The 2019 ICA (the International Communication Association)-affiliated New Media International Conference, organized by the School of Media and Communication at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) will be held in Shanghai, China, on October 26, 2019. The theme of the conference will focus on “AI Era: Emerging Media, Industry, and Society”. Special guests will feature ICA President Terry Flew, former ICA President Ang Peng Hwa, and former ICA President Patrice Buzzanell. Scholars home and abroad are invited to submit papers related to emerging media in AI era, their latest industry applications and social impacts.

I. Conference Background

The year 2019 has witnessed thriving growth of 5G, cloud-computing, machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI technology has penetrated into all kinds of businesses, especially in media and communication. Information technology has always been the fuel for progress in communication industry and communication studies. It is believed that future media will be redefined against the backdrop of intelligent media development driven by AI technology such as recommendation algorithms, machine writing, human-machine interaction and image recognition. Other industries will also be reshaped with the fast updating of intelligent products.

Brand-new opportunities have been created by combining communication with AI and 5G technologies. IoT and mobile interaction are facilitated by constant breakthroughs in mobile communication technology; Media forms and communication channels are multiplied by the vast application of AI technology; Content distribution has been made ever more accurate thanks to effective matching between supply and demand of information; Human’s physical and spiritual experience will be brought to a dreamy world by optimization of immersive video technology. Yet there’s still more to come in emerging media that will reach beyond our imagination.

Meanwhile, human’s relationship with society, with information and with other people has also been reshaped by AI, creating new product forms, new organization structures and new social ecology. These changes created challenges for industry pattern, social structure, communication studies and discipline development. Therefore, questions have been raised both to the communication academia and industry as well about how to face media and social changes brought by AI and how to shape the future for communication studies in the AI era.

The annual ICA-affiliated New Media International Conference at Shanghai Jiao Tong University has been a preeminent venue for presenting and discussing cutting-edge academic and industry research in media technology. This year, the School of Media and Communication at SJTU will join the ICA for the 7th time in inviting outstanding scholars and industry leaders to address topics related to opportunities and challenges for journalism, communication and other areas in the AI Era.

2018 ICA-affiliated New Media International Conference in SJTU

II. Conference Theme

AI Era: Emerging Media, Industry, and Society

There will be several panel sessions covering the conference theme, including Technology and New Applications of Intelligent Communication, Communication Studies in the AI Era, AI and Society Changes, AI and Industry Transformation, Journal Editors Panel, Intelligent Era for Journalism and Communication Education, Deans Panel, and Students Panel.

III. Conference Agenda and Schedule

1. Important Dates

Deadlines for submission:

• September 1, 2019 (for submitters      outside of Mainland China)

• October 1, 2019 (for submitters      within Mainland China)

Notification of paper acceptance and invitation letters: Starting September 2, 2019

Conference registration: October 25, 2019, between 9:00 in the morning and 21:00 in the evening

Conference date: Saturday, October 26, 2019

2. Conference Agenda

Morning, October 26, 2019: Opening ceremony and keynote speeches

Afternoon, October 26, 2019: Panel sessions

Evening, October 26, 2019: Dinner and Awards Ceremony for Outstanding Papers

IV. Guests Invited (Planned)

Terry Flew, ICA President

Ang Peng Hwa, former ICA President

Patrice Buzzanel, former ICA President

Jeff Hancock, Professor from Socia Media Lab of Stanford University

Mary Beth Oliver, Professor of Pennsylvania State University

Joe Walther, Professor of University of California, Santa Barbara

S.Shyam Sundar, former Editor of Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication

        Carolyn A. Lin, Editor of Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media

V. Submission Format and Guidelines

1. Only online submissions are accepted. Papers can be written in either Chinese or English.

2. Email address for submissions: ica_shanghai@163.com

3. Paper format and length: APA format (6th edition) for papers written in English; APA format (6th edition) or GB7714-87 format for papers written in Chinese. Files are to be submitted in Microsoft Word for Windows or Mac. Maximum length should not exceed 8,000 words (including tables/figures and references).

4. Some content of the accepted papers (title and abstract) might appear on the conference website, in printed conference materials, or on other online media. Accepted papers will be included in Conference Proceedings and distributed to the attendees. Authors of accepted papers can still publish their papers in other journals.

5. Submission Period: July 31 to September 1, 2019 (for submitters outside of Mainland China); July 31 to October 1, 2019 (for submitters within Mainland China)

VI. Conference Registration

Register for the conference by sending an email to ica_shanghai@163.com. There is no registration fee for those submitters who receive an official invitation letter. Travel, accommodation, and insurance expenses are borne by participants themselves.

VII. Conference Secretariat

Address: School of Media and Communication, Shanghai Jiao Tong University,

No. 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China

Contact person: Lutong Zhang

Email: zhanglutong@sjtu.edu.cn

Phone: +86-21-34208622