Civil Rights. His achievements and expertise allowed for a deep discussion of the history of journalism in America, the current dilemma of its decline and recommendations for our future leaders. Students engaged in a great discussion and activity on how media literacy is impacting the next generation of leaders.

Associate Professor Matthew Pressman led Professor Freedman in a discussion of the current state of objective facts in American society, where fact checking itself is seen as partisan. Freedman blamed the pivot point on questioning facts on Rush Limbaugh calling the weather forecasting of Hurricane Irma in 2017 a scam for the climate science agenda. He indicated that mainstream media mistakes including the early skepticism of the Hunter Biden investigation and the dismissal of the lab leak theory on the Covid origin, or going back even further to the WMD’s and the war in Iraq, contributed to the distrust of media to provide objective news. He lamented that big business ownership of news organizations is devastating, contending that revenue will be prioritized over ethics. He suggested that the future of journalism should be nonprofit. He emphasized that the attempt to fact check is important even if it is ineffectual because it is important that someone is watching.

During the discussion, Freedman provided a deep dive into his journey as a journalist, sharing how his career has evolved alongside the rapidly changing media landscape. He spoke with Pressman about the increasing challenges journalists face in upholding truth and credibility, particularly in an era where misinformation spreads quickly through digital and social media platforms. Freedman also touched on the different struggles writers may face with the lack of policing and ethical codes found in the world of news. Drawing from his experiences as both a writer and an educator, he highlighted the importance of journalistic integrity, the necessity of rigorous fact-checking and the dangers of sensationalized and biased writing.

Freedman added that media consumers have responsibilities, stressing that members of every community must take an active role in fostering media literacy, questioning sources and promoting informed decision-making. He gave students a call to action, to be critical thinkers, to verify information before accepting or sharing it and to encourage others to do the same. His insights underscored the idea that combating misinformation requires a collective effort, with strong leadership at the forefront to guide society toward truth, accountability and ethical media consumption.

Students from all different majors and fields were able to engage in a meaningful conversation with Professor Freedman. Students must collaborate to ensure they, as future leaders, can create and share news and media that is progressing society in the right direction to media literacy. Freedman recommended that students be ethical, rely on provable facts and help to restore trust in factuality in whatever discipline they pursue.

The Buccino Leadership Institute is a selective and comprehensive four-year co-curricular program for undergraduate students at Seton Hall University. Anchored in experiential learning theory, the Buccino Leadership Institute delivers comprehensive, interdisciplinary leadership development that enables leaders to accelerate in any field they choose. 

Categories: Arts and Culture