By John Bednarowski
APSE President
The 46th Annual APSE Summer Convention, being held June 16-19, is approaching, and so is the deadline for reserving your room at the Omni Hotel and Resort at CNN Center. To get the convention rate of $175 a night, you must get your reservation in by May 24.
The program includes the keynote lunch featuring the first family of Georgia football — Vince and Barbara Dooley, a reception at the College Football Hall of Fame, a trip to SunTrust Park and the Battery Atlanta to see the Braves take on the Mets and a tour of Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
We will present Sandy Rosenbush with the highest award in sports journalism at the annual Red Smith Award luncheon.
And finally, we will recognize the best sports journalism of the year at our annual awards banquet, where we will usher in the Todd Adams era of APSE as he takes over as our new president.
In between it all, we will all learn how to do our jobs better.
It’s all there for the taking, and only a few weeks away.
Here’s the link to register: https://apsportseditors.com/%EF%BB%BFconference-registration-hotel-reservations-now-open-for-apse-summer-conference/
APSE Atlanta schedule
Sunday, June 16
11 a.m.-5 p.m.
REGISTRATION
Location: Sycamore Room
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE/GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
4 p.m.
Location: International Ballroom F
Presiding: APSE president John Bednarowski
OPENING RECEPTION
6 p.m.-8 p.m.
Location: Atrium Terrace
Monday, June 17
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
REGISTRATION
Location: Sycamore Room
8 a.m.-9:30 a.m.
COFFEE AND PASTRY STATION
Location: International Ballroom F Lobby
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
MALL OF IDEAS (vendors):
Location: International Ballroom F Lobby
GENERAL SESSION
NEWSROOM DIVERSITY: WHAT CAN BE DONE?
9 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
Location: International Ballroom F
Newspapers and websites have received poor grades when it comes to racial and gender hiring practices. How did we get here and how might we bolster the number of journalists of color and women to better reflect our communities? How can hiring managers work better with the professional organizations, including NABJ and AWSM?
Moderator: Lisa Wilson, APSE second vice president
Panel: A. Sherrod Blakely, president of NABJ Sports Task Force; Carron Phillips, The Shadow League and former APSE Diversity Fellow; Dave Ammenheuser, Sports Director / USA TODAY Network; Iliana Limón Romero, Orlando Sentinel and Vicki Michaelis, the John Huland Carmical Chair in Sports Journalism & Society, University of Georgia.
WORKSHOP
HARNESSING THE POWER OF DATA
10:45 a.m.-Noon
3:45 p.m.-5 p.m.
Location: Cypress Room
How can you get creative and use the power of data to tackle the stories that go beyond the day-to-day games, injuries and coaching changes.
Moderator: MaryJo Webster, Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
WORKSHOP
FAST AND EASY WAYS TO GENERATE CONTENT ON SLOW NEWS DAYS
10:45 a.m.-Noon
3:45 p.m.-5 p.m.
Location: Magnolia Room
Having a slow news day? Short on content for your website and/or print product? Don’t have a lot of manpower available? We’ll look at some fast and simple ways to generate content.
Moderator: Todd Adams, APSE first vice president
Panel: Phil Kaplan, Sports Editor, Knoxville News Sentinel
WORKSHOP
HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT: HOW TO CONNECT WITH A YOUNG, DIVERSE AND DIGITALLY-SAVVY SOCCER AUDIENCE
10:45 a.m.-Noon
3:45 p.m.-5 p.m.
Location: Juniper Room
Learn from editors in MLS markets who have proven strategies and tactics on how to reach soccer fans.
Moderator: Iliana Limón Romero, Orlando Sentinel Sports Editor
Panel: Doug Roberson, Atlanta Journal Constitution soccer writer, and Greg Lalas, editor-in-chief of MLSsoccer.com.
KEYNOTE LUNCHEON
12:15 p.m.-1:45 p.m.
Location: International Ballroom F
Guest Speakers: Vince and Barbara Dooley
Moderator: Tony Barnhart
GENERAL SESSION
SOURCING: BEST PRACTICES
2 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Location: International Ballroom
A panel discussion about source development, using and vetting sources in this digital age that puts an emphasis on being first and the role news judgment plays in balance and accuracy.
Moderator: Oscar Dixon, Associated Press
Panel: Grant Hill, former NBA All-Star and Hawks minority owner; Greg McGarity, University of Georgia athletic director; Beth Marshall, Atlanta Braves director of communications, and Daniel Meacham, Atlanta attorney.
GENERAL SESSION
A CONVERSATION WITH AP
5:15 p.m.-6 p.m.
Location: International Ballroom
Learn what changes have been made and are being planned at The Associated Press when it comes to sports betting, earlier newspaper print deadlines and your other content demands. Come chat with Michael Giarrusso, AP’s global sports editor; Barry Bedlan, sports products director; Howie Rumberg, deputy sports editor; and Oscar Dixon, regional sports editor for the South.
Moderator: Dan Spears, APSE third vice president
COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME RECEPTION
Time: 6-8 p.m.
Location: College Football Hall of Fame
HOSPITALITY
10 p.m.-midnight
Location: International Ballroom F
Tuesday, June 18
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
REGISTRATION
Location: Sycamore Room
8 a.m.-9:30 a.m.
COFFEE AND PASTRY STATION
Location: International Ballroom F Lobby
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
MALL OF IDEAS (vendors):
Location: International Ballroom F Lobby
GENERAL SESSION
THE BLURRING LINE
9 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
Location: International Ballroom F
The media’s place in today’s society has become increasingly fuzzy.
Let’s examine our place in today’s rapidly evolving media landscape. From the Times Picayune’s A1 headline the day after the Super Bowl that gained national attention to Bradley University’s decision to yank a Peoria Journal Star reporter’s credential because the university didn’t like his coverage of the Braves’ athletic program. Let’s also visit our relationship with the organizations we cover: Some of our colleagues accept priceless gifts from organizations that they cover; some of our colleagues are tasked with covering teams that also own their media companies. How does all of this impact us as we strive to attract a larger audience?
Moderator: Dave Ammenheuser, USA Today Sports
Panel: Izzy Gould, a leader at Advance Local Southeast; Matt Pepin, Boston Globe sports editor, and Christine Brennan, USA TODAY sports columnist and commentator for ABC News, PBS NewsHour and National Public Radio.
WORKSHOP
GOOGLE FLOURISH AND MAPPING EXERCISES
10:45 a.m.- Noon
Location: Cypress Room
We’ll use Flourish’s innovative chart tool to create interactive graphics and animated “horse race” charts of football, soccer, and other sports data. We’ll share practical examples of how you can use basic data sets to tell complex stories. We’ll show you how to use Google MyMaps to map college football bowl games, marathons, recruits, and other stories. This is a hands-on session so bring your laptop and be logged in on your Gmail on mymaps.google.com
Moderator: Mike Riley, Google
WORKSHOP
UNDERSTANDING INTERNAL ANALYTICS and METRICS
10:45 a.m.- Noon
2 p.m.- 3:15 p.m.
Location: Juniper Room
Learning about the most-important currency in today’s journalism world. Every number has meaning. But it takes many numbers to tell a story. An overview of the numbers we look at daily, weekly, monthly, yearly — and why. Why clues are hidden in them? Why do we use the numbers we do in our goals. What are the goals and why do they matter? What is engagement, loyalty? What is the funnel to becoming a digital subscriber? What are these terms we use and what about target audience? An introduction into data analysis and what’s behind it.
Moderator: JJ Hensley, The Tennessean
WORKSHOP
HOW TO WRITE THE BOOK
10:45 a.m.- Noon
2 p.m.- 3:15 p.m.
Location: Magnolia Room
Many people want to write a book during their careers but don’t know who to do it. Here you will learn the process of getting the idea, putting it on paper and getting it to the publisher. In addition we’ll hear about the highs and lows along the way from doing the reporting to the rewriting to the editing and onto the shelves.
Moderator: Mike Harris, The Athletic
Panel: Kent Babb, The Washington Post and Bob Ryan, sports columnist for The Boston Globe and a former Red Smith Award winner.
RED SMITH AWARD LUNCHEON
12:15 p.m.-1:45 p.m.
Location: International Ballroom F
Honoree: Sandy Rosenbush, ESPN
Presenter: Leon Carter, ESPN
Sponsor: USA TODAY Network
WORKSHOP
GOOGLE EARTH PRO/MAPPING
2 p.m.- 3:15 p.m.
Location: Cypress Room
We’ll mine before/after photos on stadium and arena construction, and how it impacts an area physically over time with Google Earth Engine Timelapse. We’ll create a video tour of stadiums and show you how to record zoom-ins on various sports venues, all of which are social-media friendly. For those that don’t have drone access, it also serves as an inexpensive way to provide drone-like video footage. Folks are encouraged to bring potential projects to discuss before or after the class.
Moderator: Mike Riley, Google
GENERAL SESSION
Newsmakers
Showtime sponsored content
3:30 p.m.- 4:45 p.m.
Location: International Ballroom F
TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME
Atlanta Braves vs. New York Mets at SunTrust Park
Time: 7:20 p.m.
Transportation: Bus departs from hotel at 5 p.m.
HOSPITALITY
10 p.m.-midnight
Location: International Ballroom F
Sponsor:
Wednesday, June 19
8 a.m.-noon
REGISTRATION
Location: Sycamore Room
8 a.m.-9:30 a.m.
COFFEE AND PASTRY STATION
Location: International Ballroom F Lobby
Sponsor:
8 a.m.-noon
MALL OF IDEAS (vendors):
Location: International Ballroom F Lobby
REGION CAUCUSES
8 a.m.-8:50 a.m.
Locations: TBD
GENERAL SESSION
THE URBAN MEYER SCOOP
9 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
Location: International Ballroom F
Former ESPN reporter Brett McMurphy broke one of the biggest stories of the year — Urban Meyer, Ohio State and domestic violence — while unemployed and on Facebook.
How and why did he do it?
Moderator: Tommy Deas
Panelist: Brett McMurphy.
CLOSING EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
11 a.m.
Location: International Ballroom F
Presiding: Todd Adams, incoming APSE president
STADIUM TOUR
Tour of Mercedes-Benz Stadium presented by the Arthur Blank Foundation.
Time: 1 p.m.
Transportation: Walk to stadium
AWARDS BANQUET
6 p.m.
RECEPTION
Location: Pre-Function Lobby and International Ballroom F
7 p.m
DINNER
Location: International Ballroom F
10 p.m
CLOSING RECEPTION
Location: Pre-Function Lobby and International Ballroom F
