ONA Weekly #565: Picture Yourself In New Orleans

Picture yourself in New Orleans

There are just over 90 days to go until we’re in New Orleans for ONA25! Imagine the scene: catching up with old colleagues and meeting new collaborators who just get it, all with the backdrop of the enticing city that is the Big Easy. 

• How to get there: Register for ONA25 by June 20 to take advantage of the Early Bird pricing, the most affordable way to access four days of learning and networking with the journalism community.
• Where to stay: Join our discounted room block at the host hotel, the Hyatt Regency New Orleans, to make the most of the ONA25 experience.
• What to do: The schedule is live! Take a peek at the sessions and speakers confirmed so far, bringing fresh ideas and practical training opportunities across the themes of AI, climate and resilience in journalism.

Industry recognition for early-career journalists

Journalists under 30: Apply by June 26 for the 2025 MJ Bear Fellowship. Get recognition for your contribution to journalism so far, support for a project you’re leading and connection to a thriving community of changemakers in journalism that you can tap into throughout your career.

Established in 2011 to honor founding ONA Board member Mary Jane “MJ” Bear, the fellowship has identified and supported more than 40 journalists doing cutting-edge digital work. Applicants in 2025 must be born between June 30, 1995, and June 30, 2002. Applicants can be working either for a company or organization or be self-employed. ONA encourages freelancers and journalists from diverse backgrounds to apply. Full-time students are not eligible for this fellowship.

The MJ Bear Fellowship is made possible through generous contributions by the MJ Bear Estate, friends of MJ Bear and ONA, MSN International and Microsoft.

From AI hype to essential newsroom resource 

Sweden’s Aftonbladet is Scandinavia’s largest newspaper. On Thursday, June 13, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. ET, hear from Martin Schori, Deputy Publisher and Director of Editorial AI & Innovation, how the newsroom built an AI hub back in 2023 and about the experiments, surprises and failures along the way. 

Thank you, Kelsey Proud!

We’re sending a heartfelt thank you to Kelsey Proud who wrapped up her time on the ONA team last Friday after 3.5 years. Kelsey joined ONA as Learning Director and most recently served on the leadership team as Interim Head of Programs. In these roles, she led strategy and implementation for ONA’s annual conference and leadership development programs, including the Women’s Leadership Accelerator and the Digital Women Leaders mentorship initiative. Kelsey brought care and clarity to everything she touched and has been a driving force behind some of ONA’s most meaningful work. Join us in celebrating Kelsey’s contributions to ONA and journalism and her next chapter!

Mark your calendar

• 👋 Ongoing: Pitch a virtual session
• June 12: How To Take AI From Buzzword to Newsroom Backbone
• June 20: Building Resilient News Organizations Through Adaptive Strategy and Rapid Experimentation 
• June 20: Early Bird Registration for ONA25 Deadline!
• June 26: 2025 MJ Bear Fellowship Deadline!
• July 8: AI Innovator Collaborative
• Aug. 4: What Should We Say? New Research on AI Disclosures in Journalism 
• Aug. 12: AI Innovator Collaborative: Let’s Write It: Workshop To Write AI Use Disclosures 
• Sept. 10–13: ONA25 in New Orleans 
• Oct. 8–10: Mental Health in Journalism Summit 2025 (with The Self-Investigation) 
• Oct. 14: AI Innovator Collaborative
• Nov. 11: AI Innovator Collaborative
• Dec. 9: AI Innovator Collaborative 

Career opportunities

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

• Executive Director, Knight Center for the Future of News, and Professor of Practice, Arizona State University NEW!
• Multimedia Specialist I, University of Florida NEW!
• Digital Strategist, MediaNews Group NEW!
• Dallas Accountability Reporter, KERA/North Texas Broadcasting NEW!
• Multimedia Content Producer/Morning Edition Anchor, University of Florida NEW!
• Research Director, Institute for Nonprofit News NEW!
• Donald W. Reynolds Chair in Journalism Strategy and Business Operations, University of Missouri – Columbia
• Part-time Radio Operations and Production Assistant, KERA/North Texas Broadcasting
• Designer/Developer, The Texas Tribune
• Chief Operating Officer, The Colorado Sun
• Instructor, Arizona State University
• Assistant/Associate Clinical Professor in Immersive Media, Arizona State University
• Music Editor, Miami New Times
• Program Manager, Civic News Academy, Chalkbeat
• Editor-in-Chief, Austin Local Newsroom, The Texas Tribune
• Executive Editor, Columbia Journalism Review, Columbia University
• Director of Audience, Democracy Now!
• Senior Headline News Producer, Democracy Now!