FIU – Hispanics and the Media: The Emerging Power Conference.

Florida International University’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) announced its plans to launch the Hispanics and the Media: The Emerging Power Conference to be held on October 18, 2012 at the university’s Biscayne Bay Campus.

Recognizing the need to explore the role of Hispanic media and the coverage of Hispanic issues by mainstream media, the SJMC is convening a major national conference and workshop of leaders. Speakers and panelists will engage in open dialogue about issues of the Census and its realities, the state of Hispanic media, the challenges faced by Hispanic media and Hispanic journalists, the coverage of Latino issues, and the 2012 presidential election.

The conference is the first in a series of planned annual events to cover topics relevant to the Hispanic community and the fields of journalism and mass communication, titled the Hispanic Communication Studies Conference Series. “Having this forum for academics and professionals to openly share ideas is vital in understanding the current state of Hispanics and the media,” said Raul Reis, Ph.D., dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

The conference’s main goal is to enhance Hispanic journalism and communication through quality presentations that evoke high-level thought-leadership. “The recognition of the SJMC’s role in training Hispanic journalists and its location near the multi-cultural city of Miami provide the conference with relevant connections to the stakeholders of the Hispanic media market,” said Alejandro Alvarado, Ph.D., co-chair of the conference and director of the school’s Spanish-language Journalism Master’s Program.

“What makes this conference unique is that it’s coupled with a three-day training program for attendees to fully immerse themselves in improving their reporting of Hispanic communities,” added Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver, Ph.D., co-chair of the conference and dean emeritus and professor of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Confirmed speakers for the conference include, Dr. Alan Albarran, Director of the University of Northern Texas’ Center of Spanish-Language Media; Mario Diament, FIU’s School Journalism and Mass Communication’s Associate Professor and founder of the Spanish-language Journalism Master’s Program; Federico Subervi, Director of the Center for the Study of Latino Media & Markets at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Texas State University-San Marcos, and Dr. Felix Gutierrez, Professor of Journalism, Communication and American Studies & Ethnicity at Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

Scholars and professionals across the nation have been invited to contribute papers that provide insights on the subject matter. The conference will be held October 18, 2012, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Florida International University’s Biscayne Bay Campus (BBC).

For more information on the event, including the Call for Proposals, visit http://go.fiu.edu/HispanicConference>.