/R E P E A T -- Bill Buxton to keynote CAJ/CAJEF news innovation conference
Jan. 30/

OTTAWA , Jan. 12 /CNW/ - Design and technology visionary Bill Buxton will outline the challenges facing news media and the opportunities they present in the closing keynote at a trailblazing conference in Toronto on Jan. 30 .

Journalists, decision makers and members of the public can register online at www.caj.ca for the news innovation conference at the MaRS Centre, hosted by the Canadian Association of Journalists and the CAJ Education Foundation.

"Bill Buxton's work and teaching have helped to shape our experience of the world," CAJ and conference chairman Saleem Khan said. "As news organizations and journalists explore emerging technologies and approaches to journalism, I know of no better guide to help us understand and navigate this new territory."

In his closing keynote "The Fourth Estate in the Digital Age," Buxton, principal researcher at Microsoft Research, will explore how the decisions news media make now will have an impact on generations to come and what that means for all of us today and tomorrow.

"We are about to experience a world class journalism event," Robert Cribb , president of the CAJEF said. "The ideas unveiled on that Saturday will change the way we work on Monday."

"We are excited to count Bill Buxton among the top experts in their fields speaking at this conference," CAJ president Mary Agnes Welch said. "Anyone who attends will leave with a head full of new ideas and a heart full of optimism."

Buxton joins a roster of international and Canadian leaders that include:

    
    -   Jim Brady, president, digital strategy, Allbritton Communications;
        former executive editor of WashingtonPost.com
    -   John Cruickshank, publisher, Toronto Star
    -   Michael Lee, chief strategy officer, Rogers
    -   Patrick Lor, president, Fotolia North America
    -   Rachel Nixon, director of digital media, CBC News
    -   Kenny Yum, editor, GlobeandMail.com
    

Conference sessions range from using social media such as Twitter and Facebook effectively, to integrating photography and video into a reporting routine, to deciphering and taking advantage of Web analytics, to new business models.

"This conference is an amazing deal," said CAJ president Mary Agnes Welch . "Anyone interested in gaining knowledge and highly portable media and management skills can get an additional discount on the low event fees if they register by Jan. 15."

A discounted early bird registration rate for the conference is in place until Jan. 15 . Unemployed journalists qualify for a deep discount equivalent to the student rate.

Registration fees until Jan. 15:

$45 - Student member

$45 - Unemployed journalist

$99 - Member

$129 - Associate member (non-journalist)

$199 - Non-member

Registration fees after Jan. 15:

$50 - Student member

$50 - Unemployed journalist

$119 - Member

$159 - Associate member (non-journalist)

$299 - Non-member

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: CAJ and conference 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