Mr Kirkness will chair "The News: What's the Future?", a free public discussion at the Otago Museum's Hutton Theatre on March 29 at 5.30pm.
The talk is linked with "Focal Point: 150 Years of the Otago Daily Times", a free exhibition celebrating the first 150 years of New Zealand's oldest daily newspaper.
The panellists are news and media experts: Daily Times assistant editor Simon Cunliffe, Fiordland Advocate editor Kirsty Macnicol, University of Otago applied sciences senior lecturer Dr Mark McGuire and Mr Tulett.
Organisers said the "changing media landscape" was generating "new opportunities and challenges for the future of sharing the news".
"Focal Point" celebrates the photographic history of the ODT, including historic Otago events such as the Beatles' 1964 visit to Dunedin, the 1979 Abbotsford slip and the 1981 Springbok tour.
Since opening on November 16, the show had proved "very successful", attracting more than 40,000 visitors, museum marketing co-ordinator Juliet Pierce said.
A recent survey of 50 visitors showed half were from Dunedin, with 14% each from the rest of the South Island and Australia; 10% from the North Island; and some others from the UK and Europe.
A quarter of visitors were aged 61 or older, and many others were aged between 50 and 60.
Visitors said they enjoyed the show because it reflected Otago's history. They could remember the events pictured and also enjoyed the range of photographs.
The print media faced a "very challenging time" but had responded to the internet by developing their own online editions, which also enjoyed their "brand credibility", she said.
The show runs at the special exhibitions gallery until June 17.
