ONE of the country’s most respected journalists will be speaking at Sunderland University.
ITV’s chief news correspondent, Alastair Stewart, who is taking part in a series of public lectures in the city, will be asking whether social media has had a positive or negative impact on good journalism.
He will speak about the challenge of good, well researched and accurate journalism in an unprecedented time of instant sources and the emergence of citizen journalism.
Alastair, best known as presenter of ITV’s News at Ten, has covered many world news stories, including the Gulf War, royal weddings and the first live television debate ahead of the 2010 General Election.
He said: “I am greatly looking forward to visiting the University of Sunderland again to give some thoughts on how my ‘day job’ is helped, and sometimes hindered by social media.
“Whoever comes, I hope people enjoy the talk – and might even tweet during it.”
The talk is the latest in the university’s public lecture series, featuring some of the UK’s most respected figures from the world of sport, television, film, science and literature, which began last year with popular lectures by sporting legend, Steve Cram, followed by former Sunderland MP, Chris Mullin, and renowned crime writer, Val McDermid.
The series will continue this year with a who’s who of celebrated national figures including former filmmaker David Puttnam, scientist and documentary maker Robert Winston, children’s writer Terry Deary, former education secretary Baroness Estelle Morris and BBC historian Michael Wood.
The lectures, which are free to the general public, aim to inform and stimulate debate, as well as entertain.
Alastair Stewart will be speaking on Thursday, January 24, in the Murray Library Lecture Theatre, Chester Road, at 6.30pm.
Tickets are sold out, but to check for last-minute cancellations, or for information about future lectures, email events@sunderland.ac.uk.
Twitter: @SunEchoSchools
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