[CIMC-work] [IPA MW Forum] UPDATE on IPA-Chicago conference June 2-3

[Jackie Lalley, IPA]

For independent publishers seeking to beef up their business, editorial, and
design / production:

As part of IPA-Chicago's two-day Publishing Skills Track at the Making Media
Connections conference in Chicago June 2-3, Lauren Cooper from BigTop
Newsstand Services will present a workshop called Stand and Deliver: Success
with Newsstands and Subscriptions along with Jeremy Wieland, Circulation
Director for Utne. Lauren will talk about the qualities and strategies she
sees magazines using to increase their success on the newsstand, and Jeremy
will speak from his experience both with newsstand and subscriber-based
circulation--what's worked for Utne and what hasn't.

The conference, cosponsored by IPA-Chicago and the Community Media Workshop,
includes 15 skill-building workshops for the independent press--visit
www.indypress.org/chicago/ to see the complete program and to register (news
release is below). We'll have Abby Scher from IPA-New York and Chicago's own
Ray Hanania training on how to produce quality election-year content, tons
of business-boosting workshops like Ad Sales for National Publications
(Stephanie Gadlin of RJ Dale Advertising), and editorial and design sessions
including Redesigns and Launches with In These Times and Cataylst and
Developing New Writers with Punk Planet, Journal of Ordinary Thought, and
Residents' Journal. Dozens of Chicago-area community and ethnic publications
will join national titles as presenters.

IPA-Chicago also helped program 50+ workshops on broader media topics, such
as Training the Media Workforce (with Charles Whitaker of the Academy of
Alternative Journalism at Medill), Arts and the Media, African Americans and
Media Ownership, The Diverse Latino Media, etc., with speakers like Linda
Ellerbee, Salim Muwakkil, Phil Ponce, and Sylvia Ewing. You'll also meet
media-savvy activists and leaders who are trained and motivated to turn
their knowledge into your content.

Register by May 20 and pay just $170 ($195 for non-IPA members) for two
days--including lunch. Visit www.indypress.org/chicago/ to learn more and to
register.

See you there! Let me know if you have any questions.

Jackie Lalley
IPA-Chicago
chicagooffice at indypress.org
www.indypress.org/chicago/

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May 18, 2004     Contact: Jackie Lalley

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE     (773) 454-6153



Chicago Conference Builds Skills & Network Among the Press

Diverse Experts to Train and Connect Media & Nonprofits



Skill-building conference to help independent press cover upcoming elections
and reach larger audiences





Chicago, IL -- Staff of newspapers and magazines will get a chance to build
their professional skills with a new Publishing Skills Track at the Making
Media Connections conference, June 2-3 at Malcolm X College, 1900 West Van
Buren. The conference is an annual mainstay of nonprofits seeking to get
better media coverage. But this year, publications themselves -- with an
emphasis on independent media -- will get help strengthening their business,
editorial, and creative sides. The conference is cosponsored by the
Independent Press Association of Chicago and the Community Media Workshop.
Registration and a full conference program are at www.indypress.org/chicago/

The 15 Publishing Skills sessions include: Stand and Deliver: Success with
Newsstands and Subscriptions, Growing Pains: Expanding Your Publication, Pen
Is Sword: Copy-Editing Workout, and Election 2004: Beefing Up Your Political
Reporting, with Lisagor winner Ray Hanania and Leadership for a Changing
World winner Abby Scher, director of IPA-New York. They feature staff of
national and local publications including Utne, the Washington Post, Extra
Bilingual, the Chicago Defender, Punk Planet, and dozens more -- as well as
experts from Big Top Newsstand Service, Medill's Academy of Alternative
Journalism, and RJ Dale Advertising.

Beyond the new track, the conference offers more than 50 sessions to help
participants understand, work with, and improve the media, featuring
speakers such as Linda Ellerbee (former anchor of NBC News Overnight and
author of And So It Goes), Phil Ponce (Chicago Tonight), Salim Muwakkil (In
These Times, Chicago Tribune), and Sylvia Ewing (Chicago Public Radio).
One-on-one sessions each day enable leaders of nonprofits to get
communications and PR advice from editors and specialists.

Finally, at a social gathering June 3 at 7 PM at the Hideout, 1354 W.
Wabansia, Extra Bilingual editor Casey Sanchez will read from "As Bad As It
Gets, As Good As It Comes: Canning Salmon in Alaska," his essay from The
Clear Cut Future (Clear Cut Press). U of C Press author Luis Gabriel
Aguilera (Gabriel's Fire) will also read.

The Independent Press Association of Chicago helps community, ethnic and
independent publishers accomplish their goals and advance social justice by
providing training, networking, and advocacy. The Community Media Workshop
is the leading media relations organization serving nonprofits in the
Midwest. Since 1989, the Workshop has provided low-cost communications
training, helped journalists get stories, published Chicago's best-used
media guide, and linked communities with the media.

# # #

Learn more about IPA-Chicago and upcoming events at our Web page:
http://www.indypress.org/chicago/

The Independent Press Association Midwest Forum connects IPA members and
other independent publishers in the Midwest for mutual assistance and
dialogue. For listserv info and guidelines, visit
www.indypress.org/join/listserv.html.

For assistance, contact the Listserv Moderator at members at indypress.org.

The views expressed on this IPA listserv are those of the respective
authors and do not reflect the views of the Independent Press Association.