#PMJA2024 Before the Beltway Sessions

Station Voter Guides: Boost Democracy and Audiences

Public media play a vital role in teaching voters about political candidates and ballot measures. Here’s how you can fulfill your mission and attract new listeners and readers.

Moderator: Doug Nadvornick, Spokane Public Radio

Panelists:

Patrick Doyle - WESA

Megan Garvey - Southern California Public Radio

Katie Thoresen -  WXPR

Candidate Backgrounding & Public Records with MuckRock & Sunlight Search

Join Sunlight Search and MuckRock for a master class on the lost art of backgrounding candidates for public office, by going deep into public records. We’ll share sample public records requests that we’ve filed with local, state and federal agencies, show you where to find property and business records, and look at how to pull and read personal financial disclosure reports. You’ll leave with a tool kit that you can use to develop a thorough background profile of incumbents and challengers in the election races you’re covering.

About the hosts:

MuckRock is a journalism and transparency non-profit that facilitates public records requests and maintains a database of more than 20,000 local, state and federal agencies that make it easy to research and file public records requests.

Sunlight Search is a nonpartisan organization that focuses on accountability research on candidates for public office.

Presenters:

Elizabeth Clemons - Sunlight Search

Kelly Kauffman - MuckRock

How to cover international news locally

Local news, by definition, is about things happening close to home. But in our hyperconnected world, developments far away — in the Caribbean, the Middle East, Eastern Europe or elsewhere — can feel like local news, especially given that some 45 million people living in America were born abroad.

We’ll talk about how to report on international news affecting your local communities and how diasporas can be both a resource and an audience for your reporting.

Jerome Socolovsky - Audio Journalism Trainer, NPR

 Past Before the Beltway Sessions

Intensify your Election Impact:
Get Local Stories National Attention

Join Megan Pratz, Political Editor at NPR, for a power session equipping your newsroom to crack the code of national coverage in the 2024 elections. Dive into:

• 2024 Priorities: What stories are on NPR's radar?
• The Winning Pitch: Craft local angles that grab national attention.
• Inside the Process: Unravel the submission path to secure coverage.

Amplify your voice with an open Q&A – don't miss this chance to level up your election game!

Archive

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Session #1:  The State of Podcasts

As we look ahead to a new year in the podcast industry, leaders from public media and beyond weigh in on what the top priorities are for creators and audiences.

Moderator: Alison MacAdam

Joanne Griffith - Chief Content Officer, APM Studios and founder of En(title)d! For Leaders of Color in Media

Rebecca Lavoie - Director On-Demand Audio, NHPR

Anna Sale - Host of DSM from Slate

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Special thanks to our series sponsor:

Session #2:  Repurposing Content for Podcasting

Stations produce a wealth of content every day, but it’s often just for broadcast audiences. Is there a way to take that existing content and transform it for a digital audience? Our panelists say yes! Hear from newsrooms who are doing it.

Moderator: Krista Almanzan

Stephanie Curtis - Director of Programming, MPR

Matthew Peddie - Host, Florida Matters, WUSF

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Session #3:  Narrative Podcasts

From concept to publication, the limited-series, narrative podcast can bring long-form reporting and investigative topics to your digital audience. We’ll hear from public radio producers and reporters on where to start and the storytelling tools, you’ll need along the way.

Moderator: Sáša Woodruff, Boise State Public Radio

Ashley Ahearn - Independent Podcast Producer

Ben Brock Johnson - Executive Producer, Podcasts - WBUR

Antonia Cereijido - Host, Imperfect Paradise - LAist

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Session #4:  Beyond the Radio: Growing Your Podcast Audience

With so much content available on demand these days, finding new audiences and engaging in different ways is more important than ever. We catch up with leaders in the podcast marketing space to find out how public media podcasts can stand out in 2024.

Lizzie Breyer Bowman - Vice President, Growth and Marketing at Lemonada Media

Laura Krantz - Journalist, Author & Podcast Host

Maggie Taylor - Principal, Maggie Taylor Creative

Moderator - Corey Coates, Podfly

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Fighting the "chilling effect": How NHPR made the 13th Step podcast

Join NHPR's Lauren Chooljian and editor Alison MacAdam as they share this fascinating journey. They worked together for more than two years. The project wrapped together the challenges of reporting on substance use disorder, sexual misconduct and threats to press freedom and personal safety. Topics will include:

• How they identified their story, amidst the noise. 
• Source management
• The editor/reporter relationship
• Managing trauma, with sources and with colleagues
• The ethical conundrum: How they decided to balance the personal angle with the investigation.
• Getting sued: Tips on protecting yourself, colleagues and sources. 

Speakers:

Lauren Chooljian- Senior Reporter/Producer, NHPR

Alison MacAdam - Freelance Editor

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Legal Health Check with TrustLaw

Join TrustLaw Program Officer Livia Fry for a PMJA exclusive "Legal Health Check." TrustLaw is the global pro bono legal service of the Thomson Rueters Foundation - and they've developed a tool to assist organizations in taking stock of their current position and identifying operational legal needs that may arise in the coming months. This session will guide you through key questions regarding governance and administration, structuring matters, regulatory compliance, data privacy and protection and more. 

Livia Fry - TrustLaw Program Officer

Communicating Your Fundraising Needs for Election Coverage: A Collaborative Approach

Empowering journalists, development teams, and leadership for successful election coverage fundraising.

This interactive online training equips working journalists, station development teams, and general management with the tools and strategies to secure critical funding for in-depth election coverage.

What You'll Learn:

Internal Alignment: Develop a clear message about what your newsroom needs financially to deliver impactful election coverage.
Building Bridges: Bridge the gap between journalists and development teams. Learn what information development needs from journalists to craft compelling fundraising messages.
Funding Landscape: Explore the various types of funders who may be interested in supporting your election coverage, and how to tailor your pitch accordingly.
Turning Encounters into Opportunities: Gain practical tips on how to identify potential funders during your daily reporting activities and navigate these conversations effectively.

This training will help you:

• Learn about the resources available needed to deliver comprehensive and informative election coverage.
• Foster collaboration between journalists, development teams, and leadership.
• Develop compelling narratives that resonate with potential funders.
• Maximize your fundraising potential during the critical election season.

Watch today and ensure your newsroom has the resources to deliver the election coverage your community deserves!

Lori Zoss Kraska - Growth Owl, LLC's Founder and Chief Principal

The ABC's of Investigative Reporting

From pitching an idea to interviewing, developing sources and staying organized through it all, this session is for anyone interested in honing their investigative skills.

Cheryl W. Thompson - Senior Editor, Station Investigations, NPR