Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to NYPA we go

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I and four others staffers (Amanda, Elizabeth, Taylor and Veronica) are off to the New York Press Association’s Spring Convention later this afternoon.

I’ve been attending this annual convention off and on for over 30 years.  I can recall the first year that Glenn Pontier, Dave Hulse and I attended.  We got up early and drove to Albany, collected a few awards and drove home in the evening.

One year, the whole of The River Reporter staff attended and took “Best in Show” in the Better Newspaper Content for both our advertising and editorial work.

The convention is two full days of workshops, trade shows and the opportunity to connect with a community of newspaper professionals.  (Not surprising, there are many publishers that have the same long-time tenure as myself.)

Same with the workshops.  There’s the usual sessions on copyright laws, libel and the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL). 

New this year are workshops on podcasts, selling against Facebook and other social media, and How Print will Survive a Post Social Media world.  (I love the idea that we will enter a post-social media time, as today Facebook and Instagram are taking over people’s personal lives. Those who got into virtual reality early will remember My Space and understand that even Facebook might find itself in disruption.)

I’m exciting for our new staff members who will be immersing themselves in all things newspaper this weekend. And I am hopeful that, as in the past, we will be recognized within the industry as a newspaper of merit.

It is an industry that while in disruption serves a great purpose in the community.  Newspapers give a community a sense of place, newspapers highlight the community’s strengths, and point to places where our systems and our infrastructure need improvement. It connects people with the information they need from a source that they can trust.

It is neighbors communicating with neighbors across ideological divides.

I am happy to find myself immersed with others who do this in their communities.  Together we will learn and we’ll be sure to come home and tell you about it.

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