The Future of Journalism : Santa Barbara Literary Festival

In an era of rapid change, shrinking newsrooms, and rising distrust, journalism is at a crossroads. Join authors and journalists Josie Cox, Edward Humes, and Jane Borden for a timely and wide-ranging conversation on The Future of Journalism at the CEC Hub during the Santa Barbara Literary Festival.

Drawing on their experience in investigative reporting, cultural criticism, and narrative nonfiction, the panelists will explore how journalism is evolving—and what must be protected to ensure it continues to serve the public good. Topics will include the role of longform reporting in a fast-paced media ecosystem, the impact of technology and social platforms, threats to press freedom, and how journalists can rebuild trust while telling complex, human-centered stories.

This panel offers readers, writers, students, and engaged citizens an opportunity to think critically about where journalism is headed, why it still matters, and how strong reporting remains essential to democracy, accountability, and an informed community.

Jane Borden is an author, culture journalist, and editor. A regular contributor to Vanity Fair, she has also written for the New York Times Magazine, Rolling Stone, and The Washington Post, among other outlets.

Her book Cults Like US: Why Doomsday Thinking Drives America (One Signal Publishers, 2025) was longlisted for a Carnegie Medal and named a Best Book of 2025 by Amazon. She is also the author of I Totally Meant to Do That (Crown), a humorous memoir.

Josie Cox is a journalist, author, and broadcaster who covers economic gender inequality and women’s history. She has worked on staff at Reuters, The Independent, and The Wall Street Journal.

As a freelancer, she has written for Bloomberg, The Times, Business Insider, Salon, The Washington Post, The Spectator, The Guardian, Forbes, and many other publications. She regularly contributes to the BBC, both as a writer and broadcaster, and is a founding editor of The Persistent, a journalism platform dedicated to amplifying women’s voices, where she writes a weekly column.

Edward Humes is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and the author of “Total Garbage: How We Can Fix Our Waste and Heal Our World,” a current campus read selection and winner of the University of Pennsylvania Library’s 2025 Sustainability Prize. His latest book introduces innovators, grassroots leaders and everyday heroes who show us that our choices matter and how small changes add up.

Ed spends months embedded in the lives of his subjects to research stories about the justice system, science, nature, and sustainability. His seventeen books include the bestseller Mississippi Mud and the PEN Award–winning No Matter How Loud I Shout: A Year in the Life of Juvenile Court.

The Santa Barbara Literary Festival brings together readers and writers of every genre for a two day celebration of storytelling and inspiration. Engaging panels, enlightening workshops, pop-up events, and welcoming social gatherings, bring together established authors, emerging writers, and passionate readers in a uniquely intimate setting that fosters community centered around a shared love of the literary arts.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Santa Barbara Literary Festival