Note: This is the initial plan; please watch the MPA Newsletter for updates.
8:45 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. | Annual Business Meeting
9:45 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Changing Coverage of Courts and Cops Roundtable: A shift in philosophy in how news organizations cover crime, cops and courts has become even more pronounced during the pandemic. As part of the Maine Press Association conference programming we will examine the changing role of journalism in crime, cops and court reporting. This round table discussion will be led by Dan Dinsmore of the Bangor Daily News. Participants are encouraged to share their own company policies and how they have changed over the last several years.
Launching your Sponsored Content Initiative: Advertorial. Branded Content. Sponsored Content. Content Marketing. What’s the difference? Maybe not so much – it’s all using storytelling to create a positive association with a brand. But “how can we make it happen in a successful way?” is often the question. In recent years, Masthead Maine has been using learnings from the national Branded Content Project and leveraging their platforms to help advertisers achieve success. We’ll explore what branded content is and how powerful it can be, see various examples of campaigns and how they evolved over time. We’ll also share some nuts and bolts about selling, executing, pricing, and fulfilling campaigns.
10:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Reporter Roundtable- Please join the Maine Press Association for a roundtable discussion on the news industry in Maine and how reporting has changed during the pandemic. Join other reporters and editors from around the state as we share ideas and best practices, compare notes on working remotely, and enjoy a general discussion about our craft and profession.
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. | Hall of Fame Induction Luncheon
Honoring the 2022 inductees, Earl Brechlin and Chris & Paula Roberts; and 2021 inductees Dorothy “Dot” Roderick, Dieter Bradbury and Judy Meyer.
2:15 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Protecting Reporters in the Field: Violence against journalists is on the rise around the world, and we’re not immune in New England. In April and May, two New Hampshire Public Radio journalists and their families were threatened and harassed. In both cases, bricks were thrown at their homes, breaking windows and causing other damage. The attacks are believed to be retaliation for stories they had been reporting. In July, a Sun Journal reporter was attacked on the street while conducting interviews several blocks from the newspaper’s office. Five teens threw punches and tossed a loaded trash can at the reporter because they didn’t want him talking to neighbors. This rising violence against journalists has been studied by a number of agencies in recent years, and last year the United Nations made a number of recommendations to protect global media freedom and the safety of journalists, including digital safety. Even if you haven’t personally been the target of aggression, it’s very real in the work that we do and seems to be on the rise in our communities. Learn some basic safety measures you can take to protect yourself and become more aware of your surroundings in the field.
Circulation Round Table: Circulation is key to the success of our print and digital publications. Join fellow circulation professionals as they discuss their successes and failures. Topics will include current industry paywall trends, starting and managing a Newspapers in Education program, and more.
Advertising Manager Meet-and-Greet: Join the discussion with your fellow advertising managers as we discuss buying trends, what has and has NOT worked in our home markets, and how we make our publications stand out in a very competitive advertising market.
3:15 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Keynote Speaker: In this year’s keynote address, we will hear from Steve Waldman, the President and Co-Founder of Report for America, on the work that’s been done by this relatively new service-based nonprofit to invest in local journalism across the country, especially in rural areas like Maine. Join us as Steve discusses the strategy behind Report for America, the importance of protecting independent local reporting, the organization’s efforts to address news deserts and the different funding models that have been created to support journalism across the country. Steve will also speak of his work as Founder and Chair of the Rebuild Local News Coalition, an organization that focuses on public policies that will strengthen communities by creating a more robust, more inclusive local news system.
5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. | Annual Scholarship Auction & Reception
Join MPA members and guests for the Annual Scholarship Auction & Reception, featuring Auctioneer Extraordinaire Aimsel Ponti. All proceeds from the auction benefit the MPA Scholarship Fund, which is integral to our mission of encouraging more young journalists to join the profession. Your generous participation in last year’s scholarship auction resulted in the distribution of $2,500 of scholarships to Maine students earlier this year.
6:30 p.m. | Awards Dinner & Banquet
Master of (All) Ceremonies Greg Rec is sure to have the bad-joke jar ready to go as we meet in person, for the first time since 2019, to celebrate the winners in the 2022 Better Newspaper Contest and individual awards.
Post-Awards to 11:00 p.m. | Nightcap
Bar Harbor may be closed up for the night, but you can continue the celebration with your MPA comrades and friends without leaving the hotel. Cash Bar.
To register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/maine-press-association-2022-conference-programs-tickets-411308925067