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No APSE thread?

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Inky_Wretch, Jun 24, 2009.

  1. thegrifter

    thegrifter Member

    while i agree that that is the intended purpose of the conventions, I seriously doubt that's the impression it makes on everyone.
     
  2. SF_Express

    SF_Express Active Member

    Well, my experience is that there's drinking and schmoozing and eating -- not sure what happened to Saturday golf, never mentioned anymore -- but that for the most part, there's a lot of interesting discussion and things to be learned. And I think that's the impression it makes on most who attend.
     
  3. Inky_Wretch

    Inky_Wretch Well-Known Member

    Agreed. It is what you make it.
     
  4. Some Guy

    Some Guy Active Member

    Our SE is there.

    I think he's mostly interested in the seminar on how to save money on the travel budget.
     
  5. JackReacher

    JackReacher Well-Known Member

    Nice!
     
  6. JerryMicco

    JerryMicco Member

    We have 60 registered members this year, the lowest on record. I recall the largest in my 20 years of work in the organization was 200 in Chicago in 2000. Of course, these are different times. The sessions here have been helpful and eye-opening. A lot about social networking, storytelling in print and online, content sharing, how to save money on travel (an excellent one, by the way). And many of these sessions will be on the APSE website for streaming. This was made possible by APSE's work with Malcolm Moran, the Knight Chair for Sports Journalism and Society, at Penn State. He has some PSU people here filming several session so we can share them with everyone.

    It's hardly somber here. We're proud to meet and discuss our industry. It's in a seismic change and if we don't meet to talk about it as a group, we can't share ideas we can take to our editors. Of which two -- Marty Kaiser in Milwaukee and my boss, David Shribman, put on a great session (along with Emilio Garcia-Ruiz) about the future and what it holds. Not pretty, but not as bad as I was hearing 9 months ago.

    All in all, it's been a very good convention. As the host paper and editor, I'm proud of the work everyone has done. Sure, there's some eating, drinking, outings (Gateway Clipper cruise, Pirates game (separate buy). And of course, folks doing dinner.

    A lot of guys are here on their own dime. I liken them to the folks like Dave Smith, Bill Millsaps and others, who in the mid-80s shelled out of their own pockets, thousands to keep the organization afloat. A lot of guys who paid their own way this time are in that class. At least they are to me. APSE has a rainy-day fund and we're tapping it some. But that's why it was put there by people like Henry Freeman, Ed Storin and Herb Stutz.

    I hope next year is better in Salt Lake as far as attendance, but Pittsburgh will be remembered as folks really coming together. And we'll do Boston in 2011. We are looking at Indianapolis (and a great new agreement that will save tons on costs with IUPUI) as our permanent judging home and APSE home. Free space to judge and very low rates for nearby hotel. We want to make this as affordable as possible to all editors. And remember under-40K editors: we bring in 2 of you from each of APSE's 10 regions on our dime to judging. Get with your region chair when he/she returns if you're interested. You have to bunk in with someone, but you get some meals and I'll guarantee, most people will offer to buy you dinner.

    Tough times indeed, but here in Pittsburgh, we're learning and working on how we'll bring those ideas to our bosses so we can do more, even in tough times. I'm not about to give up on this great profession and that has been really crystalized for me by the folks here. And by those who wanted to come but couldn't. Newspaper, er, Media Companies should be ashamed of how they've handled this collapse. Too many good folks out of work, too many good papers gone or sliced to ribbons.

    Love APSE or hate it, the organization is here for you. Everyone. And if you want to contact me at the Post-Gazette about any materials available or check out the APSE website, we can help get you some things that might make a difference.

    Keep the faith. Work together. Do great journalism. We're sports folks. We can do anything.
     
  7. Inky_Wretch

    Inky_Wretch Well-Known Member

    Great post. Any of the "best ideas" CDs left?
     
  8. Philkaplan

    Philkaplan Member

    You will be able to view it at apse.dallasnews.com will other materials from the convention.
    Phil Kaplan
    First VP of APSE (as of Saturday afternoon)
     
  9. SF_Express

    SF_Express Active Member

    See, I TOLD you people APSE sucks, there are no good people or ideas there, it's all about eating and drinking and nobody benfits at all. :)
     
  10. Some Guy

    Some Guy Active Member

    It made me laugh that I was right.
     
  11. Johnny Dangerously

    Johnny Dangerously Well-Known Member

    Interesting. I bet we could have quite the spin-off thread about that, considering the mixed opinions about writers who work unpaid hours and/or pay some of their travel expenses (or find a friend to bunk with to save the company money).

    I'm not knocking those who are at the APSE convention on their own dime. I just think it's the other side of the same coin, and I find it interesting.
     
  12. brettwatson

    brettwatson Active Member

    Having attended half a dozen conventions but sitting this one out, I miss it terribly. Given the state of our biz, it's more important than ever to foster organizations devoted to helping us improve.

    The sports editors aren't the bad guys in this downtown. They are the ones charged with making it all work somehow in near impossible conditions. That they are willing to go on their own dime shows their devotion.

    I wish I had the grand or so to attend this year. The real question I have been asking myself repeatedly over the past few months is: can I afford not to?

    Real world concerns were the eventual trump card for me, but I'll be over the digital stuff they make available soon.

    A better group of people you'll never find. And whenever I have needed need a story, photo, favor, advice, etc., and have asked a colleague I met at an ASPE function, my personal batting average is 1.000. I am confident that number will stay perfect despite my absence at this (and the past couple) APSE events.
     
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