2026 Local News Network Meeting

Schedule

9:00-9:30 LIGHT BREAKFAST

9:30-9:45 WELCOME

Steve Greenlee, professor of the practice of journalism and director of the BU Newsroom Initiative.

9:45-10:30 STORYTELLING EVENTS

Iris Adler and Irene Sege of Brookline.News explain how to run a successful storytelling event that engages the community and raises funding.

10:30-11:15 SOCIAL VIDEO JOURNALISM

Engaging your audience and building your brand through social video journalism. A conversation with Boston Globe video journalist Emily Sweeney and Boston Globe multimedia producer Maria Pemberton. Moderator: Deborah Fountain, associate professor of the practice, journalism.

11:15-11:30 COFFEE BREAK

11:30-12:15 ADVERTISING ON HYPERLOCAL NEWS SITES

Many nonprofit and independent organizations don’t feature advertising on their sites. Should they? How a few local news outlets are succeeding at it. Panelists: Jack Conboy, Dorchester Reporter advertising manager; Bill Forry, editor of Dorchester Reporter; Hilary Jenison, founder and publisher of Anchor Media; Elizabeth McNamara, editor and publisher of East Greenwich News. Moderator: Sherrod Blakely, associate professor of the practice, journalism.

12:15-1:00 LUNCH AND CONVERSATION

1:00-2:00 KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Sarabeth Berman, CEO of the American Journalism Project.                            

2:00-2:45 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN JOURNALISM

AI can be a useful tool in hyperlocal newsrooms with limited resources. It also comes with a host of issues. What are some ways it can be used ethically in local journalism? Panelists: Charles Kravetz, cofounder of Cambridge Artificial Intelligencer; Roberto “Berto” Scalese, senior editor/digital for WBUR; Cristina Silva, managing editor for standards and operations with The Boston Globe. Moderator: Maggie Mulvihill, associate professor of the practice, journalism.

2:45-3:00 WRAP-UP AND QUESTIONS