ONA Weekly #509: Mentors Who Get It

By on April 24, 2024
We’re headed to Atlanta for ONA24 this Sept. 18-21 to celebrate 25 years of connecting the leading thinkers and innovators in digital journalism. Register for Early Bird passes to access the conference at the most discounted rate.

Mentors who get it

Digital Women Leaders, now part of ONA, connects women and non-gender binary people working in journalism with mentors who are leaders in the industry. Mentors offer support through 30-minute calls focused on one of a range of topics. Whether you need advice on newsroom operations, moving into executive leadership or parenting as a news worker, these mentors get it. Find your mentor and schedule a call.

Two weeks to prepare your OJA entries

OJA logo

The deadline for entries to the 2024 Online Journalism Awards is Thursday, May 9. We’re seeking the most impressive digital journalism from the past year to honor across 23 categories, including social media engagement, breaking news, science reporting and visual storytelling. Review our tips for submitting and get started on your entries now.

Want to be a part of the review process? Apply volunteer as a screener or judge.

Audience engagement meets AI

We’re excited for Jennifer Brandel, CEO at Hearken, and Mike Reilley, Founder of Journalist’s Toolbox and Senior Lecturer at UIC, to lead our upcoming training session on Leveraging AI in your Audience Engagement Strategy. This one-hour training is coming up on Wednesday, May 8. The session time will feel like it flew by, but you will pick up many tools and examples, have opportunities for hands-on learning and leave with a handout to continue exploring and learning.

Registration is included as an ONA member benefit and $25 for non-members. Register now or learn more about joining ONA.

Leading journalism’s future

Diane Sylvester’s latest piece for Editor & Publisher is an inspiring feature on SPJ President Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, INN CEO Karen Rundlet and ONA’s own CEO and Executive Director LaSharah S. Bunting — three trailblazing Black women who are now leading major news associations to reshape the industry with innovation and resilience. LaSharah shared about her journey as an “early digital evangelist,” the role of mentorship and her vision for aligning ONA’s focus and growth with our members’ evolving needs. Read the full story.

Mark your calendar

Career opportunities

ONA’s Career Center is an excellent resource for jobs, fellowships and internships in digital journalism. Recent postings include:

For ONA members: If you are looking for a new opportunity, complete this form for a chance to be featured in an upcoming edition of Office Hours, ONA’s new monthly Linkedin newsletter about careers in journalism.

Take this survey

Researchers often look to the ONA community as they work to surface trends and practical insights about the journalism industry. Current opportunities to contribute your experience include:

  • If you’ve experienced a journalism layoff or buyout in the past year, a new survey needs your input. The Institute for Independent Journalists Foundation is conducting a census of journalists who were laid off and bought out recently. The survey should take 5-7 minutes. Share your inputs today.
  • Are you with a media organization that currently produces events or would like to? Share about your experience and goals with Agnes Varnum, formerly of The Texas Tribune and now in CUNY’s Entrepreneurial Journalism Creators Program working to build a business that can support media organizations with event production.

What we’re watching in AI tech

Also on our radar

Support ONA

There are many ways to help sustain ONA’s mission to drive innovation in digital journalism: