EVENT DATE: Friday, April 29, 2022

LOCATION: Henry B. Plant Museum
401 W. Kennedy Blvd.
Tampa, Florida 33606

TIME: Cocktail reception: 5:30 p.m. Eastern time
Featured presentation: 6:45 p.m. Eastern time

TICKETS: $50

Join the Poynter Institute for an evening at the Henry B. Plant Museum located at The University of Tampa on Friday, April 29, 2022, to explore the evolution of sensationalism in news and its imprint on democracy throughout the centuries.

Connect with other journalism and history aficionados

The event will begin with a cocktail reception on the veranda beneath the former Tampa Bay Hotel’s ornate architecture and iconic minarets. Heavy hors d’oeuvres will be passed as guests take in the Tampa skyline across the Hillsborough River.

Browse the exhibit

Attendees will have the exclusive opportunity to tour a new exhibit curated by Dr. Charles McGraw Groh called “Stop the Presses! Fake News and the War of 1898.” The installation transports visitors to the late 1890s when media moguls William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer used romanticism and hyperbole to sell newspapers — coined “yellow journalism” — in a competitive New York City market. The exhibit explores the influence of the press during critical moments for democracy such as wartime with first-hand reports from war correspondents, as well as authentic Remington artwork and artifacts from events such as the explosion of the USS Maine and the Battle of San Juan Hill. Attendees will also be able to examine original letters, drawings and photographs from journalists who stayed at the Tampa Bay Hotel while this national landmark served as headquarters for the U.S. Army’s invasion of Cuba during the Spanish-American War.

Meet ethics and fact-checking experts

Following the reception, Poynter’s senior vice president Kelly McBride will moderate an enlightening discussion on journalism’s vital role in helping citizens more fully participate in the democratic process. McBride will be joined by a panel of experts from two of Poynter’s fact-checking enterprises including MediaWise’s program manager Alex Mahadevan and PolitiFact’s managing editor Katie Sanders. Together, we’ll learn how false or misleading information can disrupt — or even dismantle — democratic society, especially during times of crisis.

Space is limited to the first 75 ticket purchasers. Proceeds from this fundraising event support Poynter’s work to safeguard press freedom in democracies worldwide through journalism education, fact-checking, media literacy and ethics.

Questions?

Do you have questions about the event or for our panelists? We’d love to hear from you. Please send your inquiries in advance to marketing@poynter.org.

Unable to attend but want to support events like this? Please make a donation today at poynter.org/support.

The Poynter Institute is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to elevating journalism for those who create and consume it. Proceeds from this event support Poynter’s education, fact-checking and media-literacy efforts while strengthening journalism’s role in helping citizens govern themselves. Learn more at poynter.org/support.