Highlights from the Region 8 Conference

Society of Professional Journalists Fort Worth chapter officers Eddye Gallagher, Kay
Pirtle and Alex Hoben represented the chapter at the SPJ Region 8 Conference earlier
this month at South Shore Harbor Resort in League City.

The conference, themed “Journalism: Navigating New Landscapes,” brought together
SPJ members, working journalists and students from across the region for sessions
examining issues that are facing the profession.

Workshops focused on topics including the use of artificial intelligence in journalism,
protecting personal information in an increasingly digital world, and the importance of
ethnic and minority representation in news coverage and newsrooms. Presenters
included journalists and other media professionals from the Houston Chronicle, KPRC 2,
Houston Public Media and other organizations.

During the conference luncheon, Keaton Fox, vice president and news director at
Houston ABC affiliate KTRK, accepted an award on behalf of ABC recognizing the
network’s legal challenge against the Federal Communications Commission and FCC
Chairman Brendan Carr.

ABC, its parent company Disney and eight ABC-owned television stations filed a federal
lawsuit in August challenging the FCC’s demand that the stations seek early renewal of
their broadcast licenses. The lawsuit alleges the action violates the First Amendment
and amounts to retaliation against the network over its news coverage and editorial
decisions.

Keynote speaker Lisa Falkenberg, a three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and
senior columnist for the Houston Chronicle, reflected on her career and lessons she has
learned during her years as a reporter, editor and columnist.

The event concluded with the Region 8 meeting, hosted by Houston SPJ chapter
President Ruth Nasrullah, who organized the conference with assistance from other
chapter board members.