National media experts will participate in a "Generation Next" forum at Dickinson College's Anita Tuvin Schlechter (ATS) auditorium Thursday, Jan. 29, at 7:30 p.m., to discuss the role youth played in the 2008 presidential election. The panel discussion, to be moderated by PBS journalist Judy Woodruff, is free and open to the public.

The forum, "Generation Next and the 2008 Election," will feature Jeff Milstein, producer of the "Generation Next" series broadcast on PBS; Scott Keeter, director of survey research at Pew Research Center; and "Generation Next" documentary participants Adora Mora and John Fiske.

Milstein brings more than 25 years of producing experience to his role as senior broadcast producer. He began his career with ABC News, as part of the original Nightline team for the first 13 years, producing pieces for the nightly program and documentary segments for Koppel Reports. In 1993 he joined NBC News, producing magazine pieces for Now with Tom Brokaw and Katie Couric, before moving to WETA, PBS's flagship station in Washington, D.C., as executive producer for news and public affairs programming. Milstein followed his tenure in public television by joining CNN as a senior producer, contributing to such programs as Inside Politics and producing magazine pieces and a documentary on the Reagan presidency.

In 2004, he launched a new phase in his career as an independent producer — producing the pilot for Tucker Carlson's PBS series and several PBS/WETA town meetings anchored by former CNN Washington bureau chief Frank Sesno. He also joined with former CNN anchor Judy Woodruff and MacNeil/Lehrer Productions to write and produce two PBS documentaries on today's young people. "Generation Next: Speak Up, Be Heard" and "Generation Next 2.0" focus on the social, political and cultural views of America's 16-25 year olds, and how they differ from their predecessors.

Also on Thursday, Jan. 19, the same panelists and Richard Hesel, owner of Art & Science Group LLC, will participate in a Common Hour discussion at Rubendall Recital Hall in the Weiss Center for the Arts at noon. The topic will be "Generation Next: An American Portrait," and the participants will discuss how 42 million Americans age 16 to 25 have been shaped by an unprecedented revolution in technology and dramatic events at home and abroad. Woodruff will not moderate the Common Hour event.

The Common Hour session also is free and open to the public. Rubendall Recital Hall is on West High Street between West and South College streets.

Both panel discussions are sponsored by The Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues. For more information, call (717) 245-1875 or visit www.clarkeforum.org.