MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION: TRANSFORMATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE DIGITAL AGE

The conference will be held on the 26th and 27th of October 2023 within the framework of the St. Kliment Ohridski Days on the video conference platform Teams.

October 26th, 2023 (Thursday) 

10:00 h –  Opening speech by the Dean of the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”

Prof. Dr. Vesselina Valkanova

Plenary Session – Beginning 10.15 h

Moderator: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Manuela Manliherova

 (working language – English)

Mark Deuze (University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands). The Glitch, Uncanny, and Dizziness of Freedom: Articulating (a Future for) Media Studies

Benedict Schnellbächer (Saarland University, Germany). Of Digital Platforms, Business Models and Gatekeepers – The Power of Digital Technologies in Shaping Society

Surbhi Dahiya (Indian Institute of Mass Communication, India.) Transformation in the Media Industry and Entrepreneurial Journalism

Hasan Saliu (AAB College, Kosovo). Newsworthiness for Television and Digital Journalism in Kosovo

Afternoon session – beginning 13:00 h

Panel: Media and Digital Change

Moderator: Prof. Dr. Vesselina Valkanova

(working language – Bulgarian)

Vesselina Valkanova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Media studies and transformations in the media environment in Bulgaria

Svetlana Stankova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Agenda Setting Theory in the Digital Era – Modifications and Adjustments

Desislava Andreeva (University of Veliko Tarnova “St. Cyril and St. Methodius”, Bulgaria). Covering the Future – Educational Particularities of Science and Innovation Reporting

Maya Stoyanova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Integration of Artificial Intelligence in Graphic Communication and Design

Aneta Milkova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Freedom of Speech in the Media and Communication in the Digital Age

Irina Greckov (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). The Communicative Power Of Ceremonial: How Europe Welcomed President Zelensky In July 2023.

Blagovest Iliev (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Digitalization in Regional Media – Trends and Perspectives

Yotka Pancheva (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Situating Visual Journalism in the Age of Digitalization

Iveta Yordanova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Transformation and Responsiveness in the Online Media Design during the Usage of Different Devices. Content Management and Visual Organization

Maria Ivanova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Architecture and Web Design: Buildings and Urban Environment in the Visual Online Presentation of Cultural Districts

Panel discussion

Afternoon session – beginning 13:00 h

Panel:  Risks and Opportunities of Digital Communication

Moderator: Dr. Georgi Alexandrov

 (working language – English)

Fernanda Bonacho (School of Communications and Media Studies, Portugal). The Hard Way to Tell the Story: Literacy Challenges for Media and News Narratives

Sara Cura (School of Communications and Media Studies, Portugal). Science Communication and Social Media Usage: The Example of Portuguese Archaeology

Saulė Jokūbauskienė (Vilnius University, Lithuania). Communication of Information Services of Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania in Social Media

Ralitsa Kovacheva (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Identification of Information Verification Practices in the Digital Environment Used By University Students

Manuela Toteva (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on PR Education and Opportunities for Integration into Teaching Practices

Simona Veleva (American University of Bulgaria and Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Freedom of Expression Online – New Legal Instruments and Contemporary Problems

Lora Tarkoleva (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). “Humour Is No Joke!”. The Digital Presence of On-Air Fun and the Impact of New Media on It

Panel Discussion

Afternoon session – beginning 15:00 h

Panel: Contemporary Aspects of Media and Communications

Moderator: Prof. Dr. Nikolay Mihaylov and Prof. Dr. Teodora Petrova

 (working language – English)

Ginny Whitehouse (Eastern Kentucky University, USA). Recrafting the Cornerstone: Shaping Ethics in Evolving Journalism

Ferdinando Cabrini (University of Turin, Italy). New Paradigms of Communication. Educational Paradigms of the 21st Century: Teaching Challenges for the Specialists of the Future

Teodora Petrova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). New Professional Realities and New Professions in the Field of Communications

Steinar Bjørlykke and Valery Marinov (NRK Central Region, Norway/Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Usage of Mixed Reality to Broaden Participation of Content Creators and Encourage Audience Engagement in Television Programmes

Justine Toms (New Bulgarian University, Bulgaria). Slow and Fast Online Communication Channels in the Era of Media Transformation

Elisabetta Pozzetto (University of Triest, Italy). Communication of Circular Economy in the Public Sphere in Bulgaria: A Study of Space, Agenda, Language, and Tools

Mariana Huskinson (University of Alicante, Spain). Social Media’s Voice in Inclusive Urban Planning: A Path to Accessible Cities

Tsvetelina Dzhambazova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Internet Blackouts as Political Means: the Case of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Mityo Marinov (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). The Mediator in Politics – From Traditional Media to “Algorithmocracy”

Panel Discussion

Afternoon session – beginning 15:00 h

Panel:  Digital Transformation of Media and Communication

Moderator: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mila Serafimova

 (working language – Bulgarian)

Mila Serafimova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Crisis Communication in the Digital Age – The Role of the Artificial Intelligence

Margarita Pesheva (Varna Free University, Bulgaria). Journalism – In the Challenges of Artificial Intellect

Lilia Raycheva (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Deliberative Communication – Risks and Opportunities

Zhana Popova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). The Streamers – The Dialogues in the Communication of the New Communities

Diliana Kirkovska (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). The Artificial Intelligence and the Media – Legal and Ethical Challenges

Stilia Paunova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). AI: Automatization and the Old New Restrictions Ahead the Media and Communication

Desislava Frantsova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Techno-Evolution in the Context of Media and Society. Artificial Intelligence and Sports Journalism

Kristina Yurukova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Digital Transformation of the Advertising Industry

Milena Ilieva-Momchilova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). The Evolution of PR in the Digital Age

Panel discussion

October 27th, 2023 (Friday)

Morning session – beginning 10:00 h

Panel:  Future Trends in Communication Professions

Moderator: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kalin Kalinov

 (working language – English)

Nikolay Kolev (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Uses of Artificial Intelligence for Creation and Distribution of News Content

Teodora Georgieva (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Digital Transformations In Investigative Journalism In Bulgaria – What Happens With Some Leaks In The Bulgarian Media?

Nikola Vangelov (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Online Advertising – Challenges and Opportunities in the Ever Changing Digital Environment

Elena Slavkova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Digital Transformation in Content Management and Customer Engagement – The Omnichannel Approach

Kaloyan Ganev (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). AI In Brand-Customer Communication

Monika Dimitrova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Digital Approaches for Book Reading Promotion

Ivailo Tsolov (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Social Media Content Marketing for Recruitment in the IT Sector (Comparative Analysis between the Practices of the Largest Bulgarian and Foreign Companies)

Panel discussion

Morning session – beginning 10:00 h

Panel: The Past, Present and Future of Media

Moderator: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alexander Hristov

 (working language – Bulgarian)

Alexander Hristov (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria).

Iliana Pavlova (University of Veliko Tarnovo “St. Cyril and St. Methodius”). The News of BNT, Btv and Nova Television in Social Networks: Dispositive Analysis

Lora Simeonova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). #Elections in Tiktok – Politics as Fast Food

Maria Markova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Social Content Marketing – Trends and Forecasts

Svetozara Velichkova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). The Future of Social Media

Nina Stoilova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). The Digital Environment and the New Social Platforms

Stoyan Genov (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Journalistic Nearsightedness in the Historical Perspective of the Coup from June 9th, 1923

Velina Velinova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Propaganda Through The Mass Media (How It Used To Be And How It Is Today) Which Has Survived Technological Changes. The Case Study Regarding The Newspaper „L‘Echo De Bulgarie“ (1913-1923) As An Example

Kiril Yanev (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Personal Selling and Multimedia Communicative Competence – Semiotic and Contextual Aspects

Panel discussion

Afternoon session – beginning 13:00 h

Panel: Local and Regional Dimensions of Media and Communication

Moderator: Prof. Dr. Svetlozar Kirilov

 (working language – English) 

Svetlozar Kirilov (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Communication Strategy of Private Military Company Wagner

Mihály Szilágyi-Gál (Eötvös Lóránd University of Sciences, Hungary). The Political Communication Export of the Hungarian Government

Ivan Draganov (New Bulgarian University, Bulgaria). Necessity for Common European TV Channel

Robert Rajczyk (University of Silesia, Poland). Contemporary Municipal Press in Poland

Desislava Sotirova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Decreasing Trust and Credibility of News outlets in Europe?

Polina Koryakovtseva (Korea University, the Republic of Korea). The Gamification of Culture Method in Korean Entertainment TV-Shows Industry

Panel discussion

Afternoon session – beginning 13:00 h

Panel: Media Environment Challenges

Moderator: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Maya Vassileva

(working language – Bulgarian)

Maya Vassileva (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Communication Management of Facts and Data in the “Do it Now” Multi-Media Campaign: A Demographic Model for Parenting

Irina Ivanova (S. Kuznets Kharkiv National University of Economics, Ukraine). Anti-Military Blogging on YouTube (Based On Material from the Channels of Yuri Shvets (USA) and Leszek Sykulski (Poland)

Rossen Stoyanov (New Bulgarian University).

Victoria Biserova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Traditional Book Publishing and the New Digital Opportunities

Nadezhda Miteva (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Critical Junctures for Journalism in Bulgaria in the 21st Century

Mariya Ilieva (New Bulgarian University, Bulgaria). European Digital Communications Policies

Nikoleta Kostadinova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Transformation of Business Models in Digital News Distribution

Mirela Spassova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Positioning the Agriculture Sector in Media and Communications: Transformations and Development in the Digital Age

Vyara Ivanova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Media Discourses on the Institutional Crisis in Bulgaria: Survey of Three Digital Editions for the Period January-June 2023.

Petya Chakarova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Deinstitutionalization In Bulgaria – Communication Strategies In The Reflection Of The Process And Analysis Of The Environment For The Creation Of Councils On The Issues Of Social Services And The Attitudes Towards Their Functioning

Teodora Koleva (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Communication Aspects of ‘Vulnerability’ Among Young People Leaving Alternative Care in the Age of Digitalization

Panel discussion

Afternoon session – beginning 15:00 h

Panel:  Contemporary Dimensions of Media and Journalism

Moderator: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sc. Maria Popova

 (working language – Bulgarian) 

Maria Popova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Influence of the Uses and Gratification Theory on the Active Audience

Nelly Ognyanova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Unprotected Speech

Radostina Mihaylova (South-West University “Neofit Rilski, Bulgaria). The Problematic Freedom of Speech in the News Sites of Southwestern Bulgaria

Bogomila Koleva (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). The New Educational Paradigm of the 21st Century

Nadelina Aneva (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Leadership and the Clash of Media Images during the War in Ukraine

Eleana Gencheva (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Unethical Practices in the Newscasts of BNT, BTV and Nova TV – Influence On the Audience

Zheyna Zheleva (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Problems and Challenges Faced By Journalists at the Regional Level, Due To the Inconvenient Truth

Ivana Hitkova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Disinformation as a Topical Media Phenomenon. Similarities, Differences, And (In)Coherence In Theoretical Approaches In German, English, And Bulgarian

Deana Atanasova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Perceptions of Other and Overcoming Hate Speech through Various Interest Activities in a Multi-Ethnic School Environment

Nickolay Chadarov (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Visual Communication in the Design of the War Flag of the Bulgarian Army

Panel discussion

Afternoon session – beginning 15:00 h

Panel: Emerging Technologies and New Media Culture

Moderator: Prof. Dr. Simeon Vassilev

 (working language – Bulgarian)

Simeon Vassilev (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Challenges of Media Transformation. On The Need for a Coherent Theory of Media Transformation and a New Media Culture

Melani Simeonova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Competence Approach as a Key for a Successful Communication Specialist

Olga Kolar (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Media Self-Regulation in the Age of Hybrid Warfare and Disinformation

Ina Kandeva (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (Esg) – Impact and Transformations in the Telecom Sector

Valentina Marinova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Transformations and New Channels of Communication of Hospitals with Patients and Healthcare Institutions – Strengthening Digital Communication after the COVID-19 Pandemic

Anzhela Georgieva (New Bulgarian University, Bulgaria). Bulgarian Migrant Journalism: Traditions and Digital Perspectives

Maria Krasteva (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Dynamics and Tendencies in PR for Renewable Energy Sector

Daniela Statulova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Models of Adaptation of Classical Texts during the Socialist Era and Today: Publishing Solutions, Editorial Approaches, Influences of the Social and Cultural Context

Nedelina Petkova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Culture during a Pandemic – Influence and Development in Video Sharing Platforms

Ivanka Valova (Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria). Video Image Processing. Video Effects

Panel discussion

Conference Topics

  • Research and education in the field of journalism
  • Press journalism and photography
  • Online journalism
  • Radio journalism
  • Television journalism
  • Social Journalism
  • Media Content Strategies
  • Communicative, social and cognitive aspects of the media
  • Communication and social change;
  • Theory and methodology of communication;
  • Media narratives and narratives in contemporary communication;
  • Intercultural communication;
  • History of mass communication;
  • Mass communication and society;
  • Media audiences;
  • Press and publishing industry;
  • Journalism and literature;
  • Sociology, philosophy, publicity
  • Researches in the field of media education;
  • Media literacy;
  • New technologies in education;
  • Communication educational programs in support of social diversity/DEI;
  • Academic communication and scholarly language/writing;
  • Online education due to the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Political communication and media;
  • Media influence and the change of political communication;
  • Media policies;
  • Media ethics;
  • Political discourse and medialization of politics;
  • Alternative and community media;
  • Non-government organizations and communication;
  • Freedom of speech;
  • Media, crisis and democracy
  • International communication;
  • Media and globalization;
  • Multiculturalism and media;
  • Mass communications, society and globalization;
  • Cultural competence and communication;
  • Media and cultural transformation;
  • Social inequalities because of the COVID-19 pandemic;
  • Foreign media;
  • Psychological Particularities of the Communicative Process
  • Social media usage;
  • Discrimination and equality problems in social media;
  • The future of social media;
  • Role of social media during and after COVID-19 restrictions;
  • Fake news and disinformation
  • Digital communication channels;
  • Advantages and disadvantages of digital communication;
  • Challenges to digital communication;
  • New media;
  • Digitalization of book publishing industry;
  • Communication management and communication technologies;
  • Digital communication policies;
  • Journalism/ PR and digital media
  • Communication politics and regulation;
  • Political communication;
  • Communication in times of crisis;
  • Media law and regulation;
  • Communication and multimedia companies
  • Management and media economy;
  • PR industry;
  • Business communication;
  • Integrated marketing communications;
  • Brand management;
  • Media ecology;
  • Media expertise;
  • Digital natives;
  • The society under surveillance;
  • Media and artificial intelligence;
  • Digital art and culture