Published: March 23, 2001
Last Updated: March 23, 2001
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RESTON, Va. — President Bush, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton,
Attorney General John Ashcroft, veteran journalist Walter Cronkite and
former San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News publisher Jay Harris are among the
speakers who will address the American Society of Newspaper Editors at
its convention April 3-6 in Washington.
During its annual meeting, ASNE will unveil the results
of comprehensive, multifaceted research into how newspapers can grow readership.
A Wednesday morning session will be dedicated to the discussion of this
Readership Initiative, a major joint project of ASNE, the Newspaper Association
of America and the Media Management Center at Northwestern University.
A press conference will follow at 11:15 a.m.
The convention theme this year is “A Call to Leadership.”
At Tuesday afternoon’s opening session, Sharon Peters of Newsroom Management
Consulting Services will lead a discussion on the results of ASNE’s research
on newsroom leadership. That will be followed by expert advice from Michael
Useem, professor, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and author
of “The Leadership Moment.”
The convention will also feature “leadership moments,”
multi-media presentations about moments of great leadership in the newspaper
industry. These moments will include tributes to Katharine Graham’s leadership
during Watergate and Arthur Sulzberger’s decision to print the Pentagon
Papers.
Editors will also discuss the challenging times facing
newspapers, convergence with other media and efforts to invigorate high
school journalism, retention of minority journalists in the profession,
freedom of information in the digital age and credibility. ASNE is led
this year by president Richard A. Oppel, editor of the Austin (Texas) American-Statesman.
President Bush will speak at the Thursday luncheon and
Ashcroft at Wednesday’s. Clinton will address the editors Thursday morning;
Cronkite will speak at a Wednesday morning session.
Harris, a veteran Knight Ridder executive, resigned this
week as publisher of the San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News, citing concerns
that meeting corporate profit targets could lead to “significant and lasting
harm” to the newspaper. He will speak at the convention’s concluding luncheon
on Friday.
Wednesday afternoon will feature a discussion of First
Amendment issues in high school journalism and ASNE’s efforts to bolster
high school journalism around the country. This session will include a
major announcement from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
ASNE will release the latest results of its annual newsroom
diversity survey on Tuesday.
ASNE’s committees will release four publications at the
convention: “Local News Tool Kit,” “Freedom of Information in the Digital
Age,” “A Call To Leadership” and “The Newspaper Credibility Handbook.”
During convention week, ASNE members will elect six members
to the board of directors and the board will elect new officers.
ASNE, with about 900 members, is the largest organization
of directing editors of daily newspapers in the Americas. The convention
will be at the JW Marriott Hotel. More
information is available online.
ABOUT PRESS COVERAGE OF THE ASNE CONVENTION
Press coverage of the convention is welcome, and procedures
for registering as press are available online. Pre-registration will
be allowed for journalists who send in the registration form available
online by March 30 at 5 p.m.; registration will also be available on-site.
ASNE will hold one press conference during the convention.
Wednesday at 11:15 a.m. in the State Room, representatives of ASNE, the
Newspaper Association of America and the Readership Institute at Northwestern
University will discuss results of the joint Readership Initiative in detail
and answer questions from the media.
On Tuesday, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., ASNE president
Richard Oppel, editor of the Austin (Texas) American-Statesman; vice president
Tim McGuire, editor of the Star Tribune, Minneapolis; current diversity
committee chair Charlotte Hall, managing editor, Newsday, Melville, N.Y.;
and 2001-02 diversity chair Carolina Garcia, managing editor of the San
Antonio Express-News will be available in the convention pressroom to discuss
the results of ASNE’s annual survey on newsroom diversity.
Aside from these two events, question and answer sessions
during conference sessions and luncheons are for ASNE members only. Questions
from the media will not be permitted.
Members of the electronic media should note that lighting
will be available in the Capitol Ballroom only and that if you intend to
cover the luncheon events, you should arrange your own lighting or consider
a pool. Mult boxes will be provided in both locations and must be used.
PRESS RELEASE SCHEDULE
Tuesday
-
Newsroom diversity survey results
-
Freedom of Information survey results
Wednesday
-
Readership Initiative results
-
High School Journalism Initiative
Friday
-
ASNE Board, Leadership election results
