One week until CAJ and CAJEF innovate news in Toronto

OTTAWA , Jan. 22 /CNW/ - In one week, media, design and technology visionaries and leaders gather in Toronto for the Canadian Association of Journalists' and CAJ Education Foundation's groundbreaking news innovation conference at the MaRS Centre. Registration is online at www.caj.ca.

The conference focuses on techniques, technologies and tools that media and content creators can start using immediately to enable a dramatically fresh approach to their work amid the major shifts it is now experiencing.

"This meeting of minds represents a formula for change," CAJ and conference chairman Saleem Khan said. "We are bringing together professionals at the cutting edge of media in North America with leaders and visionaries in design and technology to inject new ideas into an industry built on tradition."

"This event marks a turning point for journalism in this country," said Robert Cribb , president of the CAJ Education Foundation. "The ideas and knowledge revealed next Saturday will transform the way we work on Monday."

"On Jan. 30 , people in all roles with all skill levels will discover something new at this conference," CAJ president Mary Agnes Welch said. "Reporters, editors, producers, managers, executives and students will all walk away enriched, empowered and inspired."

The conference is structured in four tracks: Two craft and practice focused tracks for varying levels of skill and experience, an executive and management track to help decision makers explore and understand strategic issues, news and business models; and an "unconference" style track to enable attendees to self-organize, discover and engage in deep-knowledge grassroots sessions.

Keynotes by leaders and visionaries include:

- Opening keynote by Jim Brady , former executive editor of the WashingtonPost.com, on "The Power of Local: The next frontier in news."

- Toronto Star publisher John Cruickshank , Rogers chief strategy officer Michael Lee and Jim Brady on the current media landscape and what is next, in the executive panel "The View from the Top."

- Design and technology visionary Bill Buxton's closing keynote on the critical choices facing the news industry that will shape the role of journalists, journalism and the fate of our liberal democracy for generations, "The Fourth Estate in the Digital Age."

    
    Speakers include:

    Jim Brady, president, digital strategy, Allbritton Communications; former
    executive editor, WashingtonPost.com
    Bill Buxton, principal researcher, Microsoft Research
    Ryan Coleman, founding member and chief community evangelist, VizThink
    Robert Cribb, deputy investigations editor, Toronto Star
    John Cruickshank, publisher, Toronto Star
    Brady Gilchrist, president, Admodo
    Patrick Glinksi, senior strategist, Idea Couture
    Alfred Hermida, professor of integrated journalism, UBC; founding
    journalist, BBCNews.com
    Anne-Marie Jackson, visual journalist, Globe and Mail
    Alan McLean, interface engineer, interactive news technology, New York
    Times
    Jon Lax, partner, Teehan + Lax
    Michael Lee, chief strategy officer, Rogers
    Patrick Lor, president, Fotolia North America; co-founder, iStockPhoto
    Rachel Nixon, director of digital media, CBC News
    Angela Pacienza, director of online news, Canadian Press
    Roy Pereira, president, Shiny
    Susanne Reber, deputy managing editor, investigations, NPR
    Ivor Shapiro, professor, Ryerson University, CAJ ethics chair; ethics
    editor, J-Source.ca
    Mike Sukmanowsky, manager, digital analytics, Rogers Digital Media
    Kenny Yum, editor, GlobeandMail.com
    Tory Zimmerman, visual journalist, Globe and Mail

    Sessions include:

    Social media principles and practice
    Entrepreneurial news
    Video and photojournalism for writers
    Facebook beyond friend, poke and status: Mine, market and match
    Hacking the news: How journalist-developers create engaging interactive
    stories
    20 minutes into the future: Insights into what's next by the people
    shaping change
    Understanding Web analytics and how to take advantage of it
    New ethics of the new news
    Creating and managing co-productions for depth and impact
    Design thinking the media: A new approach to news
    Changing and managing organizational culture
    Business model innovation: Who will pay for news
    Visual thinking and the story process
    ... and more!

    Registration is online at www.caj.ca

    Registration fees:

    $119 - Member
    $159 - Associate member
    $50 - Student member
    $50 - Unemployed member
    $299 - Non-member
    

Memberships are available at www.caj.ca/membership.

The Canadian Association of Journalists is Canada's largest professional organization for journalists from all media, with about 1,100 members across the country. The CAJ's main roles are to provide high-quality professional development for its members and public-interest advocacy.

The CAJ Education Foundation is a federally registered charitable foundation whose purpose is to improve understanding of Canada and its place in the world.

For further information: Chairman, Saleem Khan - [phone] or [email protected]; Mary Agnes Welch, CAJ president, [phone] or [phone]; Executive director, John Dickins, [phone]; To join the CAJ, please visit: http://www.caj.ca/membership