UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Award-winning journalist Al Tompkins — one of America’s most requested broadcast journalism and multimedia teachers — will present a free public lecture addressing challenges for journalists, the importance of truth and more in late October on Penn State’s University Park campus.

Tompkins will present “Fighting Truth Decay: How and Why Fakers Fake” at 6 p.m. Oct. 24 in Freeman Auditorium of the HUB-Robeson Center.

After nearly 30 years working as a reporter, photojournalist, producer, investigative reporter, head of special investigations and news director, Tompkins joined the Poynter Institute as senior faculty for broadcast and online. Tompkins is the author of "Aim for the Heart," a textbook about multimedia storytelling that has been adopted by more than 100 universities worldwide. He has taught in 49 states, Canada, Denmark, Iceland and South Africa.

Tompkins is the recipient of some of journalism's highest awards including the National Emmy, the Japan Prize, the American Bar Association's Silver Gavel, the Peabody (group award), seven National Headliner Awards, the Robert F. Kennedy Award and the Iris Award. He was inducted into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame and honored with the Governor's Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Tompkins helped to author the national codes of ethics for both the National Press Photographers Association and the Radio and Television Digital News Association.

His keynote presentation is part of a two-day visit from Poynter Institute professionals to Penn State. The events are supported by the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters Visiting Professionals Program.