AI’s Transformation of Journalism
Ellen Beal and I joined Mike , CEO of Five Towers Media, to present a strategic opportunity for the Saratoga Torch Club: evolving from a local dinner club into a year-round online community that supports essential civic conversations in Saratoga Springs and across the region. Our central message was clear: the Torch Club can amplify its mission and expand its membership if it positions itself as both a place-based gathering and a digital network for civic dialogue.
We opened with the purpose that has always defined Torch Clubs nationwide—bringing together people from diverse professional backgrounds to share ideas, learn from one another, and elevate public discourse. Today, the same mission can reach far more people if we combine our traditional dinner model with the connective tools that now define community engagement.
Mike outlined the media landscape in Saratoga and the growing appetite for reliable, well-moderated conversations about issues that shape local decision-making: housing, open space, development, AI in public services, transportation, and the cultural identity of a rapidly changing city. He emphasized that Five Towers Media sees a clear opportunity for the Torch Club to become a trusted home for thoughtful civic exchange—not competitive with news outlets, but complementary, offering depth, context, and a non-adversarial forum.
Ellen made the case for growth. Our dinners already attract strong speakers and thoughtful members; by extending those conversations online, we can welcome more voices, attract younger participants, and build continuity between monthly events. Instead of a single evening, each program can become a four-week arc: the dinner, moderated online discussion, shared resources, and a closing synthesis.
I concluded with the core proposition: Saratoga needs structured civic conversations that help citizens and leaders think more clearly about the future. The Torch Club, with its history and its independence, is uniquely positioned to play this role. By becoming a hybrid community—dinner plus digital—we can expand membership, cultivate influence, and offer real value to the region’s planning and decision-making culture.
The reaction was positive and practical. Members expressed interest in exploring this hybrid model, identifying technology partners, and piloting our first “conversation arc” in the coming months. The next step was to establish a small working group to design the online platform, define membership tiers, and select our inaugural topic.
The Torch Club was founded a century ago to create thoughtful dialogue. Today, that mission demands new tools. If we act deliberately and shape a modern model, we can help Saratoga think better—and plan better—for the future.
