Knight Center announces speakers for ISOJ 2022 and a new hybrid conference format, in Austin and online

• By Teresa Mioli
• February 1, 2022

For the first time since the pandemic hit two years ago, the International Symposium on Online Journalism (ISOJ) is planning to return to Austin, but will keep online participation in an innovative hybrid format.

The Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas made the announcement, along with news of keynote speakers and an initial list of panelists, on Feb. 1, exactly two months before the start of ISOJ, which takes place on April 1 and 2, 2022.

This traditional conference, which is in its 23rd year, looks at the transition to digital and related issues in the field of journalism. Registration for the event, which will be online and in person at the University of Texas at Austin campus, opens soon.

“It was important to us to build upon the accessibility we could offer through the online iterations of ISOJ while returning to our roots in Austin and continuing our work as the international journalism community’s groundbreaking symposium,” said Professor Rosental C. Alves, the director of Knight Center. “We are excited to spotlight a diverse group of experts who have redefined the landscape of digital journalism.”

Keynotes for ISOJ 2022 include: Gina Chua, executive editor at Reuters; Richard Gingras, global vice president of news at Google; Katrice Hardy, executive editor at the Dallas Morning News; and Jorge Ramos, news anchor at Univision Noticias.

While the full program and list of speakers will be announced shortly, organizers provided a glimpse into the panelists:

• Emily Bell, professor & director of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism, Columbia Journalism School
• Jay Bernhardt, dean, Moody College of Communication, University of Texas at Austin
• Jim Brady, vice president of journalism, Knight Foundation
• Maria Bustillos, editor-in-chief, Popula.com
• Rosental Calmon Alves, ISOJ founder and chair, School of Journalism, University of Texas at Austin
• Tamar Charney,  Consulting Senior Supervising Producer, NPR
• Ken Doctor, CEO & founder, Lookout Santa Cruz
• Borja Echevarría, managing editor, El País (Spain)
• Avery Holton, associate professor and chair, Department of Communication, University of Utah
• Mukhtar Ibrahim,  founder and executive director, Sahan Journal
• Kathleen McElroy, director, School of Journalism & Media, University of Texas at Austin
• Imtiaz Patel, CEO, The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism/The Baltimore Banner
• Anya Schiffrin, director of technology, media & communication specialization, Columbia University
• Amy Schmitz Weiss, ISOJ research chair, San Diego State University
• David Skok, CEO and editor-in-chief, The Logic (Canada)
• Evan Smith, co-founder and CEO, The Texas Tribune
• Ray Soto, senior director, emerging tech, Gannett, USA Today Network
• Ann Stern, president and CEO, Houston Endowment
• Sarah Stonbely, research director, Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University
• Mallary Tenore, associate director, Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas
• Steven Waldman, president and co-founder, Report for America
• Nykia Wright, president and CEO, Chicago Sun-Times
• More to be announced!

Professor Alves, Knight Chair in Journalism and UNESCO Chair in Communication at UT Austin’s School of Journalism and Media at the Moody College of Communication, founded ISOJ in 1999. The conference brings together journalists, media executives and scholars to discuss the impact of the digital revolution on journalism. Past topics for the conference have included multimedia storytelling, the impact of artificial intelligence, new business models and sustainability, combating misinformation, diversity, and more.

As in previous years, the conference will be in English, but feature simultaneous interpretation to Spanish. ISOJ will also have a change of location this year and will be hosted at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center's Zlotnik Family Ballroom.

Keep an eye on isoj.org for future ISOJ announcements and to read coverage of prior conferences.