Compiled by The Bedford Citizen
Teri Morrow, President, and Publisher of The Bedford Citizen, and Managing Editor Julie Turner were in Chicago for a recent three-day conference presented by LION, an association of Local Independent Online News publishers.
Held on the downtown campus of Columbia College, “Steps for Success” brought together nearly 200 publishers of local news organizations. There were small papers like The Citizen, and much larger ones like VT Digger, the Times of San Diego, and The Batavian. It was a great opportunity for Morrow and Turner to share ideas and learn from others who are practicing local journalism across the United States and in the Netherlands.
“This was one of the most valuable conferences I have ever attended,” reported Morrow. “Every session was jam-packed with useful information that The Citizen’s staff and volunteers can use.”
Given its limited resources, The Citizen has never before felt strong enough financially to participate in the LION conference. This year, the Board decided to “go for it.” And thanks to financial support of LION from the Knight Foundation, the conference rate was well below the cost of putting it on, making attending this year feasible.
The opportunity and value of being able to meet and learn from outstanding local journalists who grapple with the same issues we face in Bedford was immense. In addition, The Citizen is pleased to acknowledge that Morrow applied for and was awarded a stipend to cover most of her travel expenses.
Turner took part in an all-day “Boot Camp” led by volunteers from INN, the Independent News Network. “The morning session focused on testing The Citizen’s value proposition for our readers, and the afternoon session outlined strategies for growing our audience.”
Back from the Windy City, both reporters are energized and ready to take The Citizen to new heights.
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