Bay Area Music Journalism: Covering A Changing Scene

If you love going to Bay Area concerts and festivals, discovering new artists, reading reviews, or simply keeping up with what’s happening in our local music scene, this conversation is for you. Join writers Jeff Chang, Nastia Voynovskaya, and Chris Zaldua for a community conversation moderate by KALW's Gabriel Lopez.

In an era of TikTok clips, music influencers, streaming algorithms, newsletters, and instant reactions, what role does a music journalist play? What gets covered, who gets heard, and what can thoughtful music reporting tell us about the culture we share?

We’ll hear how local reporters find stories, decide what’s worth covering, and think about their role in documenting a rapidly changing music scene.

Just as importantly, this is a chance for music fans to have a voice. Come hear from the people covering Bay Area music, ask questions, and tell reporters what you want to see more of: Which artists and scenes deserve more attention? What stories are being missed? What do you wish music journalism did better?

We’ll explore:

• What makes something music journalism, and what makes it something else?
• How does writing about music help us understand the Bay Area and the world around us?
• Who gets covered, who gets overlooked, and how can that change?
• What stories, scenes, artists, venues, and communities deserve more attention?
• What do Bay Area music fans want from the people covering the music they love?