Events

The conference will feature sessions on the most tried and tested investigative skills, story ideas for anyone and tons of chances to grow your network. Meet with recruiters from major media organizations and discover the latest tools and services designed to support your work in the newsroom. Fellowship opportunities for current journalists and students are available.

You must be a current IRE member through April 1 to attend the conference.

Why look for business angles?
– Relevance on a world stage: Sports contribute billions of dollars every year to the U.S. economy and have a massive influence on both a local and global scale.
– Stand out from the crowd: Journalists with a passion for sports can differentiate themselves on the job market by leaning into the business angle of sports.
– Report unique stories: This field offers endless opportunities for unique and engaging stories that are often overlooked.

Panelists
Todd Merkow, Faculty Associate, Cronkite
Craig Morgan, Cronkite News Sports Bureau, Clinical Professor
Brandon Brown, Phoenix Business Journal

This panel will be moderated by Brett Kurland, Assistant Dean of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

In this session, we’ll discuss how to follow the money and find stories from the energy sector.

Join Dr. Jeffrey Timmermans of the Reynolds Center as we dig into a different beat topic each month to explore a business journalist’s perspective, share tips on how you can elevate your reporting and provide valuable insights for any experience level!

This Lunch and Learn series is for all ASU students and will be held in-person at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication on the downtown Phoenix ASU Campus in Room 444.

Free lunch will be provided: vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options available. Please register to ensure enough food will be available for all students in attendance.

Be sure to check out the full Spring 2026 Lunch and Learn series to see what other topics Dr. Timmermans will be covering this semester.

Whether you are a newsroom leader, early/mid-career journalist, academic, student, or PR pro, SABEW’s annual conference is an excellent opportunity to take home new ideas to use in your stories, newsrooms, or classrooms. Don’t miss the opportunity to network with other colleagues, hear from top industry leaders, and celebrate the winners of the Best in Business awards.