Join us for the first-ever joint venture between the New England Newspaper and Press Association and the New York Press Association at the Fall Publishers’ Conference, happening September 19-21 in Providence, Rhode Island.

The networking alone will be worth the trip, and we have put together a dynamic conference program (see highlights below).

Did we mention the food?  We have made arrangements for group dinners. Gracie’s is a storied Providence institution and Hemenway’s is a renowned seafood favorite.  Water Fire sets the river ablaze on Saturday night, featuring scenic gondola rides, cocktails, your choice of food trucks, seafood restaurants, unlimited Italian choices on Providence’s famous Federal Hill, and more.

Saturday at noon, we’ll celebrate excellence in journalism with the announcement of our most prestigious awards, including the New England Newspaper of the Year, Publick Occurrences, Allan B. Rogers Editorial Award, New England First Amendment Award, AP Sevellon Brown New England Journalist of the Year, Bob Wallack Community Journalism Award, and The Cornerstone Award.

Click here to register for the conference.

Click here to book your room at OMNI Providence for $209 per night. The cut-off date is September 4th.

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with colleagues from New England and New York. Register today and secure your spot!

We can’t wait to see you there!

Program Highlights:

*Begin With WE
Kyle McDowell, Best Selling Author
Former Fortune 10 executive turned bestselling author, media personality, and leadership coach Kyle McDowell will share his proven framework for building a culture of excellence – the same framework used while leading tens of thousands of employees at some of the biggest firms in America.

*AI in Local Journalism
Nicco Mele
With over 20 years of experience in media, technology, and social innovation, Nicco Mele is a Venture Partner at Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation (DRK), a leading venture philanthropy that supports exceptional social entrepreneurs.  In this session we’ll discuss the threats, opportunities, challenges, and impact – intentional or otherwise – of AI on local journalism.

*Newsletter Panel
Adriana Lacy, Nicco Mele and Ayasha Choudhury
Game changer!  Newsletters are outbound engagement tools – curated and customized to increase engagement and loyalty.  This impactful panel discussion will share best practices and strategies from concept through delivery.

*Civil Discourse
Eve Pearlman
Spaceship co-founder Eve Pearlman will talk about how dialogue journalism can engage audiences and foster civil discourse.  “We’re not here to change people’s minds – we’re here to reduce polarization and build communities by fostering constructive conversations.”  The key to navigating differences starts at home, so how can community newspaper publishers cool down the conversations in the communities you serve?

*Local Media Website Hub
Christian Scherbel & Guy Tasaka
Industry veterans Guy Tasaka and Christian Scherbel will identify key strategies publishers can leverage to significantly boost digital revenues, both in the short term and sustainably over the long term.  They will emphasize the importance of prioritizing both readers and advertisers, and re-establishing newspapers as the central hub for local communities.

*Paywalls
Natalie Thomas
Join us for an enlightening session on leveraging research to drive subscription growth.  You will learn actionable strategies to enhance your paywall strategy.  By the end of this session, you’ll have a comprehensive toolkit of practical insights and techniques to significantly boost your subscription rates.

*Journalism Needs Leaders Who Know How to Run a Business
Laura Krantz McNeill
Laura Krantz McNeill is senior product editor for the Chronicle of Higher Education. In this session, she’ll explain why publishers need to think like product managers and why they need to be leaders who can strategize and who are in communication with their communities; who are excited about being entrepreneurs and see opportunity in chaos; who evangelize about our mission and whose devotion brings others along; who consider themselves stewards and position our organizations, and more importantly, our people for success.

*Mastering the Shift: Growing Audiences Amid Social Traffic Slumps and the GenAI Surge
Allison Mezzafonte and Kerry Twibell
In an era where shifting social algorithms make audience acquisition feel like a game of ‘whack-a-mole,’ and GenAI reshapes the search landscape, publishers are facing new and complex challenges. This session will delve into cutting-edge strategies to not just survive but thrive in this rapidly changing environment, helping you unlock new pathways to sustainable audience growth.