Panel proposals for 2013 convention due by Oct. 21

The AEJMC Newspaper and Online News Division is accepting panel proposals for the 2013 convention in Washington, D.C., Aug. 8 to 11.

The deadline for panel proposals is Oct. 21. Panel proposals must include:

1. A working title and panel description.

2. A statement of whether the panel would be a Teaching, Research or Professional Freedom and Responsibility panel. PF&R panels focus on free expression, ethics, media criticism and accountability, racial/gender/cultural inclusiveness or public service.

3. Suggestions for divisions or interest groups that might be interested in co-sponsoring the panel. Panels that include co-sponsoring divisions/interest groups have a better chance of being accepted, because they are likely to be of wider interest at the convention and allow the division a chance to take part in more sessions. In fact, many of the Newspaper and Online News Division’s 2012 convention panels involved co-sponsors.
You should submit your proposal to only one division, and we invite you to submit it to the Newspaper and Online News Division.
For ideas on co-sponsoring opportunities, here’s a list of divisions and interest groups.

4. A statement of why the topic is important.

5. A brief description of issues the panelists could discuss.
If your panel is chosen for presentation with a co-sponsoring division or interest group, you will work with a representative from the co-sponsor to make sure that the interests of both divisions/interest groups are represented on the panel.

6. Names or descriptions of possible panelists. If you have specific people in mind, please identify them. Firm commitments are not needed, but it helps to know if those people would be willing to serve. If you don’t have names, say what type of panelist you are aiming for – a scholar with a particular expertise or someone from a particular media company. AEJMC tracks diversity among panelists, moderators and discussants, so please keep that in mind when planning Limited funds for travel reimbursement are available for panel participants who are not AEJMC members. The deadline for those requests is late January. Whenever possible, please try to find local panelists or AEJMC members whom you expect will be attending the convention anyhow.

7. Your name, mailing address, phone number and e-mail address. Applicants must be AEJMC members.

Please send proposals as attachments to: Claire Serant- Vice Programming Chair (AEJMC – Newspaper and Online News Division)
Email: cserant@york.cuny.edu Office: 718-262-5198
Mailing address: York College/CUNY
English Department & Journalism Program Room 2A16
94-20 Guy R. Brewer Blvd.
Jamaica, New York 11451

Start thinking about panel ideas you can submit. To help you think along creative lines, ideas include:
• The future of investigative journalism
• Economic challenges facing newspapers
• Changes in journalism education/pedagogy
• Changing political coverage after the 2012 election
• Ethical issues
• Evolving income models for Web content
• Public perceptions of journalists within a highly fractured news culture
• Social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and news
• The threat from Google or other similar services
• Implications of staffing cuts, furloughs
• Diversity and fairness issues

The Newspaper Division sponsored or co-sponsored multiple panels at the 2012 convention in Chicago. To see ideas from previous years, look at Leadtime editions from 2012, 2011, and 2010.

Sincerely,
Claire Serant