The Art of the Follow-up
Location: Room L101
Sam Sanders - Vulture, Stitcher

Every journalist has their own way of getting what they need out of sources. Discover best practices for getting the most out of your interviews.

Red Carpet Realness
Location: Room L116
Carla Renata
Gia Peppers
Ariana Drummond
Angelique Jackson (moderator)

Life on the red carpet certainly looks glamorous, but there’s plenty of logistics to consider: How do you secure a position on the line (and get the best one)? How do things work as a print reporter versus video? How about working as a one-person band? Plus, what are the most comfortable shoes to wear when standing for hours waiting for your two questions with the stars?

Expanding Your Storytelling: From Newsmaker To Filmmaker
Location: Room 209
Kendall Wright - Field/House Productions
Morgan Grain - Tell Me Lies, Reasonable Doubt
Derek Garlington - Pitch It To Me, Martial Asana

Journalists and communications professionals often find success transitioning to work in film and television. In this session, discover which skills are most transferable and how you can make the shift in your own storytelling career.

Producing for TV News
Location: Room 211
Brittany Wix

Being a producer in TV news is a sought-after role. In this session, learn the differences between a line producer, a senior producer and an executive producer as well as some line producing 101.

Going Independent: Creating Your Own Marketing and Communications Company
Location: Room 210
Myles Worthington

Calling all marketing and comms professionals! Are you considering going independent to lead your own company? Learn from somebody who’s been where you are and made the leap — quite successfully!

The ABCs of Podcasting
Location: Room L115
Xavier D’Leau

Starting a podcast — especially a good one — isn’t as simple as it may look. Learn what it takes to get a new podcast off the ground and keep it going.

The Playbook
Location: Room 309
Eric Lambkins II
Jonathan WIlliams

This workshop will provide emerging and early-career professionals with real world, tried and true, advice — both anecdotal and practical — ensuring that all participants walk away with tangible tools to engage and thrive in the world of sports reporting. The session will also share the keys to building rapport with GMs, agents, and players, as well as a playbook on how to write game stories, profiles, and features.

Fireside Chat w/ Mike Hill: The Authenticity of You
Location: Room 209
Mike Hill - FOX Sports

A thought-provoking, open and honest conversation with FOX Sports Host and Multimedia Personality Mike Hill aims to inspire you to bring your authentic self to the newsroom. This Q&A session. Known as the “Infotainer Who Always Keeps it Real,” Hill will discuss his career journey and provide tips on how to stay true to your core values while building your own career in media. 

The State of Magazine Journalism
Location: Room L115
Angelique Jackson - Variety
Ty Cameron - Ebony
Brande Victorian, Essence
Patricia Mays, THR

The business of “magazine journalism” is rapidly changing as both the industry and consumers’ focus has moved from print to digital. So, let’s evaluate the current climate with the journalists who work in this medium, as they offer their insights into the way magazines differ from other mediums and what it takes to write a great print feature.

TikToking the News
Location: Room 305
Angie Jamie - LA Times

Join Head of Creator Content Angie Jaime for an inside look into how the L.A. Times' social content innovation team, 404 by L.A. Times gets their work done. Together with the 404 team, she'll walk you through the process of making quality journalism for emerging platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Come to this workshop with a 30-second video clip for a live demo on creating content for TikTok that's newsworthy and ready to publish.

Journalism in a Blogging Era
Location: Room 210
Jasmine Simpkins

In this session, attendees will learn how to navigate the ever-evolving celebrity news media ecosystem in which audiences often conflate blogging and journalism. For bloggers and writers, this session will help you understand basic journalistic principles that are useful when covering celebrity culture. For reporters and journalists, this session will help you understand lessons that newsrooms can take from the blogosphere.

Without a Blueprint: Tips on Building a Personal Brand While Working a 9-5 
Location: Room L116
Archie Jay

Being an independent journalist and content creator sometimes means you have to work a job during the day and feed your passions at night and on the weekends. In this session, attendees will learn how to juggle corporate job responsibilities while building a personal brand.

Working with the Press and Expanding Your Communications Career Journey
Location: Room 309
Jasmyne Cannick
Nick Hamilton

This discussion will focus on helping to prepare communications professionals for working with the press on-the-record or behind the scenes and provide insights on how to expand your career if you are looking to work as a media professional and communications strategist/consultant.

Creating Social Content with Canva!
Location: L115
Fernando Hurtado - NBCUniversal Local

Join us as we take you through creating visual social graphics and slides for Instagram and beyond with Canva. Bring your laptop or phone and be ready to get creative!

Advocacy and Activism as Journalists
Location: Room L101
Erika Smith - NABJLA, LA Times
Ashanti Blaize - VP, SPJ
Matt Pearce - President, Media Guild of the West
Adam Rose - Press Rights Chair, LA Press Club
Yvette Cabrera - President, NAHJ

Historically, the lines between journalism and advocacy are solid and well-defined. But as our industry continues to change, so too must our discourse around the journalistic tenants of "objectivity" and "impartiality." Learn from members of the Los Angeles Journalism Coalition how to navigate your personal advocacy efforts — for greater newsroom diversity, social justice matters, etc. — alongside your work as a journalist.

Page To Screen: How To Produce Video For Magazine Editorials
Location: Room L116
Chase Lewis - Producer, Conde Nast

In this workshop, Lead Producer of Architectural Digest’s Open Door video series Chase Lewis teaches you how to bring a magazine editorial to life through dynamic video production. From storyboarding to post-production, learn how to plan out your own visual shoot.

A Picture Worth A Thousand of Your Words
Location: Room 209
Jason Armond

As a photographer who also writes, L.A. Times photojournalist Jason Armond will teach you how to use compelling photography to inspire, transform and guide your writing. Learn how photo-driven stories coupled with excellent reporting and writing, helps create synergy that will boost your project to the next level.

Group Projects That Don't Suck: How Powerful Union Work Makes the Media Industry Better
Location: Room 210
Shanita Hubbard
Pamela K. Johnson
Megan McRobert 
Demetria Wambia

Whether you are a freelancer, staffer, or some combination of the two, unions help elevate the overall conditions of the industry, which creates more equitable pathways to the career you choose. Hear from National Writers Union members about the Union's current campaigns and challenges and learn about how Union work has impacted their work lives.

So You Want To Be An MMJ?
Location: Room 309
Raecine ‘Rae’ Williams

In the age of social media, we can find different degrees of community reporting across platforms. Learn what it takes to be a multimedia journalist, or MMJ — a reporter, photographer, and producer all in one, who comes up with a story idea, shoots the interviews and video from an iPhone, then edits and writes a script suitable for air.

Journalism and the Importance of Soft Skills
Location: Room 211
Chris Price

Chris Price discusses navigating different personalities in the newsroom for successful collaboration and overall career advancement. This session will be helpful for newer journalists — especially aspiring social editors — who are trying to hone their soft skills.