Pointer Institute conference

The Pointer Institute conducted conference "Fact or Friction: Building the Bridge Between the Fourth and Fifth Estates" at the Newseum. Among the speakers there were president of Pointer Karen B. Dunlap, some of Institute's experts, senior vice president for news of NPR, CEO's of popular websites and founders of famous blogs.
It was useful for me to hear what they were discussing. I think in Russia we already have some of the tendencies in mass media - the same as in the USA, and some of them will be actual maybe in couple of years.
The audience is tired from the flow of news, people can not understand why should they trust the sources of information, they like interpreters who can say whom to hate and whom to love and objectiveness in journalism is under questions. What strategies should mass media use to be closer to the public, what are the new forms of interaction and cooperation with the audience? And what is the role of bloggers and citizen journalism: do they become new power or sooner or later they will be a part of mainstream media? Those were some of the questions of the discussion (as I understood).
Some practical result for me: I have got contacts that may be good for one educational project Novaya Gazeta should like to participate in Russia. With the help of our European friends we think about inviting some experts to come to Moscow and to give some lectures for young jourlalists and students. Maybe the experts from Pointer Institute will be interested to take part in the project.