BuzzFeed, DNA Info, Gothamist, Corner News Media, and Capital New York

Known for its viral videos and numbered lists, BuzzFeed, has become a major national and international news gathering force. But that's not the whole story, Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith came to St. Francis College September 22 to help tell the story of how digital news is cementing itself as the go-to destination for local communities too.

Watch New York's New Digital Media

Smith moderated the panel, New York's New Digital Media, with online executives Michael Ventura (Managing Editor, DNAinfo), Jen Chung (Co-Founder Gothamist, LLC and Executive Editor of Gothamist.com), Liena Zagare (Publisher, Corner News Media), and Tom McGeveran (Co-Founder and Editor, Capital New York).

Panelists discussed how digital media is becoming the new community newspaper.

The event was organized by St. Francis Scholar in Residence Fred Siegel, a Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute and author of The Revolt Against The Masses: How Liberalism Undermined the Middle. He has been instrumental in bringing a number of timely and provocative events to the College, including: Is Casino Gambling Good For New York?, The Tension Between Catholic Schools & Charter Schools, Can You be Both a Business Success and Ethically Noble? and Lincoln, Grant and the Civil War.

4 Panelists and 1 Moderator You Want to Know

Ben Smith, Editor-in-Chief of BuzzFeed, has built a newsroom of more than 200 reporters and editors and expanded the website worldwide. Prior to BuzzFeed, Smith was senior political writer for Politico, wrote a column and blog for the New York Daily News, started New York's first political blog, The Politicker, and worked for the New York Observer.

Michael P. Ventura is the Managing Editor at DNAinfo, in charge of running daily newsroom operations. Before joining DNAinfo he was city editor at Metro and freelanced for media outlets including: Village Voice, Time Out New York, and The Real Deal. He was also a copy editor for the Daily News and a Web producer for WNYC Radio.

Jen Chung is Executive Editor of Gothamist.com and Co-Founder of Gothamist LLC, which was established in 2003.

Liena Zagare is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of Corner Media, a network of 7 neighborhood news sites in Brooklyn. Liena has 8 years of experience bringing neighbors news they care about, and helping local businesses succeed.

Tom McGeveran is a co-founder and editor of Capital. He's previously served as Editor of The New York Observer and has also worked at The New York Blade.

St. Francis College, founded in 1859 by the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn, is located in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y. Since its founding, the College has pursued its Franciscan mission to provide an affordable, high-quality education to students from New York City's five boroughs and beyond.

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St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street, Brooklyn Heights, NY 11201
www.sfc.edu