10 Events for Journalists and Bloggers in May You Shouldn’t Miss
Welcome to Blogger Events, a monthly column of upcoming blogger and journalist events that we think you should know about. Plan even further ahead and bookmark our page with upcoming events for the entire year.
May events for journalists and bloggers will cover a variety of timely topics, including the state of local media, press freedom, collaborative journalism, media fundraising and rural health reporting. Plus, if you’re looking to make the jump from reporter to published book author, we’ve got an event for you on the list.
See what’s coming and add an event (or events) to your calendar now!
May 5-7: LMC 2025 Digital Connections Summit
Discover valuable insights and participate in discussions on the latest trends and innovations shaping the local media industry. This event from the Local Media Consortium will take place in Scottsdale, Arizona. The schedule features engaging sessions, working group meetings, happy hours and plenty of networking opportunities. Sessions will cover AI, news deserts, ad strategy, social media journalism and more.
May 5-7: World Press Freedom Day
Following World Press Freedom Day on May 3, this event from UNESCO will focus on how AI is reshaping media, journalism and information. Learn about “the future of journalism, explore the transformative power of AI in media, engage with global experts and innovators, and tackle critical challenges at the intersection of technology and press freedom.”
May 7-8: Hacks/Hackers AI x Journalism Summit 2025
This two-day event will offer hands-on workshops, real-world case studies and collaborative sessions exploring how AI can enhance journalism by strengthening reporting, streamlining workflows and more. Reporter, editors, product managers and technologists are encouraged to attend.
May 8-June 5: Will Work For Impact: Fundamentals of Investigative Journalism
This five-week, hands-on seminar from Poynter will include 60-minute sessions every Thursday. By the end, attendees will be able to spot investigative opportunities, know what questions to ask and how to find the right information. You’ll also construct an investigative story of your own. The seminar regularly sells out, so sign up now!
May 14: AI for Freelancers
During this session from the Online News Association (ONA), learn how AI tools can help with story pitches and pitch letters, workflow management, story brainstorming, writing FOIA requests and research. You’ll also cover AI prompts and how to disclose AI use to editors.
May 15-16: 2025 Collaborative Journalism Summit
This annual event will feature a fast-paced two days of lightning talks, workshops and participatory discussions about various collaborative journalism topics and projects, including news deserts, audience development and cross-border collaborative journalism. The event will be held in person in Denver.
May 16-18: Women in Travel Summit
Creative entrepreneurs, influencers and travel experts will head to New York City for WITS 2025. They will “discuss future innovations, build dynamic collaborations, and change travel worldwide, all while supporting and empowering a diverse community.” Discussions will center around elevating women and underrepresented creators as well as current issues in travel. All genders are welcome to attend. If you’re new to travel blogging, check out the Beginner Bootcamp add-on for an extra half-day of programming.
May 19-23: World Congress of News Media
The 95th Annual INMA World Congress of News Media returns to New York this year. “In a year defined by transformation and redefined by the new American administration, the INMA conference theme ‘How to Turn Ecosystem Chaos Into Media Opportunity’ will drive discussions,” the site explains. Bonus study tours will offer exclusive looks inside some of the city’s largest and most iconic media offices, including The New York Times, Reuters, Condé Nast and The Guardian.
May 20-22: 2025 Lenfest News Philanthropy Summit
Join The Lenfest Institute for Journalism and Press Forward in Philadelphia for this interactive conference for journalism fundraising and development professionals. Topics will focus on communicating the value of local journalism to funders, long-term fundraising planning, the basics of news fundraising and more.
May 27: Public Health Journalism: Covering rural & urban health disparities
The next in a series of virtual trainings from the National Press Club Journalism Institute, this session will focus on ways to cover the disparities in rural and urban healthcare, especially in treatment for cancer and maternal health, and the solutions for them.
May 29: Will Your Nonfiction Book Sell? How to Evaluate the Strength of Your Project
Thinking about publishing a nonfiction book? Check out this webinar from Writer’s Digest University and come away with tips for a better and more focused book proposal/pitch. A book proposal template will be provided as part of the class.
Coming in June…
June 3: What I’ve Learned About 60,000+ Headlines
Can you spot an AI-generated headline from a real one? During this virtual event from ONA, hear what YESEO app founder Ryan Restivo has learned through building and launching his Slack app. Restivo’s app helps journalists with SEO best practices. He’ll cover what he saw in over two years’ worth of data, what words indicate the likelihood of headlines that come from LLMs and tips for how to spot them.
June 5: Tell Your Story to Beat the Bots: Thriving and Surviving in the Age of AI
Authors are increasingly worried that AI-generated content will soon render them unnecessary. During this Writer’s Digest University webinar, you’ll learn how to out-write AI and “harness your innate creativity using science-based creativity-boosting techniques to come up with fresh ideas.”
June 10: 2025 Media Impact Forum
The media landscape is shifting, in part due to influencers’ transition to newsmakers, blurring the lines between journalism, commentary and influencer. The 2025 Media Impact Forum will “address these dynamics and the implications of how audiences consume content on journalism, truth, and democracy.” Funders will hear about the latest research, storytellers and projects that are redefining the way audiences engage.
June 10-12: Breaking Into Books: A Non-Fiction Writing Workshop for Journalists
Ready to turn your reporting into a nonfiction book concept? This intensive workshop will cover narrative nonfiction techniques, publishing world insights, tips for working with an agent and how to get started on your book proposal. The in-person session from Poynter will take place in St. Petersburg, Florida. It will be led by acclaimed author and Columbia Journalism School professor Samuel G. Freedman.
June 11-13: RTDNA25
New Orleans will host the annual event from the Radio Television Digital News Association. Newsroom leaders will gather to “foster collaboration, spark innovation and tackle challenges head-on.” The typical panels and lectures are replaced by hands-on, practical sessions to help leaders drive their newsroom’s journalism further.
June 11-14: Craft + Commerce
Boise, Idaho, will host the event where “top online creators gather to help grow their businesses.” Inspiring keynotes, intimate workshops and plenty of networking opportunities will round out the schedule. Topics like SEO, design, photography, newsletters and more have been featured in previous years; the full 2025 schedule is still being finalized.
Did we miss an event? Email the team and let us know so we can add it to our full list of upcoming events for journalists and bloggers.
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Rocky Parker is the Manager of Audience and Journalist Engagement at Cision PR Newswire. She's been with the company since 2010 and has worked with journalists and bloggers as well as PR and comms professionals. Outside of work, she can be found trying a new recipe, binging a new show, or cuddling with her pitbull, Hudson.
