Wednesday

9:00 – 11:30 AM & 3:15 – 5:30 PM

Location: Gateway 3

More than ever before, news design requires careful and strategic approach to information organization and architecture. As news organizations become more and more focused on cross-platform storytelling, redesign has become a significant approach to seeking new solutions and tactics for engaging audiences. Design gives form to content in print and digital environments.

Likewise, every redesign project is different and must reflect the specific readers and community a news organization serves. However, there are a number of phases in the redesign process that should be observed to ensure the project breathes new life into your publication and gives the entire staff – from editorial to advertising – new strategies for telling stories and engaging readers. This workshop will explore the redesign process, including key considerations for typography, color and structure, the successful integration of print and digital products, best practices in prototyping and the art of information layering.

Target Audience: All designers and publications leaders who are considering a redesign or just want to tweak what they already have.

Dr. Jennifer George-Palilonis is a full professor in Ball State University’s Department of Journalism, and the co-director of the Center for Emerging Media Design & Development. She holds a PhD in Human-Computer Interaction from the Indiana University School of Informatics & Computing. Since 2002, Palilonis has been a media design consultant, both independently and as an affiliate with Garcia Media Group. She has worked on the redesigns of more than 30 newspapers nationwide. She also worked for the Chicago Sun-Times as a news design editor and the Detroit Free Press as a business art director.

Palilonis is also the author of two books, The Multimedia Journalist (Oxford University Press, 2012) and A Practical Guide to Graphics Reporting (Focal Press, 2006). Her research interests include active reading in mobile environments, multimedia storytelling, the use of multimedia as a teaching and learning tool, blended and online learning, mobile design and development, and information graphics.

In 2012, she was  named the Scripps Howard Journalism & Mass Communication Teacher of the Year; and Ball State presented her with the Outstanding Teaching Award. In 2006, she was named the “Young Alumnus of the Year” by the Ball State University Department of Journalism and “Graduate of the Last Decade” by the Ball State University Alumni Association. Prior to becoming the EMDD co-director, she was the coordinator for the nationally recognized journalism graphics sequence and director of theBall State Digital Publishing Studio

Wednesday

9:00 – 11:30 AM & 3:15 – 5:30 PM

Location: Gateway 2

This workshop is designed to show participants how when done correctly, branding drives sales and increases ad revenue channels; builds the readership base (both print and digital products) by increasing customer retention and  lowering the cost of new customer acquisition; attracts talented, loyal employees; and builds brand awareness and community engagement.

We will discuss foundational elements of strong brands and brand challenges for all tasked with executing their brand plan.  We will dive into discovery, ROI and brand strategy planning tools to use as a guide in tweaking your current brand strategy or establishing a plan for the first time!

Nancy Ann Long is currently an independent marketing and sales consultant providing expertise in advertising, marketing and sales with special emphasis in social and online media.

Nancy worked for the St. Louis Dispatch for 20 years. In her position there as Vice President of Marketing, she oversaw Consumer Marketing, Public/Media Relations, Marketing Operations & Creative Services, Digital and Print Audience Development, Circulation Sales: Acquisition and Retention, Partnership Marketing, Research, Business Development, Merchandising and Retail Promotions.

Nancy earned her Master of Arts, Speech Communication – Emphasis in Public Relations and a Bachelor of Science, Speech Communication from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, Illinois.

Educational Sessions

Wednesday

9:00 – 11:30 AM & 3:15 – 5:30 PM

Location: Gateway 5

It makes calls, retrieves email, and sends texts and posts to Twitter. Your modern smartphone likely also shoots great video, and you can use it for real movies. You’ll learn about the tools, software and techniques to take your mobile video to a professional level.

Target Audience: Catholic communicators who want to do more video, either on a budget or from their pocket.

Judd Slivka is an assistant professor of convergence journalism at the Missouri School of Journalism.

He has worked as a reporter at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and The Arizona Republic. His work has appeared in Slate, ESPN: The Magazine, The American Spectator and the Los Angeles Times. Slivka has served as the lead legal investigator in police brutality cases against “America’s Toughest Sheriff,” and served as principal investigator in a number of multimillion dollar civil lawsuits.

Slivka served as the communications director for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, where he was responsible for all internal and external communications as well as the digital marketing of the Missouri State Parks system. He also served as the agency’s director of information services, responsible for all web presence, social media and IT infrastructure, as well as representing the State of Missouri on joint state-U.S. Environmental Protection Agency committees for information security and electronic transactions.

He has lectured on mobile journalism on three continents.