Montana Newspaper Association 2024 Annual Convention

2024 MNA Annual Convention

June 20-22, Red Lion Hotel Kalispell

Thursday June 20, 2024

• 2:00 - 3:00 pm Montana Newspaper Foundation Board Meeting
• 3:00 - 6:00 pm MNA and MNAS Board Meetings

Friday June 21, 2024

• 9:00 am – 1:00 pm Sun Tours Bus Tour of Glacier National Park
• • Optional Activity, Ticket purchase required

• 5:00 pm Past Presidents Reception

• 6:00 PM MNA Past Presidents & Major Awards Dinner

§ Keynote Speaker – Ryan Dohrn - “Thriving Amidst Economic and Political Uncertainty”

• 7:00 PM Major Awards Presentation

Saturday June 22, 2024

• 9:00 AM COMBINED SESSION: Bright Ideas Roundtable

• 10:00 AM BREAKOUT SESSION 1:
• • Editorial Session
  • • Finding and writing compelling feature stories. Trainer: Jule Banville, University of Montana School of Journalism.
  • Advertising Session
  • • Get more advertising meetings now! Research like a pro! How well do you research your prospects before setting a meeting? Trainer: Ryan Dohrn

• 10:50 AM BREAK:

• 11:00 AM BREAKOUT SESSION 2:
• • Editorial Session

§ From election trails to the Montana Legislature: Transforming political reporting to put readers first. Trainer: Dennis Swibold, recently retired from the UM School of Journalism.

• • Advertising Session -
  • • 10 critical sales questions you need to ask on every sales call. Trainer: Ryan Dohrn

• 11:50 AM BREAK

• 12:00 PM LUNCH:
• • Calling bullshit: How to spot and debunk misinformation: by Lee Banville, director of the UM School of Journalism

• 1:30 PM BREAKOUT SESSION 3:
• • Editorial Session

§ Transparency in government panel:

§ Mining public notices for news: Heidi Desch, Daily Inter Lake features editor.

§ Montana FOI Hotline update: Melody Martinsen, FOI Hotline board president.

§ Montana Transparency Project overview: Addie Slanger, MTP board member.

§ Montana Legislature update: Rob Cook, MNA lobbyist, or Jim Strauss, MNA communications & development director.

• • Advertising Session

§ From newsletters to social media to video: How to expand audiences and drive new digital revenue. "What the research shows: latest digital advertising trends." Trainers: Erica Yakawich & Brian Allfrey.

· 2:30 PM Annual Meeting MNA/MNAS

· 5:00 PM MNA Better Newspaper Contest Dinner Reception

· 6:00 pm MNA Better Newspaper Contest Dinner / Awards Presentation

o Montana Newspaper Silent Auction

FREE TIME OPTIONS IN KALISPELL & GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

· Half day whitewater rafting or scenic river float. glacierguides.com

· Horseback riding in Glacier National Park. https://www.swanmountainglacier.com/trip/apgar-trail-rides/

· Half day guided fly fish on drift boat. https://truewatermt.com/guided-trips

· Flathead Lake Alpine Coaster. https://flathead-lake-alpine-coaster.shop.koronaevent.com/en/admissions

· Glacier Ridge Runners - UTV RENTAL or Pontoon Boat Rental https://go.theflybook.com/book/863/ListView/0#/base/863/e9d719de-dd09-4d70-899c-41c9adaa11f7/listview

· Hike in or around Glacier National Park. Avalanche Lake

· Wade fish in Flathead River

· Walk around Owen Sowerwine Natural Area

· Visit local museums

o NW Montana History Museum

o Conrad Mansion Museum

o Hockaday Museum of Art

· Food Truck Festival (Friday afternoon)