Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) in Canada is to host the 12th International Conference on Communication and Media Studies, which will take place from October 13 to 15, 2027, bringing together scholars, researchers, educators, creators, and media practitioners from around the world to examine the rapidly changing relationship between communication, technology, and society.
The conference, which is an annual meeting of the Communication and Media Studies Research Network, will have participation available both in person in Toronto and online, according to the organisers.
The 2027 conference will focus on “Producing Communication at Scale: Platforms, AI, and Live Media Systems,” placing artificial intelligence (AI), digital platforms, and emerging media-production systems at the centre of discussions about the future of communication and journalism.
According to the conference organisers, the event will provide an interdisciplinary forum for examining communication in its social, cultural, political, and technological dimensions, while creating opportunities for participants from different geographical and disciplinary backgrounds to exchange research and ideas.
The conference organisers have identified four principal themes for submissions and discussions. The first, “AI and Automated Production Workflows,” will examine the growing use of AI in the creation and production of communication and media content, while the second, “Platforms, Infrastructure, and Scalability,” will focus on the technological and institutional infrastructures that enable communication systems and platforms to operate at increasingly large scales.
The third theme, “Live, Remote, and Hybrid Media Production,” will examine new forms of media production made possible by remote and hybrid technologies, while the fourth, “Labor, Institutions, and Public Trust,” will consider the implications of technological change for media workers and institutions, as well as questions surrounding public confidence in communication and media systems.
The themes place the conference at the intersection of AI, digital platforms, journalism, media production, labour, institutional change, and public trust, which is coming amid rapid changes in the technologies used to produce, distribute, and consume news and other forms of media content.
The organisers are inviting research that examines how emerging production systems and communication technologies, including platform infrastructures, AI-assisted workflows and live and remote production models, are changing public life, cultural expression and institutional practices.
The conference’s emphasis on communication at scale also provides a forum for considering how the expansion of AI and platform technologies is affecting established media practices and the responsibilities of institutions operating within the contemporary information environment.
The organisers are seeking participation from a broad range of researchers and practitioners rather than limiting the conference to a single academic discipline.
The Communication and Media Studies Research Network describes itself as an interdisciplinary community concerned with the role of media and communications in society and seeking to establish connections across disciplinary, geographic, and cultural boundaries.
The conference microsite lists areas including communication studies, cultural communication, digital journalism, and mass communication among its subject areas.
The organisers are inviting scholars, researchers, and practitioners to submit proposals addressing the conference themes. The conference is expected to accommodate empirical, theoretical, and practice-oriented work examining contemporary developments in communication and media.
The organisers’ call particularly encourages research examining the implications of AI, platform infrastructures, scalable communication systems, and new forms of media production.
The proposal-submission deadline is September 13, 2027, although prospective participants are advised to confirm the deadline and submission requirements directly with the organisers before submitting.
