07/21/2026

2027 ECA Convention Media Communication Interest Group Call for Papers

Call for Submissions

Media Communication Interest Group

118th Eastern Communication Association Annual Convention

Conference Theme: Full Circle

Hyatt Regency, Reston, VA

March 30 – April 4, 2027

Submission Deadline: October 9, 2026, 11:59 PM PST

For the first time in 16 years, the Commonwealth of Virginia will host the ECA Annual Convention. The 2027 convention will be held at the Hyatt Regency Reston in Fairfax County — an area where discourse shapes national dialogue, diverse communities converge, and history unfolds. The theme, "Full Circle," invites reflection on cyclical ideas, relationships, and professional journeys. With regards to the theme, ECA states, “As scholars, we return — to foundational theories, to formative mentors, to the first questions that drew us to the discipline. As a profession, we cycle through waves of innovation and consolidation, of challenge and recommitment to core values…” The Media Communication Interest Group is excited to invite paper, panel, and round table submissions that engage creatively and rigorously with the Full Circle theme, as media communication’s core values are being tethered to near breaking points through current “waves of innovation.” As scholars, how can we ground ourselves in foundational theories of media communication and remain true to the core values of media communication while still engaging with new methods of innovation?

Both completed papers and works in progress are welcomed. The Media Communication Interest Group welcomes research using all methodologies to examine media communication in all facets. 

Suggested Theme Prompts for Media Communication

• How do media cycles — from print to broadcast to digital to AI — demonstrate recurring patterns of disruption, consolidation, and public reconfiguration?
• In what ways does media communication scholarship come full circle as it revisits questions of gatekeeping, agenda-setting, and news framing in platform-driven environments?
• How have communities and audiences cycled through phases of media trust, disillusionment, and renewed engagement — and what communication forces drive those patterns?
• What does full circle mean for media literacy education — from teaching audiences to decode messages to teaching them to create and circulate their own?

Submissions must be uploaded through Attendee Interactive, accessed through the convention page of the ECA website, or this direct link https://ww4.aievolution.com/eca2701/.

Media Communication Submission Types and Submission Guidelines

Competitive Papers

A completed paper or work-in-progress, reporting original research, an extensive literature review, or other forms of scholarship. When submitting a paper, complete the following Attendee Interactive fields:

• Title
• Author/s
• Abstract
• Categories: Indicate if student and/or debut paper, and whether it is a completed paper or a work in progress.
• Maximum 25 pages, double-spaced, 12-point font, 1-inch margins (Times New Roman preferred)
• Work-in-Progress Option: Submitters who are still completing a research project but do not yet have a completed paper may submit a work in progress (no less than 2,000 words double-spaced) with a thesis or main argument and an initial research analysis. Add a parenthesis to the title with "Work in Progress," and if it is also your first ECA conference, add "Debut Paper" as well. If "work in progress" is not noted in the title, the submission will be reviewed as a competitive paper.
• Additional Information:
  • Scheduling & Special Requests: Please identify any accommodations associated with physical or religious needs that may impact scheduling.
  • Documents: Upload Main Document (Must be BLIND. Accepted file types are Word and PDF.)
• At the bottom of the cover page, please include the following statement of professional responsibility: In submitting the attached paper, I/We recognize that this submission is considered a professional responsibility. I/We agree to present this paper if it is accepted and programmed. I/We further recognize that all who attend and present at ECA’s annual meeting must register and pay required fees.

Panel & Round Table Proposals

Panel: A program in which three or more speakers present coordinated individual papers, or a moderated round table discussion, on a specific topic area (approximately 75 minutes in length).

When submitting a panel proposal, please complete the following Attendee Interactive fields:

Panel Proposals

• A thematic title for the program.
• Names of the chair and respondents (if any)
• Respondents: Optional for panel proposals – at the discretion of the panel 
• Names, mailing addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, and institutional affiliations of all participants.
• Titles and abstracts for each paper or presentation.
• Program copy (75-word max description for final program)
• Detailed panel rationale as it relates to the conference theme
• A statement of professional responsibility.
• Documents: Upload any relevant documents. (Must be BLIND. Accepted file types are Word and PDF.)
  • In the document, please include the following statement of professional responsibility: In submitting the attached proposal, I/We recognize that this submission is considered a professional responsibility. I/We agree to present this panel if it is accepted and programmed. I/We further recognize that all who attend and present at ECA’s annual meeting must register and pay required fees.

• Additional Information:
  • Scheduling & Special Requests: Please identify any accommodations associated with physical or religious needs that may impact scheduling.

Roundtable Proposals

The Media Communication Interest Group is also inviting roundtable discussions featuring approximately 5 – 8 presenters who share their positions on a focused topic moderated by a chair.

When submitting a roundtable proposal, please complete the following Attendee Interactive fields:

• Roundtable Title
• Chair’s name
• Participants: Names, mailing addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, and institutional affiliations of all participants.
• Program copy (75-word max description for final program)
• Detailed roundtable rationale as it relates to the conference theme
• Target Audience (10,000 Character max) 
• In the document, please include the following statement of professional responsibility: In submitting the attached proposal, I/We recognize that this submission is considered a professional responsibility. I/We agree to present this panel if it is accepted and programmed. I/We further recognize that all who attend and present at ECA’s annual meeting must register and pay required fees.

• Additional Information:
  • Scheduling & Special Requests: Please identify any accommodations associated with physical or religious needs that may impact scheduling.

Technology A/V Availability

The 2027 Convention will be equipped with technology capabilities. A projector, screen, sound, wireless mouse and slide advancer, and Wi-Fi will be available in most breakout rooms. Submitters will be asked to request technology, if needed, as part of the submission. Presenters must supply their own laptop. Google Slides and PowerPoint templates featuring the convention theme and logo are available on the convention tab of the website. We encourage all attendees to take full advantage of these resources to create engaging presentations!

For additional information about the upcoming convention, please visit ECA’s website https://www.ecasite.org/. 

Questions? Contact your Interest Group Planner:

Jessica Neu, Carlow University – jlneu@carlow.edu

Acceptance Notifications: January 2027