Plantation is site for extravaganza

Jun 5, 2012

The 126th National Newspaper Association Annual Convention & Trade Show educational sessions will kick off on Friday morning, Oct. 5, with the Opening Breakfast and Flag Ceremony. We are excited to have Judy Muller author of “Emus Loose in Egnar: Big Stories from Small Towns” as our keynote speaker during the opening session. Check out the convention article in the May issue for more on Judy. Following the opening program, you will enjoy a coffee break in the exhibit hall and we will meet again in the exhibit hall for a light lunch. This dedicated time during lunch will be your last opportunity to visit with the companies exhibiting on the trade show floor.
The educational sessions planned by your 126th Annual Convention & Trade Show Committee are sure to kick your creative mind into action. Jay Bender has represented the South Carolina Press Association and most South Carolina newspapers since 1980. He will give you a lesson in how to avoid libel claims. Advertising sales’ sessions are popular; we are pleased to have Rick Farrell of Tangent Knowledge Systems tell you why the tried and true sales strategies of the past no longer work in the information era.
Monetizing Digital will be a lively panel discussion moderated by Alisa Cromer, chief executive officer of LocalMediaInsider.com, a members-only site for working local media executives growing digital business models. Our panel will enlighten you on ways to use your digital platforms and social medial as “tools” to enhance advertising sales and news presentations.
Always welcome is an update from Max Heath, NNA’s postal guru, with all the latest issues affecting your newspaper related to the U.S, Postal Service. We are thrilled to have Steve Wagenlander, well known for his circulation ideas and strategies present 10 Must Track Circulation Metrics for Every Newspaper.
Despite the general assumption that charging for digital content will cause a drop in traffic and advertising revenue, it is not always the case. Benjy Hamm of Landmark Community Newspapers and David Puddu with Number Nine Media will share with you their success using the metered approach to content on their websites.
We have an enchanted evening planned for the Extravaganza in Charleston, SC. You will be transported from the Embassy Suites by motor coach to a place where the world stands still—Boone Hall Plantation. It will make a lasting impression. A three-quarter mile lane lined by 268-year-old giant live oaks draped with Spanish moss leads the way to more than 300 years of history and beauty, creating a setting that is absolutely breathtaking and incomparable.
The evening will include a lemonade and tea reception in front of the Antebellum-style Mansion. Then explore the gardens and eight original brick cabins, each with a different exhibit that details black history in America and life on a plantation. Enjoy as a sweetgrass basket weaver showcases this 300-year-old art form (bring your pocketbook). Following the grounds tour you will be guided through the first floor of the mansion. You will also be treated to signature cocktails as you take a leisurely stroll along the water to the creek-side venue for a live Gullah Culture presentation. We will top the evening off with a delicious Lowcountry buffet and barbeque dinner under a high peak white tent with Jazz music in the background.
We promise a captivating experience with Charleston as your destination for the 126th Annual Convention & Trade Show. Whether it is your first visit or your 10th you can’t get enough of the Southern charm, savory cuisine, historical and colorful history and beauty. October offers the perfect weather with daytime highs of 77 degrees and evenings in the mid-60s. You will find a complete program and registration information on pages 13-14 of this issue.