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. Note: Event descriptions are excerpts, edited for length and clarity.
FEBRUARY 2018
Nieman Conference
Milwaukee
February 21, 2018
The Lucius W. Nieman Conference, named after the founder of The Milwaukee Journal, Lucius W. Nieman, is an annual event sponsored by the J. William and Mary Diederich College of Communication. In addition to presenting a public address, the Nieman Lecturers meet with Marquette University students and faculty. The conference and speaker series is currently chaired by Dr. Bonnie S. Brennen, Marquette University professor of journalism.
More information and registration here.
Big Data Week 2018
Geneva, Switzerland
Feb. 28 – March 2, 2018
The third edition of the EBU Big Data week – from February 28 to March 2, 2018 in Geneva – is dedicated to CHANGE – in every department, from the executive boards to the newsrooms and the marketing teams.
More information and registration here.
MARCH 2018
SPJ Region 8 Conference: San Antonio, Texas
March 2 – 3, 2018
SPJ’s Regional Conferences are day-long professional development meetings bringing area journalists, students and journalism educators together in one place to hear from industry experts on topics ranging from improving writing to leveraging technology in today’s new media climate. Networking opportunities at the conferences allow participants to build relationships that can lead to the sharing of the best practices in newsrooms. Enhance yourself and your journalism career by attending a Regional Conference in your area.
More information and registration here.
Open Data Day
March 3, 2018
Open Data Day is an annual celebration of open data all over the world. For the seventh time in history, groups from around the world will create local events on the day where they will use open data in their communities. It is an opportunity to show the benefits of open data and encourage the adoption of open data policies in government, business and civil society.
More information here.
Publisher Forum Huntington Beach
March 4-7, 2018
Huntington Beach, Calif.
Publisher Forum conferences offer community, exchange of ideas and learning opportunities.
More information and registration here.
CMA’s Spring National College Media Convention
March 7 – 11, 2018
New York City
A multi-day convention in the heart of the Big Apple, NYC17 offers an exhaustive convention program for college media staffs — print, online and broadcast — and their advisers, managers and faculty from public and private, four-year and two-year colleges and universities plus professional, technical and graduate schools in the United States, Canada and other countries.
More information and registration here.
2018 CAR Conference
March 8-11, 2018
Join IRE and NICAR in Chicago for their annual conference devoted to data journalism. Attendees can learn about tools to dig deeper into stories and give readers, viewers and online audiences the information they’re demanding. The Computer-Assisted Reporting Conference offers something for everyone, from beginners to those on the cutting edge of digital reporting. They’ll offer everything from the basics on using spreadsheets, databases and online mapping to data visualization and the latest technological advances.
More information and registration here.
Dangerous Numbers
March 9, 2018
In Syria and Iraq’s ongoing conflicts, severely under-reported civilian death tolls help to keep major conflict off of A1. Award-winning journalists Rania Abouzeid, author of the forthcoming No Turning Back: Life, Loss, and Hope in Wartime Syria, and Azmat Khan, co-author of The Uncounted, will discuss the numbers and the larger significance of under-reporting conflict. Discussion will be moderated by Distinguished Writer in Residence Eliza Griswold.
More information and registration here.
High School Journalism Day 2018
Mar. 9, 2018
The conference is open to all high school students in Fresno, Madera, Tulare and Kings counties in California and is free for all participants. The high school journalism day will be a day-long conference involving: workshops in different facets of journalism by practicing journalists & educators; a general session, including a keynote speech by a journalism luminary and recognition of participants; Students from area high schools will participate in these workshops and exercises; session for journalism instructors.
More information and registration here.
SPJ Region 4 Conference: Pittsburgh, Pa.
March 9 – 10, 2018
SPJ’s Regional Conferences are day-long professional development meetings bringing area journalists, students and journalism educators together in one place to hear from industry experts on topics ranging from improving writing to leveraging technology in today’s new media climate. Networking opportunities at the conferences allow participants to build relationships that can lead to the sharing of the best practices in newsrooms. Enhance yourself and your journalism career by attending a Regional Conference in your area.
More information and registration here.
SXSW 2018
March 9-18, 2018
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.
More information and registration here.
Joint Journalism and History Communication Conference
March 10, 2018
New York City
The event is co-sponsored by the American Journalism Historians Association and the History Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. The conference welcomes scholars and graduate students with an interest in journalism or communication history.
More information and registration here.
CSPA Spring Convention
March 14-16, 2018
New York City
This national gathering of student editors and faculty advisers to newspapers, yearbooks, magazines, video productions, and online media will be held at Columbia University. Delegates can choose from 350 or more sessions organized in seven sequences: newspaper, yearbook, magazine, online media, video/broadcasting, law and ethics and advisers. All seven sequences will run simultaneously throughout the three days of the Convention.
More information and registration here.
2018 Nordic Data Journalism Conference
March 15-17, 2018
Stockholm, Sweden
The 2018 Nordic Data Journalism Conference (NODA 2018) will be held during 15-17 March at Södertörn University in Stockholm. This is the fifth in a series and will be marking the return of the conference to its birthplace in Sweden. Since its launch in over four years ago, NODA has achieved an impressive following by data journalists and media scholars after being held in Odense, Denmark (2017), Helsinki, Finland (2016), Ålesund, Norway (2015) and Stockholm, Sweden (2013).
More information and registration here.
SPJ Region 12 Conference: Little Rock, Ark.
March 16 – 17, 2018
SPJ’s Regional Conferences are day-long professional development meetings bringing area journalists, students and journalism educators together in one place to hear from industry experts on topics ranging from improving writing to leveraging technology in today’s new media climate. Networking opportunities at the conferences allow participants to build relationships that can lead to the sharing of the best practices in newsrooms. Enhance yourself and your journalism career by attending a Regional Conference in your area.
More information and registration here.
Gartner Data & Analytics Summit
March 19 – 21, 2018
London, UK
To survive and thrive in the digital era, now is the time to drive data and analytics into the core of your business and scale outward to every employee, customer, supplier and partner. This conference will help you create the future – a future based on data you can trust, analytics you can rely on and the insight needed to make game-changing business decisions.
More information and registration here.
Data for Development Festival
March 21-23, 2018
This event for the partners and friends of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data will focus on driving action and fostering strong links that will lead to improved outcomes as the Global Partnership community looks ahead, in the short term to the 73rd UN General Assembly in September and the World Data Forum in October, and in the longer term to 2030. This event provides an opportunity to participate in numerous thematic events, network with the global data community, meet representatives of the Global Partnership’s new Board of Directors and Technical Advisory Group, and shape the partnership’s future.
More information and registration here.
Power of Narrative Conference
March 23 – 25, 2018
The Power of Narrative Conference has convened in several places under several names since its founding at Boston University. Our mission remains constant as storytelling journalism goes digital: helping narrative journalists to strengthen their craft skills, puzzle out the complex ethics of intimate journalism, and impart the down-to-earth humanity that is the genre’s strength. The conference talks are stimulating, sophisticated, practical and relevant, aimed at mid-career nonfiction storytellers in many media, offered by terrific and varied practitioners. The vigorous Q and A sessions following each talk keep us on-target. And, between sessions and at meal breaks we program in time to meet speakers and new colleagues and share ideas, aspirations, projects, networks. In these turbulent times, our candid, informed, independent journalism is crucial.
More information and registration here.
2018 March CAR Boot Camp
March 25, 2018
Columbia, Mo.
Learn how to acquire electronic information, use spreadsheets and databases to analyze the information and translate that information into high-impact stories. In addition, NICAR provides follow-up help when participants return to their news organizations.
More information and registration here.
SPJ Region 3 Conference
March 25, 2018
SPJ’s Regional Conferences are day-long professional development meetings bringing area journalists, students and journalism educators together in one place to hear from industry experts on topics ranging from improving writing to leveraging technology in today’s new media climate. Networking opportunities at the conferences allow participants to build relationships that can lead to the sharing of the best practices in newsrooms. Enhance yourself and your journalism career by attending a Regional Conference in your area.
More information and registration here.
APRIL 2018
Reader Revenue: Building a Business with Your Audience
April 6, 2018
Consumer revenue is a hot topic for news organizations around the world, as more and more newsrooms ask their readers and viewers directly to support their work. But setting up a clear and actionable strategy for how you can build reader revenue into your business model isn’t easy — and there are many different options to consider. Join Montclair State University on April 6 for a day-long workshop on this topic. “Reader Revenue: How news organizations can build a business with their audience” will dive into topics including membership, subscriptions, paywalls and more.
More information and registration here.
NABJ Region III Conference
April 6-8, 2018
Atlanta, Ga.
The conference is set in the historic city of Atlanta, GA and coincides with the fiftieth anniversary of the assassination of one of the greatest champions of truth Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Attendees will examine his life, legacy and the struggles that open the door for so many. Join NABJ as they work within this noteworthy city in the civil rights movement to understand the gains and losses in the decades following the passing of an icon.
More information and registration here.
SPJ Region 5 Conference: Chicago
April 6 – 7, 2018
SPJ’s Regional Conferences are day-long professional development meetings bringing area journalists, students and journalism educators together in one place to hear from industry experts on topics ranging from improving writing to leveraging technology in today’s new media climate. Networking opportunities at the conferences allow participants to build relationships that can lead to the sharing of the best practices in newsrooms. Enhance yourself and your journalism career by attending a Regional Conference in your area.
More information and registration here.
National Association of Broadcasters Show
April 7-12, 2018
NAB Show is where ground-breaking technology is unveiled, innovative solutions are displayed and game-changing trends are exposed. Explore aisle after aisle of awesome tech, cool gear, smart software, capable cloud solutions and limitless ideas and inspiration.
More information and registration here.
Broadcasters Education Assocation 2018
April 7-10, 2018
Today’s media is being challenged by a changing workforce and audience. The audience is searching for and watching media that reflects them and their experience. On the other side of the camera, the industry has been slow to include the wide variety of voices and skilled professionals who can allow the industry to better move forward to serve the changing audience. This is the challenge of inclusive media – leveraging the multiple backgrounds, perspectives and ideas of storytellers to create engaging media for a diverse audience.
More information and registration here.
Digital Media Europe 2018
April 10-11, 2018
Copenhagen, Denmark
The only truly European conference focused on digital revenue is coming back to Copenhagen. And for good reason: Denmark is officially the most digital country among the 28 EU member states.
More information and registration here.
PacificVis 2018
April 10-13, 2018
Kobe, Japan
The 11th IEEE Pacific Visualization Symposium (PacificVis 2018) will be held in Kobe, Japan during April 10 to 13, 2018. Visualization has become an increasingly important research area due to its wide range of applications in many disciplines. PacificVis is an IEEE sponsored international visualization symposium held in the Asia-Pacific region, with the objective to foster greater exchange between visualization researchers and practitioners, and to draw more researchers in the Asia-Pacific region to enter this rapidly growing area of research.
More information and registration here.
National JEA/NSPA Journalism Conventions
April 12-15, 2018
San Francisco, Calif.
The National High School Journalism Convention is a semiannual gathering of high school journalists and advisers sponsored by the Journalism Education Association and its partner, the National Scholastic Press Association. The associations partner to prepare hundreds of practical and professional learning sessions, from high-profile keynotes to specific, problem-solving breakouts, hands-on workshops and discussion groups. Other convention activities include an exhibit hall with vendors who sell to student media, JEA’s on-site Write-off contests, NSPA’s Best of Show contest, receptions, awards convocations, critiques, career round tables and evening entertainment.
More information and registration here.
NABJ Region I Conference
April 13-14, 2018
New York City
The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) will host its 2018 Region 1 Conference April 13 and 14, 2018 in New York City. The Global Diversity Summit is bringing together hundreds of journalists, communication professionals and students from across the U.S. Northeast to attend the two-day conference.
More information and registration here.
International Symposium on Online Journalism
April 13-14, 2018
Austin, TX
Since 1999, journalists, media executives and scholars from around the world have had an annual meeting in Austin, Texas to discuss the impact of the digital revolution on journalism. The International Symposium on Online Journalism is a program of the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas at the University of Texas at Austin, a unique conference that bridges the gap between academia and the news industry.
More information and registration here.
SPJ Region 2 Conference: Richmond, Va.
April 13 – 14, 2018
SPJ’s Regional Conferences are day-long professional development meetings bringing area journalists, students and journalism educators together in one place to hear from industry experts on topics ranging from improving writing to leveraging technology in today’s new media climate. Networking opportunities at the conferences allow participants to build relationships that can lead to the sharing of the best practices in newsrooms. Enhance yourself and your journalism career by attending a Regional Conference in your area.
More information and registration here.
SPJ Region 6 Conference: Bloomington, Minn.
April 13-14, 2018
SPJ’s Regional Conferences are day-long professional development meetings bringing area journalists, students and journalism educators together in one place to hear from industry experts on topics ranging from improving writing to leveraging technology in today’s new media climate. Networking opportunities at the conferences allow participants to build relationships that can lead to the sharing of the best practices in newsrooms. Enhance yourself and your journalism career by attending a Regional Conference in your area.
More information and registration here.
SPJ Region 7 Conference: Ames, Iowa
April 13-14, 2018
SPJ’s Regional Conferences are day-long professional development meetings bringing area journalists, students and journalism educators together in one place to hear from industry experts on topics ranging from improving writing to leveraging technology in today’s new media climate. Networking opportunities at the conferences allow participants to build relationships that can lead to the sharing of the best practices in newsrooms. Enhance yourself and your journalism career by attending a Regional Conference in your area.
More information and registration here.
2018 Portland Watchdog Workshop
April 14, 2018
IRE will offer several of its core sessions, designed to improve your ability to find information on the Web quickly, and point you to key documents and data that will help you add depth to your daily work and produce quick-hit enterprise stories. In addition, this workshop will give you tips on bulletproofing stories, digging deeper on the Web with social media, search engines and much more.
More information and registration here.
SPJ Region 7 Conference: Ames, Iowa
April 20 – 22, 2018
SPJ’s Regional Conferences are day-long professional development meetings bringing area journalists, students and journalism educators together in one place to hear from industry experts on topics ranging from improving writing to leveraging technology in today’s new media climate. Networking opportunities at the conferences allow participants to build relationships that can lead to the sharing of the best practices in newsrooms. Enhance yourself and your journalism career by attending a Regional Conference in your area.
More information and registration here.
SPJ Region 9 Conference: Denver, Colo.
April 20 – 22, 2018
SPJ’s Regional Conferences are day-long professional development meetings bringing area journalists, students and journalism educators together in one place to hear from industry experts on topics ranging from improving writing to leveraging technology in today’s new media climate. Networking opportunities at the conferences allow participants to build relationships that can lead to the sharing of the best practices in newsrooms. Enhance yourself and your journalism career by attending a Regional Conference in your area.
More information and registration here.
2018 Washington D.C. Watchdog Workshop
April 21, 2018
IRE will offer several of its core sessions, designed to improve your ability to find information on the Web quickly, and point you to key documents and data that will help you add depth to your daily work and produce quick-hit enterprise stories. In addition, this workshop will give you tips on bulletproofing stories, digging deeper on the Web with social media, search engines and much more.
More information and registration here.
SPJ Ethics Week
April 23 – 27, 2018
SPJ’s Code of Ethics states that ethical journalism is truthful, compassionate, independent and transparent. We need ethical journalism — and journalists who work each day with the profession’s highest standards in mind — now more than ever. The goal of Ethics Week is to not only help journalists explain how they ethically cover stories, but to share with the public information about what journalists do, how to identify ethical journalism, where to find it and how to support it.
More information and registration here.
SPJ Region 11 Conference: Universal City, Calif.
April 27 – 28, 2018
SPJ’s Regional Conferences are day-long professional development meetings bringing area journalists, students and journalism educators together in one place to hear from industry experts on topics ranging from improving writing to leveraging technology in today’s new media climate. Networking opportunities at the conferences allow participants to build relationships that can lead to the sharing of the best practices in newsrooms. Enhance yourself and your journalism career by attending a Regional Conference in your area.
More information and registration here.
MAY 2018 AND BEYOND
Collaborative Journalism Summit
May 10-11, 2018
Join other journalists, media executives, technologists and entrepreneurs from around the world for the 2018 Collaborative Journalism Summit. This year’s conference builds on the 2017 summit, which focused on case studies of successful collaborative projects and featured keynote speakers representing The Panama Papers, Google News Lab and Electionland.
More information and registration here.
Connecting Digital Media to Your Revenue Growth
June 4-5, 2018
Ops is the large-and-in-charge annual conference with over 700 digital strategists and media leaders coming together in NYC. The epicenter of the advertising industry lies in good operations. The Ops agenda is designed to connect the dots between ad operations and the many digital media job roles that touch it – revenue, marketing, sales, tech, and management.
More information and registration here.
2018 IRE Conference
June 14-17, 2018
Participants can reboot their skills, recharge their watchdog batteries and reconnect with the world’s largest network of investigative journalists during this year’s gathering in Orlando. They can from more than 150 panels, hands-on classes and special presentations, and learn how to improve reporting and storytelling across all platforms.
More information and registration here.
NAHJ and NAJA Convention 2018
July 18-21, 2018
Miami, Fla.
NAHJ and NAJA are headed to Miami this year. The International Training Conference and Career Fair brings together the top trainers to create a curriculum and hands on education to help advance careers and develop leaders in the newsroom.
More information and registration here.
NABJ Convention 2018
Aug. 1 – 5, 2018
Detroit, Mich.
The annual convention hosted by the National Association of Black Journalists will be held in Detroit this year. More information is to come.
More information and registration here.
2018 August CAR Boot Camp
Aug. 5, 2018
Columbia, Mo.
Learn how to acquire electronic information, use spreadsheets and databases to analyze the information and translate that information into high-impact stories. In addition, NICAR provides follow-up help when participants return to their news organizations.
More information and registration here.
AAJA Convention 2018
Aug. 8-11, 2018
Houston, TX
AAJA’s programming focuses on improving core skills and making sure our members return to their newsrooms equipped with the latest tools and trends. Their sessions and workshops have included topics ranging from the importance of AAPI experiences and identity, to fake news, VR, and navigating difficult conversations in the newsroom around race.
More information here.
2018 August Mapping Boot Camp
Aug. 10, 2018
Columbia, Mo.
IRE and NICAR conducts this hands-on training using the latest version of QGIS, a free and open-source mapping program. We will look at noteworthy stories that have used mapping and show you how to uncover stories using census and other data. The sessions will include address geocoding, thematic mapping, overlaying and spatial analysis.
More information and registration here.
Publisher Forum Huntington Beach
Aug. 12-15, 2018
Portland, Ore.
Publisher Forum conferences offer community, exchange of ideas and learning opportunities.
More information and registration here.
NLGJA Convention 2018
Sept. 6-9, 2018
Join more than 350 journalists, news executives, communications professionals and educators at the National Convention at the Hard Rock Hotel Palm Springs, September 6-9, 2018.
More information and registration here.
ONA18
Sept. 13-15, 2018
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.
More information and registration here.
Excellence in Journalism 2018
Sept. 27-29, 2018
Baltimore, Md.
This year the Excellence in Journalism conference will be hosted by SPJ and RTDNA in Baltimore, Md.
More information and registration here.
Journalism Summit 2018
Sept. 28-30, 2018
Boston, Mass.
Organized by the Fourth Estate, Emerson College and Youth Journalism International, this weekend event in Boston will connect and engage journalism’s stakeholders through seminars, summits, workshops and networking events.
More information and registration here.
Society of Professional Journalists 2018
October 3-7, 2018
Flint, Mich.
Flint, Mich., site of the most serious drinking water crisis in modern U.S. history, will draw hundreds of working reporters from across North America when the University of Michigan-Flint hosts the Society of Environmental Journalists annual conference in 2018.
More information and registration here.
Digital Media North America 2018
October 19-20, 2018
New York City
This one and-a-half day event will provide a unique opportunity for North American news media executives to hear and discuss digital revenue strategy from the world’s most advanced media companies.
More information and registration here.
Publisher Forum Huntington Beach
Nov. 4-7, 2018
Cedar Creek, TX
Publisher Forum conferences offer community, exchange of ideas and learning opportunities.
More information and registration here.
Bianca Fortis is the associate editor at MediaShift, an independent journalist and social media consultant. She is a founding member of the Transborder Media storytelling collective. Follow her on Twitter @biancafortis.
