Missouri Press Association
Serving Missouri Newspapers Since 1867
10. Road Trip! Here’s your chance to travel the Mother Road, Route 66, visit an authentic roadhouse that has been operating along the route since the road went through Missouri, and hear stories from Susan Croce Kelly about the highway and its people.
9. Meet new friends. Newspaper folk are friendly (mostly) and ready to share. Competition between newspapers is a thing of the past. We are better together. Get to know your cohorts, and you will have a support network to lean on when you face tough questions.
8. Share great ideas. OK, competition isn’t all bad. You will have a chance to hear about things that are working at other newspapers in the state, share ideas that work in your community and perhaps win some cash.
7. Learn something. You have the chance to listen to vendors, speakers and your new-found friends about what makes their newspapers successful. As a result, you could bring home a project, program or great idea that will make you a ton of money. We did.
6. Collect swag. Yes, that’s the “stuff we all get.” Vendors want you to stop by their booths and chat so much they bring gifts for us.
Over the years, I’ve received T-shirts, pens, notebooks, a tiny bottle of bourbon, socks, chargers, USB drives. I won a Bose-brand mini speaker, a tablet, and $100 cash. I don’t know what the best giveaways and prizes will be yet, but you can find out by visiting the vendors during the trade show. Plus, you might find your next best partner.
5. Honor Missouri newspaper people as they are inducted into the Missouri Press Association Hall of Fame. They paved the way for the rest of us.
4. Celebrate your newspaper and all Missouri newspapers during the Better Newspaper Contest Awards Lunch. This is another place to see great work from your friends and borrow it.
3. State Treasurer Vivek Malek will answer your questions, including those about Unclaimed Property.
2. Learn more. Newspaper guru Austin Lewter will talk with us about artificial intelligence. What should you know and what should you fear.
And my number one reason for wanting you to attend this year’s annual convention?
1. Be among the first to sample MPA’s brand-new signature drink – the Missouri Press Mule. We think you are going to like it.
Registration details for the 159th Annual Convention and Trade Show are available at www.mopress.com/convention/.
