2018 Sessions

Reaching new audiences and building better partnerships

Christopher Meighan, Washington Post

Readers await us everywhere, it is our job to find and engage them. How media companies interact with products goes a long way toward hooking new audiences. Learn how the Emerging News Products team at The Washington Post leverages platforms like Snapchat and Apple News in combination with microsites such as TheLily.com to build new followings.

How Mobile Media Fit into the Big 10’s Content Plans

Mark Hulsey, The Big Ten Network

Mobile media are another element of being a complete news provider, giving your audience whatever information they want, wherever they are and on whatever device they are using. Learn how the Big 10 uses mobile media as part of its total plan to engage young audiences and those on the go.

Build Bots to Build Relationships

John Keefe, Quartz Bot Studio

Conversations carry incredible potential beyond content delivery–they can build meaningful, long-term relationships with an audience. Each chat is a one-on-one channel between users and the organization, capable of intimacy, immediacy and relevance. In this session, I’ll detail the important lessons we’ve learned at Quartz in designing those deep relationships with readers. We’ll take a candid look at our missteps, explore insights from user research and interviews, and dive into the implications of one of the most meaningful takeaways from our first couple of years in the Quartz Bot Studio.

Tools for Producing Immersive and Interactive Media on a Budget

Ben Kreimer, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Virtual reality, augmented reality, 3D reconstructions and 360° video provide creative opportunities for engaging audiences through immersive and interactive storytelling experiences on mobile devices. This session will cover the accessible and low-cost toolkit (including drones and 360 cameras) and software available for producing such content.

Mobile Video Storytelling

Danese Kenon, Tampa Bay Times

Learn how to use your mobile device to create, edit and distribute your video. This session will teach practical tips and demonstrate how to use equipment and apps to make your mobile video workflow easier.

Reaching Latinos, visually

Almudena Toral, Univision News Digital

At a time of increasing importance of public service journalism, Univision reaches a shifting demographic in two languages, using visual formats tailored to mobile media. The discussion will include photojournalism, documentaries, social video, first-person animations, virtual reality, infographics and design for digital specials.

How 5G Will Change the Way We Watch

Emily Murtaugh, Verizon

With the nation’s top connectivity providers racing to launch 5G, tech and content companies are already exploring ways to distribute content that have never been possible. Learn about how 5G and edge computing will open the door for new, immersive mobile experiences – whether it be viewing the Super Bowl as if you’re on the field, or using your phone to change the plot of a movie in real time.

Socializing news

Yusuf Omar, Hashtag Our Stories

How to make a newsroom with mobile phones: Social discovery, publishing and engagement.

The future of storytelling forms

P. Kim Bui, NowThis News

A look at mobile audiences, young audiences, and how we can adapt storytelling forms to match today’s changing consumers. You’ll walk away with some new ideas to try, and some best practices for what is already out there.

The Next Frontier in Mobile: Micro Location and News

Amy Schmitz Weiss, San Diego State University

What are the latest trends in news distribution, reporting and consumption with the mobile device? Amy Schmitz Weiss, Ph.D., will highlight some of the latest research she conducted that challenges existing notions of mobile news consumer behaviors and provides insight into new mobile methods for newsgathering and reporting.

Build a relevance machine

Zach Wade, CNN Digital

You don’t have to go fish in a vast data lake to reel in a personal feed. Here’s how you can use everyday visual, geo and momentary context to achieve relevance for your mobile audience.

Preparing for the End of the Smartphone

Zach Wise, Knight Lab, Northwestern

In the next five years we most likely will see the smartphone retire and either move in with the kids or join a retirement community. In the Knight Lab we’re preparing for what comes next. We’ve been busy building and prototyping what journalism might look like in the near future but also what is useful now as we transition out of the smartphone era. Come hear about our progress.

It’s More Than a Pilot’s License

Matt Waite, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Drone journalism can help you tell stories in ways you never could before. Get tips from the head of UNL’s Drone Journalism Lab about when, how and why to use this form of storytelling. Also, weather permitting, after the talk there will be a live demonstration.