PMJA Regional Professional Development Series
Hosted in partnership with Google News Initiative
Register Now$150 members · $199 non-members
Public media has a trust problem. Not because the journalism isn’t good. Because audiences don’t always know who we are or why we matter.
The opportunity is real: public media can build genuine relationships with communities in ways commercial news cannot. But engagement isn’t about social media metrics or newsletter sign-ups. It’s about understanding who you serve, listening to what they need, and showing up consistently.
Near + Now San Francisco is built for journalists, producers, editors, news leaders, and every role in between. You’ll spend the day working with data to understand your current audience — and who you’re leaving out — then learning practical techniques for community listening and building the kind of trust that lasts.
Presented in partnership with the Google News Initiative, the day includes member station showcases, peer problem-solving, and structured action planning. We're finalizing the venue and will share the address as soon as it's confirmed.
March 9, 2027 (tentative)
Registration and coffee at 8:30 a.m. · Program runs 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The day moves from understanding to listening to action: know your audience, learn who you’re missing, develop community listening skills, and leave with a plan.
We’re in the early stages of planning for San Francisco. The session arc below reflects our current thinking — details, speakers, and learning objectives will be confirmed and added as the event develops.
Reframe engagement
What community-centered journalism actually means, and why the standard engagement metrics often measure the wrong things.
Know your audience
Using data and analytics to understand who you currently serve — and identify the communities you’re leaving out of the conversation.
Community listening
Practical in-person techniques for understanding what communities actually need from public media. How to build trust through consistent presence.
Connection in practice
Collaborative journalism, in-person events, and solutions-oriented storytelling. Member stations share what’s working.
Build your plan
Identify one change or decision you’ll make when you get back to the newsroom. Pair with an accountability partner before you leave.
A clear picture of your current audience, practical listening techniques, and a peer partner to keep you accountable when you’re back in the newsroom.
Venue: TBD
We're finalizing the location for Near + Now San Francisco and will update this page as soon as it's confirmed.
The event is presented in partnership with the Google News Initiative. Check back soon for the address, or watch your email — we'll let you know as soon as it's locked in.
Plan your trip
By Air
San Francisco International (SFO), Oakland (OAK), and San Jose (SJC) all serve the Bay Area. BART connects SFO directly to the city.
Getting Around
BART and Muni cover most of San Francisco. Lyft and Uber are also widely available. Venue-specific transit details coming with the address.
Building Security
Check-in requirements depend on the final venue. We'll share what to bring once the location is confirmed — a government-issued photo ID is a safe bet in the meantime.
Hotel
We’re working to arrange a discounted rate at a nearby hotel. Details coming soon.
Dine-Arounds: The Night Before
Optional · Night Before the Event
Dinner with new colleagues before the work begins.
The evening before Near + Now San Francisco, we’re heading out to dinner. Multiple restaurants within walking and rideshare distance, each one chosen by a local San Francisco colleague who knows the city well.
Sign up for the restaurant that sounds right to you and you’ll spend the evening at a table of about 10 people. Some you’ll know. Most you won’t. Seating is limited, so sign up early when registration opens.
Five scholarships available for San Francisco.
Need-based · Two types
Budget constraints at your station shouldn’t determine whether you can be in the room.
Scholarships cover registration, travel costs, or both. When you apply, you indicate what you need — you don’t need to estimate costs. Travel support is available up to $500, awarded based on need and distance.
Priority goes to journalists at small stations (1–5 newsroom staff), those in early career or currently enrolled in journalism or media programs, journalists from communities historically underrepresented in public media, and attendees traveling from outside the region.
Register for San Francisco
March 9, 2027 (tentative) · Venue TBD, San Francisco, CA
Register Now — $150Members only
Near + Now Series Pass
One registration for each of the four events — Indianapolis, New York, Austin, and San Francisco — for $500. That’s $125 per event.
Get the series pass →Questions? conference@pmja.org
PMJA Near + Now sponsors
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National Public Radio
1111 N Capitol St.
Washington, DC 20002 2025132000Founding Partner -
American Public Media
480 Cedar Street
Saint Paul, MN 55101-2217
United StatesSeries Sponsor -
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
401 9th St NW
Washington, DC 20004Series funding partner -
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BBC News World Service
The Kling Public Media Center 480 Cedar Street
St. Paul, MN 55101 -
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