Interest Groups
Interest Group: An interest group represents 25 or more members who share a common interest compatible with the association’s purposes. An interest group is approved by the Board of Directors for a finite term of one to three years, but the term may be renewed. Click on the interest group’s name to visit their website.
Related Links
Community Journalism (COMJ)
Website: https://community.aejmc.org/communityjournalisminterestgroup/home
CURRENT OFFICERS
The Community Journalism Interest Group was established in 2004. Community media constitute the vast majority of news outlets, but are often overlooked or dismissed by scholars in lieu of major regional, state, national, and international media. The Community Journalism Interest Group focuses on the role of journalism in community, focusing primarily on small- or niche-market media outlets (what we call “The bottom of the iceberg.”) Community journalism has distinct benefits and challenges compared to larger media outlets, and that is why the group was formed and continues to grow.
Entertainment Studies (ESIG)
Website: https://community.aejmc.org/entertainmentstudiesinterestgroup/home
CURRENT OFFICERS
The Entertainment Studies Interest Group was established in 2000. ESIG represents a unique niche in AEJMC. It is the only interest group or division that specializes in entertainment studies, which includes sports, video games and entertainment media. ESIG provides unique programming and serves as a research outlet in the areas of research, teaching and PF&R. ESIG is a frequent co-sponsor a mid-winter convention geared toward graduate students.
Internships and Careers (ICIG)
Website: https://community.aejmc.org/internshipscareersinterestgroup/home
CURRENT OFFICERS
The Internships & Careers Interest Group (ICIG), established 1994, exists to promote knowledge about careers and internships in journalism and mass communication to AEJMC’s membership and to educators and professionals everywhere. Our membership is open to any educator or professional with an interest in journalism careers and includes faculty members, administrators, career counselors and journalism practitioners. We sponsor convention programming that aims to explore important issues and recent trends regarding careers in the various journalism fields and industries. We encourage and support research that examines critical issues in the field experience, service-learning and career worlds.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBT)
Website: https://community.aejmc.org/lgbtqig/home
CURRENT OFFICERS
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer interest group (LGBTQ) was established in 2003 with the desire and ability to create dialogue and support scholarship about LGBTQ concerns that should be discussed in classrooms nationwide. Our mission is to help journalism and mass communications professors integrate LGBTQ issues and perspectives into JMC education and to support research into these issues and perspectives. For information on academic resources on sexual orientation issues in the news media, visit the website of the NLGJA website.
Participatory Journalism (PJIG)
Website: https://community.aejmc.org/participatoryjournalisminterestgroup/home
CURRENT OFFICERS
The Participatory Journalism Interest Group (formerly named the Civic and Citizen Interest Group) began in 1994 during the formative years of civic / public journalism, which was focused on using journalistic practices to foster civic engagement. As time has passed, interests of the group and its membership have turned to new ways of expressing this engagement, especially through citizen-based participatory journalism, leading to a corresponding change of the group’s name to the Participatory Journalism Interest Group in 2013. As blogging, hyper-local media, and audience contributions to online news operations of mainstream media have grown, PJIG has developed into a vibrant community of scholars interested in research and teaching about these phenomena.
Religion and Media (RMIG)
Website: https://community.aejmc.org/religionmediainterestgroup/events/officers
CURRENT OFFICERS
The Religion and Media Interest Group was established in 1996. The RMIG is dedicated to the exploration of the intersection of media and religion in our world. We encourage scholarly analysis (both quantitative and qualitative) of this intersection in three areas: (1) religion portrayed in secular media; (2) the manner in which religious institutions and organizations use the media to propagate their message; and (3) the impact of religion and/or religiosity of media consumers and its impact on their media use.
Small Programs (SPIG)
Website: https://community.aejmc.org/smallprogramsinterestgroup/communities/officers
CURRENT OFFICERS
The Small Programs Interest Group was established 1994. SPIG is a forum primarily for faculty in small programs whose primary emphasis is teaching, advising and mentoring undergraduate students. Some of our members teach in small journalism and mass communication departments in large universities. Others consider their departments small because their colleges or universities are small. Each member decides how he or she defines small. Typically, members are in programs that require them to be teachers first. SPIG helps its members accomplish this task by frequently offering programs at the AEJMC convention that focus on teaching. SPIG convention panels and the listserv are cited as reasons that some members choose to remain in AEJMC. Teaching Journalism and Mass Communication Journal, published by the Small Programs Interest Group.
Sports Communication (SPRT)
Website: https://community.aejmc.org/sportscommunicationinterestgroup/home
CURRENT OFFICERS
The Sports Communication Interest Group was established in 2010. SPORTS is designed to support AEJMC members who are scholars and teachers of sports-related courses, including those in the areas of journalism, broadcasting, advertising/marketing and sports information/public relations with a balanced agenda that focuses on teaching, scholarship and issues of professional freedom and responsibility.
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