Workshops and Events

January 2009

Legislative Workshop for the Media, Jan. 8

SCPA will host its annual Legislative Workshop for the Media on Thursday, January 8, at the Statehouse complex in Columbia. The workshop will preview the upcoming 2009 legislative session. This workshop is recommended for new and veteran statehouse reporter, editorial writers, city editors and assignment editors. All discussions will be on the record. Les Boles, Director of the Office of State Budget, will present an overview of state revenue and spending projections for coming year. Panelists from the House and Senate will discuss the budget, tax reform, cigarette taxation, budget appropriation limitations, spending limits and the increase of reserve accounts, school funding, roads and bridges, energy policy legislation and prison sentencing reform. The cost to attend this all-day workshop is $45 per person for members of SCPA and the Associated Press. The deadline to register is Dec. 29. For a detailed list of topics, legislative panelists, and to register, click here.

Weekly Publishers' Roundtable, Jan. 15

SCPA will host bi-annual Weekly Publishers' Roundtable from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at SCPA Offices in Columbia. The cost is $25 and lunch will be provided. Click here to register.

Scholarship and Internship Application deadline, Jan. 19

Each year, the Foundation awards scholarships and internships to S.C. college students. Click the following links to download the scholarship application and internship application. The deadline is Jan. 19.

Ad Basics, Jan. 22

New sales people on staff? Help them get started with the essentials of ad sales. Register today for SCPA’s popular quarterly sales training for new sales reps. The workshop is designed for newspaper ad sales employees with less than a year’s experience. The Jan. 22nd workshop will cover the basics in advertising sales and get your revenue-producing staff off to a great start. Alanna Ritchie, ad director for the South Carolina Newspaper Network, will conduct this full-day workshop, which will run from 10 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. A veteran of weekly and daily newspaper sales, Ritchie will help attendees understand the basics of sales, including selling against competition, dealing with objections, closing skills and consultative selling.

This session will be held at the SCPA office in Columbia. The cost is only $45. Click here to register.

ACES Copy-editing Workshop, Jan. 25

The Southeast Chapter of ACES will be hosting an all-day workshop on copy-editing Jan. 25, at MUSC in Charleston. The workshop will offer three tracks: Traditional, Web Skills and Life Beyond Newspapers. The cost to attend the workshop is $20 for ACES members and SCPA members, which includes lunch.

To register, click here.

February 2009

Covering local government and school boards, Feb. 5

Join SCPA, along with the Municipal Association of South Carolina and the S.C. School Board Association, as we cover reporting on local government and school board beats. This half-day workshop will take place on Thursday, Feb. 5, from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. We'll help you better understanding and analyzing a budget, and the impact of Act 388 on municipal government and school districts. This workshop will be held at the Municipal Association Building, at 1411 Gervais Street in downtown Columbia. The cost is $30 per person. Registration information will be available soon.

Design That Sells, Feb. 12

Do your newer ad sales representatives and production employees need help creating ads that work for your advertising customers? Do your sales people need to jump-start their creativity? If your answer is yes, sign them up today for Design That Sells, a workshop for newer ad professionals. This workshop will take place on Feb. 12 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at SCPA Offices in Columbia. Your staff will learn ways of bringing readers into an ad through the use of eff ective type and art work. This hands-on session is limited to the first 20 people. The cost is $45 and lunch will be provided. SCPA Executive Director Bill Rogers will lead attendees through ad design basics using award-winning ads from across South Carolina. Click here to register.

InDesign and Good Design, Feb. 19

Join SCPA on Feb. 19, for an informative day on Adobe InDesign and effective newspaper page design. SCPA's Michelle Kerscher will lead attendees through a two-hour morning session on InDesign for the newsroom, including her favorite timesaving tips and tricks. The afternoon session will be on effective page design, taught by Tom Peyton, visual director at The State newspaper in Columbia. The cost is $25 per session, or $40 for all day. Registration information will be available soon.

March 2009

SCPA Winter Meeting and Awards Presentation, March 13-14

You don't want to miss this year's Winter Meeting in Myrtle Beach! Click here for more information.

Internet Ad Sales Workshop, March 26

Want to generate more income from your Web site? Join SCPA on March 26, as we host Gary Sosniecki, an expert on newspaper internet ad sales. Sosniecki has owned three weekly newspapers and published a small daily in Missouri during a 34-year career. He now works with TownNews.com as a regional sales manager. The cost is $50, which includes lunch. Details coming soon!

April 2009

SCPA Collegiate Meeting and Awards Presentation, April 3

SCPA's annual Collegiate Meeting and Awards Presentation will take place from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. at Clemson University. This year's program will feature a variety of sessions on writing, design, photography, multimedia skills and FOIA. After swapping newspapers, the program will start with a general opening session on "New Media, New Horizons." This jam-packed day also includes a luncheon with young alumni panel discussion, roundtable sessions, and of course, the 2008 awards presentation.

If you are interested in sponsoring this event, contact Jen at (803) 750-9561. The cost to attend is $20, which includes lunch courtesy of Clemson University. Registration information will be available soon.

Mega Writing Workshop, April 22

More details coming soon!

Ad Basics, April 23

New sales people on staff? Help them get started with the essentials of ad sales. Register today for SCPA’s popular quarterly sales training for new sales reps. The workshop is designed for newspaper ad sales employees with less than a year’s experience. The April 23rd workshop will cover the basics in advertising sales and get your revenue-producing staff off to a great start. Alanna Ritchie, ad director for the South Carolina Newspaper Network, will conduct this full-day workshop, which will run from 10 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. A veteran of weekly and daily newspaper sales, Ritchie will help attendees understand the basics of sales, including selling against competition, dealing with objections, closing skills and consultative selling.

This session will be held at the SCPA office in Columbia. The cost is only $45.