UBC Journalism

09/25/2026

🏆 Three RTDNA Canada awards for UBC Journalism students

Congratulations to our student journalists who earned regional recognition at the RTDNA Canada West Awards:

• Digital Feature News (Large Market): Cornelia Qian
• Digital Excellence in Sports Reporting: Ashrit Vaidya & Ian French
• Excellence in Innovation: Katrianna Skulsky

In the first two of these categories, the students were up against CBC British Columbia.

Read the full story: https://jwam.ubc.ca/news/ubc-journalism-rtdna_2026/

09/22/2026

City St George’s, University of London, recently caught up with our very own Professor Alfred Hermida to talk about his journey through digital media and journalism education, from his early days at BBC News Online to co-founding The Conversation Canada.

Here are a few takeaways from the profile:

• Standing Out as a Graduate: His advice for emerging journalists on pairing core reporting fundamentals with the unique skills that set you apart in a newsroom.

• Global Recognition: Celebrating his nomination as a finalist in the Business and Innovation category at the British Council Global Study UK Alumni Awards.

• On the Horizon: A sneak peek at his upcoming book, The Innovation Trap: Journalism, Media Disruption and the Future of News (Routledge, 2027).

Professor Alfred Hermida (PhD Journalism, 2014) is a digital media trailblazer. He was the first BBC journalist to do a live blog, a member of the team that founded BBC News Online, and he created the BBC’s first dedicated technology news team for the BBC News website. As an academic, Alfred has p...

09/14/2026

Congratulations to UBC Journalism's Cornelia Qian, named a 2026 Jack Webster Award finalist in the Excellence in Innovative Journalism category.

The nomination is for her Visual Journalism class project, Beyond Kung Fu: The Heart Connection in Shaolin Temple of Canada.

The Webster Awards recognise the best in British Columbia journalism, and we are proud to see student work featured among the region’s top reporting.

Read the full list of finalists: https://jackwebster.com/webster-awards-2026-finalists/

09/11/2026

The future of journalism starts here.

Over 30 new Master of Journalism students gathered on September 8 for orientation morning with JWAM Director Kamal Al-Solaylee, faculty, and staff. Over the next two years, this global cohort will collaborate, sharpen their reporting skills, and tackle the changing media landscape together.

Full story and photos from orientation:

Over 30 students from across the globe are starting their Master of Journalism program at the School of Journalism, Writing, and Media.

09/08/2026

Meet our newest cohort of Master of Journalism students at the UBC School of Journalism, Writing, and Media. 🎓

This year, we’re joined by 34 incredible emerging storytellers arriving from all corners of the globe. Each of you brings unique perspectives, lived experiences, and a shared passion for impactful, public-interest journalism.✨

Know that you’re joining a vibrant, supportive community.

08/27/2026

Renowned political communication scholar Daniel Kreiss has been appointed as an Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair of Canada at UBC’s School of Journalism, Writing, and Media.

Backed by $8 million in federal funding over eight years, Dr. Kreiss will lead a research team investigating how journalism, digital platforms, and new technologies impact democratic life.

It is part of a federal initiative to recruit top international researchers to tackle global challenges. UBC secured nine of the 64 inaugural chairs nationwide, the highest of any university in Canada.

The appointment arrives at a critical moment. As journalists globally confront political disinformation, election denial, and tech-controlled information environments, Kreiss’s work will examine the institutions behind these changes and how to strengthen democratic communication.

Coming to UBC from UNC-Chapel Hill, Dr. Kreiss will also enhance JWAM’s graduate programs. Students will have new opportunities to collaborate on projects alongside partners in journalism, government, civil society, and the technology sector.

“Dr. Kreiss’s appointment comes at the right time for JWAM as a school with a long history of innovation in journalism, media and communication studies, and for Canada as it works to protect its sovereignty and ensure the resilience of its democratic institutions,” said JWAM Director Dr. Kamal Al-Solaylee.

Read the full story on his appointment:

https://jwam.ubc.ca/news/renowned-democracy-scholar-daniel-kreiss-joins-ubc-jwam-as-research-chair/

08/14/2026

Learn more about the collaboration between UBC Journalism and Harvard Kennedy School students investigating one of the biggest shifts in global development.

How a cross-university partnership is bringing urgently needed reporting to one of the biggest shifts in global development.

07/31/2026

Congratulations to our very own Professor Alfred Hermida on being named a global finalist for the Study UK - British Council Alumni Awards 2026 in the Business & Innovation category. 🎓

Presented by the British Council, the award recognizes global alumni who are leading innovative solutions with lasting impact. Prof Hermida's recognition highlights his pioneering work in digital journalism, evidence-based news platforms, and his contributions to scholarship that shape how news is produced and understood worldwide. 👏

More about the award and fellow finalists here:
https://study-uk.britishcouncil.org/after-your-studies/alumni-awards/winners-finalists/2026/business-innovation

Alumni who are active in initiating and contributing to innovative or creative new ideas, solutions or business opportunities that have the potential for growth. These finalists represent seven regions worldwide, showcasing the breadth of innovation and entrepreneurial talent among UK alumni around....

06/11/2026

The UBC School of Journalism, Writing, and Media (JWAM) is seeking a passionate and experienced scholar or journalist for a full-time, tenure-stream Assistant Professor position in International Reporting! 🌍✍️

The successful candidate will also be expected to qualify for the prestigious endowment-funded Gary Coull Professorship in International Reporting.

To complement our current strengths, we are particularly looking for someone with expertise in covering and analyzing global issues, with experience in emerging fields like mobile, data, or visual journalism. 📱📊

You will also have the opportunity to engage with the award-winning Global Reporting Centre based at the school.

Whether you are an academic with a PhD (or near completion) or a professional journalist with a Master's degree and substantial newsroom experience, we would love to hear from you.

📅 Deadline to apply: August 15, 2026
📍 Location: UBC Vancouver Campus

Learn more about the role, qualifications, and how to apply.

https://jwam.ubc.ca/job-opportunities/jwam-gary-coull-professorship-asst-prof/

06/08/2026

Congratulations to UBC Journalism professor Alfred Hermida and his co-authors on their award for Top Faculty Paper from the Science Communication Interest Group at the International Communication Association annual conference in Cape Town.

The honour was for the paper, Holding science to account: A qualitative study of practices and challenges of watchdog science journalism, by Alice Fleerackers, An Nguyen, Alfred Hermida and Ivan Oransky.

The study shows that watchdog journalism is crucial for exposing scientific fraud. But resource-starved newsrooms face massive hurdles, such as legal risks, uncooperative sources, and click-metric pressures, that often force them to prioritize a story's feasibility over its public importance.

The research was led by Fleerackers who started working on the project when she was an SSHRC Post-Doctoral Fellow at UBC Journalism. Two Master of Journalism students worked as graduate research assistants on the project, Kristen De Jager and Arijit Joshi.

The paper is forthcoming in the journal Science Communication and will be open access.