BEA2026

Over the past decade, media systems in Egypt and the wider Arab region have been reconfigured by intersecting forces: securitized state policy, cross-border media competition among Gulf powers, platform governance over speech, and the rapid diffusion of AI-enabled newswork. These dynamics reshape who sets agendas, how conflicts are framed, and which publics are reachable—especially during crises (e.g., the 2017 intra-GCC rift, Gaza/Palestine coverage since 2023; and climate diplomacy around COP28).
Empirically, Egypt exemplifies renewed ownership concentration and regulatory centralization, while transnational broadcasters (Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya, Sky News Arabia) continue to project soft power and contest narratives region-wide. At the same time, platform moderation and algorithmic distribution increasingly mediate visibility of Arabic content, with mounting evidence of asymmetric enforcement during conflict. Finally, newsrooms across MENA experiment—unevenly—with AI for translation, verification, and automation, under conditions of economic precarity and regulatory risk.
Importantly, diaspora media outlets and transnational content creators extend these dynamics beyond the Arab region. Arab diasporas in Europe and North America rely on satellite television, digital-native platforms, and community media to follow regional developments, while simultaneously refracting Arab affairs through the lens of immigrant life abroad. Content about wars in Gaza, protests in Sudan, or reforms in Egypt not only sustains transnational ties but also shapes debates on integration, discrimination, and political mobilization in host societies. In turn, Arab affairs affect immigrants’ sense of identity, belonging, and activism, as seen in diaspora-led digital campaigns on Palestine, or the mobilization of Egyptian communities in the US and UK around regime politics. This dual circulation highlights the mutual entanglement of Arab and diaspora media ecologies, where geopolitical shifts at home reverberate through immigrant publics abroad and vice versa.
This panel advances a comparative, multi-method account of these shifts, integrating policy analysis, content/platform studies, newsroom research, and diaspora media scholarship to theorize “geo-platformized media orders” in the Arab world, with Egypt as an anchoring case.

Dr. Hussein Amin: moderator
Dr. Ahmed ElGody: discussant
Dr. Mahitab Ezz El Din: panelist

Dr. Rasha Allam: panelist

Dr. Nadine ElSayed: panelist

Prof. Salma ElGhetany: panelist

Moderator: Hussein Amin, American University in Cairo
Panelists: Rasha Allam, American University in Cairo; Platform Power under Authoritarianism: Social Media, Influencers, and the Future of Egyptian Media
Mahitab Ezz El Din, Linnaeus University; Arab Diaspora Media in Sweden: Countering Disinformation and Mediating Migrant Experiences
Nadine El Sayed, The American University in Cairo; The Shifting Political Economies of the Egyptian Media
Salma El Ghetany, American University in Cairo; Platform Power, Algorithmic Silences, and Fast Moving Consumer News in Arab Media
Respondent: Ahmed El Gody, Orebro University

Does workforce training’s focus on job placement undermine teaching critical thinking, problem-solving, and general education? This panel explores the role of colleges in balancing industry-driven demands with broader academic goals. Panelists from higher education and industry will discuss how institutions can meet workforce needs while preserving long-term educational value in an evolving landscape.

Moderator: Brian Lane Shelton, Harper College
Panelists: Teresa (Terry) Filipowicz, Pima Community College
Aaron Atkins, Weber State University
Amanda Abens, Pima Community College
Jo Frohwein, Iowa Valley Community College
Cristina Clapp, Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers
Alex Hlavaty, Studio Network Solutions

The journalism landscape is quickly changing, with many prominent voices leaving traditional TV and newsroom roles to pursue independent careers through podcasts, YouTube, newsletters, and social media platforms. For journalists like Don Lemon, Jemele Hill, and others, this shift offers both new opportunities and major challenges. Especially for Black women and minority journalists, independence gives greater autonomy and direct links with audiences, but it also raises important questions about visibility, sustainability, and systemic inequalities.
Another vital aspect to explore is the increasing overlap between journalists and influencers. As journalists use the same platforms as influencers, questions about credibility, authority, branding, and how audiences view “news” in the digital age come up. Should we be preparing students to navigate—or even embrace—this overlap? What ethical, professional, and pedagogical strategies can we provide to help them balance reporting with personal voice and audience engagement?
Panelists will share insights and teaching strategies on how to educate for this new era of journalism, and whether (and how) these roles should be integrated into our curricula.
Moderator: Brittney Nix-Crawford, University of North Carolina Charlotte
Panelists:
Sheri Janine Booker, Morgan State University
Jayne Cubbage, Bowie State University

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

This panel explores how faculty design and teach special project classes that partner with professional news organizations to produce publishable, real-world work, ideally while filling coverage gaps. Panelists will discuss strategies for negotiating partnerships, integrating newsroom expectations into course structures, and mentoring students toward professional-quality content. Presentations include case studies, syllabus models, and examples of student projects that successfully met both academic and industry standards.
Moderator: David Smith, Teaching Associate Professor, West Virginia University Reed School of Media and Communications
Panelists: Ashton Marra, Teaching Associate Professor, West Virginia University Reed School of Media and Communications; Tracking West Virginia State Opioid Settlement Fund Distribution Reporting Project

Gretchen Macchiarella, Associate Professor, Cal State Northridge; CSN community reporting projects

Rick Brunson, Senior Instructor of Journalism, University of Central Florida; “Sounds of Central Florida” and “Unheard Society” projects

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

Moderator: Hailey Baldock, York University

Open 1st Place Paper: Daniel Marshall Haygood, Elon University; The Rise and Demise of the Tobacco Sports Network: The Story of University Sports Radio Networks Overtaking the Southeast’s Oldest Regional Sports Radio Network

Open 2nd Place Paper: Tabitha Ann Bartoe, Regent University, WKEF/WRGT; Not Just A Girl or A Curl: Mary Pickford’s Image and the Rhetoric of Femininity

Craig Allen, Arizona State University; The Origin of Advocacy Journalism in U.S. Spanish-Language Television News: The 1970 Killing of Ruben Salazar and the Activism of Los Angeles Station KMEX

Nathan Dale Crissman, Regent University; Historical Communicative Governance: The Pirate Code as a Model of Shared Risk and Ethical Reciprocity

Since the Telecommunications Act of 1996, radio and television mergers and acquisitions have exploded in a push to deregulate local media ownership in the United States. As family owned stations became conglomerate owned, single stations became duopolies, and shell companies “owned” stations in name only, local broadcasters have borne the brunt of the business decisions of their corporate mega-owners. What has this done to the face of LOCAL broadcasting? This panel discusses impacts on minority radio ownership and programming, labor impacts for station workers, and the state of local journalism in the community.
Moderator: Carey L. Higgins-Dobney, University of Kentucky
Panelists: Chip Mahaney, Southern Methodist University
Robin Mazyck Sundaramoorthy, Lehigh University
Mary Beth Earnheardt, Youngstown State University
Nicole Clarity, Hofstra University

With technology being at the forefront of how we teach, create, and tell stories, this panel will showcase a variety of schools' approaches to their recent control room updates. Whether you're in the early stages of gathering ideas, or making decisions on what equipment to buy, this panel may help you on the journey of planning your new facility upgrade for any budget. Control rooms for live sports, news and podcasting will be discussed.
Moderator: Joe Brackman, University of Cincinnati
Panelists: Aaron Atkins, Weber State University
Michael Moon, Otterbein University

Join us for this series of sessions showcasing the work of our Festival of Media Arts Student Interactive Multimedia & Emerging Technology winners.

Moderator: Ryan Stoldt, Drake University

Interactive Reality Category
1st Place: Erica Hoyt & Kayla McDonald, Arizona State University; Scientists created a ranking for dust storms, like we use for tornadoes

Interactive Multimedia
1st Place: Matt Liff & Ma'at Hetep, University of Miami; Saying their Names: The Virtual Experience Team

Emerging Media & Technology Category
1st Place: Matt Liff representing: Charlotte Yates, Daniele Montefiori, Barbara Griffin & Meredith de la Torre, University of Miami, Answer Campus: First Semester

Tackling a study abroad short documentary-video project can be challenging if the student participants are skilled, but what if they have little to no experience? Hear how to harness the non-majors’ best assets and make them feel equally part of the project. We hear from panelists who have learned valuable lessons on what to do and not do overseas on recent projects with non-majors ranging from short documentaries to multi-media.

Moderator: Melissa Jackson, Chair, BEA Writing Division & Former Associate Professor, Piedmont University,
Panelists: LaDonna Aiken, of Practice, University of Texas at Arlington
Dwayne Cheddar, Associate Professor, Oakwood University
Melissa Jackson, Chair, BEA Writing Division & Former Associate Professor, Piedmont University,
Kyle West Hufford, Goshen College

The film festival world is opaque, complex, expensive, and changing. This workshop will go over how to develop a festival strategy, where you select festivlas that are right for your film. It will also cover how to effectively submit your film on Film Freeway, including what to do and what to avoid. This workshop will also go into what you need to do once you get into a festival, including creating a DCP, a Press Kit, and other materials. It will go over promoting your film and also talk about how much it costs to attend the festival.
Moderator: Robb B. Montgomery, Visual Editors, NFP

From Collaboration to Creation: Building Student-Centered Media Projects explores how universities can leverage partnerships to create programming that enhances student learning and produces impactful content. Panelists will discuss the opportunities and challenges of working with media outlets, nonprofits, and community organizations, highlighting best practices and limitations at the university level. The conversation will focus on strategies for sustaining mutually beneficial collaborations that prepare students for real-world media landscapes.

Moderator: Sheri Janine Booker, Morgan State University
Panelists: Maya Gilmore, City of Baltimore
Bobby Gutierrez. Kennesaw State University.