False reports on social media. Altered and A.I.-generated images. Fewer local journalists embedded in the community.

What do these technical and business changes mean for the way we get our news—and, with the speed of change increasing, where do we go from here?

Later this month, the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information will address these questions through a multiday public series, presented in partnership with the nonprofit Poynter Institute, a global leader in journalism.

At the center of the series is a traveling exhibit tracing the history of American journalism—from colonial print to A.I.-generated news—called Moments of Truth: An Exploration of Journalism’s Past, Present and Future. Additional programs include a panel discussion with distinguished journalists, hands-on media literacy workshops and a trivia night at the Denver Press Club.

“This initiative is about helping people think critically about the information they see every day—while giving them techniques they can use to navigate their information ecosystem,” said Brittani Kollar, deputy director of Poynter’s MediaWise media literacy initiative. “We are thrilled to bring our event series to Boulder in celebration of Poynter’s 50th anniversary, especially at a time when press freedoms are under threat. It is crucial to have meaningful conversations about those challenges.”

Notably, Moments of Truth opens the same week that CMDI hosts J-Day, the annual journalism showcase presented by the Colorado Student Media Association. The event gathers more than 1,000 high-school students interested in journalism and communication for a day of learning, connecting and networking. Several industry speakers from Poynter’s media literacy arm, MediaWise, will deliver talks to Colorado high school students in attendance.

CMDI’s founding dean, Lori Bergen, is a former journalist who now serves as a Poynter trustee. She previously served on its national advisory board.

“It is a tremendous privilege to get to bring Poynter’s perspectives about news literacy to the university and Boulder communities, especially in a time of hyper-partisanship and ceaseless technical innovation,” Bergen said. “CMDI was built upon a century of journalism at CU Boulder. In launching the college, we were interested in how changes in technology and changes in how people communicate would continue to influence the way news is gathered, verified, reported and shared. Our students study the ways industries like data science, communication, journalism, design and public relations influence one another, preparing them for success in a professional world where these disciplines intersect.”  

The anchor for the series is the 12-panel pop-up exhibit created by MediaWise. Visitors move through key moments in journalism’s evolution, interacting with historical artifacts, testing digital verification tools and reflecting on how media has shaped public understanding across generations.

Moments of Truth will be housed in the university’s Norlin Library, but the exhibit is designed to reach beyond just the university community. The Boulder Public Library will host a moderated panel discussion Sept. 30 in the Canyon Theater. 

Journalists from the community will discuss the power and complexities of intergenerational stories before taking a deep dive into a specific example of local importance: environmental reporting. That session will be moderated by Phaedra C. Pezzullo, a professor of communication at CMDI and director of the college's Sustainability and Storytelling Lab, which studies the roles communication and stories play in advancing environmental fairness and justice. 

In addition, on Oct. 1, the Denver Press Club will host MediaWise and CMDI for Is that Legit?!, a journalism-themed trivia challenge in which participants test their knowledge on topics like misinformation, journalism history and fact-checking.

The national exhibition visits Boulder between Tuesday, Sept. 23, and Thursday, Oct. 9. For dates, times, and locations, visit the CMDI website.

Joe Arney covers research and general news for the college.