BEA2026: Full Schedule

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9:00am PDT

Making Television History More Accessible: Exploring New Research Tools in the Vanderbilt Television News Archive

Monday April 20, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am PDT

This workshop will demonstrate how journalism scholars can engage with the newly upgraded Vanderbilt Television News Archive for efficient research of over 1 million TV news stories from U.S. broadcasters dating back to 1968. New features improve search capabilities of story-level titles and abstracts and full broadcast transcripts and enable easy check-out of individual stories for virtual viewing. The team will also present new data services that make complex computational analysis of the collection possible.
Moderator: Kristy Roschke, Vanderbilt University
Panelists: Kristy Roschke, Vanderbilt
Giselle Hengst, Vanderbilt University
Namrah Khan, Vanderbilt University

Moderators

Kristy Roschke

Executive Director McGee Applied Research Center for Narrative Studies, Vanderbilt University

Speakers

Giselle Hengst

Community Engagement Coordinator, Vanderbilt Television News Archive

Namrah Khan

Vanderbilt University

Monday April 20, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am PDT
W307

History, Workshop | BEA, Workshop

10:15am PDT

Advising Student Groups in an AI World: Mentoring the Next Generation

Monday April 20, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am PDT

W307

Artificial intelligence tools have become part of the academic and professional landscape, raising new questions for student organizations and the faculty who advise them. This panel explores how advisors of student groups are navigating AI in their work with students. What policies (formal or informal) are advisors adopting? How are they guiding students on ethical use, accuracy, and originality? And how are students themselves experimenting with AI? Panelists will share their experiences, including successes, challenges, and unresolved questions, in advising student groups during this time of rapid technological change.
Moderator: Hal Vincent, Elon University
Panelists: Kelli Matthews, University of Oregon
Alexander Luchsinger, Elon University
Jeffrey Ranta, Coastal Carolina University

Moderators

Hal Vincent

Elon University

Speakers

Kelli Matthews

University of Oregon

Alex Luchsinger

Elon University

Jeffrey Ranta

Coastal Carolina University

Monday April 20, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am PDT
W307

Curriculum Assessment & Administration, Teaching Techniques/Tips & Educational Programs | BEA, Teaching Techniques/Tips & Educational Programs | AI Spotlight, Teaching Techniques/Tips & Educational Programs | New Faculty & Graduate Student Spotlight, Teaching Techniques/Tips & Educational Programs

11:30am PDT

Streaming, Scrolling, and Subscribing: Media Habits of Today’s Sports Fans

Monday April 20, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm PDT

W307

The sports media world continues to evolve as fans embrace streaming, short-form video, influencer commentary, and user-generated content. Traditional broadcasts face disruption as audiences turn to personalized, mobile-first formats and on-demand experiences. This panel examines how these shifts reshape sports consumption, influence content creation, and expand the range of storytellers, with athletes, influencers, and fans emerging as key media producers.
Moderator: Nick Artman, Slippery Rock University
Panelists: Shannon Scovel, University of Tennessee
Kyle J. Miller, Northwest Missouri State University
Matthew Harmon, Monmouth University

Moderators

Nick Artman

Associate Professor, Slippery Rock University

Speakers

Matthew Harmon

Specialist Professor, Monmouth University

Kyle J. Miller

Associate Professor, Northwest Missouri State University

I'm an associate professor at the Northwest Missouri State University School of Communication and Mass Media. I teach media writing, broadcasting/digital, sports media and media literacy courses. I also oversee our Mass Media program's Senior Seminar course and Professional Advisory... Read More →

Shannon Scovel

University of Tennessee

Monday April 20, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm PDT
W307

Sports, Industry Issues & Updates | BEA, Industry Issues & Updates

12:45pm PDT

Law and Policy Division Meeting

Monday April 20, 2026 12:45pm - 1:45pm PDT

W307

The rules shaping media are always changing. Join us for a timely conversation about the legal and policy issues influencing the field and learn about new grant program offered to Law & Policy division members.

Connect with colleagues, exchange new ideas, and help shape exciting initiatives for the coming year. These meetings are a welcoming space to build community, spark collaboration, and make your voice part of the conversation. Whether you’re a returning member or attending for the first time, this is a valuable opportunity to network with peers, share insights, and play an active role in your division’s future. We’d love to see you there.

Chair: William R. Davie, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Vice Chair/Paper Competition Chair: Fritz J. Messere, SUNY - Oswego
Communications Chair: Laurie Thomas Lee, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Moderators

William Davie

Professor, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Dr. William R. (Bill) Davie holds a professorship from the Louisiana Board of Regents and is the Mass Communication/Broadcasting Coordinator for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He has authored and coauthored research papers, journal articles, and books on electronic media... Read More →

Speakers

Fritz J. Messere

Retired Dean, SUNY - Oswego

I am the retired Founding Dean of the School of Communication, Media and the Arts at SUNY Oswego. Prior to that I was chair and professor of broadcasting and telecommunications in the Communication Studies department. I am a long-time (meaning old) member of BEA and have chaired... Read More →

Laurie Lee

Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Monday April 20, 2026 12:45pm - 1:45pm PDT
W307

Law & Policy, Business/District Meeting | BEA, Business/District Meeting

2:00pm PDT

Rainbow Chalk Rebels: Gender Identity, LGBTQ+, Body Image, and Depiction of the “Other” in the Media

Monday April 20, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT

W307

Diversity in media representation matters. Although we’ve made great strides in the depiction of gender, LGBTQ+, ethnicity, and body type in today’s media, stereotypes still abound, and today we face new challenges heretofore unforeseen. What exactly does the future hold? This panel seeks to promote discussion of prevalent and controversial issues related to depiction of the “Other” in media, and explores how we as educators can better teach them.
Moderator: Roger Allman, Grand Valley State University
Panelists: Jennifer Rachel Billinson, Syracuse University
Victor D. Evans, Seattle University
Alexandra M. Vilela, James Madison University

Moderators

Roger Allman

Grand Valley State University

Speakers

Victor D. Evans

Associate Professor of Communication, Seattle University

Dr. Victor Evans is an Associate Professor in the Communication department at Seattle University. He has been teaching in higher education for over 20 years. Before teaching, Dr. Evans was an entertainment journalist, working with many organizations in both New York and Los Angeles... Read More →

Alexandra Vilela

James Madison University

Jennifer Billinson

Syracuse University

Monday April 20, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
W307

Gender & Sexuality, Research/Theory | BEA, Research/Theory | Multicultural Studies, Research/Theory

9:00am PDT

10:15am PDT

11:30am PDT

12:45pm PDT

2:00pm PDT

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