2008 Publishers Conference
Our first-ever Publishers Conference will be held Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at La Posada de Santa Fe Resort & Spa in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It will be a relaxed and informal conference, with an emphasis on conversation and idea sharing. In addition, we will have lined up several accomplished speakers who will address publishing issues and business trends. Registration is limited to one publisher or senior manager from each member paper, or two partner-owners from the same paper. Total attendance will be strictly limited to 40 people. Registration
Program Schedule
Friday, Oct. 31
8 to 9:30 am
Continental Breakfast Roundtable: Welcome and Introductions
Facilitator: Bradley Zeve, founder and CEO, Monterey County Weekly 9:45 to 10:45 am
The Financial Crisis: How Will it Affect Newspaper Valuations?
Banks are teetering, Fortune 500 companies are being nationalized and credit markets are seizing up. A principal for the leading merger-and-acquisition firm in the newspaper industry will tell us what it all means for the value of your newspaper.
Speaker: Owen Van Essen, Dirks, Van Essen & Murray 11 am to noon
The iPhone Revolution: Why Now Is the Time to Strike
Despite its undeniable potential, mobile content growth has been stunted by telephone-company bureaucracy and limitations in cell-phone technology. All of that ended with the introduction of the iPhone and its imitators, which have made mobile applications more useful and easier to develop while simplifying the process of making them available to cell-phone users. Tom Kenney will explain why alt-weekly content is well-suited to the mobile environment and why AAN papers still have an immense opportunity to participate in the coming mobile revolution.
Speaker: Tom Kenney, president, Verve Wireless 12:15 to 1:45 pm
Lunch (sponsored by Verve Wireless) 2 to 2:30 pm
What's Up at AAN
A brief update on recent developments at your trade association.
Speaker: Richard Karpel, executive director, AAN 2:30 to 4 pm
Reinventing Classifieds
What would you do if you had to start over? Carol Flagg will lead a brainstorming session with the goal of creating an outline of what a modern classified advertising department -- print, web and mobile -- should look like.
Facilitator: Carol Flagg, Pivotal Solutions Group 4 to 7 pm
Free Time 7 to 10 pm
Santa Fe Dine-Around
AAN will arrange reservations at local restaurants (list below) and organize small groups. Prices will vary by restaurant. Spouses and guests are welcome. Saturday, Nov. 1
8 to 9:30 am
Continental Breakfast Roundtable: Checking In, Taking Stock
Facilitator: Bradley Zeve
9:45 to 10:45 am
Speaker: Alan Webber, co-founder and former editor of Fast Company magazine 11 am to noon
Best Ideas: Hunkering Down
This has been a tough year for many AAN papers, and the frozen credit markets and carnage on Wall Street guarantee that things will get worse before they get better. Even papers that have made it through 2008 unscathed so far need to begin thinking about preparing for what might be a severe recession. In this session, we'll share ideas about how to cut costs and manage our businesses so we can survive the downturn and be well-positioned for growth when happy times are here again.
Moderator: Randy Campbell, Santa Barbara Independent 12:15 to 1:45 pm
Lunch (on your own) 2 to 3:15 pm
Fast Clocks and Short Bank Accounts: Managing the Fundamentals in Turbulent Times
In order to determine a strategic direction for the future, publishers must understand the resources they can leverage and the financial metrics that are essential to measuring their progress. In this participatory session, Terry Garrett will lead us through a 45-minute strategy sprint for a fictitious company to show what a publisher can and must do to survive through the transition to digital and the new media world.
Moderator: Terry Garrett, CEO, Oasis Web Logistics 3:30 to 4 pm
Closing Roundtable: What's Next?
Facilitator: Bradley Zeve 4 to 7 pm
Free Time 7 to 10
Closing Night Dinner at Aqua Santa
Hosted by AAN. You may register a spouse or guest for the dinner for $100 when you register online for the conference. Hotel
La Posada de Santa Fe
330 East Palace Avenue
Santa Fe, NM 87501
(505) 986-0000 Reservations: (800) 727-5276 X 7686 or (505) 954 9686 ext. 7686. (Monday-Friday from 7:30 am to 4 pm Rocky Mountain Standard Time.) Please request the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies group rate. Reservation Deadline: 10/10/08
Rate: $189.00 In addition to the guest room rate, there will be an additional daily resort fee of $10.00 per room, per night, which includes: access to the Spa's fitness and steam rooms; in-room WiFi access; in-room Starbucks coffee and Tazo Teas; complimentary local and 800 numbers; outdoor year-round heated swimming pool and hot tub; nightly turndown service and daily paper; in-room laptop safe use and full access to the business center. Friday Night Restaurants
Below are the restaurants, with links to their websites and to information from the Santa Fe Reporter site. Cafe Café
http://www.sfreporter.com/directory/detaileats/cafe_cafe/127/
"Enjoy exceptional Italian-inspired dishes in a relaxed, warm and comfortably elegant trattoria atmosphere." (Opened September 2007) El Farol
http://www.sfreporter.com/directory/detaileats/el_farol/18/
"Santa Fe's oldest restaurant and cantina combines classic tastes of Spain, Santa Fe and Mexico with a unique blend of art, dance, flavor and aroma." Geronimo
http://www.sfreporter.com/directory/detaileats/geronimo/20/
"Tradition and innovation merge at this Canyon Road legend, where simplicity and understatement reign." Santacafé
http://www.sfreporter.com/directory/detaileats/santacafe/37/
"A fine dining icon of Santa Fe since 1983, Santacafé specializes in serving unique American cuisine with a Southwestern flair." The Shed
http://www.sfreporter.com/directory/detaileats/the_shed/39/
"Experience the warm hospitality of northern New Mexico and the unique cuisine which mixes Pueblo, Spanish and Mexican influences." Note: each restaurant will have its own procedures for shared checks, so bringing cash is recommended. Cap off your evening with drinks and dancing at the Santa Fe Reporter's Zombie Halloween Party from 7 pm to midnight.
Program Schedule
Friday, Oct. 31
8 to 9:30 am
Continental Breakfast Roundtable: Welcome and Introductions
Facilitator: Bradley Zeve, founder and CEO, Monterey County Weekly 9:45 to 10:45 am
The Financial Crisis: How Will it Affect Newspaper Valuations?
Banks are teetering, Fortune 500 companies are being nationalized and credit markets are seizing up. A principal for the leading merger-and-acquisition firm in the newspaper industry will tell us what it all means for the value of your newspaper.
Speaker: Owen Van Essen, Dirks, Van Essen & Murray 11 am to noon
The iPhone Revolution: Why Now Is the Time to Strike
Despite its undeniable potential, mobile content growth has been stunted by telephone-company bureaucracy and limitations in cell-phone technology. All of that ended with the introduction of the iPhone and its imitators, which have made mobile applications more useful and easier to develop while simplifying the process of making them available to cell-phone users. Tom Kenney will explain why alt-weekly content is well-suited to the mobile environment and why AAN papers still have an immense opportunity to participate in the coming mobile revolution.
Speaker: Tom Kenney, president, Verve Wireless 12:15 to 1:45 pm
Lunch (sponsored by Verve Wireless) 2 to 2:30 pm
What's Up at AAN
A brief update on recent developments at your trade association.
Speaker: Richard Karpel, executive director, AAN 2:30 to 4 pm
Reinventing Classifieds
What would you do if you had to start over? Carol Flagg will lead a brainstorming session with the goal of creating an outline of what a modern classified advertising department -- print, web and mobile -- should look like.
Facilitator: Carol Flagg, Pivotal Solutions Group 4 to 7 pm
Free Time 7 to 10 pm
Santa Fe Dine-Around
AAN will arrange reservations at local restaurants (list below) and organize small groups. Prices will vary by restaurant. Spouses and guests are welcome. Saturday, Nov. 1
8 to 9:30 am
Continental Breakfast Roundtable: Checking In, Taking Stock
Facilitator: Bradley Zeve
9:45 to 10:45 am
Speaker: Alan Webber, co-founder and former editor of Fast Company magazine 11 am to noon
Best Ideas: Hunkering Down
This has been a tough year for many AAN papers, and the frozen credit markets and carnage on Wall Street guarantee that things will get worse before they get better. Even papers that have made it through 2008 unscathed so far need to begin thinking about preparing for what might be a severe recession. In this session, we'll share ideas about how to cut costs and manage our businesses so we can survive the downturn and be well-positioned for growth when happy times are here again.
Moderator: Randy Campbell, Santa Barbara Independent 12:15 to 1:45 pm
Lunch (on your own) 2 to 3:15 pm
Fast Clocks and Short Bank Accounts: Managing the Fundamentals in Turbulent Times
In order to determine a strategic direction for the future, publishers must understand the resources they can leverage and the financial metrics that are essential to measuring their progress. In this participatory session, Terry Garrett will lead us through a 45-minute strategy sprint for a fictitious company to show what a publisher can and must do to survive through the transition to digital and the new media world.
Moderator: Terry Garrett, CEO, Oasis Web Logistics 3:30 to 4 pm
Closing Roundtable: What's Next?
Facilitator: Bradley Zeve 4 to 7 pm
Free Time 7 to 10
Closing Night Dinner at Aqua Santa
Hosted by AAN. You may register a spouse or guest for the dinner for $100 when you register online for the conference. Hotel
La Posada de Santa Fe
330 East Palace Avenue
Santa Fe, NM 87501
(505) 986-0000 Reservations: (800) 727-5276 X 7686 or (505) 954 9686 ext. 7686. (Monday-Friday from 7:30 am to 4 pm Rocky Mountain Standard Time.) Please request the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies group rate. Reservation Deadline: 10/10/08
Rate: $189.00 In addition to the guest room rate, there will be an additional daily resort fee of $10.00 per room, per night, which includes: access to the Spa's fitness and steam rooms; in-room WiFi access; in-room Starbucks coffee and Tazo Teas; complimentary local and 800 numbers; outdoor year-round heated swimming pool and hot tub; nightly turndown service and daily paper; in-room laptop safe use and full access to the business center. Friday Night Restaurants
Below are the restaurants, with links to their websites and to information from the Santa Fe Reporter site. Cafe Café
http://www.sfreporter.com/directory/detaileats/cafe_cafe/127/
"Enjoy exceptional Italian-inspired dishes in a relaxed, warm and comfortably elegant trattoria atmosphere." (Opened September 2007) El Farol
http://www.sfreporter.com/directory/detaileats/el_farol/18/
"Santa Fe's oldest restaurant and cantina combines classic tastes of Spain, Santa Fe and Mexico with a unique blend of art, dance, flavor and aroma." Geronimo
http://www.sfreporter.com/directory/detaileats/geronimo/20/
"Tradition and innovation merge at this Canyon Road legend, where simplicity and understatement reign." Santacafé
http://www.sfreporter.com/directory/detaileats/santacafe/37/
"A fine dining icon of Santa Fe since 1983, Santacafé specializes in serving unique American cuisine with a Southwestern flair." The Shed
http://www.sfreporter.com/directory/detaileats/the_shed/39/
"Experience the warm hospitality of northern New Mexico and the unique cuisine which mixes Pueblo, Spanish and Mexican influences." Note: each restaurant will have its own procedures for shared checks, so bringing cash is recommended. Cap off your evening with drinks and dancing at the Santa Fe Reporter's Zombie Halloween Party from 7 pm to midnight.
