Panel of accomplished writers and editors to discuss arts journalism during Internet age

NEW PALTZ — A well-known television critic, a music writer and a former New York Times culture editor will highlight a panel of journalists who will discuss arts journalism in the age of the Internet at a forum at the State University of New York at New Paltz at 4 p.m. on Monday, April 21, in the college’s Honors Center.

The event, which is titled "’Dude, that RULEZ!’ – Arts Journalism in the Age of the Internet" is free and open to the public.

The discussion will feature four accomplished writer and editors who shape the way arts is covered in America and will be moderated by New Paltz Professor Will Hermes, who is a frequent contributor to National Public Radio, The New York Times, Rolling Stone and Spin magazine.

“Arts journalism, like all journalism, is in a state of great change,” said Hermes who teaches a class on arts writing and criticism and is writing a book about New York City’s music culture in the mid-1970s.

Newspapers and magazines are cutting back on serious arts reporting and laying off critics, he points out, but “at the same time, new forms and avenues of arts writing have exploded on the Web.” The forum is expected to discuss these developments.

The keynote speaker will be Joy Press who is culture editor at Salon, a well known online magazine. Before joining Salon, she served as the literary editor of the Village Voice and edited the Voice Literary Supplement (VLS). She has also been chief TV and book critic for the Voice.

Press edited "War of the Words: 20 Years of Writing on Contemporary Literature in the VLS" and co-wrote, with husband Simon Reynolds, "The Sex Revolts: Gender, Rebellion and Rock ‘n’ Roll."

Joining Press will be Hua Hsu who has written about culture and politics for Slate, The New York Times, the Boston Globe Ideas section and the Village Voice, and Martin Gottlieb who was deputy culture editor for The New York Times for six years and is the former editor of the Village Voice.

Gottlieb is currently the James H. Ottaway visiting professor of journalism at New Paltz and has been an award-winning investigative reporter. Hsu recently joined the English Department at Vassar College.

The forum is sponsored by the college’s Department of Communication and Media, which includes its programs in journalism, radio-television and communication.