Each week, MediaShift posts an ongoing list of upcoming events in the digital media and journalism world. These will be a mix of MediaShift-produced events and other events. If we’re missing any major events, or you’d like to pay to promote your event in the “featured event” spot of our weekly post, please contact Mark Glaser at mark [at] mediashift [dot] org. Any non-MediaShift events in the “featured event” slot are paid placements. Also, be sure to sign up for our events email newsletter to get notifications about future MediaShift events.
DECEMBER 2015
Central America Trainings: Storytelling, Trauma & Self-Care
Dec. 7-17, 2015, 9-5pm
Various locations
The Dart Center’s Donna De Cesare will lead trainings for journalists in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador on narrative storytelling, covering tragedy with ethics and sensitivity, and the importance of emotional self-care.
More information and schedule here.
Vicarious Trauma Report Launch & Panel Discussion
Dec. 14, 2015, 6:30-8:30pm ET
Brown Institute for Media Innovation, Columbia Journalism School, New York, NY
Join the Tow Center for Digital Journalism, the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma and Eyewitness Media Hub for the U.S. launch of a new study on the impact of graphic images on news professionals. This new research examines the impact of vicarious trauma on journalists, human rights investigators and humanitarian aid workers who frequently search for eyewitness media in their work. Are managers doing enough to protect their staff? Are journalists and human rights workers allowed to speak up when they’ve spent the day looking at horrors on their computer screen? And what steps can protect news professionals from the potential negative consequences of graphic image overload? The panel will be moderated by Claire Wardle, Research Director, Tow Center for Digital Journalism
More information and registration here.
Snapchat for News
Dec. 16, 2015, 6:30-8:30pm ET
CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, New York, NY
With more than 100 million active users, 77% of U.S. college students and 4 billion video views per day, Snapchat is too big to ignore and media organizations are paying attention. Fifteen media brands, including Mashable, now produce content exclusively for Snapchat’s Discover feature and reaching millions of millennials. Join us for a two-hour evening workshop with Mashable’s Stacy Martinet to explore this game-changing mobile app. Stacy will explain the app’s features, including disappearing messages, My Story montages and Discover. She will also present ways to use the app for news gathering and telling complex and engaging stories in a world of emojis and vertical videos. This workshop is meant for journalists, communicators and anyone interested in new communication technologies. Bring your smart phone and get ready to download the app and try it out! Tickets are $25.
Register here.
FotoEvidence Book Award Exhibit & Book Launch
Dec. 17, 2015, 6:30pm ET
Bronx Documentary Center, 614 Courtlandt Ave, Bronx, NY, 10451, United States
The exhibit features the work of Marcus Bleasdale, winner of the 2015 FotoEvidence Book Award and the finalists Fabio Bucciarelli, Matt Black, Jan Grarup, Daniele Volpe.
More information and RSVP here.
Open Studio Night
Dec. 17, 2015, 6-8pm ET
NYU Journalism, 20 Cooper Square, New York, NY, 7th floor
Every year at the fall term draws to a close NYU’s Studio 20 program puts on Open Studio night, in which the program’s graduating students present their final projects in innovation, which they have spent six months working on. This year’s group includes projects on:
* field testing 360-degree video as a viable tool for journalism
* launching a sub-brand at a successful niche site
* developing a foothold in messaging platforms like What’s App
* finding new ways to measure the “impact” of a non-profit newsroom
* introducing user testing to a newsroom where it had not been normal practice
Josh Benton, director of Nieman Lab, will also review the year in journalism innovation and prepare a slide show that presents the highlights: the companies, the products, the tools, the people, and the ideas that pushed journalism forward this year.
More information and RSVP here.
Under the Hood at Digital Media Startups
Dec. 19, 2015, 3-6pm IST
Zee, 16th floor, Marathon Futurex, N.M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai, India
Video has become the defacto mode of communication for those born after 1990. Cisco predicts that, by the year 2020, 80% of bandwidth consumption will only be to watch videos. That means that no business — let alone media and other storytellers — can ignore the reality of video transforming communication. So what strategies, tactics or tech can journalists and media in general adopt strategies to become more online video savvy? This month, Hacks/Hackers launches in Mumbai — after several requests from the local journalist and technologist communities — bringing together industry leaders for a free-wheeling discussion on this theme. Each will speak to how their publication/product approaches this challenge and what seems to be working/failing.
More information and RSVP here.
JANUARY 2016
Consumer Electronics Show 2016
Jan. 6-9, 2016
Las Vegas, NV
CES is the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. Held in Las Vegas every year, it has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for more than 40 years — the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace.
Register here.
Super Researcher: Find People, Dig Deeper and Get Your Facts Right
Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28, 2016, 6:30-8pm ET
CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, New York, NY
Find even the most elusive sources. Dig up hard-to-find information. Avoid embarrassing mistakes in your news stories. In this series of four short workshops, CUNY J-School Chief Librarian Barbara Gray, the former director of news research at the New York Times, will guide you through the most accessible techniques for investigating people and verifying the facts, including Facebook, Google+, Geofencing, Geolocation, mostly free and low-cost databases, WikiLeaks and many more. Each workshop meets at 6:30 p.m. and ends at 8:00 p.m. at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism.
Thursday, January 7: Finding People Fast (Even If They Don’t Want to Be Found)
Thursday, January 14: Newsgathering With Social Media
Thursday, January 21: Bulletproofing Your Reporting
Thursday, January 28: Super-Searching Google and Beyond
Attend an individual workshop for $48 or purchase the whole series for $149.
Register here.
Smart Photos with Smart Phones
Jan. 9, 2016, 9am-2pm ET
CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, New York, NY
Smart phones have opened up new photographic possibilities for both professional journalists and citizen storytellers. Images produced with today’s smart phones now have sufficient quality to be published on all media platforms from digital to print. In fact, many news organizations now require reporters to take their own smart phone photos of breaking news events. This five-hour, Saturday morning course will help you enhance your work or hobby with better smart phone pictures. This will be a valuable and insightful experience whether you’re an amateur or a more advanced level of photographer. Bring your iPhone or similar Android device. We also advise you to bring your own laptop as well. Photojournalist Jennifer S. Altman has taught this popular class many times, to journalism students and others. This five-hour workshop costs $149 per student.
Register here.
Future of Education Technology Conference
Jan. 12-15, 2015
Orlando, FL
For 36 years, FETC has brought together more than 8,500 education leaders and technology experts to exchange techniques and strategies for teaching and learning success. Known worldwide for its outstanding program, FETC provides educators and administrators the opportunity to explore the integration of technology across the curriculum — from kindergarten to college — through hands-on exposure to the latest hardware, software and successful strategies.
More information and registration here.
SF Periscope Summit
Jan. 14, 2016, 7pm PT – Jan. 17, 2015, 3pm PT
San Francisco, CA
Scopers from all over the world will once again fly in to celebrate and share knowledge about community, social and live streaming. Speakers and audiences will be streaming to hundreds of thousands of people each day showcasing your space.
More information and registration here.
Audience-Driven Leadership: How to Build Product Focused Newsrooms and Manage Change
Jan. 14, 2016, 10am – 5:30pm ET
CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, New York, NY
Learn what it takes to lead an audience-focused newsroom and build competitive news products from The Washington Post’s Cory Haik, NYC Now editor Michael Owen, CUNY’s Jeff Jarvis and others at this exciting, one-day event in NYC, co-sponsored by American Society of News Editors (ASNE) and the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. You’ll get a hands on introduction toDesign Thinking and practical advice on how to use analytics strategically. We’ll discuss the keys to establishing a product culture while producing great journalism — then brainstorm your next great news product. The cost is $249, $140 for ASNE members. Lunch and a networking reception are included.
Register here.
MARCH 2016 AND BEYOND
Digiday Publishing Summit Europe
Mar. 7-9, 2016
Bologna, Italy
The digital publishing landscape in Europe today faces a slew of opportunities to connect with readers. These include creating original content, adapting to the mobile transition, scaling video and making money on platforms. At the core, accountability to the consumer and the industry is critical. The Digiday Publishing Summit in Bologna, Italy will address challenges facing legacy publishers and young start-up vying for audiences and spending dollars.
Register here.
Digital Book World Conference and Expo
Mar. 7-9, 2016
New York Hilton Midtown
The Digital Book World Conference + Expo is the premier event for publishers and content providers of all sizes and business models who plan to come out on top of publishing’s digital transformation. Stay nimble in this digital-first, global content market and capitalize on every opportunity, with the help of digital media’s most innovative thinkers and influencers. Get the perspective of both publishing leaders and visionaries from outside the industry. n.
Register here, early bird registration ends December 15.
SXSW 2016
Mar. 11-20, 2016
Austin, TX
The South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conferences & Festivals offer the unique convergence of original music, independent films and emerging technologies. Fostering creative and professional growth alike, SXSW® is the premier destination for discovery. Year after year, the event is a launching pad for new creative content. New media presentations, music showcases and film screenings provide buzz-generating exposure for creators and compelling entertainment for audiences. Conference panel discussions present a forum for learning, business activity thrives at the Trade Shows and global networking opportunities abound. Intellectual and creative intermingling among industry leaders continues to spark new ideas and carve the path for the future of each ever-evolving field, long after the events’ conclusion.
Register here.
BinderCon LA
Mar. 19-20, 2016
UCLA and Online, Everywhere
BinderCon is a professional development conference designed to empower women and gender non-conforming writers with the tools, connections and strategies they need to advance their careers. More than a conference, Binders is a community of writers working to increase the diversity of voices in the media and literary arts through conferences, workshops and other career-building events.
Register here.
International Symposium of Online Journalism
Apr. 15-16, 2016
University of Texas at Austin, TX
Since 1999, editors, producers, executives, and academics from around the country (and lately from around the world) have gathered in Austin every year (except 2000) to discuss the evolution of this new genre of journalism. The Symposium has been a small, but very intense conference that serves as a barometer for the state of Online Journalism.
Call for papers now underway; more information here.
Conference: Freedom of Information Act — 50 Years Later
Jun. 2-4, 2016
Columbia Journalism School, New York, NY
More information to come here.
ONA16
Sept. 15-17, 2016
Hyatt Regency Denver, 650 15th Street, Denver, CO
Record-breaking numbers of journalists travel to ONA’s conference each year to learn about new tools, techniques and technologies, to discuss advancements and challenges in the industry, take advantage of the rare opportunity to network face-to-face, and share best practices with peers from all over the map.
Information here.
For a roundup of must-go journalism conferences, see Contently’s list here.
Sonia Paul is a freelance journalist reporting in India and the U.S., and is the editorial assistant at MediaShift. Her work has appeared in a broad range of media, including the Al Jazeera Media Network, Caravan, Foreign Policy, Guardian, Mashable, New York Times, PRI’s The World, Roads & Kingdoms and VICE News. She previously produced the grant-funded podcast series Shizuoka Speaks, based in Japan. She is on Twitter and Instagram @sonipaul.