Ji-eun Choi, a graduate student in the Master's program of the Department of Journalism and Broadcasting, won the Best Award in the research proposal pitching session at the recently held 2022 Korean Society for Journalism and Communication Studies Spring Annual Conference.

At the conference, held under the theme "Looking In (insight) and Looking Out (outsight): Imagination for a Turn in Theory, Practice, and Communication," Choi presented a research proposal titled "Analysis of the Diffusion Network Between Cyber-rekka and Media Organizations: Focusing on YouTube."

"Cyber-rekka" is a neologism referring to individuals who, like a tow truck ("rekka"), quickly assemble various issues and controversies and upload videos to online platforms such as YouTube.

The study examines the agenda-setting effects of the network between cyber-rekka content and established media outlets. It attracted attention for its timeliness and originality.

Meanwhile, since 2019 the Korean Society for Journalism and Communication Studies has supported the research of the next generation of scholars by providing a research proposal pitching session for early-career researchers and graduate students. The session offers a venue for mentoring by senior researchers.