Pro sessions submitted so far, unedited and in order received…
How to Start a Community Newspaper in Today’s Environment
Newspapers are dying right and left, especially community newspapers. Are newspapers even relevant anymore? Indeed they are! In fact, the need for community newspapers is actually greater than ever and the potential is enormous. Here’s how we do it.
Woody Jenkins, editor and publisher, Central City News and St. George Leader in Baton Rouge, LA.
You Did The Story; Now You Need The Audience
So many journalists excel at great storytelling and investigative pieces. But we are not always so great at getting the audience we want for the articles we write. How do we increase our reach, get the attention of the “news resistance,” get young audiences to pay attention, and create versions of our stories that can go far and wide? This talk would offer 8 tips on going where the eyeballs are. It will offer ideas/examples/practical tips and the philosophical underpinnings that suggest journalists have a moral imperative to take their powerful work where audiences are – rather than waiting for audiences to come to them.
Kyle Spencer, The Pro-Democracy Information Lab/Reporting Right Founder/CEO
Don’t Get Hacked: Digital Security for Journalists
Protecting yourself from an ever-growing list of cyber incidents may seem daunting, but there’s easy changes you can make to safeguard your work and keep yourself and your sources safe. In this session, we’ll be going over the first steps into digital security for journalists. We’ll start with the basics of protecting your online accounts, then dive into protecting the devices you talk to your sources on, to keep them malware-free.
David Huerta, Freedom of the Press Foundation Senior Digital Security Trainer
How to Grow Your Media Career Early
designed to provide actionable strategies and insights for aspiring media professionals looking to jumpstart their careers. From building a strong personal brand to mastering essential skills and networking effectively, this session will equip you with the tools to succeed in the fast-paced media industry. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your approach, this will help you lay a solid foundation for long-term success in the media world.
Alyvia Taylor, KTTC Gray Media lifestyle reporter & producer
FOI Jedi moves: Psychological strategies in acquiring records
Attendees will learn strategies for finding records, crafting effective requests and overcoming denials through psychological strategies. They will have a chance to try out some tools on their own laptops, and learn tips from the latest research.
David Cuillier, Brechner Freedom of Information Project director
Document Slam: Competition for the best public record idea
Attendees compete for prizes for the coolest, most unique public record that every journalist should request. Each person gets 1 minute to come up to the mic and explain their record, and then at the end attendees vote for their favorite. The top 3 win merchandise.
David Cuillier, Brechner Freedom of Information Project director
Truth With a Camera: Empathy in Visual Reporting
Cornell Capa championed the “concerned photographer”—one whose images transcend cynicism to reveal raw human truth. This seminar explores how empathy in photojournalism creates powerful emotional connections, drawing audiences into the heart of a story. Discover how the lens becomes a bridge between observer and subject, fostering deeper understanding and impact.
Christopher Tyree, Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism Sr. Director and Co-founder
Unmuzzling Your Sources
Do government agencies demand questions in advance? Require an escort, but don’t let sources talk? Allow interviews only if they can monitor? Stonewall until your deadline passes? Or just forbid interviews with anyone but the boss who’s never available?
Gag order experts will give tips for dealing with obstacles reporters face while seeking interviews with local, regional or federal subject-matter experts.
We’ll talk about ways to get these gag orders changed or removed, including how to find a pro bono attorney and prepare for a First Amendment lawsuit.
Carolyn S. Carlson, former reporter, professor and past national SPJ president
Frank LoMonte, legal counsel for CNN
Kathryn Foxhall, Washington freelancer and SPJ FOI Committee’s gag order expert
Attracting audiences back to news using accessibility
News audiences are dwindling. Why? Is it because news isn’t accessible?
• 28.7% of Americans identify as disabled.
• Half of Americans have a chronic illness.
• 54% of Americans read at or below a 6th grade reading level.
Bring audiences back to print, audio and video news with accessibility.
Stacy Kess, Equal Access Public Media Founder, Editor-in-chief
Reporting in times of distress
I would like to do a session/panel discussion at MediaFest focused on student reporting. I will draw on my experience as a journalism lecturer, a leader in the SPJ and a member of San Francisco’s Sunshine Ordinance Task Force to talk about challenges for student reporting in today’s political climate, what rights students have while reporting on the field and how they can navigate challenges such as refusal of FOIA requests, threats, etc.
My fellow panelists are Wesley and Nick, who also work with students and have played a monumental role in getting the voices of students from marginalized heard in SPJ and the wider journalistic community.
Ankita M. Kumar, freelance journalist and former lecturer of journalism
Using Tor to Protect You and Your Sources
This is a hands-on session. Participants will learn about Tor and how to use it various security components.
Pavel Zoneff, The Tor Project Director, Startegic Communicaiton
Treating news content as building blocks to create ecosystems that sustain journalism: Evidence-based new thinking with use cases and examples
In our session, through examples and use cases, we discuss two different approaches news outlets can employ to make their articles garner higher impact and engagement than their articles otherwise would on their own.
These are:
• the audience engagement app DigInThere which gamifies reading itself, and
• the dating app InPress which connects people on the basis of their reading habits.
Zoli Csernatony, Project DigInThere co-Founder
Playing Offense and Defense in the Fight Against Misinformation
In a time when misinformation is running rampant, hear from an academic expert about what science suggests are the most effective ways of combatting and debunking false information and an experienced fact-checker about how to ensure your own work doesn’t accidentally introduce new misinformation into the world.
Tori Espensen, SciLine | AAAS Media Training Manager
Covering Climate on Every Beat
Climate change reporting isn’t limited to environment and health stories — it’s key to every beat, whether you’re covering breaking news, politics, sports, or business. Speakers will give examples of climate reporting on wide-ranging beats, suggest strategies to identify climate angles, and give advice on including climate change evidence and expertise.
Elena Renken, Manager, Journalism Projects & Multimedia at SciLine, based at the American Association for the Advancement of Science
Reporting on addiction: How to ethically and empathetically cover our communities
Journalists hold a large sway over public opinion, but when it comes to addiction coverage, stories rooted unintentionally in harmful narratives that use stigmatizing language can create barriers to lifesaving treatment, influence harmful policies, and, at their worst, result in death. In this session, student journalists and media advisors will receive training in ethical, trauma-informed approaches to reporting, interviewing, and creating photos and video in our communities impacted by addiction, as well as be provided with resources they can walk away with that will help them immediately implement their new skills in their classrooms and newsrooms.
Ashton Marra, Reporting on Addiction Co-founder, co-director
Protecting Press Freedom in Perilous Times: Safety and Security Strategies for Journalists
In the face of rising autocracies and hostility toward journalists, this session offers actionable strategies for physical safety, digital security, and psychosocial resilience. Attendees will learn risk assessments, harassment management, and psychological first aid, empowering them to safeguard their well-being and integrity while reporting in volatile environments.
Jeje Mohamed, Aegis Safety Alliance Managing partner
No Managers Allowed: An AMA On How To Get Ahead
Being a great journalist requires more than reporting and technical skills. Getting ahead, whether that’s through plum assignments or promotions, requires prioritization, time management, professional communication, relationship building, and receiving feedback. Based on the Early Career Guide To Newsroom Success, this session will break down how to make a lasting impression on the industry leaders that matter most.
Rachel Lobdell, Media Consultant
Police-Press Relations
Learn how law enforcement is trained to interact with the press at demonstrations, protests and public events. Discussion involves police protocol for crowd control and dispersal in relation to the First Amendment. Panel includes a police chief, a professional journalist and a media attorney. Facilitated by SPJ member Jennifer Karchmer.
Jennifer Karchmer, independent journalist
DIY Algorithm Audits for Journalists
We’ll cover six practical steps to conducting algorithm audits that promote public understanding of AI and Big Tech accountability. An algorithm audit is a method of varying inputs to observe an algorithm’s outputs. Journalists can use them to identify and report bias in search or recommender systems, including how specific news topics are distributed.
Andy Lee Roth, Project Censored editor-at-large
Press Freedom As A News Beat
The panelists will show how to build a news beat that focuses on press freedom.
Kirstin McCudden, US Press Freedom Tracker managing editor
Jessica Jerreat, Press Freedom Editor,Voice of America
Angele Latham, First Amendment Reproter, The Tennessean
Digging deep: Finding stories in public records
Public records are one of the most underused yet powerful tools in a journalist’s toolbox.
This session will explore how reporters – regardless of beat, experience level or newsroom size – can turn government documents and data into impactful enterprise stories.
Attendees will learn how to spot narratives in public records, uncover hidden documents and develop data-driven projects even without a dedicated data team.
Key takeaways:
- How to identify and extract storylines from public records and datasets
- Examples of powerful, accessible data stories you can do now
- Tips for requesting documents and uncovering hard-to-find information
- Creative ways to visualize and present your reporting for maximum audience engagement
We’ll also cover real-world examples, easy-to-launch story ideas and smart strategies to present findings in ways that resonate with readers and make an impact.
Chris Coates is a senior director–local news for Lee Enterprises and after serving as executive editor of The Times-Dispatch in Richmond, Virginia. He previously was watchdog editor for The News Journal in Wilmington, Delaware, and has worked in newsrooms in Illinois, Iowa and California. In May, he was named to Editor & Publisher’s list of “Editors Extraordinaire” for 2024.
Chris Coates, Lee Enterprises senior director – local news
Remember the reader: Growing audience through community connections
In a time of information overload and audience fragmentation, building meaningful connections with your community is more important than ever.
This session explores strategies for growing and sustaining your audience by putting the reader at the center of your journalism. We’ll look at ways to listen actively, reflect community needs in your coverage and foster trust and loyalty.
Key takeaways:
- Tools and techniques to listen to your community and respond with relevant coverage
- Story formats and platforms that deepen engagement and invite participation
- Examples of successful community-driven journalism initiatives
- Building trust through transparency, accessibility and relationship-building
Chris Coates, senior director of local news at Lee Enterprises, brings insights from decades in journalism across Illinois, Iowa, California and Virginia. As the former executive editor of The Times-Dispatch in Richmond, Virginia – winner of the Local Media Association’s 2023 award for Best Audience-Engagement Strategy – Chris offers real-world experience in transforming newsroom practices to better connect with readers. He was named one of Editor & Publisher’s “Editors Extraordinaire” in 2024 and was the 2019 Illinois Press Association Editor of the Year.
Chris Coates, Lee Enterprises senior director – local news
Boosting enterprise and watchdog journalism
In this session, we’ll discuss how newsrooms of any size can prioritize watchdog and enterprise journalism, even in the face of daily reporting pressures. Learn actionable strategies for integrating in-depth investigative work into your newsroom’s routine, fostering a culture of accountability and balancing long-term stories with fast-paced news cycles.
This discussion will explore practical strategies for making enterprise reporting and investigative journalism part of your everyday workflow, regardless of staff size or resources.
Allison Petty is the Central Illinois executive editor for Lee Enterprises, where she leads newsrooms including The Pantagraph, Herald & Review and Journal Gazette/Times-Courier. A champion of local journalism and digital innovation, she was named one of Editor & Publisher’s 2024 “Editors Extraordinaire,” recognizing her leadership and commitment to public service reporting.
Petty also serves as a local news director for the company, overseeing newsrooms in Iowa and Illinois, and helps lead the corporate Central Audience and Public Service Journalism teams.
Allison Petty, Lee Enterprises director – local news
Talking to Strangers: How to Get the Eager, the Reluctant and Even the Haters to Give a Good Interview
Interviewing is the single most important way journalists get information. Yet sometimes the perfect interview feels more like luck than skill. But great interviews aren’t the result of serendipity and intuition. They’re the result of careful planning and good journalistic habits. This session will give you the tools you’ll need to get people to talk to you, and to get worthwhile information from them.
Dean Nelson, Director, Journalism Program, Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego
Prying loose public records in trying times
A broad introduction to using open records laws at the federal and state levels, customized for your coverage area and in the context of this current political climate. You’ll also receive a checklist of all you need to know before you make a request.
Diana Fuentes, Investigative Reporters & Editors executive director
Scoop: A President and His Church
This longtime reporter (and 49-year member of SPJ) found a scoop in her church’s archives: 14 recordings of Jimmy Carter teaching Sunday school in D.C. while he was president. With transcripts and a lot of reporting, I self-published two books in 2024 revealing this little known aspect of Carter’s life.
Christi Harlan, author
Rebuilding Trust in Media-The Center for Integrity in News Reporting
Introducing the mission of the Center for Integrity in News Reporting: To restore public trust in journalism through a renewed commitment to impartial, objective news reporting. This session outlines strategies for transparency, accountability, and industry-wide leadership in rebuilding confidence in the press.
Rufus Friday, Center for Integrity in News Reporting executive director
What I’ve Learned from 80,000+ Headlines
YESEO app founder Ryan Restivo will present what he’s learned building and rolling out the Slack app he’s built as a 2022-23 Reynolds Journalism Institute fellow. Drawing from over 80,000 headlines, this session will engage the audience with the ultimate task: can you spot an AI headline from a real headline?
Ryan Restivo, YESEO founder
Mastering the Art of Storytelling in Sports Media
Three-time Edward R. Murrow Award-winning NBC Dallas sports anchor Pat Doney shares storytelling techniques from 20+ years in broadcasting. This session gives students and educators real-world strategies, interactive exercises, and insider insights to craft compelling sports stories for today’s fast-paced and evolving media landscape.
Pat Doney, NBC Dallas sports anchor
Covering Breaking News in a New Geography
How to find your next big story? A lot of breaking news stories have the potential to run deep. But, breaking news moves fast, and what happens when you’re reporting in a country where you didn’t grow up? From navigating unfamiliar legal systems to building trusted sources in a new city, this session will equip journalists with strategies to cover breaking news effectively in the U.S. as an outsider. Learn how to quickly verify information, understand law enforcement protocols, and avoid common pitfalls when reporting in a new geography.
Sheetal Banchariya, New York Daily News metro reporter
You’re the Boss: Prompt Precision for AI-Powered Projects
The presentation will demonstrate how and why the user of AI tools can and should always be in charge, not the AI application. We will focus on using AI for precise searching, source verification, copy editing, and formatting, along with the strengths and weaknesses of five or six AI tools. The presentation will be interactive, demonstrating audience-suggested AI prompts and queries. The conclusion will focus on ethical considerations and implementation.
Tom Johnson, professor emeritus of journalism
Building a Freelance Career from the Ground Up
Breaking into journalism after college can feel daunting: Young journalists face unique challenges like sending cold pitches, juggling side jobs and competing for staff positions. In this session, early-career reporters in local journalism offer practical advice on pitching, cultivating a network and finding creative ways to get published — and paid.
Brennan LaBrie, freelance journalist
What works (and what doesn’t) when disclosing AI use in news
Does being transparent about your use of AI build trust? Working directly with newsrooms, Trusting News has been testing different AI disclosure language and strategies. In this session, we’ll share key findings from this real-world research, including audience reactions, what language resonates (and what doesn’t) and how transparency impacts trust. Journalists from participating newsrooms will discuss their experiences experimenting with disclosure language, what surprised them and what lessons they’re taking forward. Attendees will leave with best practices for communicating their AI use in ways that enhance transparency, credibility and audience understanding.
Lynn Walsh, Trusting News assistant director
I’ve asked for feedback, what’s next?
At Trusting News we know engaging with your audience can help build trust with your newsroom, journalists and journalism. We also know it can help newsrooms produce stories that are more impactful, useful, relatable and engaging for communities. The problem is, while more newsrooms are asking their communities what they want, they are not acting on the feedback or sharing what they are learning. If you miss those two steps, you really cannot build trust. I can walk journalists through how to do this work by closing the feedback loop. I also will share newsroom examples and a tip sheet for how to do this.
Lynn Walsh, Trusting News assistant director
“You’re biased!”: Tips to depolarize your coverage
Too often, journalism amplifies extreme views and ignores more nuanced ones. With public trust in news at an all-time low, it’s crucial newsrooms understand what content feels divisive to their audiences and work to provide more nuanced, reflective, empathy-building coverage. In this session, you’ll see examples from newsrooms that are routinely working to reach more diverse audiences – across race and the political spectrum – and walk away with strategies and a newsroom-tested checklist you can bring back to your organization and use in your reporting.
Lynn Walsh, Trusting News assistant director
Earning Audience Trust in an age of news avoidance
People are feeling overwhelmed by information these days. They’re often choosing to tune out from the news or are turning to sources besides news outlets to stay informed in a way that feels manageable. Let’s talk about how people feel about the news, what they’re showing they need from the news, and how journalists can lean into the current reality. We can’t turn everyone into news junkies, but we CAN engage in ways that respect people’s time and respond to their evolving needs.
Joy Mayer, Trusting News director
How freelance journalists can earn trust and demonstrate credibility
The public’s distrust in news impacts all journalists, whether you’re part of a newsroom staff or reporting independently. And freelancers can sometimes face skepticism about their credibility above and beyond the misassumptions connected to newsroom staffers. So what can you do, especially when it feels like you don’t have control over your stories after handing them over to newsroom editors? In this session, we’ll walk you through how to build trust with your audience without the support of a newsroom, including how to add transparency elements to your individual reporting, establish credibility with sources and engage with your audience.
Mollie Muchna, Trusting News program manager
How journalists can cover attempts to erase Black history
A panel discussion featuring Howard University Professors Nikole Hannah-Jones and Jennifer Thomas, moderated by SPJ DC Chapter President, Celia Wexler. Our Society of Professional Journalists ethics code includes this tenet: Boldly tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience. Seek sources whose voices we seldom hear. But recent government directives, at both the state and local level, are threatening the truthful telling of Black history. This panel discussion will explore the impact of these directives on fact-based reporting and on the quality of information that citizens rely on to govern themselves. The panel will also discuss how local journalists and journalism students can cover the effects of federal and state directives in their own communities.
Celia Wexler, SPJ DC Pro Chapter president
The New Newsroom: Skills That Land Jobs in Journalism Today
The journalism jobs of today—and tomorrow—demand more than strong writing. From audience strategy to product thinking, from data fluency to creating content that engages audiences, the landscape is shifting fast. This session breaks down the must-have skills and mindsets employers seek, giving advisers and students a practical roadmap for staying relevant and competitive in a digital-first, business-aware newsroom.
Ashir Badami, Medill School of Journalism senior lecturer
Media: A cornerstone of global democracy
For more than 80 years the U.S. has exported its ideals of a First Amendment and democracy through supporting or supplying independent journalism in countries where a free press is in short supply. Under the current administration, this powerful tool of soft power has been dismantled, with the ending of USAID and silencing of Voice of America (VOA). This panel seeks to examine how funding international journalism supports national security priorities, the impact and reach of these programs, and what is filling the void left by USAID and VOA.
Jessica Jerreat, Press Freedom Editor/SPJ DC Panel Organizer
Using Data Sonification to Create Stories that Resonate
Data sonification, the practice of turning data into sound and music, can greatly enhance the work of journalists through deeper audience connection and improved story accessibility. In this workshop, participants will learn about data sonification and how to create their own data-driven audio for their digital article, podcast, or audio-visual product. Using the Data Sonification Toolkit, attendees will access the tools, methods, and resources needed to practice data sonification on their own.
Aura Walmer, journalism fellow, information designer, data curator, artist
The Relevance of Journalism Values in Today’s Information Age
Legacy print news embraces audio and video. Broadcast news embraces narrative storytelling forms. Does First Amendment freedom of the press require a commitment to journalism values? Since 1926, SPJ has believed so. This session discusses cornerstones of journalism values and their relevancy in today’s digital multimedia information age.
Jeff Cowart, Creative Story Studio editor
A Rising Tide Lifts all boats
The first public announcement from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) regarding the COVID-19 coronavirus advised all Americans not to go to the doctor’s office or ER. Instead, it recommended that you call your doctor for information on how to get tested and treated.
But there was a problem, a big problem: a significant segment of Black Americans didn’t have a doctor!
This session focuses on media messaging to targeted audiences in the general population during a public health emergency.
Glenn Ellis, Strategies for Well-Being. LLC Medical Ethicist/Columnist
Behind the Signs: Investigating the Protest Industry Like a Business
A hands-on, immersive training workshop led by former Wall Street Journal reporter Asra Q. Nomani for student and professional journalists to investigate protests with rigor, curiosity, and integrity. Learn to uncover the business behind activism—analyzing permits, tracing funding, reading IRS 990s, and decoding protest signs to investigate the industry behind today’s coordinated, professionalized protest movements.
Asra Nomani, Pearl Project Editor-in-chief
Covering the High-Profile Trial
A conversation with CNN legal reporter Katelyn Polantz about how journalists can demystify the complex world of the courtroom for their audiences. Bring your questions about what it’s been like keeping track of all the fast-paced constitutional challenges making headlines in a new administration.
Frank LoMonte, CNN legal counsel
Advocacy: We Fought the Law and We Won
States are constantly trying to restrict where journalists can film and what records they can obtain. With strategic, well-informed coalition-building, journalists can not just resist the rollback of their rights, but actually change the law for the better. We’ll show you how.
Frank LoMonte, CNN legal counsel
How to report on antisemitism
As both legitimate and questionable allegations of antisemitism are increasingly shaping public policy, this session will cover how to make sense of the topic for a general audience — including how different groups define antisemitism and where to find reliable sources and data.
Arno Rosenfeld, The Forward Enterprise Reporter and author of the “Antisemitism Decoded” newsletter
Integrated Personal and Collective Approaches to Resilience in Journalism
This session explores safety frameworks for journalists, integrating digital, physical, emotional, and community well-being. Using accessible tools inspired by Ikigai, participants will assess personal risk, enhance resilience, and develop sustainable practices for high-pressure environments. Practical, adaptable, and solution-driven strategies will be shared.
Luisa Ortiz Pérez, Vita-Activa.Org Executive Director
Newsroom Safety Across America
Training-workshop hosted by International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF). Detailed information will be available by mid-June.
The IWMF is committed to improving the safety of journalists in the United States and provides wraparound care for small newsrooms and journalists looking for resources and knowledge to implement best practices and safety policies. This can include virtual safety trainings, safety consultations, assistance developing and implementing safety policies, and emergency assistance grants when needed.
Jessica Jerreat, International Women’s Media Foundation
Digital Self-Defense: Learn to Defend Yourself from Cybersecurity Threats
Journalists are the target of powerful adversaries: hackers may seek to disrupt
newsroom operations, compromise sensitive information, or even endanger the
safety of journalists and sources. In this workshop, Dr. Peter Story will help you
develop a personal “security plan” to defend yourself against cyberattacks.
Peter Story, Clark University Assistant Professor Computer Science
From journalist to grant writer in under an hour
The only thing holding you back from writing grants is understanding the formula behind the grant application’s prompts. Learn how to craft a grant proposal from start to finish. Participants will leave with a grant-writing prep worksheet and the opportunity to have one of their grant proposals reviewed one-on-one.
Nicole DeCriscio, The Owen News executive editor
Trust me, I’m a nonprofit journalist
Nonprofit news outlets deal with the double-edged sword of covering their communities while also partnering with organizations within them. Learn how to balance the two while building community engagement and trust around journalism from the founder of Indiana’s first nonprofit newspaper.
Nicole DeCriscio, The Owen News executive editor
Time for Action: How journalism can reclaim its professional status
Journalists must do more to counter the prolonged attacks on the professional news industry before it is too late. The public no longer makes the distinction between standards-based journalism and the “media,” which is virtually anyone, any place and anything with a platform. We have to show them.
Meredith Jordan, Port Townsend Leader editor
From Classroom to Newsroom: Partnering with Community and Media Organizations to Amplify Student Voices
Learn to replicate Amplify Utah’s successful model, which has published nearly 200 stories through partnerships with The Salt Lake Tribune, KRCL radio and PBS Utah among others. This session covers establishing credibility, connecting classroom to publication, securing funding and building relationships. Participants receive resources and tools for creating implementation plans for their communities.
Marcie Young Cancio, Amplify Utah founder
Beyond Campus Borders: Building Statewide Student Journalism Collaboratives
What happens when college newsrooms start collaborating? In fall 2023, Amplify Utah and PBS Utah, with POV support, launched an experiment uniting six of Utah’s eight public colleges. Students tackled campus gun policies and Gen Z mental health through video, audio, written stories and social content shared across all campuses. After two years, the collaborative keeps growing. Discover how to replicate this model.
Marcie Young Cancio, Amplify Utah founder
Student Journalists, Community Partners: Covering the Women’s Sports Movement
From Caitlin Clark’s record-breaking WNBA debut to Ilona Maher’s rugby stardom, women’s sports are commanding attention like never before. University of Utah students captured this momentum through community engagement with KRCL radio, Amplify Utah, and Utah sports professionals. Students learned from Olympic, pro and college athletes, historians, journalists, and marketing experts while producing compelling stories and building journalism skills. Discover this approach.
Marcie Young Cancio, Amplify Utah founder
Radio Takeover: When Students Become the Voice of Community Media
For four years, college students in Utah have taken over KRCL’s RadioActive show weekly through the Voices Amplified partnership with Amplify Utah. Students gain real-world experience as hosts, producers, reporters and digital leads while earning academic credit. They collaborate with student newsrooms statewide, amplifying diverse voices across Utah’s airwaves. Ready to launch your own radio takeover? We’ll show how we did it.
Marcie Young Cancio, Amplify Utah founder and University of Utah professor
Newspapers: The Zombie Medium
Why local media will never truly die, and why you should consider a job in community news. A lot of people have written off local newspapers but localities and niche communities will always need quality sources of information. Such jobs can be flexible, creative and rewarding. Learn more about them with Shasta Kearns Moore, a longtime community journalist who currently runs a Substack focusing on news relevant to those raising disabled and neurodivergent children.
Shasta Kearns Moore, Oregon journalist
Media Literacy – All-Hands on Deck
Journalists and journalism educators would highlight different approaches to develop and implement media literacy programs. Examples include workshops to train student and early career journalists on how to educate the public about their work; a speakers’ bureau for media literacy; or a joint training course for police and press on each other’s roles, rights and responsibilities.
Katja Ridderbusch, Independent Journalist & President, SPJ Georgia
Restoring Faith in Journalism: How both religious and nonreligious journalists can rebuild trust in media
The free press is one of the handful of pillars buttressing American society. But it’s collapsing before our eyes, as distrust of the media is at historic, catastrophic levels. Veteran newspaperman and The Lion Executive Editor Michael Ryan proposes concrete steps journalists must take to restore faith – literally – in journalism.
Michael Ryan, The Lion Executive Editor
Journalism for Christian Publications
Faith informs every area of our lives, and so should journalism in faith-based publications. In a world shaped by religious belief and conflict, journalists who serve audiences of faith have a key role in helping them see and understand their lives and societies.
Les Sillars, WORLD News Group editor-in-chief
Getting Stories Right When Science is Under Attack
With long-held scientific consensus under attack and misinformation rampant on issues such as climate change, vaccines and health and environmental issues, it’s more important than ever that journalists understand how to access, understand and incorporate evidence-based scientific research into their work. Hear from the leaders of three organizations offering a range of free services helping newsrooms do just that about how to meet this moment and access critical resources for your reporting.
Matt DeRienzo, SciLine director
Your next big story is in your statehouse
State government has a much bigger impact on the average person than the messiness of Washington, D.C. This session will offer story ideas to pursue related to state government, as well as state government reporting internship info.
Gillian McGoldrick, Philadelphia Inquirer/ Pennsylvania Legislative Correspondents’ Association
Writing Like A Champ
We’re in a writing crisis. Young people are rarely reading the news, books, anything. They scroll and skim. They don’t know story forms. They don’t know what goes first. My proposal is to bring three or four excellent writers together. I get them to tell us how they got so good at writing. They give us tips. We have a great time and every one learns something. I think one of my guests might be Carl Hiaasen. One of my colleagues at The Times. Someone from The Post and maybe The Atlantic.
Joseph B. Treaster
Life on Paper: Covering Probation and Parole
Probation and parole were intended to support rehabilitation and safety. Instead they drive over-incarceration and limit economic opportunity for millions. This session will highlight the supervision system’s impact on our workforce, economy, and public safety while helping journalists approach coverage through both a human interest and policy lens.
Erin Haney, REFORM Alliance Chief Policy Officer
Lessons from history and what you can do to protect freedom of the press today
History repeats itself, and journalists write the first draft of history. Hear from Tyson Langhofer, director of the ADF Center for Academic Freedom, as he shares lessons from history about freedom of the press, the role of faith in living out personal convictions, and how to stand up for your rights and faith when opposition arises. Join this session to explore the answers to some of these questions: What was in the minds of America’s Founding Fathers when they declared to protect the freedom of the press? Is freedom of the press under threat today? As journalists in America today, what are your rights? What does it look like to report with objectivity in an age where not all perspectives are viewed as valid?
Tyson Langhofer, Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel
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