Convention

Contest

The annual Better Newspaper Contests foster excellence through competition among like-sized newspapers. Member newspaper submit thousands of entries in news, writing, advertising and digital categories. Judging is performed by other state newspaper associations, with winners announced during the annual convention. Points awarded to the winners of select categories are used to determine the newspaper awarded the coveted title of Newspaper of the Year.

ENTRY INFORMATION

2020 CONTEST RESULTS

Program

WEDNESDAY

5:30-7:30 p.m. Legislative Reception

THURSDAY

11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Student/Professional Networking Luncheon

1:30 - 1:45 p.m. Networking Break

1:45 - 2:45 p.m. CONCURRENT SESSIONS

True Colors & Communication Drive Employee Engagement

Linda Ramey-Greiwe, LRG Consulting

The session will use True Colors® personality profiling to understand people’s communication and temperament. Improving communication within the newspaper organizations will increase employee engagement. Each attendee will take the True Colors® assessment for themselves with the help of a small workbook. The session will cover the four True Color personality profiles with specific focus on understanding the personality profiles to create more customized communication.

Collaboration Among Newspapers

Sumi Aggarwal, Reveal (Center for Investigative Reporting)

News organizations are a vital part of American democracy and investigative reporting shines a light where it's needed. But investigative projects can be complex, resource-intensive with uncertain findings. Collaborations across outlets can be the solution.

Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting has a long history of collaboration and in the last year, we’ve formalized this commitment by creating the Local Labs initiative. This initiative aims to help create and support lasting investigative reporting collaborations in communities across the United States. We work with local partners to leverage their assets to undertake investigative projects, deepen their reporting and find answers to their communities’ most vexing questions.

In this session, we’ll talk about collaborations and highlight the Local Labs to date (in New Orleans, San Jose and New Jersey) and the in-depth reporting that has resulted. We’ll also discuss lessons learned and tactical tools that participants can use to launch investigative collaborations in their own communities.

Media Tours - ICMA

2:45 - 3:15 p.m. Networking Break

3:15 - 4:15 p.m. CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Coach to Engage Millennials

Linda Ramey-Greiwe, LRG Consulting

The session will explain who Millennials and Generation Z are and how communication and coaching drive their engagement and impact in the workplace. We will use the personality profile insights gained in the first session to customize how to deliver feedback, which is a critical component of coaching – which these employees expect. Attendees will learn the value of clarity in communications. Finally, we will share how the focus on communication and coaching will help their organizations become employers of choice.

Speed Round Robin

Young Professionals in Media & Communication

4:15 - 4:30 p.m. Networking Break

4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Annual Meetings & Publishers’ Session

4:30 - 5:30 p.m. ICMA Keynote Address: "45 Years in Iowa Radio"

Van Harden, WHO Radio

Van Harden, a native of Adel, attended Drake University in Des Moines where he received a B.A. in Radio TV journalism in 1973. After working KDLS in Perry, KWEN in Tulsa, Okla., and KRNT in Des Moines, Harden began work at WHO-AM radio in 1986, becoming program director in 1987. Under Harden’s leadership, WHO Radio has won 13 national Marconi awards from the National Association of Broadcasters, five of which were awarded to him personally as medium-market personality. Harden recently retired from his position as program director, but still enjoys being on the radio's morning show and having a job that let him enjoy his passion every day. Last June, Harden and his co-host, Bonnie Lucas, were named to the Iowa Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Convention Reception

6:00 - 7:30 p.m. ICMA Awards Ceremony

8:30 - 10:30 p.m. INA Presidential Celebration

9:30 p.m. First Amendment Trivia Night - ICMA

FRIDAY

8:00 a.m. Registration and Trade Show Open

9:00 - 10:10 p.m. Kick-Off Address: “Don't Shoot Skinny Rabbits”

Deadra Stanton, Creative Communications

Before we can grow professionally, we need to learn to survive personally. As the pace of change quickens every day, we sometimes end up chasing too many skinny rabbits. When we do this we lose our energy and our focus on what's really important. Be open to new ideas, a revitalized sense of self, and letting go of the stress that causes you to chase SKINNY RABBITS!

10:10 - 10:30 a.m. Refreshments in Trade Show

10:30 - 11:45 a.m. CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Public Affairs Coverage Timely & Relevant

Don’t Be an Average Joe/Josephine

Kelly Wirges, ProMax Training & Consulting

This session tells the story of the difference between an average and top performer. It describes their day-to-day actions, interactions with clients and prospects, as well as their strategies and execution of their plans. Most importantly, this session underscores the outcomes and commissions produced by top performers and how to easily incorporate their successful techniques to ensure you don’t fall into the “average Joe” trap.

16 Digital Trends in 60 Minutes

Adobe Editing Tips - ICMA

Creating the Perfect Podcast for Your Audiences – ICMA

11:45 a.m. - 12 p.m. Networking Break

12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Past Presidents Awards Luncheon

1:30 - 1:45 p.m. Networking Break

1:45 - 2:45 p.m. CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Finding Time for Editorial Projects

Jim Pumarlo, Newsroom Strategies

Most newsrooms find it a full-time job just to keep up with day-to-day and week-to-week activities. That should not deter you from pursuing special projects – enterprise reports that are a win-win proposition for your newspaper and your community. This session will expand the definition of special reports and identify ways to pursue these projects within your regular reporting.

Addressing Objections is as Easy as 1-2-3

Instagram Tips for Storytelling

Tyson Bird, Texas Highways Magazine

In this hands-on session, we’ll go beyond posting photos on Instagram to help you develop strategies for engaging your audience and telling stories on the visual platform. Be prepared for lots of examples of Instagram content from newspapers of many sizes and hands-on demonstrations of how you can be a part of it. Please bring a cell phone with an Instagram account so you can follow along.

Behind The Storytelling of “Saving Brinton” - ICMA

Andrew Sherburne, Northland Films

Andrew Sherburne, codirector of the award-winning documentary, “Saving Brinton” will share his experiences from the project. He will discuss the breadth of the filmmaking process, from discovering the story, developing the script, filming an observational documentary, editing the film, and distribution including festivals, theatrical, and public broadcast. In this deep dive session, hear about all that goes into making an award-winning documentary.

Nonprofit News - ICMA

2:45 - 3:30 p.m. Networking Break

3:30 - 4:30 p.m. CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Suds & Sodas Roundtables

Creating Campaigns That Sell

Photography: Adding Value to Your Paper

Brendan Hoffman, International Photographer

With more than a decade of experience photographing for major international publications around the world, Brendan Hoffman recently returned to the United States to spend several months working at the Daily Freeman-Journal in Webster City, Iowa. Applying the principles of social practice art, Hoffman used his role at the paper to promote visual literacy and storytelling, dialogue about journalistic practice and representation, and advocate for the importance of local media. In this session, he reports back on his experience and the lessons for other small newspapers.

First Amendment Weeks - ICMA

Brian Steffen, Simpson College & Julie Roosa, Iowa State University

The First Amendment isn’t just for journalists but for everyone. Yet polls show most Americans area remarkably uninformed and lacking understanding about the five freedoms protected in the amendment. Two veteran Iowa instructors and advisers talk about how they’ve programmed week-long celebrations of the First Amendment and expanded the conversation from the newsroom to the campus.

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

6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Awards Banquet

Speakers

Sponsorships & Vendor Opportunities

Networking with current customers and prospective customers can be priceless. The annual INA Convention and Trade Show provides the perfect opportunity to mix and mingle with your target customers. Throughout the event, valuable networking opportunities will be provided so that you have time to talk directly with potential customers.

The Iowa Newspaper Association Convention and Trade Show is the largest state press association convention in the nation. Approximately 700 of Iowa’s newspaper professionals come together each year to network with other INA members, vendors and sponsors in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.

LEARN MORE

2019 EXHIBITORS

Convention

Contest

Program

1:30 - 1:45 p.m. Networking Break

1:45 - 2:45 p.m. CONCURRENT SESSIONS

2:45 - 3:15 p.m. Networking Break

3:15 - 4:15 p.m. CONCURRENT SESSIONS

4:15 - 4:30 p.m. Networking Break

6:00 - 7:30 p.m. ICMA Awards Ceremony

8:30 - 10:30 p.m. INA Presidential Celebration

8:00 a.m. Registration and Trade Show Open

10:10 - 10:30 a.m. Refreshments in Trade Show

10:30 - 11:45 a.m. CONCURRENT SESSIONS

11:45 a.m. - 12 p.m. Networking Break

1:30 - 1:45 p.m. Networking Break

1:45 - 2:45 p.m. CONCURRENT SESSIONS

3:30 - 4:30 p.m. CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Speakers

Sumi Aggarwal

Tyson Bird

Brendan Hoffman

Joe LeValley

Jim Pimarlo

Linda Ramey-Greiwe

Deadra Stanton

Kelly Wirges

Sponsorships & Vendor Opportunities