15 Fantastic SXSW Sessions on March 12

The Forrest Four-Cast: March 12, 2017

Don’t forget to set you clocks ahead one hour on Sunday, March 12. Also don’t forget that the SXSW Trade Show opens today at the Austin Convention Center at 10:00 am. If you missed top speakers on Friday and Saturday, watch them via the SXSW YouTube Channel. As for the best of the best on March 12, these sessions and events top today’s list:

1. Accelerator Pitch: Payment & FinTech Technologies. See top startups from across the US and around the world on the second day of SXSW Accelerator. The Payment & FinTech category happens at 11:00 am in Salon AB at Downtown Hilton Austin.
2. Civil Discourse in the Age of a Twitterer-In-Chief. The 2016 presidential election disrupted cultural and political norms. What does this disruption mean for vibrant and civil discourse? How can citizens get past the noise and politics of personality to engage in meaningful debate? Scheduled at 11:00 am in Salon G at Downtown Hilton Austin.
3. Covering POTUS: A Conversation with the Failing NYT. New York Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet and Media Columnist Jim Rutenberg will discuss how journalism and in particular, their news organization, is rising to the challenge of news gathering in a post-truth era. Scheduled at 9:30 am in Ballroom D at the Austin Convention Center.
4. Drone Racing: Beating the Hype to Build the Sport of the Future. How can a cool new sport live up to all the buzz that it has created? In this session, Drone Racing League founder and CEO Nick Horbaczewski discusses the impact of sky-high expectations and creating tech, media and experiences to surpass them. Scheduled for 12:30 in Ballroom AB at the Four Seasons.
5. The Future of Policing. Over the last four years, policing in our communities has come to the forefront of national discourse. Join an intriguing conversation with elected leaders and police chiefs as they discuss their experience trying to create better law enforcement. Scheduled for 3:30 pm in Salon H at Downtown Hilton Austin.
6. Good Night & Good Luck: Media in Election Years. In this session, hear from top journalism companies about breaking the biggest stories, the greatest reporting challenges during the 2016 election and what the media does now — facing their very own Ed Murrow moment — to move forward in a hostile media age. Scheduled for 3:30 pm in Texas Ballroom 5–7 at Hyatt Regency.
7. How the Gig Economy Impacts the Future of Work. How does the independent work model impact public policy, and how do we see this evolving in the years to come? Scheduled for 12:30 pm in Salon F at Downtown Hilton Austin.
8. Immigration Reform in a Trump Era Meet Up. Come talk with two Congressional leaders who are just as concerned as you, share your feelings, and maybe even come up with ideas on how to work together for proactive solutions. Scheduled for 11:00 am in Room 211–212 at the JW Marriott.
9. Life After Gawker. In this lively session, Jeff Goodby, Goodby Silverstein & Partners Co-Chairman, will interview Gawker’s Denton, focusing on the issue of our first amendment rights in the Internet era, a grave concern to SXSW attendees. In this lively discussion, Goodby and Denton will discuss the future of news delivery, freedom of the press online, and the shadow forces that are working to undermine this constitutional right. Scheduled for 11:00 am in Ballroom D at Austin Convention Center.
10. Mark Cuban & Tech Execs: Is Govt Disrupting Disruption? The Shark Tank star discusses how he has worked both with and against government regulation in achieving successful disruption. Scheduled for 5:00 pm in Ballroom D at Austin Convention Center.
11. Pitch Right: Get a Tech Journalist to Notice You. In this session, Mike Butcher, a journalist, and Anna Rose, a start-up founder, will explore how companies can get the attention of tech journalists and how journalists can avoid getting caught up in the hype. Scheduled for 11:00 am in Texas Ballroom 5–7 at Hyatt Regency.
12. SXSW Create. The final day to find your inner child via top new tech gadgetry. Located at the Palmer Events Center.
13. SXSW Job Market. The final day to find your new career via top tech employers. Located on the first floor of the Austin Convention Center.
14. SXSW Mentor Sessions. Want to meet 1-on-1 with a top industry expert? Walkup slots still available for Sunday, March 12.
15. Trolls: Lessons from Online Anti-Semitism’s Rise. Join Julia Ioffe and Rabbi Mordechai Lightstone (pictured above) in a frank discussion on this trend, its cause, how we can hope to address it, and the universal message of transcending hate for people of all backgrounds. Scheduled for 12:30 pm in Texas Ballroom 5–7 at Hyatt Regency.

It’s not too late to register for SXSW 2017! Take part in all this great content and all the great networking opportunities by buying your badge now. Also, remember that this year’s event, more tech-focused content extends through Wednesday, March 15 and Thursday, March 16.

Hugh Forrest tries to write four paragraphs per day on Medium. These posts generally cover technology-related trends. When not attempting to wordsmith or meditating, he serves as Chief Programming Officer at SXSW in Austin.