NLGJA 2026 National Convention

Discover what makes an AI story worth telling and why most aren't. Not every AI story deserves a headline. Learn how journalists cut through the noise to find compelling stories about people, business and the real-world impact of emerging technology. Participants will have the opportunity to pitch their own story ideas and receive feedback on what makes them newsworthy.

Queer journalism is no longer centered in traditional newsrooms. Activists, creators, freelancers, and community organizers are often the first — and most trusted — sources when news breaks. This session examines what journalism looks like when it operates outside legacy institutions, and what that shift means for credibility, accountability, trust and safety. We’ll explore when amplification is more ethical than attribution, how to report alongside communities without flattening lived experience and how journalism increasingly functions as infrastructure — from bill trackers to harm-reduction reporting. This conversation challenges gatekeeping, rejects false neutrality and asks a necessary question: if we built queer journalism today, would we still call it a newsroom?

The way journalists report on suicide has real‑world impact. This highly interactive, hands-on workshop equips reporters with practical tools to cover suicide ethically, accurately and with empathy. Designed for journalists who want to strengthen their craft, this session breaks down the storytelling elements that matter most: framing, language, source selection and narrative structure. Panelists will show how small shifts in these areas can reduce contagion risk, avoid harmful tropes and ultimately support prevention. Participants will learn to add essential context to their reporting without sensationalizing, stereotyping, or oversimplifying lived experiences.  This is not a lecture. Attendees will work directly with real‑world story excerpts, headlines and scenarios, receiving real-time expert feedback. Journalists will leave with concrete, actionable techniques they can apply immediately in their own newsrooms. This session empowers journalists to tell stories that inform—and stories that save lives.

It might be a news story that seems stranger than fiction or one that hits close to home. Queer and trans documentary filmmakers have been on the frontlines across America, diving deeper into the “ripped from the headlines” stories that feel too important to ignore. In this session, hear from industry leaders and documentary filmmakers who found inspiration from the news to craft films that zoom in on some of the most pressing issues facing LGBTQ+ people today. Using their films as case studies, attendees will see firsthand how these creatives found their story and got their projects made. This panel is perfect for any journalist interested in learning how to work with filmmakers to expand on their stories, or who wants to learn how they can create their own documentaries.

Artificial intelligence has developed swiftly and with few guardrails, often pushing the boundaries of sexuality and consent. In January, Grok, Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence chatbot, created and then publicly shared at least 1.8 million sexualized images of women in just nine days. Online, some users are falling in love with chatbots, while others are using them to generate the types of intimate deepfakes that prompted governments in Britain, India, Malaysia and the United States to start investigations into whether the images violated local laws. This panel covers the rapidly evolving industry, the lures and risks for users of the technology and how journalists can protect themselves from harassment and spot the truth in an onslaught of faked imagery.

What is it like to be an LGBTQ+ woman in the news industry? There can be unique challenges, triumphs and obstacles to overcome. How has the industry continued to evolve to fit more out women in its spaces? What still needs to be done to get even more out women in the industry? Hear a panel of speakers share their personal journeys and delve into some of the most pressing topics related to being a LGBTQ+ woman in news

Leading industry professionals will share their experiences and advice, empowering you to negotiate with your employer and address workplace concerns throughout your career.  This panel, made up of SAG-AFTRA members currently working as media professionals will discuss their careers, give guidance and answer questions from the audience. This panel will cover: the media landscape and getting your first job; addressing difficult issues and advocating for a better work environment; and the important role of mentorship and networking in the field of broadcast.

We are living in the podcast era where audio and video formats shape how stories are shared, experienced and trusted across platforms. From podcasts and video podcasts to YouTube and social video, these mediums have become essential tools for journalists, creators, and storytellers seeking deeper connection with audiences. This session takes a closer look at audio and video work through the lens of queer narratives, format, and creative approach. The panel brings together perspectives from journalism, platform building, and modern creator culture to examine how queer stories evolve across formats while maintaining trust, care, and responsibility to their communities. Attendees will learn how to translate lived experience into compelling audio and video, select formats that best support both message, and audience and think intentionally about tone, structure and audience connection. The panel will also examine discoverability, distribution and sustainability — offering insight into how queer voices reach audiences across platforms in ways that feel authentic. Designed for journalists, creators, students and media professionals at any stage, this session offers practical tools and guiding principles for navigating the podcast era with intention, creativity and inclusivity.

With anti-trans ballot initiatives emerging as the latest front in the fight against LGBTQ+ rights — and millions of dollars flooding into misleading anti-trans advertising — what responsibility does the media have in ensuring voters are accurately informed about trans rights on the ballot this midterm election? Join leading strategists from Colorado and Missouri — two states facing ballot initiatives this year — alongside advocates from the Transgender Law Center for a timely conversation on the media’s critical role in shaping public understanding, countering misinformation and equipping voters with the facts they need to make informed decisions.

This panel examines how a local station’s virtual studio and a national streaming network now operate as one news model.  CBS News Bay Area adopted AR/VR technology, with its anchors now contributing to CBS News 24/7, the network's national streaming service, blurring the line between a regional newsroom and a 24-hour national broadcast operation. Using one virtual studio for both local broadcasts and continuous streaming, raises real production questions about pacing, graphics, talent direction, staffing, and workflow when using the same set to effectively serve both platforms.  Panelists will discuss using a virtual set for both local weather and national news and what it signals for future local-to-national broadcast integration.

If you want to bolster your reporting with some easy techniques, this is the session for you. Learn how to analyze data quickly, file strong public records requests, and find hidden info online that will make your work even stronger. 

In an era of digital distraction, holding a reader’s interest across thousands of words requires a quiet superpower. The secret isn't just the strength of the reporting — it is in the rhythm of the delivery. This panel brings together narrative writers and editors who will dissect the mechanics of proper pacing. Want a meaty discussion about great writing? We will move beyond vague advice like "make it flow" to analyze the structural decisions that keep a story moving. Attendees will learn how to strategically expand and contract time, choreograph high-stakes scenes, and inject breathing room into dense, information-heavy investigations without losing momentum. Come learn how to build tension, manage transitions, and keep readers hooked for the long haul.