Suggestion Box

Note: The deadline for Suggestion Box submissions was March 29, 2018, at 11:59 p.m. ET. We are no longer accepting ideas for presenters or sessions at the conference.


Want to speak at ONA18? We accept pitches through the Suggestion Box, our way of generating ideas from the community to help us organize a great conference. Anyone can submit a proposal.

Each year, we aim to share best practices, practical tips and inspiring talks for journalists, executives, sales teams, educators, students and anyone else working in digital media.

As always, we’re looking to pull in fresh, creative ideas. We’re especially interested in sessions that don’t fit the traditional panel format.

Consider the following questions when formulating your proposal:

  • Who is your target audience, how can you keep them engaged and what would they walk away with once your session is over?
  • What solutions to common issues have you been working on that other newsrooms might also be able to adapt to their work?

Read more about the factors that make a great pitch.

Keep in mind that these suggestions are often a starting point for discussions about topics we’ll cover at the conference. ONA will often ask presenters to refine their proposals or combine their ideas with other presenters to address a single topic. For this reason, we cap the number of speakers that can be included at two, and can expand on that if your idea is selected.

Have questions or looking for tips? Visit the FAQ page or check out our series on what makes for a successful proposal.