Two veteran journalists illuminate the convergent paths ahead—for those who consume news and those who report it.

Early in October Gay Talese came to the Boston Athenaeum to celebrate publication of “The Silent Season of a Hero: The Sports Writing of Gay Talese.” In this collection of…

‘Although the challenges facing this Midwest region are primarily economic, Changing Gears’ mandate is more than to just tell business stories.’

‘This is why the advice is simple: Don’t look down from that tightrope; your safety net is gone, likely forever.’

Of the many memorable phrases sportswriter Red Smith bestowed on the English language, the most enduring may be his description to a group of New York Herald Tribune advertising salesmen…

‘There’s an analogy between statehouse beat reporters—well, beat reporters in general—and cops on the beat who know the neighborhood and everyone in it.’

‘As much as possible, I adhere to the same reporting rules with social media when it comes to breaking news. Do I have a reliable source? Is this information on…

‘Our blog made no bones about its utter subjectivity, but we were seen as more objective than those for whom objectivity was a commandment.’

‘Looking back on these people who are larger than life, I wonder: In fiction, who would believe them?’

‘As beat writers know, it’s in doing these routine stories that they sniff out situations worthy of deeper digging.’