Community members will have a chance to discuss their views about the local news with a dozen leading figures in journalism, education, business and politics at a town hall meeting produced by the Society of Professional Journalists on Thursday, March 25. Participants will talk about how the current crisis in the news industry creates opportunities for the public to help shape new kinds of journalism that contribute to a vibrant democracy.

WHAT: “Your Views on Local News – A Town Hall Forum” 
WHEN: Thursday, March 25, 5:30-7:30 p.m. 
WHERE: Koret Auditorium, SF Public Library, 100 Larkin St.

Admission is free. Sandip Roy and Hana Baba of public radio station KALW-FM will moderate. The program will be recorded and broadcast by SFGTV, San Francisco’s government channel. For a list of participants, please visit SPJ Northern California Chapter’s Web site at spjnorcal.org. 

Lila LaHood is executive director of the San Francisco Public Press. She has worked as a nonprofit consultant, and as a freelance writer and editor. She was previously a business writer at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where she covered retail and real estate. Lila has an M.S. from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and a B.A. in international relations from Stanford University. She is a current member and past-president of the board of directors of the Northern California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.