June 10 & 11, 2024

Aulas de la Experiencia de Bizkaia
Calle Banco de España, 2
Bilbao

25 years after the appearance of the first online media, interest in digital communication is still fully valid. During this time, research has been prolific and has offered academia its own concepts and methods to account for a rapidly changing reality.

This advance of disruptive technologies that deepen the digitalization of the media is affecting aspects that were previously considered exclusively human. In the specific field of the media, automation and artificial intelligence (AI) have given rise to various applications in all stages of the information process (Wu, Tandoc & Salmon, 2019; Marconi, 2020; Sánchez-García et al., 2023), which cover a wide range of resources, from the use of algorithms to analyze consumption habits to the monitoring of trends on social networks, including the development of tools to identify misinformation (Ruffo & Semeraro, 2022; García-Marín, 2022) or the moderation of the comment sections. In contrast, more specifically journalistic uses are commonly related to automation and generative AI, that is, algorithmic processes that convert data into narrative texts and news with little or no human intervention, beyond the initial programming process (Carlson, 2015).

From the communicative perspective of the media, the use of AI can imply a redefinition of existing models, since these technologies can act as content-generating agents, not simply as intermediaries in human communication (Guzman & Lewis, 2020).

Thus, AI not only presents challenges derived from the adoption of a new technology in the continuous digital transformation of journalism, but also issues that affect its intrinsically human nature. Automated models raise new ontological paradigms in the relationship between human beings and technology (Primo & Zago, 2015; Lewis, Guzman & Schmidt, 2019).

In this context, the 3rd Doctoral Summer School of the Cibercom Network seeks to respond to the challenges posed by the adoption of artificial intelligence in cybermedia and digital communication, providing reflections on its impact and methodological tools for its study.

The Cibercom Network (Online Media and Digital Communication in an Information Ecosystem in Transformation) is a Network of Excellence recognized and financed by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (RED2022-134211-T) and made up of research groups focused on the study of cybermedia and digital communication.

The Cibercom Network aims to deepen the knowledge of the future of journalism on the Internet and its challenges, both academic, professional and social (Allan et al., 2021), through the collaboration of experts who work in the field. All of this in a context in which the narrative and professional potential offered by innovations such as transmedia stories, immersive journalism or the applications of artificial intelligence, coexist with social challenges derived from its expansion, such as misinformation or polarization.

The main objective of this Network is to consolidate the relationship and work between researchers working in the field of online journalism and digital communication in Spain.

Among its specific objectives, the Cibercom Network proposes:

• Coordinate the research activity of the groups and create opportunities for joint work.
• Promote the training of young researchers.
• Create spaces and opportunities for the social and professional transfer of research results.
• Promote the internationalization of participating groups and researchers.
• Contribute to media literacy and social debate on issues related to cybermedia and digital communication.

The member groups of the Cibercom Network are:

• Gureiker (University of the Basque Country)
• Digilab (Ramon Llull University)
• Digidoc (Pompeu Fabra University)
• MEDIO (University of Málaga)
• GICOV (Miguel Hernández University)
• Democracy Research Unit (University of Salamanca)
• Digital News Media (University of Navarra)
• Novos Medios (University of Santiago)
• Gabinete de Comunicación y Educación (Autonomous University of Barcelona)
• Grupo Crossmedia (UCM & CEU Cardenal Herrera).

Registration form

• https://forms.gle/LNgFfBiCC5BUGp2T9

Modalities

• All people registered in either of the two modalities (participation with presentation or attendance without presentation) may attend the plenary presentations and the workshop.
• In addition, participants who submit a presentation will be able to present their research in a mentoring session with two specialists in the field of communication research. To do this, they must send a summary of their research through this form. To carry out its evaluation, the selection committee will take into account its predoctoral nature, its fit with the proposed thematic lines and its scientific quality. The maximum number of accepted proposals is 50. The communication presentation sessions will be held in Spanish and English, grouped thematically. Once the doctoral summer school is finished, they will be able to publish a 1,000-word summary of their research in the proceedings of the 3rd Doctoral Summer School, published by the UPV/EHU.

​​​Registration

• Account number: 2095-0292-99-3239008576
• IBAN:  ES95  2095  0292  9932  3900  8576   
• BIC:  BASKES2BXXX
• Concept: DoctorialBilbao + Last name

To obtain an invoice for the deposit made, you must write a message to the address mariadelmar.gonzalez@ehu.eus with the following information::

• If it is in your own name, NIF number and postal address.
• If it is in the name of an institution, CIF and postal address of the institution.

​​​​Deadlines

• The deadline for sending presentation proposals ends on April 30.
• The deadline for payment of registration ends on June 7.

Scholarships

Up to 25 scholarships for the amount of tuition will be awarded to young researchers under 30 years of age. Applicants must indicate this circumstance in their application. The selection criteria will take into account the quality of the proposal and its affinity with the themes of the doctoral program.

Monday, June 10th 2024

Central Patio

15:30 Opening

Ana Irene del Valle Loroño – Dean of the School of Social and Communication Sciences
Simón Peña Fernández – Cibercom Network Coordinator

16:00 Lecture

Stuart Allan (Cardiff University)
Digital War Reporting and the AI Politics of Disinformation

17:00 Lecture

Homero Gil de Zúñiga (University of Salamanca)
Quantitative Methodology with AI in Communication: The Case of a Human-AI Social

18:00 Lecture

Bella Palomo Torres (University of Málaga)
Aplicación ética de la IA en investigación

19:00 End of the first day

Tuesday, June 11th 2024
 

9:30 Presentation sessions

• Classroom 1
• Classroom 2
• Classroom 4
• Classroom 5
• Classroom 7

11:30 Workshop (Classroom 2)

Jordi Morales i Gras (UPV/EHU)
IA y Análisis de Redes Sociales

11:30 Cibercom network meeting (Classroom 5)

13:30 Lunch

Central Patio

16:00 Lecture

Lluís Codina (Pompeu Fabra University)
Revisiones de la literatura

17:00 Lecture

Ainara Larrondo (UPV/EHU)
Principios básicos de la investigación en comunicación

18:00 Lecture

Ramón Salaverría (University of Navarra)
Cómo publicar en revistas de impacto al comienzo de la carrera investigadora

19:00 End of the second day and closing session

Organizing Committee

Gureiker Research Group

• Irati Agirreazkuenaga Onaindia 
• Maider Eizmendi Iraola 
• María Ganzabal Learreta 
• Ainara Larrondo Ureta 
• Terese Mendiguren Galdospin
• Koldobika Meso Ayerdi 
• Simon Peña Fernandez 
• Jesus Angel Pérez Dasilva 

Contact

• simon.pena@ehu.eus

Funding

• Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities
• Cibercom Network
• University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)