CJS members attend the 73rd annual ICA conference in Canada

From May 25th to May 29th, three CJS scholars had the opportunity to attend the 73rd annual conference of the International Communication Association (ICA) taking place in Toronto, Canada.

First, Prof. Dr. Stijn Joye (CJS, UGent) participated in a panel session called “Journalism and Conflict: Constructive Journalism, the Diverse Audience, and the Mediation of (Distant) Suffering”. This panel united researchers from constructive journalism and mediated distant suffering research and encouraged discussing how they can benefit from each other’s knowledge and expertise. The session was chaired by Prof. Dr. Karin Wahl-Jorgensen (School of Journalism, Media and Culture of Cardiff University, U.K.). 

Next, Prof. Dr. Sarah Van Leuven (CJS, UGent) presented the working paper titled “Narrating the News: A Comparative Study of Sourcing Practices in 37 Countries” in the session “Journalism Across Borders: Comparative Studies on News Practices”. Together with her co-authors Prof. Dr. Daniel Jackson (Bournemouth University, U.K.) and Prof. Dr. Claudia Mellado (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Chile), she discussed sourcing practices across a range of news beats, platforms, and countries. This paper is part of the Journalistic Role Performance Project. In total, three papers related to the project were presented during the conference. In addition, the Canadian team led by Prof. Nicole Blanchett also organized a pre-conference on May 24 titled “Between ideals and practice: Journalistic Role Performance in Transformative Times” in which Sarah Van Leuven also participated. Finally, during a half-day seminar on May 25, the JRP team discussed the current state of the project as well as future steps such as book plans and the next wave of the data collection.

Last, Ph.D. fellow Maxine De Wulf Helskens (CJS, UGent) presented her recently published paper titled “Repackaged Sob Sisters and Outsiders Within: Reading the Female and Minority Journalists on The Bold Type and The Morning Show” in the session “Journalism and News”. She discussed the results of a study she conducted, together with her supervisors Prof. Dr. Sarah Van Leuven (CJS, UGent) and Prof. Dr. Frederik Dhaenens (CIMS, UGent), into the gendered representational practices of female journalists in fictional television series.

The conference provided our CJS members with valuable research and network opportunities as well as the opportunity to explore Canada’s breathtaking nature including the Niagara Waterfalls. Needless to say, the trip was a success!