CONVENTION | February 6, 2025

Program

9:00 - 9:30 a.m. | Convention 2025 Welcome - Community Journalism

Michael Bolden will offer a comprehensive vision for the future of local news, essential for those invested in community well-being and journalism. He will highlight the opportunity to use challenges as catalysts for innovation, forging a future for local journalism that is more robust, inclusive, and deeply connected to the communities it serves.

Michael Bolden is CEO and executive director of the American Press Institute. Previously, Bolden was a managing editor at The San Francisco Chronicle. Earlier in his career, he was a journalism lecturer at Stanford University and managing director of the John S. Knight Foundation.

9:30 - 10:15 a.m. | Investigative Reporting

Marisa Kwiatkowski is director of journalism at the Knight Foundation. Before joining the organization in 2024, Kwiatkowski spent 20 years as a reporter, working for USA TODAY’s national investigative team and local outlets in Michigan, South Carolina and Indiana. Her work has spurred multiagency investigations, criminal charges, resignations and changes to federal law and state policy.

Kwiatkowski is best known for the investigative series she and her Indianapolis Star colleagues produced on USA Gymnastics and it’s handling of child sexual abuse allegations, including those against former team doctor Larry Nassar.

10:30-11:45 a.m. | Build More Meaningful Relationships With Your Community

In a world in which not everyone understands the value of local news, how can journalists make connections with potential readers? With potential sources? In this session, we’ll get inside the mindset of emerging audiences. We’ll look at how people get information in an increasingly complex media environment and how journalists can engage strategically with people they’re not already reaching.

Joy Mayer is the founder and director of Trusting News, a project that studies how people decide what news to trust and helps journalists and the public understand each other.

10:30-11:45 a.m. | What Advertisers Wish They Knew About Consumers

Join Bill Day from Magid as he shares the latest research from their AD.VANTAGE tracking study. Learn where consumers are planning to spend, what they want to hear from marketers, and how you can best deliver messages to key segments. You'll walk away with actionable intelligence you can use in your pitch tomorrow.

Bill Day is an experienced research and consulting executive with a successful record leading project team to improve sales and reduce expenses for Fortune 500 companies.

10:30-11:45 a.m. | A Year Later: Is AI Ready For The Newsroom?

Since last year’s INA Convention, billions of dollars have been spent making AI better. New models can now write better, understand more, and even demonstrate reasoning as it solves a complex multi-step problem. With all those billions burned up, can it finally do journalism?

Matt Waite is a professor of practice in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who teaches courses in data analysis and visualization.

10:30-11:45 a.m. | ICMA Entrepreneurial Journalism

Noon - 1:30 p.m. | Past Presidents' Luncheon & Annual Meeting

A CONVERSATION WITH TERRY BRANSTAD

The nation’s longest-serving governor, former U.S. ambassador, and ex-Iowa Newspaper Foundation board member, Terry E. Branstad chats with retired editor Brian Cooper. Ambassador Branstad will share his observations and insights, built upon his long career in public service, and where newspapers played a part along the way.

Before his retirement in 2019, Brian Cooper worked 37 years as an Iowa editor—four with The Ottumwa Courier and then 33 at the Dubuque Telegraph Herald. He has written more than half-dozen non-fiction books—sports biographies and corporate histories.

Amb. Terry Branstad holds the record as longest-serving governor in the history of the United States. He held the office of Governor of Iowa from 1983 until 1999, and then again from 2011 until 2017, when he was appointed U.S. Ambassador to China.

11:45-1:15 p.m. | ICMA Advisor's Lunch

1:45-2:45 p.m. | Make Sure Your Integrity Isn’t Invisible

Journalists don’t get credit for any decisions, policies or practices that the audience can’t see. So, how easy is it for *your* audience to understand your ethical principles? Your funding? How you work to be fair in your coverage? How seriously you take accuracy? How you cover topics like crime or politics? This session will walk through why and how journalists can be shining a light on their credibility and integrity.

Joy Mayer is the founder and director of Trusting News, a project that studies how people decide what news to trust and helps journalists and the public understand each other.

1:45-2:45 p.m. | You Tube and You

About a quarter of all adults say they get news from YouTube, not to mention recipes, reviews, and finding things to do in their communities. Join Bill Day from Magid as he shares the latest research and lessons from the field on engaging viewers and unlocking revenue from YouTube in 2025.

Bill Day is an experienced research and consulting executive with a successful record leading project team to improve sales and reduce expenses for Fortune 500 companies.

1:45-2:45 p.m. | Learn Data Journalism for Free

Ever had a big story happen in your community that you just knew you could have done more if you just knew a little data journalism? A new project from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Journalism and Mass Communications is going to give you everything you need to learn how to do local journalism with data, all in a box. Cost to you: Nothing. Free tools, free textbook, free data.

Matt Waite is a professor of practice in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who teaches courses in data analysis and visualization.

1:45-2:45 p.m. | ICMA Sports Media

2:45-3:30 p.m. | Ice Cream Social

3:30-4:30 p.m. | FOI Latest Happenings

3:30-4:30 p.m. | Sales ROI

3:30-4:30 p.m. | Thinking Differently About Recruiting and Retaining to the Industry

In today’s competitive job market, attracting and retaining top talent is crucial for organizational success. We will explore effective strategies to enhance your employee value proposition, emphasize your mission and purpose, optimize recruitment processes, and foster a culture where people want to work. We will discuss approaches to talent attraction and delve into retention techniques. Attendees will leave with actionable insights and tools to build a strong talent pipeline and cultivate a loyal workforce.

Kellie Gottner has over 20 years’ experience in PEO and Human Resources in various roles, Kellie joined Aureon HR/Merit Resources in 2002 then in 2013 to Iowa Network Services, which later rebranded to Aureon. Kellie most recently served as Chief People Officer for Aureon prior to joining the Connectify HR team.

3:30-4:30 p.m. | ICMA Young Professional Panel

5:00-6:00 p.m. | Awards Reception

6:00 p.m. | INA Awards Ceremony

5:00-7:00 p.m. | ICMA Keynote and Awards Ceremony

Registration

IOWA NEWSPAPER
ASSOCIATION REGISTRATION

Use code INVOICECONV for your newspaper to be invoiced

IOWA COLLEGE MEDIA
ASSOCIATION REGISTRATION

Use code INVOICEICMA for your school to be invoiced

Table Reservations

The deadline to reserve a table at our Convention Awards Ceremony is January 23, 2025.

*All tables reserved must have 10 people

*Tables come with 2 bottles of wine

*$175/table

To reserve a table, contact Erica at emichelsen@inanews.com.

Hotel Reservations

The deadline to reserve your hotel room at the Marriott Hotel and receive the INA's discount rate of $124 is January 23, 2025. To make reservations visit Marriott Reservations