The APSE West Region meeting is set for Nov. 8 in Reno.
The sessions we've planned are both forward-looking (what's the future of mobile and where do we come in?) and heavy on takeaways (simple FOI requests your section should regularly be making of its public institution).
APSE has reserved a block of hotel rooms at downtown Reno's finest hotel-casino (ElDorado) at a great rate. We've also planned a Sunday night event at the hotel-casino sportsbook that's included in the cost of your session fee.
Please e-mail me if you're planning to make the trip. Or RSVP here.
Meeting agenda/details
9-10 a.m.
Best of the West
We start the day off right with a look at segments/weekly pieces that get your audience fired up. What do readers rave about each week? We take a look at the best of the West, including fall football PDFs.
Presenter: Lauren Gustus, RGJ
10:15-11:30 a.m.
Preps for the Web, and beyond
Are local high school sports fans participating in your high school sports conversation? This session will cover tools any sports section can use – including widgets, Twitter and live chats – to make your site the first stop for high school sports fans on big nights.
Presenter: Danielle White, SL Trib
11:45 a.m. -1 p.m., lunch
State of the Union
A new study finds that many news executives sense change for the better in their newsroom cultures today. Nevertheless, fewer than half of those executives surveyed by the Pew Center this spring said they are confident their operations will survive another 10 years without significant new sources of revenue. We explore the future of news with a Gannett publisher and editor and faculty from the University of Nevada Reynolds School of Journalism.
1:15-2:15 p.m.
Watchdog journalism in your section
This session will explain how to pursue watchdog journalism in sports. We’ll also offer a few quick and easy FOI requests that each sports department that covers a public institution should make annually. We’ll offer the the paper's award-winning Watchdog Editor in this session.
2:30 p.m.-3:15 p.m.
Effective blogging on college/pro beats
Blogging has become an essential job requirement for most sports journalists. Learn effective blogging tips, including how to build an audience using advanced social media and SEO techniques.
Presenters: Chris Murray, RGJ Pack beat writer/James Ku, RGJ Web Editor
3:30-4:30 p.m.
Going mobile
Mobile devices are the next medium for our audience, and many of our readers are already using their smartphones for sports news and scores. We’ll discuss how we reached mobile so quickly and, more importantly, where we should be headed in the coming months and years. We’ll also provide helpful mobile tools that any sports editor can begin using today.
Presenters: Mark Faller, Arizona Republic Sports Editor and Todd Kelly, AZ Central online sports manager
Next steps
The session cost is $20 and includes Monday lunch and Sunday sportsbook function at ElDorado Hotel & Casino, payable upon arrival in Reno.
1. E-mail lgustus@rgj.com to confirm you’re on your way.
2. Reserve your hotel room
Cost is $39.99 for a deluxe single at ElDorado, which is 1 mile from RGJ offices.
The group code is HAPSE10 and the reservations telephone number is 800-648-4597. Group rate is available as of Sept. 28.
