I’m packing my bags and heading down to Washington, D.C. for the Federal Trade Commission’s two-day workshop on the future of journalism. There are bound to be some useful insights regarding what's next for U.S. media, and we’ll try to capture it all for you at SaveTheNews.org, on Twitter or on Facebook.
Check back for speakers’ remarks, guest blog posts, video interviews and more.

The event is a mix of presentations and panels covering topics ranging from emerging business models to public media. Speakers include Rupert Murdoch, Arianna Huffington, Len Downie, Rep. Henry Waxman, former FCC Chairman Reed Hundt and numerous other academics, editors and news executives. Free Press’ own executive director, Josh Silver, will also be presenting.

There’s been a lot of speculation about why the FTC is holding a workshop on journalism. FTC Chairman John Liebowitz has said: "We do two things at the FTC: competition and consumer protection. Both of those issues touch on the future of journalism.” Liebowitz explained that the goal of the workshop is to “come up with some ideas about what policy makers or lawmakers might think about doing, or refraining from doing, going forward." In preparation for the event, the FTC called for public comments to help shape the debate and inform the discussion. More than 2,000 people submitted comments here at SaveTheNews.org.

If this event is done right, it could be an important step toward a more coordinated government approach to the challenges facing journalists and journalism in America. Already this year, both the House and Senate have held hearings on the state of the news; the DOJ has weighed in, and the FCC has announced a major new initiative on the future of media. We are encouraged that policy makers recognize the important role policy can play in promoting a free press, but we need government agencies to work together – and to continue to work with us – to take strategic action. Without real coordination and input from journalists and the public, we risk repeating the mistakes of the past.

But it’s not just up to the FTC. If we honestly believe that journalism is a public good, then we need to develop the political will to make that vision a reality. We need to hold the our policy makers accountable, and ensure that what starts this week doesn’t end this week.

We’ll be keeping an eye on D.C. and keeping the conversation going here at SaveTheNews.org and in communities around the country. Stay tuned, and get involved.