Public Right To Know Conference: 17 & 18 October
'GIVING THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT'
Call for Papers & Presentations
New technologies have opened up the media, providing new outlets and greater opportunities for access and equity. Or have they? Much of the rhetoric surrounding the expansion of early 21st century media is driven by marketing, not journalism, and corporate takeovers continue to reduce the diversity and depth of both new and old media outlets. Regulations, defamation and security laws, and complex information systems make reporting in the public interest harder, not easier. Governments at all levels, along with statutory bodies and major companies, are bypassing conventional media outlets and using the web to communicate directly with target audiences. What impact is the rise of government PR having on access to reliable information, and on journalism itself? Have cable television, the Internet and other new media provided audiences with stronger information flows - or are they creating a niche-driven world of like-minded users with little capacity for rigorous debate and dissenting views? Are expanding social networks and blogs threatening the existence of traditional media and challenging professional journalistic standards, or are they opening new vistas and opportunities? How can investigative journalism survive in this new globalized media environment? Are local communities served well by the media? Is the 'celebrity syndrome' overtaking serious reportage? Should the Boomers who hold the reins of media power stand aside for younger minds, more attuned to current expectations? What constitutes a 'good story' in 2008? What do audiences want, and how well are journalists and the media serving them?
The Australian Centre for Independent Journalism's 2008 Public Right to Know conference, 'Giving the People What They Want', will explore how the dynamics of politics, economics, technology and social behaviour are reshaping audiences, Australia's media landscape and the practice of journalism.
We welcome your contributions - including papers, presentations, and panel suggestions - on relevant topics, including:
- New media technologies and their impacts on journalism
- Changing audience demographics and emerging trends
- The role of government in aiding or inhibiting transparency
- Newsroom leadership, journalistic courage and democracy
- The future of investigative journalism in a cost-cutting world
- Social networks, community reporting and the role of amateurs
- The challenges posed to journalism education by uncertainty
Abstracts for academic papers should be 500 words in length and be submitted for refereeing by 25 July. Acceptances will be notified by 8 August. Full papers must be supplied by 30 September. Revised and refereed conference papers may be published.
Proposals for non-academic presentations or panel discussions should be submitted by 30 July. Case studies and presentations in any medium are invited from journalists, bloggers, writers and other professionals, and all those with a vital interest in the future of the media.
For further information contact:
ACIJ Director, Tony Maniaty, 2 9514 2312, tony.maniaty@uts.edu.au
ACIJ Manager, Jan McClelland, 2 9514 2295, Jan.McClelland@uts.edu.au
(Abstracts, papers and proposals should be submitted electronically to Jan McClelland.)
