A debate to mark world press freedom day is likely to prove controversial. Entitled "New media is killing journalism", it will be proposed by Andrew Keen, author of The cult of the amateur: how today's internet is killing our culture, a book that has been subjected to relentless criticism since it was published last June.
Here's how the debate is billed on the Frontline Club website: "As newspapers wrestle with declining circulation and the rise of the new media, is the profession behind the headlines in jeopardy? The internet's influence has drastically changed the media landscape, often to the detriment of print newspapers.
"Is new media edging out accountability and standards with ill-informed opinion and user-generated rants? Or is it the evolution of journalism, breaking down barriers which previously restricted the flow of information and narrowed the range of debate?"
The debate, at the Frontline Club, will take place on the morning of May 2. I just wish I could be there, but I'll be away at a conference in Australia - discussing the internet and journalism.
