GCJD hosted journalist and author Kitty Pilgrim on October 22nd. Pilgrim, a former CNN anchor and reporter spoke about the merging of news and entertainment. "My sons get their news from Jon Stewart. Clearly, a lot of people are getting their news through entertainment venues instead of traditional news sources".
Her own personal journey from news anchor to novelist mirrors changes in how the public receives information. Pilgrim talked about how society is becoming more fractured--as people have more control over the news they consume. She says people fall into one of two camps, news junkies or airheads. "If we have to slip credible information into entertainment product, then so be it. As long as people are being educated."
Pilgrim has written two fact based fiction novels, "The Explorers Code" and "The Stolen Chalice". She says she wrote them in the same way she wrote her news reports. She visited the places she wrote about so she could accurately depict them and she interviewed a variety of experts." She had an interesting perspective. I learned a lot listening to her presentation" said SHSU student Alyssa Bimage.
The online version of Pilgrim's books include videos which provide additional information about places or issues described in her stories. She's hoping to engage novel readers in new ways, but admits it's been slow going. Pilgrim says her third novel is already written and will soon be released.
GCJD IN THE NEWS WITH KITTY PILGRIM
A story by Student Connor Hyde >>
Global Center for Journalism and Democracy
Dan Rather Communications Building, Room 201, Huntsville, TX 77340