*Times are subject to change
5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Opening Reception
*Times and dates are subject to change
7:30 - 8:30 a.m.
Breakfast
Sponsored by PAGE Cooperative
8:30 a.m.
Welcome
Welcome to Dallas and Mega 2023
Grant Moise, CEO, Dallas News Corporation and publisher, The Dallas Morning News
Let the Research be Your Guide
America’s Newspapers will reveal highlights from the just completed national study and leave you with a road map of key points to reference and reflect on as you make your way through sessions over the next two days.
Greg Watson, chief operating officer, America's Newspapers
9:15 a.m.
The Ultimate Transformation: What does it take to move beyond print?
The shift of news audiences to digital products has accelerated, just as the print delivery model is starting to break down. Now is the time to prepare for a reduction in print and the introduction of new news products. It’s not a sudden process, and it requires strategic planning across the newspaper enterprise — from circulation, editorial, marketing, technology. We’ll hear from industry leaders about how they are moving beyond print as their core product.
Session moderated by Amy Kovac-Ashley, head of national programs, The Lenfest Institute
10:15 a.m.
Coffee break in the Town Square
10:30 a.m.
Going ‘Phygital’: Transforming Your Organization
Learn how one organization transformed its operation to successfully balance between print and digital, including how to make the tough, entrepreneurial decisions required for future success. This session will examine best practices for building your organization for the future of news and how to rebrand, and build your brand, to get recognized by your print and digital customers.
John Garrett, president, Community Impact
11:15 a.m.
Real World Case Studies: Platforms generating revenue
Three case studies will be presented by Birdeye, Legacy.com and Wehaa
Noon
Lunch in the Town Square
Sponsored by Whiz Technologies
1:15-2:45 p.m.
Solutions Roundtables
This fast-paced session provides attendees with the opportunity to meet in a no-pressure, small group environment with a variety of companies that will provide overviews of how their products tackle some of today’s challenges. This popular session — which is only open to newspaper attendees and the table hosts — will provide valuable information to develop strategic plans.
Table hosts are:
2:45 p.m.
Refreshment break in the Town Square
3:15-4:15 p.m.
Concurrent sessions:
Events are back in a big way. Are you maximizing your opportunities?
Bob Woodward, publisher, TH Media and vice president, community media, Woodward Communications
Connecting with Your Audience to Grow Subscribers and Engagement
Rob Curley, editor, The Spokesman-Review
4:15 p.m.
Break to change sessions
4:30 – 5:15 p.m.
Concurrent sessions:
Building and Monetizing Your First-Party Data
Newspapers are sitting on massive databases and first-party data and segmented audiences are the future of their business; they will drive conversions and subscriber revenue. This session will uncover how to learn what they have, how to grow first-party data, and how to target that audience for monetization. You will learn first-hand from media organizations that have successfully gained new revenue from their first-party data and how you can, too.
Julie Foley, senior customer success manager, Second Street
Liz Huff, senior director of customer success, Second Street
5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Reception in Town Square
Sponsored by Cribb, Cope & Potts
Dinner on Your Own
*Times and dates are subject to change
7:30 – 8:30 a.m.
Breakfast
8:30 – 9:00 a.m.
And, the Winner is ... Mega-Innovation Award
The two finalists for this year's Mega-Innovation Award will talk about their entries and how your organization can learn and benefit from their innovations. Award to be announced by Jason Taylor, president, Ventures, Gannett Media
FINALIST: Honolulu Star-Advertiser / Oahu Publications, Inc.
Entry presented by Aaron J. Kotarek, senior vice president, audience and operations
FINALIST: Richner Communications
Entry presented by Zachary Richner, director, and Stuart Richner, CEO
9:00 a.m.
Buy or sell. What is your newspaper worth?
Mike Blinder, publisher of Editor & Publisher Magazine, will host a panel of some of the industry’s most respected media brokers who will offer the latest insights into the current buy/sell environment. With Sara April, partner at Dirks, Van Essen & April, and John Thomas Cribb, director of Cribb, Cope & Potts
9:45 a.m.
Coffee break in the Town Square
10:15 a.m.
Concurrent sessions
Modernize Your Recruiting to Deliver Top Talent
Noted recruitment expert Julian Placino will lead this session on how newspapers can get creative and ignite their recruitment culture now. In a competitive job market, it’s critical for newspapers to modernize how they recruit employees by focusing on people first (the who) and then focus on what they’re trying to accomplish. You’ll leave this session with a practical and actionable roadmap on how to energize your recruitment efforts.
GNI America’s Newspapers Cohort - Program Takeaways
Moderator and cohort participants to be announced soon
11:15 a.m.
Digital Transformation Strategies to Future-Proof Your Business Model
Digital engagement experts discuss strategies, tactics and philosophies that yield tangible results. Case studies and proof of concepts will be explored that detail how to increase digital audiences, revenue, retention levels and overall engagement and identify key performance indicators to scrutinize potential barriers to success. Panel moderated by Aaron Kotarek, senior vice president, audience and operations, Oahu Publications, Inc.
12:15- 1:15 p.m.
Lunch in the Town Square
1:15 – 2:30 p.m.
Idea Exchange Roundtables
Exchange ideas directly with other attendees and come away with as many ideas as possible.
Tables/Topics include:
2:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Advocating for Newspapers
Learn about the latest advocacy efforts to protect local journalism, what the future holds for legislation and how publishers can get involved to help protect local journalism.
Dean Ridings, CEO, America’s Newspapers
Danielle Coffey, executive vice president and general counsel, News/Media Alliance
3:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Refreshment break in the Town Square
3:30 p.m.
Buses depart for The Dallas Morning News
4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
Dallas Morning News Sessions:
Reenergizing Your Newsroom to Reach New Readers with Audience-Focused Data
Katrice Hardy, executive editor, The Dallas Morning News
Pete Doucette, senior managing director, strategy, Mather Economics
Unlocking Revenue Through Cause Marketing
Gillian Breidenbach, partner + chief community officer, Medium Giant
5:30-6:30 p.m.
Closing Mega Reception hosted by The Dallas Morning News
6:30 p.m.
Conference Adjourns
Dinner on your own in Downtown Dallas!
Newspaper and Media Executives: Register here
Register your team and SAVE! The Mega-Conference is the perfect opportunity for publishers to bring their sales and content leaders to network and learn from their peers. Register three or more members of your team and save up to $100 per person. Team membership discounts are for newspapers only. To register your team or for more information about team registrations, contact Paulette Sheffield at psheffield@newspapers.org.
Solutions Partners and News Industry Vendors: Register here
Noted recruitment expert Julian Placino will lead this session on how newspapers can get creative and ignite their recruitment culture now. In a competitive job market, it’s critical for newspapers to modernize how they recruit employees by focusing on people first (the who) and then focus on what they’re trying to accomplish. You’ll leave this session with a practical and actionable roadmap on how to energize your recruitment efforts.
Julian Placino is a Fortune 500 Speaker, founder of Pathways Affiliated, a recruitment strategy consultancy and the creator of Recruitment Masterclass, the only video course that turns your employees into an army of talent ambassadors and recruiters. He also is the host of the leadership podcast, "Pathways to Success on YouTube and iTunes."
With 17 years of recruiting experience, he’s helped leading corporations attract, recruit and retain top talent. Placino has personally hired over 400 world-class professionals in the areas of technology, sales and creative arts. For seven years, he led talent acquisition for Bottle Rocket, one of the premier mobile development firms in the world. He now consults with companies on personal branding, marketing strategy and leadership development.
Learn how one organization transformed its operation to successfully balance between print and digital, including how to make the tough, entrepreneurial decisions required for future success.
John Garrett, president of Community Impact, will lead this session on best practices for building your organization for the future of news and how to rebrand, and build your brand, to get recognized by your print and digital customers.
All newspapers are probably sitting on massive databases that aren’t being used properly. And, during times of financial instability, newspapers need to find revenue wherever they can. First-party data and segmented audiences are the future of their business; they will drive conversions and subscriber revenue.
This session will lay out a strategy to help newspapers find out what they have, how to grow first-party data, and how to target that audience for monetization. Additionally, you will learn first-hand from media organizations that have successfully gained new revenue from their first-party data.
Julie Foley, senior customer success manager, Second Street
Liz Huff, senior director of customer success, Second Street
Warren Buffet had a famous saying about when to sell or buy a company: “Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.”
It is a very turbulent time for our industry as more legacy brands are being bought and sold, in various sized markets across the country. The question on most minds is: are these buyers being shrewd or simply “rolling the dice” in hopes of future better business climates for the local news publisher? Moreover, what is the real value today of a local newspaper brand?
During the Mega-Conference, Mike Blinder, publisher of Editor & Publisher Magazine, will host a panel of some of the industry’s most respected media brokers who will offer the latest insights into the current buy/sell environment.
Panelists are:
Sara April, partner at Dirks, Van Essen & April
John Thomas Cribb, director of Cribb, Cope & Potts