Panels to feature 12 APA members

No one knows the business of Arkansas newspapering better than those who work for Arkansas newspapers. The 2023 APA Convention will host three panel discussions featuring reporters, editors, publishers and advertising managers from newspapers across the state.

Each session is designed to include ideas for news outlets of all sizes and all budgets. If you work in a small newsroom with just a few people on the team, you will leave the panels with just as many ideas as the people attending who work for larger outlets.

On Friday, July 21 at 3:30 p.m., outgoing APA President Lori Freeze, editor of the Stone County Leader in Mountain View, will moderate the first panel discussion of the convention, “Maximizing Operational Efficiencies.” Panelists include Tom White, publisher of the Advance-Monticellonian in Monticello and the Eagle-Democrat in Warren; Rusty Fraser, publisher of the Stone County Leader; Jim Holland, publisher and ad manager of the Harrison Daily Times and the Newton County Times and publisher of the Baxter Bulletin in Mountain Home; and Rhonda Overbey, regional publisher of The Saline Courier in

Benton, the Malvern Daily Record and other Horizon Media publications.

“Breaking Stories Using FOIA” featuring panelists Tamara Johnson, publisher and managing editor of the Times-Herald in Forrest City; Ellen Kreth, publisher of the Madison County Record in Huntsville; Andrew Bagley, co-publisher of the Helena Daily World and the Monroe County Argus in Brinkley and Chris Fulton, publisher and reporter at the Mountain Home Observer will be held Saturday morning, July 22, at 9 a.m. This session will be moderated by Sonny Albarado, editor-in-chief of the Arkansas Advocate and 13year member of the Arkansas FOIA Coalition. Following a short break, the final panel discussion of the convention, “Investigative reporting” will be held at 10:30 a.m. Featured panelists for this discussion are reporters Hunter Field of the Arkansas Advocate, Tony Holt of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and Rick Kron of The Leader in Jacksonville. Albarado will again moderate.

You won’t want to miss any of these informative discussions. To register, visit www. arkansaspress.org/convention/

Support the future of Arkansas Journalism through the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation.

Your donation will help:

• Promote the welfare of the community newspaper industry.

• Fund legislative efforts to protect transparency in state government.

• Cultivate educational opportunities for future journalists.

• Ensure the viability of the newspaper industry for years to come.

To donate, mail a check to: Arkansas Newspaper Foundation 411 S. Victory St., Little Rock, AR 72201

The Arkansas Newspaper Foundation is a 501c(3) organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowable under law.