The Seacoast Friends Preserving Democracy (SFPD) are hosting a panel discussion: “Preserving Democracy: The Role of New Hampshire’s Independent Media.” SFPD is focused on preserving our democracy and the rights guaranteed under our US Constitution, specifically in the First Amendment. To that end, we are sponsoring a free public event on Thursday, May 7, 2026 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm at the Portsmouth Public Library in the Hilton Garden Room.

At a time when some of our national media are being compromised, SFPD is sponsoring an impressive panel to highlight media outlets in New Hampshire that are non-profit and independent, providing trustworthy information to our state’s residents. Local media are crucial for democracy and have been shown to significantly impact voter registration. As the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa observed, “If journalism, as it is practiced, is lost, democracy is lost as a consequence.”

Our panel includes representatives from a range of New Hampshire media: Dawn DeAngelis of NH PBS, Steve Fowle of the NH Gazette, Jim Schachter of NH Public Radio, Nancy West of InDepthNH, and Dana Wormald of the NH Bulletin.

Light refreshments will be provided. Seating is limited. For more information, please contact Peter Somssich at peter.somssich@gmail.com or 603-436-5382 (No texts please).