Join BigTentUSA on Tuesday, August 18 at 7 pm ET for a fascinating conversation with Melissa Bell, CEO of Chicago Public Media, and co-founder of Vox, moderated by New York Times columnist and fellow Vox co-founder, Ezra Klein, on the corporate takeover of many media companies across the country, and the forces reshaping American media.
Together, the duo will discuss the effects of shifting news outlets–from the dismantling of the public broadcasting system and the decline of local journalism to increasing corporate consolidation and privatization.
As more news stations deal with the loss of federal support, both Bell and Klein will explore what is next for media agencies in America, and how we can share and protect news for future generations.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:
Melissa Bell has been Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Media since September 2024. She co-founded Vox.com in 2014 and helped pioneer explainer journalism while leading multiplatform products including the Today, Explained podcast and Netflix’s Explained. As publisher of Vox Media, she oversaw its editorial brands and helped lead its mergers with New York Magazine and Group Nine. Previously, Bell directed digital platforms at The Washington Post and was a founding Features Editor for Mint. In 2023, she became a visiting fellow at Oxford University’s Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.
Ezra Klein joined New York Times Opinion in 2021. He is the host of the podcast “The Ezra Klein Show” and the author of “Why We’re Polarized” and, with Derek Thompson, “Abundance.” Previously, he was the founder, editor in chief and then editor at large of Vox. Before that, he was a columnist and editor at The Washington Post, where he founded and led the Wonkblog vertical.
