KAWC’s Lou Gum to be featured on Local News, Local Impact: Post-Election Debrief Webinar
November 12, 2024Yuma, AZ (November 12, 2024) – Lou Gum, News & Operations Director for the KAWC Newsroom, will be a featured panelist in the Local News, Local Impact: Post-Election Debrief Webinar later this month.
The community is invited to join the webinar via Zoom on Monday, November 18th from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. for a virtual discussion hosted by the Local News Initiative for Southern Arizona. During the one-hour forum, speakers from regional news outlets will explore the importance of local news and the various ways journalism may be challenged and altered during election season.
“KAWC and other local media providers have a unique perspective on elections that is often overlooked in an environment where news consumers are baited constantly to view every issue through a national lens,” Gum shared. “This contributes to political division and a general mistrust of institutions at all levels, even small local organizations and providers that have an established history in a community. Access is more difficult, the national gaze goes both ways, and details get lost in the overwhelming political rhetoric.”
“I look forward to sharing KAWC's story and hearing what local media representatives from across the state have to say about the challenges they faced in covering issues and candidates during this contentious national election,” Gum added.
In addition to his role as KAWC News & Operations Director, Gum hosts the Arizona Edition Podcast, a news production of KAWC that keeps the community informed on issues affecting the region. His participation in the Local News, Local Impact webinar is a continuation of this work as he represents KAWC and the Yuma community to a larger audience.
The discussion will be moderated by Scott Horsely, Chief Economics Correspondent for National Public Radio.
To participate in the free webinar, register here.
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About KAWC
Since 1970, KAWC has been a public service of Arizona Western College, providing local public radio for Yuma. KAWC hosts two programming streams: KAWC News, featuring NPR, BBC, and local news coverage on 88.9 FM and kawc.org for Yuma, Parker, and surrounding communities, and KOFA Border Radio, community music on 94.7 FM, AM 1320, and at borderradioaz.org for the Yuma area. From the Matador Activity Center on the Arizona Western College campus in Yuma, KAWC and KOFA produce programming highlighting local issues and Arizona musical artists designed to educate, inform, and entertain their listeners. In partnership with local and regional media, KAWC’s vision is to become the go-to source for local media programming.
About The Local News Initiative for Southern Arizona
The Local News Initiative for Southern Arizona, an initiative of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, was created to help strengthen local journalism in the community and fill critical gaps in local news and information. In March 2024, the Local News Initiative of Southern Arizona awarded a total of $225,000 to six organizations supporting local news throughout Southern Arizona, including Yuma’s KAWC.
Contact:
Lou Gum
News & Operations Director
KAWC Newsroom
Arizona Western College
lou.gum@azwestern.edu
(928) 314-9560