Leveraging Media History to Improve Modern Journalism

Led by Meg Heckman, this round table will examine how historical media production patterns reveal systemic gaps in representation that continue to influence modern coverage of marginalized communities. Participants will explore how understanding these historical contours can help modern newsrooms recognize their shortcomings and develop more inclusive coverage practices.

The discussion will aim to transform historical awareness into actionable strategies for creating journalism that authentically serves communities traditionally misrepresented or entirely absent from mainstream narratives.

Date: Wednesday, Nov. 12

Time: 2-4pm

Location: Snell Library at Northeastern, Room 350, 360 Huntington Ave. Boston

About the organizer:Meg Heckman is an award-winning writer, educator and scholar who pursues two distinct research streams: feminist media history and contemporary local news sustainability. Her historical work centers on uncovering the overlooked contributions of women in journalism. Heckman is the author of Political Godmother: Nackey Scripps Loeb and the Newspaper That Shook the Republican Party (University of Nebraska Press, 2020), which examines how the career of newspaper publisher and conservative activist Nackey Scripps Loeb foreshadowed the modern hyperpartisan media ecosystem. She is also involved in several ongoing projects that explore how AI and other computational methods can help surface more inclusive historical narratives.

Heckman also regularly writes for general audiences about gender, politics and media. Her essays and commentary have appeared in WBUR Cognoscenti, Politico Magazine, USA Today, and the Saturday Evening Post. She also contributes to journalism industry publications including Poynter, Columbia Journalism Review, and Nieman Lab.

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Host or Publisher Center for Communication, Media Innovation & Social Change at Northeastern