OXFORD, Miss. – Radio? It’s dead. Television? It’s limping.
Newspapers? They barely have a heartbeat.
That’s just some of the hype and buzz surrounding the
status of traditional news media; however, according to
many in the know, all three are thriving. In fact, radio,
television and newspapers are incorporating new technology,
including the Internet and digital information, to provide
more and better access to news, information and
entertainment for a time-pressed society.
The timely topic takes top billing for discussion at the
University of Mississippi Feb. 21-23 when the S. Gale
Denley Student Media Center and Department of Journalism
welcome more than 300 college students, faculty and
professionals for the Southeast Journalism Conference
themed “Your Journalism Future in the Digital Information
Age.”
The conference focuses on providing models that make
traditional media work better with ever-changing
technology, said Traci Mitchell, associate director of the
media center. The agenda includes a keynote address,
hands-on learning sessions, student competition, workshops
and a career roundtable.
“The goal of the conference is to encourage student
participation in journalism through competition and
education,” said Mitchell, co-president and
secretary/treasurer of SEJC.
Encouraging and developing student participation in the
future of journalism is important at the university,
Mitchell said.
“We believe in the goals of SEJC and that’s why we’ve been
very active in the organization since it was chartered,”
she said.
The brainchild of University of Alabama journalism
professor David Sloan, SEJC was chartered in 1986 to
encourage greater interest in student journalism and to
create closer ties among journalism schools in the
Southeast. The conference has more than 40 active schools
from its member states.
“Having the conference at Ole Miss is a good opportunity
for students to see what we do here,” Mitchell said. “It’s
going to be a busy few days, but we’re looking forward to
having everyone here in Oxford.”
The conference kicks off at 5 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 21) at
the Oxford Downtown Inns and Suites with registration and a
meet-and-greet opportunity for faculty and students.
Registration continues at 8 a.m. Friday at the Oxford
Conference Center, followed at 9 a.m. with workshops and
discussions on freelancing, media law, terrorism, the media
and media careers. Saturday’s schedule includes a business
meeting, student sessions, job/career roundtable and an
awards ceremony.
Student competition is a big part of the conference, said
Ralph Braseth, media center director and professor of
journalism.
Since its beginning, SEJC has offered an on-site
publications contest for students, who can compete in
several categories of newspaper and magazine writing, copy
editing, layout, photography, media law, media ethics,
public relations, and radio and television anchoring and
writing. Competition judges include Ole Miss faculty and
local media professionals.
“Flagship universities like Ole Miss, Mississippi State
and the University of Alabama are often able to provide
conference and professional experiences for their students,
but a vast majority of the smaller schools in the SEJC can
only attend this conference, so the learning opportunities
and competition offered become even more important,” said
Braseth, co-president of the conference. “SEJC is about
providing learning opportunities for students who would not
otherwise get them, and if providing opportunities for
students is not what we’re about, then I quit.”
Also on the agenda, conferees are to be treated to a tour
of historic Oxford and Ole Miss on the famed Double Decker
bus.
For more information on SEJC, visit
For more information about the Student Media Center, visit
http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/stu?media/.
To learn more about journalism education at Ole Miss,
visit
http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/journalism/.
For assistance related to a disability, call 662-915-5503.