It’s that time of the year! The highly anticipated International Journalism Festival has returned to the historic city of Perugia, boasting over 400 knowledgeable speakers in various concurrent sessions focused on the latest developments in journalism. From April 19th to 23rd, the (super excited) Qurio team will attend this one-of-a-kind event to learn from industry leaders, engage in meaningful discussions; and hopefully, meet and discuss with you too, dear reader, if you plan to attend!
Why is the IJF important to us? And why should you care about it?
We attended the festival for the first time as a Qurio team last year, although we have been frequent visitors for quite some time now. That’s why we can confidently say that the IJF lives up to its name, in every way:
- It truly is international. The IJF has a global reach, attracting many participants from countries and cultures that rarely receive international attention. What’s more, it offers valuable insights into managing a newsroom whose journalists live in exile and creating a membership program for an audience with reading habits that differ from the norm. Hence, attending such an event is a remarkable opportunity to broaden your perspective.
- It truly is about journalism. It covers every aspect of journalism: from investigative journalism, constructive and solutions-focused reporting, podcasting, video and audio journalism, to data-driven journalism, climate reporting, local news coverage, journalist safety, and legal protections for journalists — you name it!
- It truly is a festival. Strolling through the cobblestone streets of Perugia during this time of year will sweep you along in the greatest celebration of journalism, as the whole city lives and breathes IJF. The sheer volume of talent, work, and ideas — all gathered in one place — may overwhelm you; yet, at the same time, they may immerse you in the experience.
You can follow everything about the festival on the official website journalismfestival.com and on #ijf23 on any social media: Twitter, Mastodon (any instance e.g. newsie.social), LinkedIn or Instagram.
Our top picks for #IJF23 sessions on Audience Engagement, and beyond
During our preparation for the #IJF23, we thought it would be useful to create a list with all the sessions on audience engagement, and other topics pertinent to reader-focused journalism, like:
- community development,
- local newsrooms,
- nonprofit journalism,
- AI integration in the news,
- solutions journalism,
- membership, and
- subscription models.
Although we faced the daunting task of opening an army of tabs on Chrome and sifting through each one to identify these sessions, we pulled it off ✌️. We hope that our list of recommended #IJF23 sessions will help you smoothly navigate through the event. Have a look:
Thursday, April 20th
- Audience user needs at the heart of your editorial strategy with Dmitry Shishkin, smart.octo
- How we built it: the story of a for-profit, values-driven network with diversified revenues with URL Media
- Generative AI in the newsroom with Diakopoulos
- How to truly monetise independent journalism’s value for society with Reference
- What happens to journalism now that Twitter is dying and Facebook doesn’t care about the media any more? with Tow Center, CJR, URL Media
- Solutions journalism: a means to achieve equity and inclusion with SJN and more
- Membership models: all you need to know about running a member-centric newsroom with Krautreporter, Zetland, RISJ
- Supporting small newsrooms learn and experiment with AI with Google
- How impactful journalism supports a successful business model with LA Times, Guardian, Capital B
Friday, April 21st
- TikTok and the news: how can publishers join the party? with WaPo guy, DW, and RISJ
- A newsletter for every neighborhood #data
- How do you measure the social value of your journalism?
- AI journalism: the next generation?
- What’s next for the business of news? with Vox, RISJ
- From drowning to surfing: how journalism can help audiences avoid information overload
Saturday, April 22nd
- Investing in the future of independent journalism and civic media
- The elephant in the room: could AI give technology giants more control over the news?
- Can governments save independent journalism? Will they? Should they?
- How journalism’s growing infrastructure support system is catalyzing digital newsrooms with Coda Story, Knight Foundation, Indiegraf, Temple University, News Revenue Hub
- Nonprofit news: is journalism ready for charity? with Temple University, Hostwriter
- Putting communities first: planning local news with Bristol Cable
- New voices in journalism: YouTube creator panel with Johnny Harris
- Journalism GPT: it’s time to get serious about AI and automation in the newsroom with BBC, USA Today, Fathm
- Know your audience: diversity as an actual path toward representation
- On non-news efforts building large audiences: how we do it and why the news industry should pay attention with URL Media, McKinsey, TED
- The importance of community networks for climate journalism with Austrian Climate Journalism Network, RISJ
Will you meet us there?
If you’re reading this, and are heading to Perugia for the #IJF23, we would be delighted if you’d come and find us there! And just so you know, we also plan to visit at least one of the wonderful cafés in the heart of the city, to enjoy the picturesque view of the rolling hills of Perugia as the sun sets. That’s right! This is our Qurio way of inviting you to join us for an impromptu cup of espresso or a stroll through the winding streets of the city 😁. The truth is that we’d love to get to know you and talk with you. So, how about it, will you meet us there?