MPI Presents: Engaging your underserved audiences
Event Information
Event description
Description
Hosted by the Mid-America Press Institute and the Peoria Journal Star, this three-part workshop will give you the tools you need to engage underserved audiences in your community to produce more meaningful stories and increase your audiences.
Speakers:
Dennis Anderson, executive editor Peoria Journal Star
Adam Gerik, assistant managing editor/digital
Dennis Anderson, executive editor Peoria Journal Star
Adam Gerik, assistant managing editor/digital
10 a.m. - 11:30 : On the ground
Resources are getting tight, the newsroom’s traditional role is changing and digital storytelling is the news organization’s future. But the community’s struggles persist, or maybe are getting worse. The Journal Star has faced all these issues and continues to make its community outreach a priority. Why? And should you? And if so, what questions do you need to ask your newsroom, your management and the community before you reach out to your underserved audience?
Presentation and workshop
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Texting, elections and reader feedback: How the use of texting and reader feedback
enhanced Peoria Journal Star's election coverage
Dennis Anderson
Adam Gerik
12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Lunch & networking (lunch included)
1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. On line
Despite the ease of access and availability of social media platforms, finding stories and engaging your audiences online may not be so easy. Hear from Adam Gerik on best tips, practices and lessons learned on the do's and don'ts of online engagement.
Presentation and workshop
2:30 p.m.- 3:30 p.m. wrap up
Dennis Anderson joined the Journal Star in Peoria, Illinois, as executive editor in 2012. He’s a member of the Associated Press Media Editors board and is on the committee working to merge APME with the American Society of News Editors to become the News Leaders Association.
The Journal Star is in its fifth year of working closely with Peoria’s South Side (bit.ly/2sECjov and pjstar.com/disparity) neighborhoods that struggle with poverty, crime and underemployment.
The goal is to have the Journal Star’s coverage best reflect the community.
Prior to joining the Journal Star, Dennis was top editor of the Journal-World in Lawrence, Kansas. While at the Journal-World, the paper won the APME’s top Digital Storytelling Awards three years in a row. Dennis also spent 10 years with Gannett newspapers, including the Norwich Bulletin in Connecticut and the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin in New York. He also worked at the Daily Herald in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
The Journal Star has been recognized by Editor & Publisher magazine’s 10 Newspapers That Do It Right, received the top award for General Excellence from the Illinois Associated Press Media Editors and the Illinois Press Association, and been named GateHouse Media’s Newspaper of the Year.
Organizer Mid-America Press Institute and the Knight Chair of Investigative Reporting, Journalism Department at the College of Media, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Organizer of MPI Presents: Engaging your underserved audiences
Brant Houston is the Knight Chair of Investigative Reporting, Journalism Department at the College of Media, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Houston is co-director of the Mid-America Press Institute.
Since 1968, the Mid-America Press Institute offers its members affordable mid-career industry training seminars, networking opportunities and other perks.
