Submitted by Steve Hanson on Fri, 11/13/2009 – 12:46pm

Few sectors of American business have been as influential and staid as the news industry. But new technologies and increased competition for advertising dollars have caused the industry to feel a bit like Humpty Dumpty. Now, it’s up to a new generation of visionaries to put the pieces back together.

Using case studies and real-world examples, our program will examine how existing news organizations working alongside new entrants to the market are making the transition from print to online profitably, and the role technology is playing as they do so.

Join Patricia Lee Smith, Vice President of New Media at The Seattle Times, as she opens the evening with a market assessment of the news industry and a discussion of her organization’s adoption strategy for the digital age. Joining her on stage to compare and contrast strategies will be:

· Anthony Bontrager – President, 1Cast, Inc.

· Tracy Record – Founder, West Seattle Blog

· Charles Tillinghast – President, MSNBC.com

Moderating the discussion will be Todd Bishop, Co-founder and Managing Editor of TechFlash.

Our panel will apply the critical thinking of journalists, technologists and entrepreneurs to assess what is happening within the news industry, and how to benefit from the shifting landscape. Particular attention will be paid to audience take-aways involving current and future business models (both good and bad), various opportunities for entrepreneurs, and the challenges to overcome if we are to retain what is one of the key aspects of a successful democracy.

Don’t wait to read about it in tomorrow’s paper! REGISTER NOW. This is an event you won’t want to miss!

http://www.mitwa.org/catalog/index.cfm?fuseaction=product&theParentID=118&id=836

Location

Hyatt Regency900 Bellevue Way NEBellevue, WASee map: Google Maps