Journalists need to be good storytellers at heart, but that starts with being able to identify a good story and then figure out how to tell it effectively. From large intro classes to reporting classes to capstone classes, students seem to struggle with the idea of what makes a good story. This panel will feature a variety of ideas for teaching students how to identify good stories in their communities, develop them and then present them in a compelling way.
Speakers: Jen Smith, University of Kentucky; Karen Russell, Tennessee State University; Boriana Treadwell, University of Miami; Lauren Bavis, Syracuse University; and David Stephenson, University of Kentucky

🗓 Wednesday, July 23
🕐 1:00 PM ET
💻 Virtual (Zoom)

Click here to register.

Artificial intelligence is changing the way the world interacts with machines and people, as well as how media organizations operate. As society grapples with the use of AI, those in the field of mass communication must consider the how the opportunities AI offers come with ethical ramifications. Professional organizations (RTDNA, PRSA, AAF, NAB) have adopted professional codes and guidelines for using AI in industry.

The 2026 BEA Research Symposium will examine AI research in mass communication. As AI is implemented, it is important to remember the human connection those working in the media industry bring to communicating information. Media professionals transmit information that is influenced by their broader understanding, shared background, and empathy. How can the media industry ethically adopt a technology that is disrupting how people seek, consume, and produce information?

The symposium welcomes qualitative and quantitative research from a variety of theoretical and methodological perspectives across social sciences. Click here for more information.

This book seeks to show how mis- and disinformation is destabilizing our collective confidence in institutions fundamental to the functioning of democratic society, including our electoral processes, our perceptions of trust in government officials and institutions, our healthcare, education, economic, and media systems; and even our communities and interpersonal relationships. Topics covered in this book include the role of Artificial Intelligence in automating deception; how financial crises and journalistic norms in the news industry create favorable conditions for the amplification and laundering of political disinformation; and how our emotional states impact our susceptibility to misinformation. Throughout, the authors provide nuanced definitions of key terms such as “conspiracy theory” and “digital democracy” which help level the field for future research. Read more…

The Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media invites cutting-edge submissions for two groundbreaking special issues addressing critical intersections of artificial intelligence and electronic media. Submissions are due in late fall/winter 2025.
– Trust in Generative AI: Foundations, Drivers, and Implications
– AI, Misinformation, and the Future of Algorithmic Fact-Checking