By Stella Henretta and Shannon Raneri

From Oct. 15-18, more than 1,000 professional and student journalists from across the country gathered at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C., to attend MediaFest and learn from panelists about journalism and the media in modern times.

The Society of Professional Journalists, Associated Collegiate Press and College Media Association organized MediaFest this year, creating a schedule featuring professional journalism speakers from various news organizations and publications. Speaker sessions ranged from discussions about the First Amendment to advice on how to conduct interviews.

“When I was in journalism school, we all benefited so much from getting to hear from people who used to be in our shoes. And so, getting to pay that back is really exciting,” said University of Maryland alumna Hannah Yasharoff, an entertainment, wellness, lifestyle and food journalist. 

MediaFest hosted several panels each day, allowing journalists to explore their interests and learn about topics related to their beats, press freedom or anonymous sources.

Mia Hennon, editorial assistant at the Pew Research Institute Center, presented a panel called “How to Edit Like a Pro.” The panel focused on the techniques associated with editing as Hennon went through each step of the editing process.

“I remember going to conferences like these when I was in college, and they were really helpful for me because I learned from a bunch of different people with so many different perspectives,” Hennon said. “It gives people a chance to network and learn things from other people. Speaking at MediaFest is important to me, and I’m glad that people get to enjoy it as well.”

As censorship becomes a national concern — most recently with the termination of the University of Indiana’s student newspaper, the Indiana Daily Student — media advocates emphasized the importance of maintaining public access to the media to ensure people stay informed and educated.

Jessica Jerreat, press freedom editor at Voice of America, said journalists “owe it to our audiences to be transparent, to explain to them what goes into journalism and also to raise the alarm when we feel ourselves coming under pressure.” 

Jerreat is currently a named plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit to restore Voice of America’s right to broadcast. 

“In this media landscape, there are different, and new, forms of media popping up all the time, and all of them are important as long as they’re trying to tell the truth and serve people,” Hennon said.

MediaFest allowed students to connect with journalists and other members of the media industry who are experts in their craft. Journalists asked questions, sought advice, and learned firsthand about the realities of working in the media industry.

“There’s an amazing chance to interact and hear from people from different walks of life and different ages and stages in their careers, about the challenges that are confronting us, the solutions, the stories that interest us, the tools [and] what works,” Jerreat said. 

Yasharoff emphasized the idea that connections are vital to the field of journalism, citing MediaFest as a fundamental way aspiring journalists can get involved in the community and grow relationships.

“Relationships are the single-biggest thing that you can do at any point in your career,” Yasharoff said. “Coming to something like this is such a great way [to meet] people from all around the country who you probably will cross paths with again someday.”

If student journalists feel intimidated about attending events like MediaFest, experts say to remember that conferences bring together people with similar interests and goals.

“Just remember that everyone was once where [the attendees are] at right now,” Hennon said. “We’re all here for the same reason: we want to learn, we want to make our organizations better.” 

Steven D. Kalb, a broadcast journalism instructor in residence at the University of Connecticut, said it is important to step outside of your comfort zone and meet new faces in journalism.

“Everybody here believes in journalism,” Kalb said. “If you come here … scared about people who are in the business, you’re never going to go anywhere. This is a people business.”

Jerreat said that students can always reach out to professionals. She added that, sometimes,  students could find themselves one day working at the same publication just by having that connection.

Beyond advice for students, speakers also reflected on the journalism industry itself.

While many journalists emphasized the importance of building connections within the field, others reflected on the challenges facing the industry itself. In an article published by Gallup earlier this month, the publication reported that only 20% of Americans say they trust the media, a record low.

As journalists, “we tell people what we know about what just happened,” Kalb said. “And the smartest thing [the audience] could do is listen.” 

Featured Image: Keynote panel, “Journalism today and tomorrow: Perspectives and Predictions from SPJ’s 2025 Fellows,” hosted in the Independence Ballroom in the Grand Hyatt Hotel on Friday, Oct. 17. Photo by Ashna Balroop.