ECREA WEEKLY digest ARTICLES

September 2-4, 2026

University of Leicester, UK

Deadline: February 20, 2026

 MeCCSA Annual Conference 

We welcome submissions to the MeCCSA Annual Conference that align with the conference theme and / or any areas covered by MeCCSA, its sections and networks.  This includes submissions of abstracts for scholarly papers, themed panels, posters, film screenings, performances, installations, and other practice-based or artistic research contributions.

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From mainstream to margins: Capturing developing practices, publics and persuasion 

The media have been operating against the backdrop of recent large-scale developments and within unsettled times. But with what consequence? In seeking to capture the moment, the conference will take stock of the present configuration of media developments and showcase our growing understanding of prevalent aspects of continuity and change found within the mainstream and margins of media systems. It seeks to cast light on the changing situation of media institutions, practitioners and practices (deprofessionalisation / precarity of established media workers among them) and the assumed agile creativity and fluidity characterising modern media work. It proposes to explore the evolving ‘publics’ (or audiences) to which the media shape, speak and listen at these times, observing both changing relationships and evidence of substantive responses and challenges. Recognised, likewise, is a need to re-examine our understandings of media persuasion, including the newfound forms these are assuming, from public messaging to disinformation and propaganda, and related concerns of cohesion, power and control.  All of which, this suggests, must be situated in context of increasingly interconnected ‘hybrid’ media systems which as entities are evolving amid prevalent forms of both global and domestic politics, economics and policy at this time.  

This conference invites research insights from the full range of the specialisms of MeCCSA colleagues.  

Themes for this conference include - but these will not be limited to:   

• Media pasts, presents and futures
  
• Media developments within, and outside, the nation 
  
• Technologies and evolving cultural practices/content
  
• Cultural work, professional cultures and (the value of) human ‘creativity’ 
  
• Media presence and evolution in the mainstream and margins
  
• Publics / audiences and everyday interactions
  
• Representations and issues, crises and conflicts 
  
• Media hybridity and the interconnectedness of media forms and flows
  
• Cultural policy, regulation and change
  
• Mediated interactions between institutions, groups and individuals
  

Submission 

Individual Papers: Please submit abstracts for individual papers (max 250 words) with presentation title, up to 5 key words, your name, affiliation, and email address 

Practice-as-research: We actively support the presentation of practice-as-research and have a flexible approach to practice-based papers and presentations. This includes opportunities to present papers, screenings, etc, in the same session or as part of a separate strand. 

Panels:  Panel proposals should include a short description and rationale (200 words) together with abstracts for each of the 3-4 papers comprising the panel (150-200 words each including details of the contributor/s), and the name and contact details of the panel proposer with up to 5 key words. The panel proposer should integrate the separate abstracts to comprise a single proposal 

We particularly welcome submissions from early career and postgraduate researchers. 

Use the following link for all submissions: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=meccsa2026 

For any queries, please contact the chair of the organising committee: Julian Matthews  (jpm29@leicester.ac.uk),  cc’ing the conference comms team (meccsa2026@leicester.ac.uk)

Edited by: Aynur Sarısakaloğlu and Martin Löffelholz | Technische Universität Ilmenau

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape the media landscape, The Handbook of Artificial Intelligence and Journalism provides the first comprehensive academic exploration of the intersection between AI technologies and journalism. Edited by Aynur Sarısakaloğlu and Martin Löffelholz, this foundational volume brings together 37 leading scholars from six continents to examine how AI is redefining the structures, practices, and epistemologies of journalism.

Organized around key thematic areas, the Handbook investigates the driving forces propelling the algorithmic transformation and unveils emerging trends in journalistic practice and journalism research, moving beyond Western-centric perspectives to incorporate diverse global experiences and knowledge production. 28 original chapters address systemic shifts such as evolving structures of media organizations, changing roles of actors, transformations in news production routines, and shifting patterns of news consumption. By integrating theoretical, empirical, and practice-oriented perspectives, the Handbook sets the stage for a new research agenda that deepens and expands the understanding of the sociotechnical developments transforming AI-driven journalism in a global context.

The Handbook of Artificial Intelligence and Journalism is ideal for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students in journalism, communication, and media studies programs. It also serves as a vital reference for researchers, educators, media professionals, and policy advisors engaged in digital journalism, journalism research, media innovation, and public communication.

More details about the Handbook here: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781394250424

Contact:

PD Dr. phil. habil. Aynur Sarısakaloğlu (aynur.sarisakaloglu@tu-ilmenau.de)

Prof. Dr. Martin Löffelholz (martin.löffelholz@tu-ilmenau.de)

June 3, 2026

Cape Town, South Africa

Deadline: February 15, 2026

The ICA 2026 Preconference African and Global Media Representations of Africa invites extended abstracts that critically examine how Africa is narrated, imagined, and negotiated in mediated discourse, both within the continent and globally. The preconference foregrounds work that moves beyond familiar critiques of distortion to explore the institutional, material, technological, and epistemic conditions shaping contemporary media representations, with particular encouragement for scholarship grounded in African contexts, theories, and practices.

The pre-conference will take place June 3, 2026, at the University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa. There is no registration fee. Scholars are invited to submit 800–1000 word abstracts by February 15, 2026. A selection of papers will be invited for a peer-reviewed journal Special Issue. Full details, themes, and the submission link are available here: https://ica-gcsc.org/activities/prepost_conferences/african-and-global-media-representations-of-africa/

Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television

The Winter 2025 list of books available to review in the Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television has been updated on the IAMHIST website: https://iamhist.net/journal/#books-review

Should you be interested in reviewing a particular title, please contact the book review editor at Veronica.Johnson@outlook.ie giving details about your own research and why you are interested in reviewing the book you have chosen.

Special issue of Public Relations Inquiry

Deadline: January, 31, 2026

Guest Editors

• Treena Clark University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
  
• Juli Holloway Indigenous communications practitioner, British Columbia, Canada
  
• Debashish Munshi University of Waikato, Aotearoa New Zealand

Whiteness, as an invisible default, continues to shape public relations, reinforcing power structures that marginalise Indigenous voices. Colonial-era tactics of division and control are evident even in contemporary public relations discourses that strategically promote Western hegemony. 

This special issue seeks contributions that interrogate this white Western privilege by centring Indigenous ways of being and knowing and building a foundation for future work by Indigenous communications scholars.

Indigenous public relations is grounded in cultural values, self-determination, and social change, aligning with critical, sociocultural, and decolonial perspectives. These approaches challenge power dynamics, capitalist frameworks, and the systemic privileging of whiteness.

With a focus on embedding Indigenous knowledge and professional practices in public relations scholarship, we welcome proposals from all parts of the world that amplify Indigenous voices, increase Indigenous representation within the profession, and foster genuine and lasting change in the way equitable public relations can be conceived.

Proposals may examine a variety of topics including:

• Indigenous epistemologies of building relationships
  
• Alternative frameworks of public relations built on Indigenous experiences
  
• Case studies of social movement campaigns led by Indigenous activists
  
• Analysis of Indigenous-led practice in communication industries
  
• Movements of resistance against settler colonialism, systemic occupation, and dispossession
  
• Indigenous-led theory and practice of critical public relations and public engagement
  
• Networks of solidarity between Indigenous communities and other marginalised groups
  
• Unique forms of Indigenous communication that align with public relations
  
• Historical insights of Indigenous forms of public relations and communications
  
• Indigenous-led approaches to free, prior informed consent
  

The special issue will feature peer-reviewed conceptual essays and research articles, based on any methodology. We will also consider shorter submissions in other genres such as reflective essays, interviews with activist-practitioners, or alternative forms of creative expressions. 

The deadline for submissions is 31 January 2026 (see the journal guidelines here). For enquiries about this Special Issue, please email Dr Treena Clark on Treena.Clark@uts.edu.au

More details: https://journals.sagepub.com/page/pri/callforpapers

June 10-12, 2026

Malmö, Sweden

Deadline: February 27, 2026

Welcome to the 20th anniversary of the Swedish STS Conference that will be held at the Niagara building in Malmö, 10–12 juni 2026.

It's hosted by Malmö University in collaboration with Lund University. 

The Swedish STS Conference is an open, widely advertised, biennial conference, organised since 2006. It is an interdisciplinary meeting place for researchers interested in issues related to technology and science in society as approached from social science and humanities perspectives, and while it gathers researchers at all levels of their careers, it is planned and coordinated to particularly appeal to doctoral students and early career researchers, with special sessions and events catering to the concerns of junior colleagues.

Conference theme

The theme Cross-Pollinations, Contamination, Collaboration invites contributions that address pressing global challenges such as climate change, artificial intelligence, warfare, infectious diseases and migration. The conference explores how cultures, technologies and disciplines interact in ongoing processes of exchange, how contamination shapes interdependence and accessibility, and how collaborations across boundaries can foster innovation and societal change. A particular strength of the STS field is its ability to critically examine both successes and failures of science and technology across their entire life cycle – from inception to everyday use and eventual decline.

Collaboration is central to STS practice, often requiring interdisciplinarity and engagement across the traditional divide between natural sciences and the humanities. This conference will highlight how such collaborations can generate new methods, perspectives and models for engagement, while also interrogating the values that underpin them – who participates, what counts as legitimate knowledge, and how boundaries are maintained or transgressed. Without cross-pollination, contamination and collaboration with wider society, science risks losing relevance and legitimacy. 

Conference website: Swedish STS conference 2026: Cross-Pollinations, Contamination, Collaboration | Malmö University

December 17, 2025

Paris, France 

Dear all,

I would like to share an invitation to our Study Day/Stakeholder Event — Growing Up in the Digital Age: Five Years of European Research on Screens and Adolescent Mental Health.  Please note that this event will be held in French, and is intended primarily for a French-speaking audience (researchers, practitioners, institutions, and organizations working with young people in France).

Topic: How do digital media shape young people’s well-being and mental health today? Growing up in 2025 means navigating daily between smartphones, social networks, online gaming, and platforms like Spotify. While these digital practices can boost some adolescents’ self-esteem, they can also heighten anxiety for others. Understanding why these effects occur—and for whom—has never been more essential.

Since 2020, researchers from KU Leuven (Belgium), the University of Tours (France), and the University of Ljubljana (Slovenia) have been conducting the international MIMIc project (coordinated by Prof. Laura Vandenbosch), funded by the European Research Council (ERC). The project examines the digital habits of more than 2,700 adolescents aged 12 to 18 in Belgium, Slovenia, and France — including over 800 in France alone.

Our research focuses on two central questions:

• Do young people imitate the lifestyles they see on social media and entertainment platforms, and what does this mean for their mental health?
  
• How do their favorite influencers convey political and moral messages that may, in turn, shape adolescents’ beliefs and behaviors?
  

As we conclude this project, we are pleased to invite you to our study day, which will take place on Wednesday, 17 December 2025, from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Deskeo République – 32 Rue René Boulanger, 75010 Paris (with an option to join online, though in-person attendance is encouraged).

This event aims to bring scientific findings into dialogue with educational practice and emerging regulatory frameworks, including the Digital Services Act. It will bring together researchers, institutional stakeholders, education professionals, and youth-focused organisations. Confirmed speakers include Prof. Grégoire Borst (Université Paris Descartes), Arthur Tréguier (DSA Officer for France, European Commission) and Mrs Axelle Desaint (director of Internet Sans Crainte).

You will find all relevant materials attached and listed below:

Mandatory registration link: https://forms.gle/TeZNqqU4TX15mnQE8

LinkedIn invitation: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/anaellegonzalez_dsa-jeunesetaezcrans-recherche-activity-7403732183112241152-jvTN

We look forward to sharing our findings and engaging in discussion with all stakeholders committed to supporting young people in their digital lives.

1/ Reporter Without Borders (RSF)

Founded in 1985, Reporters sans frontières (RSF) defends the right to reliable information. Its mandate is based on article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers".

RSF strives to ensure that all human beings benefit from information that enables them to know, understand and form an opinion on the issues facing the world and their environment. To achieve this, the organisation is developing a holistic strategy, with 360° activities, to bring about global change. RSF acts on four levels: press freedom, relations between the public and journalists, the information market and the information space.

RSF also demonstrates creativity by developing systemic initiatives that address the causes of problems: the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) and the Partnership on Information and Democracy (I&D). 

RSF has an international secretariat in Paris, thirteen sections and offices around the world, more than 150 correspondents, 4 representatives and local partners in a wide range of countries. RSF is a registered association in France and has consultative status with the United Nations and UNESCO.

2/ Context of the project 

Access to free, reliable and independent information is a fundamental right and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières - RSF) fights for the power of journalism to shape societies and promote transparency and accountability. RSF has been involved for years in exposing Russian propaganda. As RSF’s World Press Freedom Index highlights, the Russian state is pursuing its crusade against journalism, with almost all independent media banned, blocked and/or declared “foreign agents” or “undesirable organisations” and all others subject to military censorship. Throughout the last 25 years of Vladimir Putin’s regime, Russians have been subjected to a non-stop barrage of propaganda from all media sources. A systematic suppression of freedom of expression has occurred within Russia and the neighbouring states, engendering an alternative reality media universe. Since the beginning of the large-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022, the lockdown on independent media has worsened, rendering it virtually impossible for Russians to access reliable information. A war of information happens daily alongside the physical conflict, both in broadcasting media and on social platforms, as Russia projects a message of aggression against Ukraine and against the West, inciting hatred and spreading misinformation.

At a time when the level of censorship of journalists and media is unprecedented in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union, civil society and independent media in exile have rallied to combat propaganda and find innovative and different solutions to ensure that populations in the region have access to alternative voices. To lead this fight, RSF has stepped up its efforts to create the concrete conditions for the circulation of free, pluralistic independent news and information in the region (JX Fund, Collateral Freedom).

Given the intensification of the Russian government's actions and measures to prevent the spread of reliable information and strengthen the grip of propaganda and disinformation campaigns, it was necessary to develop new ambitions and innovative solutions that are aimed more broadly at the Russian audience and public in the region, which are deprived of access to alternative, independent and pluralistic information. To meet this objective, the Svoboda Satellite Project, a package of mainly Russian-speaking television and radio channels run by independent media in exile, was launched in March 2024. Svoboda, which means "freedom" in Russian, represents a significant step forward in the quest for unrestricted access to information in a region where media freedom faces numerous challenges. This ambitious initiative intends to reverse the logic of propaganda. With the Svoboda project, the aim is to provide an alternative source of information, give access to exiled media content and ensure media pluralism for the people in Russia and in the region.

3/ The project 

Title : Svoboda Satellite Project, bringing free, alternative and trustworthy information to the people in Russia and neighbouring countries

Donor : European Union (DG Connect) + RSF

Duration : 1 November 2024 - 31 October 2026 (2 years implementation period).

Budget : 2 599 868,29€. 

Target countries : Russia and neighbouring countries. 

Target groups : 

• Russian media outlets in exile ;
  
• International media who are no longer able to access audiences in Russia and the neighbouring countries ;
  
• Russian people living in Russia ;
  
• People (including but not limited to Russian-speaking people) living in the neighbouring countries ;
  
• Russian diaspora living anywhere abroad across the world.
  

The Svoboda Satellite Project aims to ensure the free flow of alternative, pluralistic and independent media information in countries subject to intense propaganda. The project, a pioneering initiative, aims to provide an alternative source of information and ensure media pluralism. The project aims to provide independent journalists and media outlets, particularly those working in exile, the technical means to broadcast their content effectively in Russia and neighbouring countries. In order to reverse the logic of propaganda, and based on the independent media in exile, the project operates an independent and diverse package of TV channels distributed via direct-to-home satellite. 

The project has two specific objectives : 

Specific objective 1 : Operate an independent and diverse TV channels package distributed via direct-to-home satellite.

Specific objective 2 : Expand the access to independent, alternative and pluralistic information for audiences in Russia and in the neighbouring countries. 

The project is organised into three work packages which includes tasks : 

Work Package 1: Project management and Coordination

• Task 1.1 : Grant management and project coordination
  
• Task 1.2 : Governance
  
• Task 1.3 : Audit and evaluations
  

Work Package 2: Deployment of the technical means to ensure the access to independent, alternative and pluralistic information in Russia and in the region

• Task 2.1 : Content identification and selection
  
• Task 2.2 : Content formatting and packaging
  
• Task 2.3 : Playlist development
  
• Task 2.4 : Satellite distribution
  

Work Package 3: Communication and dissemination

• Task 3.1 : Dissemination strategy
  
• Task 3.2 : Outreach towards the final beneficiaries
  

4/ Objectives of the impact assessmen

RSF reserves the right to make small changes to the content of these ToR after their publication. If changes have to be made, they will be discussed during the inception phase of the assessment.

The main objective of the impact assessment is to determine how many households are reached by RSF's Svoboda satellite package and are watching the channels. The other objective of the assessment is to have a global overview of RSF’s Svoboda satellite impact. Some impact that could be studied are the following : 

• Impact on the channels and content providers which benefit from the project to be able to broadcast their contents in countries or areas where they would normally be banned or restricted. 
  
• Impact of the project communication on social media (Telegram, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok).
  
• Impact of the channels on streaming applications, (UVOtv, Kartina, etc)
  
• Impact of the Youtube channel. 
  
• Impact of working with pay TV platform and streaming services
  
• Impact on helping partners reach their global audiences, (Current Time, DW, RFI).
  
• Impact in the press (press releases about Svoboda, interviews, etc.). 
  

The aim of this call for proposals is to find consultants who can offer innovative solutions to meet this objectives, taking into account the following elements and limits: 

• It is not possible to calculate by technical means the number of people watching the Svoboda package through the satellite. 
  
• RSF is listed as an “undesirable organisation” in Russia. Anyone cooperating with listed "foreign organisations" or helping to fund them in Russia can be subjected to administrative prosecution and fined. Repeat offences may lead to criminal prosecution punishable by up to five years in prison. Even the slightest reference to such an organisation or sharing its posts is enough to trigger these prosecutions. 
  
• It is not possible to contact people in Russia without exposing them to excessive risk. 
  

Stakeholders who can be involved in the impact assessment are :

• RSF Project officer 
  
• RSF Projects Director
  
• RSF Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk 
  
• Director of the Svoboda project and his technical support team (external consultant) 
  
• Channel editor consultant 
  
• Marketing sales consultant 
  
• Representatives of channels 
  
• Content providers 
  
• Eutelsat
  
• The company in charge of doing the uplink to the satellite 
  

All the documents required for the assessment will be made available to the consultants after the signature of the contract.

5/ Deliverables

The expected deliverables includes : 

An inception report that will form the basis for the impact assessment process and shall be approved by RSF before starting to implement the assessment. The inception report should be written in English. The report will include: 

• An updated work plan and timeline based on the documentation review and the kick-off meeting. 
  
• Updated methodology and data collection tools 
  
• A list of stakeholders who will be contacted. 
  

A final report (including draft reports for comments and review by RSF). The format of the final report will be decided during the inception phase based on the methodology chosen. Additional documents to the final report may be proposed as part of the methodology in the response to the terms of reference. 

6/ Budget

The maximum budget available for this impact assessment is €35,000 all taxes included. This amount must include all the costs required to carry out the impact assessment.

The assessment can be carried out remotely or the evaluators can decide to carry out field mission(s), with the prior agreement of RSF. In the event of mission(s), the costs must be part of the total budget and the consultants will be required to arrange the logistics including any necessary security arrangements. 

7/ Calendar

The impact assessment consultancy mission is scheduled to start at the end of January 2026. 

RSF will need the results of the impact assessment as soon as possible. The impact assessment must be finalised and the final report approved by RSF by the end of May 2026 at the latest. 

As part of their proposal, consultants are expected to submit a timetable. The timetable must allow for a certain degree of flexibility. 

8/ Consultant qualifications

For this assessment, RSF is seeking to recruit a team of consultants. Preference will be given to the team with the most relevant expertises and experiences, and that proposes the methodology that best meets the objectives.

The following skills will be sought : 

• Expertise in media ecosystem ;
  
• Knowledge of the Russian and regional media ecosystem ;
  
• Knowledge of television ecosystems and technology, including satellite. 
  
• Fluent spoken and written English and Russian. 
  

9/ Submission of the offer and selection

Team of consultants interested in the impact assessment should include the following documents in their application: 

• A technical proposal detailing the understanding of the assessment stakes, the proposed methodology, as well as the implementation schedule considered.
  
• CVs describing education and experience.
  
• A list describing previous assessment/consultancies. Please give details of similar contracts: donor and organisation that implemented the project, budget and duration of the project concerned, budget and duration of the assessment/consultancy, main results, etc.
  
• A detailed financial  proposal (estimate) with the total budget all taxes included.
  

Proposals must be submitted in English. Incomplete applications will not be considered. 

Full applications must be sent by email to the following addresses before 07/01/2026 at 9.00 a.m (Paris time, CET) : 

Charlie Troncy, MEAL officer: ctroncy@rsf.org 

Cléa Monier, Project officer : cmonier@rsf.org 

The interviews with pre-selected applicants could be organised in January 2026.

June 3 (9:00 AM - 5:00 PM)

Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) - Hanover St, District Six, Cape Town, 7925, South Africa

Deadline: February 15, 2026

Division(s)/Interest Group(s): Public Relations

Rationale & theme

Public relations and strategic communication often sit at the intersection of power, ethics, and inclusion. Around the world, widening gaps in wealth, voice, and representation shape who gets heard and how institutions and organizations are held to account. This preconference invites scholarship and practice that examine how public relations and strategic communication can help bridge inequality gaps, as well as what role they play in reproducing them across organizational, community, governmental, and transnational contexts. We welcome conceptual and empirical work as well as practitioner‐academia collaborations that surface actionable insights for practice and policy.

We especially encourage contributions that:

• Shed light on power dynamics (agenda‐setting, visibility regimes, “strategic silence”, influence industries) and their consequences for equity and justice; Advance ethical frameworks for practice under uncertainty, polarization, and AI‐mediated communication;
  
• Move beyond diagnosis and into actionable research through workable tools, interventions, and partnerships that demonstrably improve inclusion and accountability in/through public relations and strategic communication.
  
• Suggested topics (but not limited to)
  
• Inequality as a communication problem: who benefits/loses from current communicative arrangements?
  
• Organizational responsibility, legitimacy, and trust in divided societies (CSR/ESG, stakeholder capitalism, social license)
  
• Activism, advocacy, and coalition‐building; tensions in corporate/NGO/grassroots collaborations
  
• Ethics in practice: competing accountabilities, dilemmas, and decision‐making models
  
• AI, datafication, targeting, and automation: risks/opportunities for inclusion, transparency, and participation
  
• Publics, counter‐publics, and audience segmentation beyond the “usual suspects”
  
• Internal communication, voice at work, and equitable change from within organizations
  
• Crisis, disaster, health, and environmental communication through an equity lens
  
• Measurement beyond media hits: evaluating social impact and equity outcomes
  
• Pedagogy and professional formation: curricula, credentialing, and pathways that reduce (not widen) inequality
  

 Participation tracks

1) Research papers

Original scholarly submissions (conceptual or empirical) that advance theory and/or evidence on the conference theme.

Format

• Extended abstracts (800 words incl. references).
  

2) Actionable research & practice labs

Short, impact‐oriented contributions that translate scholarship into tools for practice and policy.

Submissions should include at least one tangible output, such as:

• A practitioner toolkit/checklist or decision‐making flowchart;
  
• A policy/practice brief (2–4 pages) targeting a defined audience;
  
• An open protocol (e.g., equity audit, listening/engagement method, evaluation template);
  
• A partnership plan with a civil‐society, public‐sector, or industry actor;
  
• A dataset or replicable codebook enabling comparative equity analysis (e.g., comparing voice/access gaps across sectors, countries, or stakeholder groups).
  

Publication opportunities

Special issue in Journal of Communication Management

Special issue in Communicare: Journal for Communication Studies in Africa

Costs

The conference fee is 40 USD and includes a light breakfast on arrival, lunch, and refreshments during session breaks. Participants attending this pre-conference on June 3rd as well as the Metamodern Public Relations pre-conference on June 4th will benefit from a reduced joint participation fee of 60 USD.

The pre-conference is supported by the Public Relations Division of the ICA.

Abstract submission

The deadline for submissions is February 15, 2026.

Abstracts of up to 800 words are invited. Please send your abstract to: bridginggapsconf@gmail.com

Submissions will undergo blind peer review, so please make sure to submit a suitably anonymized text. Please make sure that your abstract is a specific contribution to this pre-conference.

Acceptance notifications will be sent out by mid-March, 2026. It is understood that, by submitting an abstract, you are going to attend the pre-conference should it be accepted.

Check the Call for Papers on the ICA website: https://www.icahdq.org/mpage/ICA26-prepostconferences

Organizers

• Rene Benecke, University of Johannesburg, South Africa Anca Anton, University of Bucharest, Romania
  
• Alice Cheng, North Carolina State University, USA Jesper Falkheimer, Lund University, Sweden
  
• Cindy Ngai, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Caroline Azionya, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
  

Local organizers

Nirvana Bechan, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa Deidre Porthen, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa

RePIM – Revisioning Public Interest Media – is a four-year Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network dedicated to reimagining how Public Interest Media can remain relevant, sustainable, and impactful in a rapidly changing, data-driven and platform-dominated environment.

The network unites leading European universities, Public Interest Media organisations, and industry partners to train 12 Doctoral Candidates (DCs) working across media content innovation, infrastructure transformation, organisational change, audience analysis, and policy development. RePIM offers an interdisciplinary, international, and cross-sectoral training environment, including secondments, summer/winter schools, scenario-building workshops, and close collaboration with non-academic partners.

We are now recruiting 12 fully funded PhD researchers, each employed for 36 or 48 months (project-dependent) at one of the participating universities across Europe.

All positions are full-time, fully funded according to Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network regulations, including living allowance, mobility allowance, and, when applicable, family allowance.

Eligibility (MSCA-DN Requirements)

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Not already hold a doctoral degree.
  
• Not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies) in the host country for more than 12 months in the 36 months before the recruitment date (MSCA mobility rule).
  

General Requirements

• You hold a Master’s degree in a relevant field
  
• You are motivated to pursue a doctoral degree through an individual research project
  
• You are open to international mobility, in line with the MSCA-DN framework, and are willing to relocate to the host university’s country, as well as attend international trainings, internships, and academic exchanges
  
• You demonstrate a strong academic track record
  
• You have a solid scientific background, possibly with prior relevant research experience
  
• You are proficient in written and spoken English.
  

Open PhD Positions (12 Doctoral Candidates)

Below is an overview of all RePIM Doctoral projects. Each title links to a full description and guidelines for applying.

Applicants may indicate interest in up to three positions. This can be done as part of a single application but this must clearly specify their first choice.

PhD project

DC1. Coping with the challenges of automated content in public interest media

University of Zurich (UZH)

Switzerland

DC2. Reinventing content for online-first public media

Charles University Prague (CU)

Czechia

DC3. Quality news bots for public service media

Aalborg University (AAU)

Denmark

DC4. Object oriented edge-casting using semantic encoding

Aalborg University (AAU)

Denmark

DC5. Digital infrastructures in the public interest

University of Stavanger (UiS)

Norway

DC6. Global logics in local contexts: Reinventing partnership strategies for Public Interest Media

Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)

Belgium

DC7. Reconfiguring organisational structures for delivering platformised public value

Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)

Belgium

DC8. Developing and transforming sustainability requirements for Public Interest Media

Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (PLUS)

Austria

DC9. Regulating Public Interest Media in a platform world

Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (PLUS)

Austria

DC10. Public support for non-public service media organisations

University of Warsaw (UW)

Poland

DC11. Reaching the unreachable

Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)

Belgium

DC12. Audience data management and performance measurement in the cross-media landscape

Tallinn University (TLU)

Estonia

Deadline for Applications

Apply before 31 January 2026 by following the procedure detailed in each job posting.

What RePIM Offers

All DCs will benefit from:

• Employment at a leading European university with full social security coverage
  
• A competitive salary in accordance with the MSCA Call 2025 regulations for Doctoral Researchers, paid from the relevant monthly gross allowances: living allowance, mobility allowance, family allowance (only if applicable)
  
• International secondments at partner universities
  
• Paid internships at relevant media organisations
  
• A comprehensive training programme including three Summer Schools (Brussels, Copenhagen, Salzburg), three Winter Seminars (online), and cross-sector training in research skills, data management, ethics, policy, management and leadership
  
• A final RePIM Scenario-Building Symposium & Career Days in Brussels
  
• Close supervision by world-leading academics and Public Interest Media experts
  
• A vibrant interdisciplinary research community spanning content, infrastructure, organisation, audiences and policy.
  

RePIM – Revisioning Public Interest Media is a four-year Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA) Doctoral Network dedicated to reimagining the role and future of public interest media in a data-driven, platform-dominated environment. RePIM brings together leading European universities, industry partners, and 12 Doctoral Candidates in an interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral training and research programme. The network investigates how public interest media can remain relevant, sustainable, and impactful by transforming how content is produced, packaged, distributed, and supported organisationally and technologically. Through its focus on strategic innovation, organisational change, and media management, RePIM equips its doctoral researchers with advanced analytical and managerial skills to help reshape public interest media across diverse European contexts.