Reuters has announced that it would host a debate next Tuesday, April 5 where the topic of discussion will be "the impact of blogs in journalism and the media."

Details as follows:

When: 6.00 pm - 8.30 pm, Tuesday, April 5th, 2005

Where: The Reuters Building, (42ND Street and 7th Avenue), 3 Times Square, 30th Floor, New York NY 10036

Panel convenes at 6.15pm, followed by open audience discussion and a cocktail reception.

Scheduled to participate:

Paul Holmes: Global Editor, General & Political News, Reuters

Stephen Baker: Senior Writer, IT Group, BusinessWeek

Jay Rosen: Author, Pressthink.org, & Associate Professor, NYU Dept. of Journalism

Halley Suitt: Author, Halley's Comment; Writer

Bryan Keefer: Assistant Managing Editor, Columbia Journalism Review Daily

Garrett Graff: FishbowlDC.com, 1st White House Accredited Blogger

Dave Winer: Editor, Scripting News

John Fund: Columnist, OpinionJournal.com

Most importantly, the topics of discussion:

Are bloggers journalists? Should they be afforded the same rights as journalists?

With blogs central to the recent resignations of top journalists, is anyone holding the bloggers to account?

Do blogs have a vital role in the national debate?

Are they seeking the truth and exposing poor journalism? Or are they being used as campaigning tools to advance particular causes or points of view?

RSVP: Mediafolk wishing to attend should reach out to Sophie Brendel at +1 646 223 4331 or sophie.brendel (at) reuters (dot) com.

[update] Halley Suitt has been named as a replacement for Jay Rosen at the event. Rosen will not be attending due to a schedule conflict.