David Folkenflik to headline 14th Oppenheimer Ethics Symposium on freedom of speech in the media

MOSCOW, Idaho — David Folkenflik, NPR media correspondent, will deliver the keynote address at the 14th Oppenheimer Ethics Symposium at 5 p.m. Monday, April 13, in the courtroom of the Menard Law Building in Moscow. His talk, “Full Court Press: The Upending of the Modern Media,” will discuss how external pressures on media outlets have raised concerns about freedom of speech and their ability to investigate and report stories. The event is free and open to the public.  

“Across the media landscape, we’re seeing new pressures placed on media organizations and how they investigate, report and critique those in power,” said Robin Johnson, director of the School of Journalism and Mass Media. “David’s approach to covering recent major media stories — from the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger to newsroom cuts at The Washington Post to the enforcement of the Federal Communications Commission’s equal time rule — consistently reflects an objective, ethical approach to reporting complex issues.”  

In addition to his keynote speech, Folkenflik will visit classes in the School of Journalism and Mass Media and meet with students. He’ll discuss ethical issues related to working as a reporter and media professional, as well as his career path and experiences in both print and broadcast newsrooms.  

“This is an excellent opportunity for our students and the university community to learn more about what’s happening in the media landscape and why it matters from one of the country’s best media correspondents,” Johnson said.  

Folkenflik joined NPR in 2004 after more than a decade at the Baltimore Sun. At NPR, his stories and analyses are broadcast on the network’s broadcast news programs, such as All Things Considered, Morning Edition and Here & Now, and are featured on NPR’s website and mobile platforms.  

A five-time winner of the Arthur Rowse Award for Press Criticism from the National Press Club, Folkenflik has received numerous other recognitions. In 2018, the Society of Professional Journalists recognized Folkenflik with its Ethics in Journalism Award.  

Since 2011, the Oppenheimer Ethics Symposium, sponsored by the School of Journalism and Mass Media and the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences, has brought nationally recognized journalists and media professionals to University of Idaho. The symposium’s goal is to promote professional responsibility and ethical behavior by journalists and other media professionals. The symposium is supported by U of I graduates Doug and Arthur “Skip” Oppenheimer of Boise, with additional support from Spokane Public Radio.  

Visit go.uidaho.edu/oppenheimer to learn more about the Oppenheimer Ethics Symposium.