2004 REGIONAL CONFERENCES

Region VII Schedule
"Embracing Diversity, Preparing Journalists for Tomorrow"

Thursday March 11
12:00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Registration (Embassy Foyer)

12:30 p.m.-1:45 p.m.
Practicum Working Luncheon (Consulate Room)

2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Practicum Breakouts (Consulate Room)
Print/Photography- James Campbell, Houston Chronicle TV- Ted Irving, Hightower High School, MBC Network Radio-Serbino Sandifer-Walker, Texas Southern University, KTSU Radio PR- Angela McClendon, San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau

3:45 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Practicum Activities (Consulate Room)

5:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
Practicum Mentor Meeting (Executive Room)

6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Opening Reception (Consort II Room)
Featuring the Award Winning Willowridge High School Drumline

8:30 p.m.-11:00 p.m.
Literary Café and Poetry Slam (Consort I Room)
Featuring B.R. Burns, Nationally recognized poet for Michael Baisden’s radio show

Friday, March 12
7:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Registration (Embassy Foyer)

9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Career Fair and Vendor Fair (Consort Foyer)

7:30 a.m.-8:45 a.m.
Diversity Forum: "The Diversity Divide, How to Keep in the Flavor in the Newsroom" (The Roof)
Some understand its importance, while some don't have a clue. This session will discuss the importance of diversity in the newsroom and in coverage of stories, as well as diversity in sources used. We'll also provide examples/scenarios of improper use of sources in certain stories.

Moderator: Cheryl Smith, KKDA Talk Show Host, Immediate Past Region VII Director Panelist: John Wilburn Managing Editor, Houston Chronicle Kathy Williams, KRIV News Director Craig Clayton, Diversity Strategist, U of H School of Business James Ragland, Dallas Morning News

9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
Workshop: Get Your Head in the Game (Oak Room)
Learn how to get your foot in the door as a sports journalist or with a professional sports franchise during this workshop with some of the top names in the sports industry.

Moderator: Tony Wyllie, Vice President-Communications, Houston Texans Panelists: Spencer Tillman, NFL Sunday Ticket Analyst, former anchor KPRC Carlton Thompson, Sports Reporter, Houston Chronicle Dusty Stanfield, E Overstreet Sports Management Ralph Cooper, KCOH-AM Radio Caleb Wilkerson, NABJ Student Representative, Graduate Student

LSU Workshop: Entrepreneurship-Forging Alliance Securing Futures (Embassy Room)
Targeted to those professionals and students who have aspirations to be entrepreneurs. This workshop will highlight the importance of strategic alliances and financial savvy in the quest towards ownership and outline a development foundation that is key to media entrepreneurship and effective financial management.

Moderator: Phyllis Bailey, President 3B Resources Group, Houston, Texas Panelists: Risha Grant, Goodwin & Grant Public Relations & Advertising Reggie Rhodes and Secdrick Brass, I-10 Media Francis Page, Style Magazine, Houston, Texas Darian Ward Nichols, Joy In Motion Productions Janice Gibson, 3G Communications

Workshop: Management (Continental Room)
Do you have what it takes? Are you ready to face the management music? What are the essential skills needed for managers? How to work for black managers? What are the expectations of black managers from black employees? What are the best resources to learn management tools?

Moderator: Ron Reynolds, News 24 Houston Panelists: Lisa Whitlock, Community Affairs Director- KRIV Kent Harrell, News Director KVTV 13 Laredo, KZTV 10 Corpus Christi

11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Newmaker Luncheon (Consort II)
George Curry, National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service "The role of the Black Journalist in Today’s Media Market"

12:45 p.m.-2:15 p.m.
Workshop: The Relationship between Journalists and Public Relations Practitioners (Embassy Room)
The PR GUY! How do journalists really feel about PR folks? How can PR professionals work their resources to better their business? The things PR people should never do and the things they should always do. Workshop will answer the question: What qualities do journalists feel make a good PR person? How can PR people get the most out of their relationships with news people? The journalism puzzle, how do PR folks and journalists fit together?

Moderator: Angela McClendon, San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau Panelists: Michelle Starr, M Strategies Inc., Dallas Travis Sattiewhite, KHWB 39 Phyllis Bailey, 3B Resources Group Public Relations

Workshop: Storytelling: The art of using words
Learn the in’s and out’s of AP writing and receive valuable tips on how to have outstanding writing skills.

Moderator: Serbino Sandifer-Walker, Texas Southern University Panelists: Mike Graczyk, Associated Press Houston Rod Richardson, Associated Press Austin Danny Hermosillo, News 24 Houston David Ellison, Houston Chronicle (Continental Room)

Workshop: Online Journalism
Writing, reporting and producing news for web based organizations.

Moderator: Caleb Wilkerson, ESPN Panelists: Roland Martin, Black America Web Mike Read, Houston Chronicle, Web Operation and Content Manager Randy Klein, KTRK TV Web Content Manager Lataya Ballard, Digital Storyteller Jim Thompson, KHOU TV Web Content Manager (Oak Room)

3:30 p.m. Board Buses for Cruise (Meet in Westin Oaks Lobby)

5:00 p.m. Board Buses for Cruise (Meet in Westin Oaks Lobby)

10:00 p.m. -2:00 a.m.
Bid Whist and Spades Tournament (The Roof)
Sponsored by Jack Daniels and the Four Aces Bid Whist Club of Houston

Saturday, March 13
7:00 a.m.-Noon
Registration (Embassy Foyer)

9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Career Fair and Vendor Fair (Consort Foyer)

7:30 a.m.-8:45 a.m. Internship Foum (The Roof)
Internships 101: As a student preparing to leave college, here is the best way to prepare for your future. How to get an internship, how do you make them work for you, do you really need an internship? Do I get paid? All questions that students need answered and some down and dirty advice from internship coordinators.

Moderator: Melissa Monroe, San Antonio Express News Panelists: Joyce Barrett, Human Resource Manager, KRIV Selwyn Crawford, Dallas Morning News, Bernadette Brown, KRIV News Internship Coordinator Tamara Washington, Assignment Editor KPRC Cory Young, Tulsa World

9:00 a.m. ­ 4:00 p.m.
George Curry’s Journalism Basic Training (Consort I Room)

9:15 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
Workshop: Challenges Facing the Black Press (Oak Room)

Moderator: Anthony Ogbo, International Guardian Newspaper Panelists: Sonny Messiah, Houston Defender Mollie Finch Belt, Dallas Examiner Gemeal Berry Jr., Our Texas Magazine, Dallas Bud Johnson, African American News & Issues

Workshop: So you wanna be a reporter? (Continental Room)
Do you have what it takes? This workshop will feature award winning reporters discussing their craft and help participants answer the question: Why do you want to be a reporter? Designed to educate attendees as to the real life of electronic and print news gathering as well as give a real depiction of what being a reporter is all about from research to presentation.

Moderator: Reshonda Tate, Reporter KRIV Panelists: Melissa Monroe, San Antonio Express News Charles Shepherd, Photographer, KOCO TV Michelle Fox, Reporter, KTRH 740 AM Radio Mary Benton, KPRC TV Ch. 2

Workshop: Coping with Burnout Blues (Embassy Room)
This session will teach professionals how to deal with burnout and fatigue they may be facing on the job. It will also give advice on when it's time and how to move on to something different. On the job depression is not healthy, but what do you do?

Moderator: John Hanson, KUT Radio Panelists: Jim Newkirk, Houston Chronicle Jose Grinan, KRIV Houston Denise Bates, KTRK TV 13 Houston

11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Presidents Forum Lucheon (The Roof)
Speaker: Herbert Lowe, President, NABJ

2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
Workshop: Ethics and Integrity in News Reporting (Continental Room)
Increasingly, sources are suspicious of reporters; reporters are wary of government and corporate spokespersons; and the public, the audience, is suspicious and wary of both. Unfortunately, the innocent victim becomes the news story itself. This session will give helpful insight into how to restore the triangle of trust between the source, the journalist and the audience. The goal is to rekindle confidence in the primary source for history books … the news story.

Moderator: Mignette Y. Dorsey, City of Houston Panelists: Don Payne, Bill Young Productions Alvin Wright, City of Houston, Police Department. Dr. Meta G. Carstarphen Roland S. Martin, Black America Web.com Edwin Henry, Examiner News

Workshop: Producing 101 (Oak Room)
Creativity meets logic, producing basics. Ever wonder who comes up with the cool ideas that look or sound so good. Wonder who decides who says what, when they say it and for how long they say it, all in a days work for the top notch producer. This workshop will also discuss producing as a way to management.

Moderator: Eva Coleman, KRLD Radio, Dallas Panelists: LaShauna Sewell, KRIV Ch. 26 Yolanda Green, KHWB Community Affairs Director, Houston Kim-Novia Davis, Producer, News 24 Houston WORKSHOP: THE TAX MAN’S ON A DEADLINE TOO (Embassy Room) Tax Tips for working journalists. Moderator: Eva Coleman, KRLD Radio, Dallas Panelists:

4:00 p.m. -5:30 p.m.
Region VII Board Meeting (Executive Room)

4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.
Workshop: Landing a Job, Tips for the Job Seeker (Embassy Room)
You may be one of thousands trying to get the same job, want to find out what will make you stand out in the crowd? This workshop will give a detailed look at what employers are looking for in potential employees. Tips on how to write an effective resume. The workshop will teach basic interviewing skills including one on one demonstrations. Along with teaching what items need to be included into writing samples and resume tapes.

Moderator: Elliott Lewis, Region 3 Director, Freelance TV Reporter Panelists: Ira J. Hadnot, Dallas Morning News Michelle McCalope, ABC Affiliate, Beaumont Freddie Willis, Times Picayune, New Orleans

Workshop: Is there a book in you? (Continental Room)
The workshop that helps you find the answer. If you’ve ever read a good book and thought, "Hmmm, I could do that?" Or covered an event or story that inspired you, this workshop is for you. The publishing industry is experiencing a surge in the number of people interested in reading and writing, but before you pitch that manuscript, find out the Do’s and Don’ts that will help you avoid a stack of rejection letters.

Moderator: Pat Tucker Wilson, Author "When Loved Ones Lie" Panelists: Ola Joseph, Author "Voices of Courage-Everyone Has a Story" Reshonda Tate-Billingsley, Author "My Brothers Keeper" Dr. Karen Clark, Author "Grammar and Word Usage" Shewanda Riley, Author "Love’s Hangover"

7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Ma’at Awards Banquet and Student Practicum Presentations (Consort Ballroom)

10:00 p.m.-2:00 a.m.
New Orleans 2005 Preview Party (Consort Ballroom)

Sunday, March 14
8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m.
Regional Conference Committee Meeting (Executive Room)

9:30 a.m.-noon
Gospel Brunch (Consort II)