HALF-DAY

PASSES ADDED

Delta Hotels

Denver/Thornton

Aug. 22-24, 2024

10 E 120th Ave

Northglenn, CO 80233

HOTEL

• Attached to conference center
• Affordable rates: $129 per night (conference rate)
• Free parking (for guests and convention attendees)
  
• Amenities: Fitness center, indoor pool, hot tub, free wifi
  

REDEFINING PRESS CONVENTIONS

Not just a single state. Not just one medium. Not just press. Not passive.

Colorado has earned a reputation as one of the nation's most collaborative and innovative news ecosystems. The Colorado Press Association’s annual convention has increasingly drawn news leaders from across the country and across different media—to the point that other groups have used this gathering to make it the must-attend media event for the state and region. For 2024, we’ve even added a public event and rebranded the three days to reflect that broader scope. Local News Solutions 2024 brings together news leaders with community and philanthropic leaders to explore how we can continue building resilient businesses that serve our entire communities. In 2023, over 350 attendees participated over the course of three days. This year, we expect 250-300 newsroom leaders, 50-75 community and philanthropic leaders and 800 members of the public (for Dan Harris).

AN EVENING WITH DAN HARRIS

10% Happier at Work and in the Community

Dan Harris on Taming the Chaos, Cultivating Empathy, and ​Practicing Self-Care While Remaining Effective

Join us for an exclusive evening with Dan Harris, former ABC News anchor ​and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, 10% Happier. This public ​event will feature a talk, Q&A session, and book signing.

BECOME A

SPONSOR

NEW INTERACTIVE, HIGH-ENERGY FORMAT

Tired of the same old conference routine?

You know the attendee drill: forced to choose between multiple enticing-sounding sessions, sitting passively through long presentations, and ending the day feeling tired and overwhelmed. The value can be hit or miss, and the constant distraction and FOMO are utterly draining.

Our solution: Facilitated and repeating Solution Roundtables followed by Workshops

We’re shaking up the traditional session setup with dynamic, interactive Solution Roundtable blocks. Friday morning, Friday afternoon, and Saturday morning will feature these 110-minute blocks. Each block, held in one big ballroom for maximum energy, exposure and shared learning, comprises roughly 12 different roundtables where hosts will lead 25-minute sessions on various topics. Each roundtable session repeats three times within the block, with facilitated introductions at the start and share-outs between sessions. This means you’ll have you’ll have three opportunities to catch most sessions, and you’ll be able to engage and interact more directly. Goodbye, FOMO (and maybe the distraction of multitasking while you wait for the presenter to get to the good part).

What’s more, you’ll be able to hear from a combination of national presenters, your peers, and sponsors with targeted solutions. Do you have expertise you want to share? We’re saving a few tables for late additions. (Email ceo@colopress.net to volunteer to be a table host.)

Hosts will receive guides on how to run an effective roundtable. We’re encouraging short presentations, focused on salient points and action items, along with checklists and other handouts. Where appropriate, the bulk of the short session may be discussion-based. You may be able to bring material (media kit, article, open records request, etc.) for feedback. We’ll send you the list of tables ahead of time so you can prepare.

Following each roundtable block is a one-hour workshop session, allowing for deeper dives into select topics. This format balances breadth and depth, quantity and quality. And you may make more new work friends.

SCHEDULE

Thursday, August 22

• 8 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Press Forward Colorado Funder Table
  
• 12:00-5:00 p.m. Colorado Media Project Summit
  
• 5:00-5:20 p.m. Welcome, Legislator Awards
  
• 5:30-7:00 p.m. Reception
  
• Open to all registrants (except Dan Harris-only ​ticket holders)
  
• 7:00-8:00 p.m. Dan Harris talk with Q&A
  
• Public ticketed event
  
• 8:00-9:00 p.m. Dan Harris book signing
  
• Public ticketed event
  

Friday, August 23

Saturday, August 24

• 8:00-9:00 a.m.
  
• Registration
  
• Past Presidents Breakfast
  
• Optional cash breakfast
  
• 8:30-9:00 a.m. CPA Annual Meeting
  
• 9:00-9:30 a.m. Welcome and Saturday keynote
  
• 9:30-11:20 a.m. Solutions Roundtables Block 3
  
• 9:30-9:40 Roundtable host/topic introductions ​(facilitated)
  
• 9:40-9:45 Select and move to tables
  
• 9:45-10:10 Roundtable session 1
  
• 10:10-10:20 Share out (facilitated), switch tables
  
• 10:20-10:45 Roundtable session 2
  
• 10:45-10:55 Share out (facilitated), switch tables
  
• 10:55-11:20 Roundtable session 3
  
• 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Workshop Block 3 / ​Unconference
  
• 12:30-3:30 p.m. CPA Better News and Hall of Fame ​Awards
  

SPEAKERS, PANELISTS AND HOSTS

Over 60 experts from across Colorado and the U.S.

More speakers will be announced over the course of the next few weeks.

Josh Brandau

Nota

Dan Grech

BizHack Academy

Jeff Roberts

CFOIC

Bernice Chao

Asians in Advertising

Johanna Ulloa Girón

The Colorado Trust

Frank Mungeam

Local Media Association

Kim Salvaggio

Rocky Mountain Public Media

Candice Fortman

JSK Fellow, Stanford University

Michael Grant

Get Current Studio

Dan Petty

ProPublica

Sara Whitlock

SciLine

Kenny Katzgrau

Broadstreet & RedBankGreen

Tina Griego

COLab

Elena Renken

SciLine

Joey & Lindsey Young

Kansas Publishing Ventures

SESSIONS

Over 60 sessions covering reporting, revenue, reach and resources/operations.

Session schedules will be announced closer to convention.

This year features a mixture of workshops, roundtable sessions (discussion-led, presenter-led, and problem ​solving formats), keynotes and one panel. Bring specific questions and return with new ideas, actionable tips and ​inspiration.

Below is a sampling of sessions across the 4 Rs.

• What comes next: Engaging and ​covering communities after the ​election
  
• Recruiting using Earn Your Press ​Pass
• Deepening your election coverage ​with evidence
  
• Sentinel Story Sprint: 11 interns. 10 ​stories. 3 videos. 2 weeks. 1 ​experiment
• How to recognize and not amplify ​election misinformation
  
• Ethical, Actionable AI for News
  

• Hiring ad salespeople: the easier ​way to do it
• Make a media kit that sells in 2024
• Diversifying revenue streams and ​why you should start now
• Non-profit conversion
  
• Reviving rural news: How weekly ​newspapers can modernize their ​business model and why they ​should do it
• Grant writing
  
• The future of public notices
  
• LMA Philanthropy Lab (cohort only)

• Using and customizing audience ​analytics (from web to newsletters)
• Authentic inclusion: Reflecting, ​serving and connecting to the full ​range of our multifaceted ​communities
• Democratizing journalism
• Using Amplify for sourcing and ​engagement
  
• Making time by optimizing your ​editorial workflow
  
• Design review for your paper, ​website or newsletter

See detailed schedule ​on Sched (adding daily)

PRICING

REGISTER

Regular registration ends Aug 19.

Note:

• You may pay by credit card or mail a check (check option not available on registrations for Dan Harris only).
  
• You may register multiple attendees.
  
• The purchaser may set up an account and edit registrations after purchase.
  
• Registrations are non-refundable, but purchase protection is available.
  

2023 Annual Convention Feedback

This is the best networking event you will attend all year!

Celebrate with and encourage your fellow journalists and return home better informed and refreshed!

The convention offers a great opportunity to network and learn various facets from experts in the industry, regardless of your organizational role.

It's a great networking opportunity and the panels and classes were awesome!

I attend a lot of state conventions, and I can‘t remember a better one. You program this like a national convention.

So many resources, connections, vital conversations, camaraderie

There's a lot of good knowledge and networking being shared here that young reporters would benefit from.

This years convention had so much ... energy! I loved all the workshops too, very helpful for navigating new revenue streams.

If they are looking to connect with local media producers and learn from each other, make sure to attend next years CPA convention.

Great networking opportunity! Interesting conversations!

Following a successful 2022 convention, 2023 attendence grew by 17% and paid attendance grew 95%!

Archives: 2023 Convention (#145: Build Back Better)