Governments used to micromanage the broadcasting business and agonise about what newspaper, TV and radio moguls thought of their policies on media. As users shift to other sources for their news, information and entertainment, are media policy makers asleep at the wheel?

Serious news to sustain democracy, or all the fun of the fair? Nowhere are recent changes and developments in journalism more apparent than in election reporting: live counts, AR data visualisation, real-time statistical modelling and visual storytelling still leave one question hanging – how much influence does media have over elections?

Don’t just get the quotes – get the story. In an age of snack-sized news, are audiences hungry for a meatier tale? For many, nourishing narrative journalism and slow-cooked longform interviews satisfy an appetite for immersion; we’ll talk to the best in the business about how to steer a rich, often tender, conversation.

Virtual reality, Snapchat, Facebook Live and the humble little podcast that could. A rapidly expanding digital toolbox is changing the way we report stories. But are they game changers or simply gimmicks? As audience habits of news consumption change, how can these tools be mobilised to enrich journalism and increase engagement?

The lines continue to blur between advertising, reporting, public relations and opinion. Unexpected players are emerging as ‘media outlets’ – while publishers are increasingly drawing on commercial partnerships. Is this simply a way of making journalism more sustainable, or is something else afoot? And is it as new a phenomenon as commentators would have us believe?

Does journalism matter – and if so, why? As newsrooms shrink, what does the public lose? A team of researchers led by the Centre for Advancing Journalism at the University of Melbourne has been investigating the role journalism plays in Australian civic life. They discuss the how and why of journalism’s impact, and unveil their latest findings.

You can write. But can you pitch? Hear from some of Australia's leading editors on the pitching process. Ideally suited to emerging writers and freelancers. Learn how to get your stories heard.

How do you make your start – and your mark – in today's media industry? The people who hire and the people who watch them talk about traditional, radical and surprising ways to break into the journalism industry.

How did violence against women progress from its position on the fringes of newsworthiness … and move to prominence on front pages and news bulletins? Our team of researchers and journalists shed some light.

From our New News conference, this panel discusses the civic impact of new media enabled First Nations news outlets, how they work, what can be improved and what to expect next.