February 3-5, 2011
Sheraton & Reed Center in Midwest City, Oklahoma
All convention sessions and events will be held at the Reed Center, adjacent to the Sheraton. The Sheraton is connected to the Reed Center by an indoor walkway.
QUESTIONS? Call (405) 499-0026, 1-888-815-2672 (toll-free in Okla.) or e-mail registrations@okpress.com.
CONVENTION SPONSORS
Gold Level
Silver Level
Bronze Level
To request information about convention sponsorships, call Member Services Director Lisa Potts at (405) 499-0026, or 1-888-815-2672 (toll-free in Okla.), or e-mail lpotts@okpress.com.
HOTEL INFORMATION
SHERATON HOTEL
5750 Will Rogers Road, Midwest City, OK 73110
Front Desk: (405) 455-1800
Click for directions from your location
OPA Room Rate: $94 per night
Reserve your room by January 18 to guarantee rate and availability.
Click here for Online Reservations - This website is specifically for OPA's Mid-Winter Convention, Feb. 3-5.
Phone Reservations: 1-888-627-8566
Tell reservationist that you are with Oklahoma Press Association to receive the group room rate.
Wireless high-speed internet access in sleeping rooms is FREE for OPA members. Parking is FREE. A small business center is available in the Sheraton lobby.
All educational sessions are sponsored by the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation.
THURSDAY, FEB. 3
11:00 a.m. OPA/OPS Board Meeting
2:00 p.m. ONF Board Meeting
2:00 p.m. OPA Registration Desk Opens
3:00 p.m. Hotel Check-In Available
4:00 p.m. Saving Legals: The Road Ahead
Presented by Mark Thomas, OPA
Legal notices have come under fire in recent years as governments fight to save money by publishing notices on their websites instead of in newspapers. Can we hold on to notices for 10 more years? Mark Thomas, OPA executive vice president, will discuss the importance of keeping legals in printed format and how you can help keep them there.
5:15 p.m. OPA Business Meeting
Election of 2011-12 OPA Officers and Directors, Treasurer’s Report, Necrology Report
6:00 p.m. Free Time
7:00 p.m. Gridiron Dinner
The Gridiron show of political satire at the summer conference was such a hit, we’re doing it again with some new songs! You’ll be holding your sides as this troupe of OPA members, led by Wayne Trotter, sings their way into your hearts. There's still time to join this troupe. If you want to be part of the show, e-mail gloria@countywidenews.com.
Sponsored by Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association
FRIDAY, FEB. 4
Breakfast on your own. Available at Sheraton Hotel from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m.
9:00 a.m. News Flash
News Flash is a fast-paced event covering a range of topics with a format that keeps it fun and interesting. If you’ve heard of Ignite or TED, this is the same concept. Eight or nine presenters will each share one newspaper-related idea accompanied by a slide presentation within five minutes or less. This is a great opportunity to pick up some new ideas that could work at your own paper.
iPad Giveaway sponsored by Athlon Sports
10:00 a.m. Break
10:15 a.m. Virtually Everywhere: Making News Mobile
Technologically advanced readers and those under age 35 are looking outside the print version for their news. A panel of OPA members will discuss phone and ipad applications as well as e-mail and other distribution methods to attract readers to your website.
PANELISTS: Jason Collington, Tulsa World; Alan Herzberger, The Oklahoman; Lynn Martin, Alva Review-Courier
10:45 a.m. Break
11:00 a.m. One-on-One With Governor Mary Fallin
Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin joins OPA for her first question-and-answer session as governor.
11:45 a.m. Break
12:00 p.m. Luncheon
Presentation of: ONG Column and Editorial Sweepstakes Awards, OGE Photo of the Year Awards, OPA Web Site Awards, OPA Print Quality Awards, ONF Joseph H. Edwards Outdoor Writer of the Year Award, Blooper Awards
Co-Sponsored by OERB & AT&T
2:00 p.m. Break
2:30 p.m. Concurrent Sessions
Focus on Photoshop
Presented by Wilma Melot, OPA
Learn tools and techniques that could save you hours each week building pages and ads. Melot will discuss the standards for photo corrections, how to build buttons to improve your speed, set up automation projects and establish speedy shortcuts. We'll also cover building graphics and ads for your website.
Creating A Digital Community
Presented by Dave Rhea, The Journal Record
Social networking resources, like Facebook and Twitter, provide tools to build an online community. Join this session to learn to build your brand online and direct traffic to your website. Don't have a website? Then social media is even more important to connect with your current and future readers online.
3:30 p.m. Break
3:45 p.m. Concurrent Sessions
Mind Your Business
Sure, your newspaper serves your community, but it’s also a business. While you're trying to put out a quality product, you're still responsible for overseeing accounting, taxes, payroll and budgets. A panel of OPA experienced publishers will discuss common business operations and answer your questions.
Taking Care of Business
Presented by Ted Streuli, The Journal Record
Take the boring out of business news! Add depth to your paper with business coverage that goes beyond ribbon cuttings and ground-breakings without the tedium of balance sheets. The business beat is full of emotion, scandal, conflict and passion. All the ingredients for great storytelling are there and this session will show you where to look and how to deliver engaging, important news from the business beat in any size market.
5:15 p.m. Free Time
6:30 p.m. Awards Reception
Sponsored by OGE Energy Corp.
7:00 p.m. Awards Banquet
Presentation of: Milt Phillips Award, ONF Beachy Musselman Award, Half Century Club Induction, Quarter Century Club Induction, Better Newspaper Contest Awards
9:30 p.m. President's Hospitality Suite
All attendees are invited to the President’s Hospitality Suite following the Awards Banquet.
Sponsored by PSO and Associated Press
SATURDAY, FEB. 5
Breakfast on your own. Available at Sheraton Hotel from 7 to 11 a.m.
9:00 a.m. Daily & Weekly Roundtables
Don’t miss this opportunity to discuss common issues and share ideas at separate daily and weekly roundtables.
9:45 a.m. Break
10:00 a.m. Congressional Conversations
Your opportunity to question U.S. Senators Jim Inhofe and Tom Coburn, and Dist. 1 Rep. John Sullivan, Dist. 2 Rep. Dan Boren, Dist. 4 Rep. Tom Cole, and Dist. 5 Rep. James Lankford.
11:15 a.m. Mid-Winter Convention Adjourns
12:00 p.m. Hotel Check-out
CANCELLATION POLICY
Notice of cancellation must be received in writing. A full registration fee refund is authorized when cancellation notice is received by January 28, 2011. No-shows forfeit registration fee.