Timely Programs, Top Speakers, and Oceanfront Location are Highlights at Annual Convention

The convention, held at the Princess Royale Hotel, focused on profitability for newspapers, advertising, access issues since the terrorist attacks of last Sept. 11, newspapers and the Internet, and a retrospective on the events of Sept. 11.

David Handschuh’s eye-witness account of the attack on the World Trade Center in New York started the day on Friday. Handschuh, a photographer with the New York Daily News, shared his story, some amazing images he and other photographers captured, and shared stories of lives since the attacks.

Handschuh recounted his drive into work that morning, seeing a massive column of smoke in lower Manhattan, hearing the calls come across the police radio and then following on the rear bumper of a fire truck the wrong way on the West Side Highway.

"I arrived at 8:53 a.m. and said a small prayer," he said. Handschuh covered the attack for more than an hour before being injured and rescued by firefighters.

The next session was the Legal Roundtable, which featured Lucy Dalglish, executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and media attorneys Alice Neff Lucan, Henry Abrams and Richard Elliott tackling current legal issues.

Dalglish focused on access issues facing reporters since the events of Sept. 11 and discussed Homefront Confidential, the RCFP’s recently released study documenting those access challenges.

She said American reporters were not asking tough questions immediately after the events, and by the time they started questioning the government had tightened access. She added that since then the government has proposed a number of restrictions to federal FOI laws.

The morning programs continued with a panel discussion on Newspapers and the Internet. Moderator Robin Saul, publisher of the Carroll County Times, and panelists Gordon Borrell of Borrell Associates, James Brown of The Capital, and Deborah Cornely of The Dundalk Eagle, discussed whether newspapers should be charging for their Web editions.

Consultant Borrell argued against newspapers charging for their Web content, but urged them to fully utilize the Web’s potential.

Albert Boscov, chairman of Boscov’s Department Stores, addressed the group at lunch. He described his beginnings in the retail business and how he got started with advertising in newspapers.

Boscov said his dad let him try some "new-fangled ideas like advertising in the newspaper" at a time when neighborhood stores didn’t advertise in newspapers. He began advertising every week and the store grew from $200,000 in business to $1.7 million, he said.

"My faith and the newspaper made it possible," said Boscov. He added that he believes in newspaper ROP advertising as the best way to sell retail, but he expressed concern over declining circulation.

The afternoon session focused on increasing profitability in newspapers. Len Kubas of Kubas Consulting in Toronto, an expert on advertising pricing, presented new ideas and ways for newspapers to approach selling advertising that will make advertising more productive for the newspaper and the advertiser.

Fun at the convention included an oceanfront Caribbean buffet on Thursday evening. Friday evening’s Past Presidents’ Reception sponsored by Papiers Stadacona, was followed by the convention dinner and entertainment from Jack Foreaker. American Profile sponsored a Seashore Treasures gift basket that was given away Friday evening. Both Thursday and Friday nights participants enjoyed the hospitality suite sponsored by Kruger Pulp and Paper Sales.