[ecrea] call for papers: Is no local news bad news?

Is no local news bad news?

Local journalism and its future

Call for Papers

Saturday, June 3 – Sunday, June 4, 2017

Ryerson Journalism Research Centre

Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada


The challenges faced by local journalism are often overshadowed by 
concerns about the state of national news media. Increasingly, however, 
policy makers, citizens and others are joining journalists in sounding 
the alarm about local newsroom cutbacks and closures. Is no local news 
bad news? Local journalism and its future will take place June 3-4, 2017 
on the campus of Ryerson University in Toronto, Ont., Canada. The 
conference, convened by the Ryerson Journalism Research Centre, will 
bring together journalists, citizens, policy makers, journalism 
educators and Canadian and international scholars with an interest in:

* issues related to the practice of local journalism

* investigating the challenges and opportunities affecting local news 
organizations in different jurisdictions

* examining the impact of the changing local news landscape on communities

* sharing research methodologies/identifying future research directions 
and potential research collaborations

* research/experimentation to create more sustainable local news ecosystems

  This gathering comes at a time when local news outlets in many 
jurisdictions are scaling back operations, consolidating or closing 
altogether, while online news sites often struggle to stay afloat. In 
Canada, concerns about newspaper closures and challenges faced by the 
country’s small- and medium-market television stations prompted a House 
of Commons committee to launch hearings earlier this year on how 
communities are informed about local and regional experiences through 
broadcast news, digital and print media. In the United States, 
charitable foundations concerned that the critical information needs of 
citizens are not being met are funding experiments to test strategies 
for creating more sustainable local news operations. In Europe, 
researchers have pointed to national differences in the number, quality 
and economic sustainability of digital local news startups.

  We invite proposals for local news-related research/presentations on 
topics that include, but are not limited to:

* the role of digital, social and citizen journalism in the provision of 
local journalism

* issues related to local journalism practice

* qualitative and quantitative methodologies for measuring/comparing the 
performance of local news outlets

* the news/information needs of communities and role of local journalism 
in communities

* solutions including, for instance, alternative business models, the 
role of foundation funding and public policy/regulatory options

* public broadcasters as providers of local news

* historical perspectives on local journalism

* ethnic media and local news

* journalism schools and local news coverage

  Presenters at the conference will be invited to submit papers for 
inclusion in a peer-reviewed (by editorial committee) online multimedia 
publication to be published by the Ryerson Journalism Research Centre. 
Multimedia elements such as videos, audio files, infographics and 
interactive web content will be welcomed but not required.


Conference submission formats

We welcome proposals for:

• individual research papers

• themed panels consisting of three to four presenters

• “lightning talk” discussion sessions where up to six presenters will 
each deliver 5-minute research briefs. Following the presentations, a 
facilitator will moderate a discussion among the presenters. The session 
will conclude with a question-and-answer session with audience members.

• Electronic posters, videos or short slide shows that will be displayed 
on large screens at a Local News Storytelling and Innovation Bazaar. 
This updated take on the traditional poster session is an opportunity 
for journalism schools, news organizations and others to showcase local 
stories that have made a difference, local news-related curricula, local 
news advocacy efforts and innovations/experiments related to local news 
storytelling and business models.


Submission requirements:

All submissions should indicate whether your submission is for a 
research paper, a panel, a lightning talk discussion session or the 
Local News Storytelling and Innovation Bazaar.

For panels and lightning talk discussion sessions, please submit:

* the name, affiliation and contact information of the session organizer

* the title and a 150-word description of the session

* the name, affiliation and contact information for each session presenter

* a title and abstract of up to 350 words for each presentation

For individual papers, please submit:

* author name, affiliation and contact information

* presentation title and an abstract of up to 350 words

For submissions to the Local News Storytelling and Innovation Bazaar, 
please submit:

* author name, affiliation and contact information

* the presentation’s title and an abstract of up to 350 words, including 
whether you will showcase a single slide, video or a Powerpoint slideshow



Where to send your proposal:

Submissions should be sent to (localnewsconference /at/ gmail.com) 
<mailto:(localnewsconference /at/ gmail.com)> with the subject line: 
“Submission.” Please include your proposal in the body of the email. Do 
not send attachments.



The deadline for the submission of abstracts or panel proposals is Jan. 
5, 2017.

Attendees will be notified about the decision by Feb. 1, 2017.

If you have questions/need more information, please contact: 
(april.lindgren /at/ ryerson.ca) <mailto:(april.lindgren /at/ ryerson.ca)>

Organizing committee:

April Lindgren, Ryerson University

Jaigris Hodson, Royal Roads University

Asmaa Malik, Ryerson University

Geneviève Bonin, University of Ottawa

Randy Boswell, Carleton University

Sheila Hannon, Western University

Susan Harada, Carleton University

Tyler Nagel, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology

  Janice Paskey, Mount Royal University

David Secko, Concordia University



About the Ryerson Journalism Research Centre: The Ryerson Journalism 
Research Centre was established in 2011 by the Ryerson University School 
of Journalism

to study trends in journalism and what they mean for society, journalism 
practice and the news business. The centre, located on the university’s 
campus in downtown Toronto, regularly brings together journalists, 
scholars and students to explore emerging issues in journalism in the 
digital age.
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