Coronavirus Webinars and Live Events

Mental health and substance abuse is such a daunting focus area for health journalists, it can be tricky to know where to find sources, stats, and story leads.

Join the National Press Club Journalism Institute at noon ET on Tuesday, July 21, for a webinar on covering mental health as a public health issue.

The Institute will be joined by Katie O’Connor, a senior staff writer at Psychiatric News, who will share tips and tools for covering mental health-related advocacy and public policy.

She’ll explain the ins and outs of SAMHSA (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), the agency through which the federal government funds mental health and substance use programs — which has been in flux under the current administration.

O’Connor will explore where to find relevant datasets for mental health reporting and offer advice for covering high-level clinical studies. She’ll also share her best tips for finding expert sources when covering public health.

This program is part of the NPCJI’s monthly webinar series produced through its Public Health Reporting Fellowship. In partnership with the Common Health Coalition, the fellowship offers training and financial support for mid-career journalists to complete reporting projects focused on the intersection of public health policy and health care delivery.

Engaging younger audiences today means understanding a rapidly shifting information environment where news is no longer consumed in a linear way, and trust is built through very different signals than in traditional media.

Reaching Gen Z: Formats, Platforms, and Building Trust is a practical, insight-driven 90-minute workshop presented by the Knight Center and led by independent journalist Aaron Parnas, focused on how journalists, editors, and creators can effectively engage Gen Z audiences across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, podcasts, and beyond. Register today and join us on Wednesday, July 22, at 1 p.m. ET.

In this session, you’ll explore how younger audiences are navigating an increasingly fragmented information ecosystem and what actually drives trust in a space saturated with content. Rather than chasing trends or algorithms, we’ll focus on the deeper shifts shaping audience behavior, including the rise of independent creators, short-form storytelling, and platform-native news consumption.

Through real-world experience and practical examples, this workshop will break down how to adapt storytelling and distribution strategies without compromising accuracy, depth, or journalistic standards. You’ll also examine how credibility is built in digital-first environments where authenticity, transparency, and consistency often matter as much as institutional reputation.

We’ll cover key topics such as how Gen Z finds and engages with news across platforms, the role of creator-led journalism, effective formats for complex storytelling, and strategies for making information more accessible without oversimplifying it. The session will also touch on essential practices like sourcing, fact-checking, and ethical decision-making in fast-moving digital spaces.

Whether you work in a newsroom, run your own independent channel, or create content for digital audiences, this workshop will offer actionable insights into connecting with younger generations while maintaining the core values of journalism.

Participants will receive a certificate of attendance, as well as access to the session recording, tipsheet, and presentation. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at journalismcourses@austin.utexas.edu.