Setting the Scene: How Storytelling and Representation in the Media Shapes Culture and Identity
Exploring The Power of Narrative and its Societal Impact
Description
In this world of media overload and digital storytelling, what we see in media shapes how we understand ourselves, others, and the cultures we belong to. This panel will explore how media/journalism startups are reshaping cultural identity through representation and by deciding what/how stories get told. Those in charge, redefine who gets seen and heard. The event will discuss how the media can either reinforce stereotypes or challenge them as they decide what stories get told and how. This impacts how communities understand themselves and each other.
Background
In an age of endless content streams and viral moments, the stories we encounter daily do more than entertain—they frame our understanding of who we are and where we belong. From algorithm-curated news feeds to TikTok micro-documentaries, every headline, clip and hashtag carries the power to affirm or distort the experiences of individuals and entire communities. As audiences navigate this sea of …
Date: 2025-08-20
Time (ET): 5:00 PM EDT, Aug 20, 2025
Time (Local): 9:00 PM UTC, Aug 20, 2025
Location: online
Speakers
J.M. Berger
Senior Research Fellow, Center on Terrorism, Extremism and Counterterrorism
Rebecca Neuwirth
Chief Strategy Officer, Documented
Michael Schoenfeld
Partner and Co-Lead, Foundations, Education, and Global Health Practice, Brunswick Group
Craig Shepherd
EVP, New Business Development & Affairs- Film/TV/Brands at Zero Point Zero Productions, Chair, Film & Television, Boston University
Diane Winston
Knight Chair in Media and Religion, University of Southern California
Keonte Coleman
Assistant Professor, Broadcast & Digital Journalism Department, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University