The 2025 New England Newspaper Convention is happening next week in historic Portland, Maine! Join us March 28-29 in Portland, Maine, for two days of expert-led sessions, networking, and celebrations of the best journalism in New England. We are excited to announce additional sessions and the times for our program lineup below!

Registration for sessions and some special events will remain open through Monday, March 24 at 5:00 pm.

A limited number of rooms are still available at the Hyatt Place Portland-Old Port (just a 3-minute walk to the Convention and Awards Banquet) at $199 per night—to book these rooms please email t.cleary@nenpa.com and let her know you are interested.

Don’t Miss Our Special Events:

Hall of Fame Dinner (Friday, March 28 beginning at 6:00 PM) – The 2025 honorees are Stephen Kurkjian, The Boston Globe, Paul Pronovost, Cape Cod Times and Naomi Schalit and John Christie, Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting.

Yankee Quill Awards Luncheon (Saturday, March 29 beginning at noon) – The recipients are Jacqueline Smith, Hearst Connecticut Media, Mike Bello, The Boston Globe, Gloria Negri, The Boston Globe, Randy Capitani, The Deerfield Valley News and historical figures Henry and Benjamin Lindsey, Whalemen’s Shipping List and Merchants’ Transcript.

SOLD OUT – Journalism Awards Banquet (Saturday, March 29 beginning at 6:00 PM) – Our largest celebratory gathering of the year where we reveal the results of the annual New England Better Newspaper Competition!

For more details visit https://www.nenpa.com/newspaper-convention/ for any questions, email info@nenpa.com. We look forward to learning and celebrating with you in Portland!

Schedule for 2025 New England Newspaper Convention:

Friday, March 28

Sessions – 11:00 am – 12:15 pm

Increasing Your Digital Sales & Closing Ratios – Shannon Kinney, CEO of Dream Local Digital, will share practical strategies to boost your sales success.

30 Tips for Interviewing Techniques – Mike Donoghue of Vermont News First shares practical advice for strengthening your interview skills.

Philanthropy as the Third Leg of the Stool – Discover how grants, donor support, and community partnerships can sustain impactful journalism.

Sessions – 1:30 pm – 2:45 pm

Using AI in Sales and Marketing – Learn how AI can enhance your advertising sales efforts with tips from Kevin Berrier.

Unlocking Data for Local Journalism – Cheryl Phillips from Big Local News will introduce tools to elevate your data-driven reporting.

How Maine Trust For Local News Grew Sponsored Content Revenue 3X – The team from Maine Trust for Local News will discuss their successful branded content initiatives, and their strategic approach that focuses on structure, collaboration, and continuous learning.

Keynote – 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

NENPA Urgent Town Hall: The Fight for the First Amendment – Chaired by NENPA president Aaron Julien and Rob Bertsche. Don’t miss this. In a lively Town Hall-style session, journalists across New England will share what their organizations are doing—and what yours can do, and what we can all do together—to reinforce, at a local and regional level, the vitality of a free press. Come prepared to join the discussion.

Hall of Fame Dinner and Cocktail Reception beginning at 6:00 PM
The Hall of Fame honors newspaper industry heroes whose talent, hard work, and exceptional accomplishments inspire all New England journalists. Join us in congratulating, honoring, and celebrating this year’s four new inductees.

Saturday, March 29

Keynote – 9:00 am – 10:15 am

Counternarratives: Repositioning the News to Examine Editorial Veracity and Fairness – Join artist Alexandra Bell for an insightful session on rethinking and revising news coverage to promote fairness and accuracy. Through her powerful visual works that critique media bias, Bell challenges journalists to examine editorial choices, language, and framing. This session will inspire fresh perspectives on how newsrooms can identify and address bias, ensuring their coverage better reflects truth and equity.

Sessions – 10:30 am – 11:45 am

Sex, Gender, and Local News – Meg Heckman shares tips for providing responsible coverage in polarizing times.

Opening Up the Government: A Reporter’s Toolbox – Learn how to uncover public records and government secrets with First Amendment attorney Sig Schutz.

Double Session – 10:30 am – 12:30 pm

AI Tools for Your Newsroom – Mike Reilley will guide you through free AI tools to enhance reporting and editing.

Fact-Checking Tools and Best Practices – Mike Reilley will provide tools to combat misinformation in post-election coverage.

Yankee Quill Luncheon 12:00 pm – 1:45 pm
This celebration honors six extraordinary individuals for their lifetime of achievement and distinction in New England Journalism. The Academy of New England Journalists will present the prestigious Yankee Quill Award to this year’s inductees.

Sessions – 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm

DEIB + journalism are under attack: how to navigate the current state of play – Emma Carew Grovum, will lead a discussion and brainstorm around best practices in this rapidly evolving and emerging space. Participants will walk away with a co-created list of tips and techniques to bring back to their newsrooms and try immediately.

What Makes a Good Story: Ideas to Help the Writer – Hear from award-winning journalists on crafting compelling stories that readers can’t put down.

Podcasting for Publishers – Learn podcasting strategies from experts Monica Brady-Myerov and Elaine Appleton Grant.

Sessions – 3:30 pm – 4:45 pm

Repositioning the News Workshop – Alexandra Bell will also present an interactive workshop where participants will learn to rethink, revise, redact, and modify news pages and how to deconstruct language and imagery to explore the tension between marginal experiences and dominant histories.

Media Law Refresher (2025 Update) – A fast-paced primer on how your local newsroom, print or online, can stay enterprising while avoiding legal trouble.

Publick Occurrences Winners Panel – Every fall, NENPA honors reporters who produced the past year’s best journalism in New England with Publick Occurrences awards. For our 2025 conference, we bring four of them together on a panel to talk shop. Join this engaging discussion with committed investigative journalists about the high-wire act of getting big projects out the door.

Journalism Awards Banquet and Cocktail Reception beginning at 6:00 PM
Our largest celebratory gathering of the year where we reveal the results of the annual New England Better Newspaper Competition!

Join fellow New England journalists on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, for an evening of networking, conversation, and collaboration at Tiki Rock in Boston. This exciting event is open to all media professionals across the region and offers a fantastic opportunity to connect with colleagues and expand your professional network.

This gathering is organized by the New England Society of News Editors, the Boston Association of Black Journalists, the New England chapters of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA), the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), and NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists, with support from the New England Newspaper & Press Association (NENPA). Together, these organizations are creating a space for meaningful connections and professional growth.

Event Details:

• Date: Tuesday, March 11, 2025
• Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
• Location: Tiki Rock, 2 Broad St., Boston
• Cost: FREE

What to Expect:

• A vibrant setting for networking
• A cash bar
• The chance to meet journalists from a variety of news organizations

Whether you’re a veteran journalist or just starting your career, this event is the perfect chance to mingle, exchange ideas, and build lasting relationships in the industry.

Spread the word and bring your colleagues! To RSVP or for more information, email emily.sweeney@globe.com.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Student Press Freedom Day is a national day of action dedicated to recognizing the vital contributions of student journalists and advocating for their independence, free from censorship or threats to their advisers. It highlights the ongoing issue of arbitrary and unnecessary censorship and calls on elected officials to protect and restore student press freedom.

Created by the Student Press Law Center, Student Press Freedom Day provides student journalists with a platform to champion press freedom in their communities.

The eighth annual Student Press Freedom Day will take place on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. Throughout the day—and the entire month—student journalists and their supporters across the country will raise awareness about the challenges they face, celebrate their impact on schools and communities, and take action to defend their First Amendment rights.

The theme for Student Press Freedom Day 2025 is “At the Forefront”, emphasizing the essential role of student journalists in shaping public discourse and holding institutions accountable.

We encourage publications to run an editorial in support of Student Press Freedom Day.

To learn more and access resources, visit https://studentpressfreedom.org/.

The Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference is an incredible opportunity for high school juniors passionate about journalism and the First Amendment. This skill-building, network-growing, life-changing, all-expenses-paid, five-day program, hosted in Washington, D.C., is designed to inspire and support the next generation of media professionals.

Each year, 51 students—one from each state and the District of Columbia—are selected for this prestigious experience, where they engage in hands-on learning, hear from top journalists, and gain a deeper understanding of the role of a free press in a democracy.

Alumni of the program have gone on to become influential journalists including Chuck Todd, Megan Twohey, and David Fahrenthold.

Taking place June 22-27, 2025, the conference includes visits to major newsrooms, discussions with influential journalists, and interactive sessions covering the challenges and responsibilities of modern media. Students have the chance to explore journalism’s impact on society, develop their storytelling skills, and build connections with peers who share their passion for truth and free expression. The program honors the legacy of Al Neuharth, founder of USA Today, who championed bold and fearless journalism.

Beyond the conference itself, each participant receives a $1,000 college scholarship and becomes part of an extensive alumni network of over 1,500 individuals who have gone on to careers in journalism, media, and beyond. The experience doesn’t just provide professional insight—it fosters lifelong connections and a commitment to upholding the values of a free press.

Applications for the 2025 program are open until March 23, 2025, with selections announced in mid-May. If you’re a high school junior with a passion for journalism and a drive to “dream, dare, and do,” this program is a perfect stepping stone to your future.

Learn more and apply today!

Branded content has massive revenue potential—but only if you know how to sell it.

That’s where the Branded Content Cash Camp comes in.

Thanks to funding from the Knight Foundation, a new 12-week, hands-on program has been designed to help media sales teams master pricing, pitching, and closing branded content deals. We’ll show you real-world execution, with expert coaching, proven sales tools, and a clear strategy to scale revenue.

Here’s what you get when you join Cash Camp:

Training calls with expert coaches who’ve helped media teams grow revenue nationwide including:

• Shannon Kinney, Dream Local Digital
• Peter Lamb, Lamb Consulting
• Julia Campbell, The Branded Content Project
• David Arkin, David Arkin Consulting
• Jarrett Shaffer, Vuepoint Advertising
• Caitlin Montoya, Vuepoint Advertising
• Hands-on consulting from industry pros who know how to drive results
• Access to proven sales tools and collateral to streamline your sales process
• An in-person kickoff event in New York City on April 1-2, 2025, where you’ll connect with peers and industry leaders
• A clear game plan to make branded content a stronger, more sustainable revenue source

Only 12 teams will be selected, so if you’re ready to turn ideas into revenue, now’s the time to apply.

The application process closes on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025.

For a link to the full announcement, click here.