BEA2026

Today’s attempts by students to bypass generative AI detectors have created a global academic integrity crisis. This panel examines the growing “cat-and-mouse game” between students and AI detection systems, and the cunning methods they use to avoid being flagged. From detection to prevention, our panelists will offer practical solutions for educators that include redesigning assignments and embracing AI literacy. This session is a call to action to adapt, thrive, and restore authenticity in student work.

Moderator: Toni Perry, Liberty University
Panelists: Shaun Cashman, Liberty University
Roger Rome, Liberty University

This panel explores how generative AI can be applied responsibly in photo, audio, and—most notably—video storytelling within the field of journalism. Panelists will share class projects and real-world experiences, address technical challenges, and examine the ethical considerations surrounding the use of AI-driven tools in storytelling.

Moderator, Jiachun Hong, Utah Tech University
Panelists: Kyle Dorius, Utah Tech University
Yanfang Wu, University of Miami

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming economies, societies, and media landscapes worldwide, and the Arab region is no exception. Governments across the Middle East and North Africa are increasingly investing in AI strategies to drive digital transformation, diversify economies, and enhance public services. At the same time, challenges such as limited research infrastructure, uneven access to data, regulatory gaps, and skills shortages continue to hinder effective adoption. This presentation explores the dual trajectory of AI in the Arab world: the opportunities it creates for innovation, education, media, and governance, alongside the socio-technical and ethical challenges it raises. Drawing on regional policy frameworks, case studies, and global comparisons, the discussion will highlight how Arab states can leverage AI responsibly while addressing risks related to employment, privacy, and algorithmic bias. The presentation aims to contribute to a critical dialogue on ensuring that AI deployment in the Arab context is inclusive, sustainable, and aligned with local priorities.

Panelists: Hussein Amin, American University in Cairo; Artificial Intelligence in the Arab World: Challenges and Opportunities
Ahmed El Gody, Orebro University; The Role of Social Media Influencers in the UAE as a Tool of Soft Power
Salma El Ghetany, American University in Cairo; AI Policy Agendas in the Arab World: Between Aspiration and Implementation
Khaled H. Alqahs, Kuwait University; Integrating Artificial Intelligence into Broadcasting Education: A Comparative Study of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Universities
Respondent: Mahitab Ezz El Din, Linnaeus University

This session will focus on specific Innovative Uses of AI in Live Production plus other real world production applications that BEA Member Universities have implemented during the 2026-27 Academic Year to meet their unique production requirements and instructional needs. Customer examples will focus on how educators phased in new solutions this year by adding to existing workflows during a conservative budget cycle. Open Q&A session will follow.
 

In the evolving landscape of scholarship, artificial intelligence has emerged as a transformative collaborator, augmenting the capabilities of researchers across disciplines. By leveraging AI tools for data analysis, literature synthesis, and creative ideation, scholars can accelerate discovery while maintaining rigorous academic standards. Crucially, this collaboration does not require ceding our intellectual independence; rather, it invites a redefinition of scholarly agency—where human judgment, ethical reasoning, critical interpretation, and moral application remain central. AI serves as a catalyst for innovation, enhancing our ability to recognize patterns, explore complex questions, and engage in interdisciplinary dialogue. As such, integrating AI into academic practice represents not a surrender of autonomy, but a strategic partnership that requires a digital mindset and expands the horizons of 21st-century research.
Moderator: Mary E Myers, Regent University
Panelists: Robert Mott, Liberty University
Wes Hartley, Liberty University

RADAR Scholar Office Hours is our one-of-a-kind, feedback and community building program designed to connect you with senior researchers within the BEA community. BEA wants to help you maximize your conference experience by helping you with your research career or engaging your intellectual curiosity. We’ve tailored our RADAR Scholar Office Hours program to support researchers in terms of attendees interested in getting feedback on their research projects, as well as other senior scholar BEA members interested in engaging in dialogue about the practice of research.

These are ONE-ON-ONE office hours.  One person can sign up per time slot.

SHUHUA ZHOU's research focus is on: Media effects, media psychology, AI communicators

Approaches: Quantitative

Methods: Experiment
Quantitative Survey
Scale Development and Validation
Quantitative Content Analysis
Cognitive/media neuroscience
Eye-tracking

Stats: Yes

BEA members can sign up for on-on-one meetings with RADAR Scholars to:

• Get feedback on a study idea
• Design a study using a method
• Engage in discussions of research
• Learn about research best practices
• Understand epistemological approaches to knowledge-making
• Discuss RPT
• Learn about making theoretical arguments
• Write persuasively about contributions for academic publications
• Structure journal article papers
• Respond to reviewers
• Discuss the next stages of your conference presentation/paper
• Discuss grant funding
• Present research at conferences
• Get data analytic advice

RADAR Scholar Office Hours is our one-of-a-kind, feedback and community building program designed to connect you with senior researchers within the BEA community. BEA wants to help you maximize your conference experience by helping you with your research career or engaging your intellectual curiosity. We’ve tailored our RADAR Scholar Office Hours program to support researchers in terms of attendees interested in getting feedback on their research projects, as well as other senior scholar BEA members interested in engaging in dialogue about the practice of research.

These are ONE-ON-ONE office hours.  One person can sign up per time slot.

SHUHUA ZHOU's research focus is on: Media effects, media psychology, AI communicators

Approaches: Quantitative

Methods: Experiment
Quantitative Survey
Scale Development and Validation
Quantitative Content Analysis
Cognitive/media neuroscience
Eye-tracking

Stats: Yes

BEA members can sign up for on-on-one meetings with RADAR Scholars to:

• Get feedback on a study idea
• Design a study using a method
• Engage in discussions of research
• Learn about research best practices
• Understand epistemological approaches to knowledge-making
• Discuss RPT
• Learn about making theoretical arguments
• Write persuasively about contributions for academic publications
• Structure journal article papers
• Respond to reviewers
• Discuss the next stages of your conference presentation/paper
• Discuss grant funding
• Present research at conferences
• Get data analytic advice

Moderator: Rebecca Ann Lind, University of Illinois at Chicago

Ginger E. Blackstone, University of Arkansas; A Modern Course Design Challenge: Embracing and Implementing A.I. Tools Ethically in Journalism Education

Ed Youngblood, Auburn University; Susan Ann Youngblood, Auburn University & Angie Chung, Auburn University; Audience reactions to the AI-generated country song Walk My Walk

Marquita Smith, University of Mississippi; Bars of Liberation: Hip-Hop Feminism, Lyrical Self-Definition, and the Multiplicity of Black Womanhood

Ashley Larson, San Francisco State University & Morgan Butler, Lindenwood University; Breaking Down the Feed: Understanding the Sources Behind Social Media News Consumption

Gregory Pitts, Middle Tennessee State University & Twange Kasoma, Appalachian State University; Misinformation, Social Media, and Democratic Backsliding in Georgia

Cheryl Bracken, Bowling Green State University & Bridget Rubenking, University of Central Florida; Moral Representations in Streaming and Broadcast and Cable Programming

Robert O. Apiyo, University of Tampa; Osman Osman, New York University & Kevin Charles Mudavadi, Georgia State University; Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) and the Digital Divide: Challenges, Lessons, and Opportunities in the Global South

**Kyle J. Miller, Northwest Missouri State University & Christina C Smith, Georgia College; Navigating the unknown: Analyzing general managers’ perceptions of federal funding cuts to NPR stations in a Midwestern state

Please see attached poster and click on the poster to listen to the presentation.

Faculty are navigating the same AI revolution their students are — and many are experimenting with how these tools can support their own work as teachers, scholars, and mentors. This panel will explore the ways faculty are incorporating AI tools into their professional lives, both to streamline tasks and to reimagine what’s possible.

Panelists will share practical strategies for using AI in their daily work as faculty, from class planning to time management. Presentations will also discuss the opportunities to use AI to promote student engagement in learning. The session aims to provide a candid and balanced discussion about the opportunities and tensions AI introduces into higher education.
Moderator: Tom Nelson, Elon University
Panelists: Leighton C Peterson, Miami University
Jessalynn Strauss, Elon University
Shanetta Pendleton, Elon University

Shuhua Zhou is the 2026 recipient of the BEA Lifetime Achievement in Scholarship Award (LAS).  Dr. Zhou will receive his award right before this special podium session presentation. 

This presentation traces the evolving landscape of broadcast news from the trusted, authoritative voice of Walter Cronkite to the hyperrealistic, algorithm-driven era of AI anchors, exploring how these technological shifts fundamentally alter our cognitive relationship with information. By drawing on a series of his own studies, Dr. Zhou examines the underlying psychological mechanisms—specifically perception and attention—that shape how audiences process news and assign credibility and what this these mean for the future of news. 

BEA is debuting Special Interest Groups (SIGs) in 2026.  The Artificial Intelligence (AI) SIG is dedicated to advancing research at the intersection of AI and media. We welcome work on AI in journalism, broadcasting, ethics, pedagogy, regulation, etc.
Moderator: Mary E Myers, Regent University

Ahmed El Gody, Orebro University; Digitizing News Culture in the UAE: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in UAE Newsrooms

Daud Isa, Point Park University; Setting the Chatbot Agenda: A Network Agenda Setting Study of ChatGPT, Perplexity, and U.S. News Media

 Isaac Ray Caputo, Bethune-Cookman University; Teaching Radio and Audio Production in the age of A.I.

Visual Storytelling in the Age of AI, Scott Alboum, [email protected]; Rider University

The rise of artificial intelligence is reshaping both the media ecosystem and journalism education with unprecedented force. While AI enhances content production and distribution, it also raises pressing debates around algorithmic ethics, information authenticity, and human–machine relations. This panel, featuring scholars from Communication University of China, City University of Hong Kong, and other international institutions, will explore how technological transformations redefine media practices and educational paradigms, and how global collaboration can address these shared challenges.

Moderator: Shuhua Zhou, City University of Hong Kong
Panelists: Weihua Wu, Communication University of China, Reproducing Intangible Cultural Heritage with Generative AI: A Critical Media Study of Z-Generation Youth in China
Seok Kang, University of Texas - San Antonio, Transformations and Directions of Future Newsrooms with Artificial Intelligence: Shaping, Redefining, and Challenging Journalistic Practices
YUEHONG YU, Communication University of China, What Should Content Creators Do in the Age of Artificial Intelligence? Core Competencies and Practical Pathways
Xiaodong Gui, Communication University of China
Jiabiao Xu, Shaanxi Normal University, Reconstructing Capabilities and Redefining Boundaries: Diverse Transformation Paths in Journalism Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Yuping Jin, Xinjiang University
CHANGCHUN XUAN, Xiamen University
Shiwen Wu, The school of Journalism and Communication, Wuhan University