Minnesota News Council

Program and Agenda

America’s new online citizen-journalists are inventing a new business and a new passion — the business of building local, literate, digital domains on the web where community and commerce flourish, But efforts — and structure — to share best practices are only just emerging.

The agenda will be a mix of practical workshops on specific best practices and open, circle-round discussions. There will be ample opportunity for networking, and for planning collaboration.

Wed., June 4

Noon — Registration opens, McNamara Alumni Center,Univ. of Minnesota
1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. — “Citizens at the Gates: A Research Briefing” — “(Margaret Duffy,Univ. of Missouri)
with Matt Thompson, Mary Turck and Jan Schaffer. ” (TEXT DETAILS AND VIDEO)
1:30-2:30 Moderated conversation about the research
2:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m. — Additional registration for late arrivals; coffee/tea/juice/cookie break
3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. — Opening Circle — Expectations/Expertise
Including an brief conversation about “A Passion for Place,” Concepts for the American Society of News and Community Forums (ASNCF).
5:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. — Break
6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. — Informal “Stand-up” Dinner
7:00 p.m.-7:45 p.m. — Talk/discussion: Joel Kramer, editor, MinnPost.comand others TBD — “Changing Roles in the Emerging News Ecology”
7:45 p.m.-9:00 p.m. — The Coffee House — Speed topics

Thurs., June 5

SKYPE CONCURRENT SESSIONS

8 a.m.- 8:45 a.m. — Continental breakfast and networking
8:50 a.m. — BRIEFING: Citizen Journalism at Univ. of Minn. — Albert Tims
9 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. — OPENING TALK: “Setting the Civic Agenda” — John Nichols
9:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. — Morning check-in/agenda setting
10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. — Break
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. — First breakouts and roundtable discussions
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. — Second breakouts and roundtable discussions
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. — Luncheon
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. — Third breakouts and roundtable discussions
2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. — Break
2:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. — Reports from the sessions
3:15 p.m.-4:15 p.m. — Next step breakout discussions / form ASNCF?
4:15 p.m.-5:15 p.m. — Closing session
5:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. — Break
5:30 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. — Hor d’oeuvres reception
6:30 p.m. – ???? — Meetup with NCMR principals; entertainment

Fri., June 6 (optional taping session/Minnesota Public Radio)

8:00 a.m. — Bus departs from McNamara Center/Day’s Inn to St. Paul studio’s of Minnesota Public Radio
8:30 a.m. — 10:00 a.m. — Videotaping of “The Passion of Place,” a discussion about the motivation, passions, fears and successes of local online news/community entrepreneurs, facilitated and videotaped for public distribution. (Up to 20 attending local placebloggers/entrepreneurs invited to participate).
10:45 a.m. — Bus arrives back at McNamara/Day’s Inn
11:00 a.m. — Conference ends