DEKALB -- The Northern Illinois Newspaper Association has enlisted three top Illinois journalists to help newspapers find better stories.

Chicago Tribune reporter Ray Long, Pantagraph editor Terry Greenberg and Beacon News columnist Denise Crosby are featured speakers at the NINA Fall Conference "Finding Better Stories" Friday, Oct. 24, at the Holmes Student Center on the Northern Illinois University campus here.

"Demand for our readers' attention continues to grow, putting more pressure than ever on us to provide stories with impact and appeal," said Tom Martin, first vice president of NINA. "We've found some speakers who have a record of reaching readers with interesting stories that matter."

Bringing in an editor, a columnist and a reporter, NINA hopes to appeal to a cross section of journalists, Martin said.

The speakers will give individual presentations for the first half of the conference and then will join to form a panel to answer questions during the second half. The annual awards luncheon will follow, honoring winners in the Northern Illinois Newspaper Association Newspaper Contest.

Schedule

9:30 to 10 a.m.
Registration and coffee: Second floor lobby, Holmes Student Center.

10 to 10:50 a.m.
Choice of three sessions:
1. Stories that make a difference -- Ray Long, Chicago Tribune statehouse reporter. How to get the most out of beat coverage. Practical tips about coverage from the statehouse to the courthouse to city hall. Lincoln Room (second floor)

2. Fine tuning your content -- Terry Greenberg, editor of Pantagraph in Bloomington-Normal. How newspapers can determine what their readers want, and then mobilize the newsroom to deliver that content. Heritage North (second floor)

3. Revealing the human spirit -- Denise Crosby, columnist for the Beacon News in Aurora. Compelling storytelling should be more than a well-worn professional cliche. Whether we're writing from city council, cops or a general assignment beat, good journalism is finding those stories that tell us something about who we are as human beings. Heritage South (second floor)

11 to 11:50 a.m.
Panel discussion
Panelists Ray Long, Terry Greenberg and Denise Crosby will answer questions about the quest to reach readers. Attendees will also have a chance to ask questions of the panel. Lincoln Room (second floor)

Noon
Keynote address - Ray Long, Chicago Tribune statehouse reporter. Regency Room (first floor)

12:30 to 1:45 p.m.
Awards luncheon. Regency Room (first floor)

Speakers

Ray Long
For the better part of two decades, Ray Long has written about Illinois government and politics. He has worked in the Chicago Tribune's statehouse bureau since 1998. He formerly ran the AP bureau in Springfield, covered Mayor Daley, City Hall, courts, county and state government for the Chicago Sun-Times and held a variety of local, state and federal beats for the Peoria Journal Star. He has won many awards for spot, in-depth, investigative reporting and news analysis. He is a founding member and first vice president of the Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors, a nationwide organization promoting excellence in state government coverage. Long's experience includes writing about numerous scandals, questionable public spending and ethical lapses of government figures.

Terry Greenberg
Terry Greenberg is editor of The Pantagraph in Bloomington. Before that, the Southern California native was editor of The Truth, in Elkhart, Ind. Most of his career has been spent in Southern California, where he's served as editor or managing editor of daily newspapers in Thousand Oaks, Pasadena and Redlands. He also served as editor of the Minot Daily News in North Dakota in the mid-'80s, assistant news editor of the Orange County Register in the late '80s and as managing editor of the San Mateo Times in the San Francisco Bay area in the mid-'90s. In 1994, he was named alumnus of the year for the journalism department of Cal State Northridge.

Denise Crosby
Denise Crosby is projects and Sunday editor and a feature columnist for the Beacon News. Crosby has won dozens of awards over the years from NINA, Illinois Press Association, and AP, including consecutive sweepstakes awards from AP. She placed first for her columns in this year's Illinois AP contest, has won numerous Peter Lisagor awards over the years, and received first place from the National Newspaper Association for a series on teen pregnancies. Crosby has collected hundreds of letters from readers who have written to thank her for touching their lives in some way.

Registration

Newspaper registration fee (and first participant): $60. Each add'l participant: $30. Registration includes luncheon, morning refreshments, program and parking. Registration deadline: Friday, Oct. 17. Call Dana Ditrichs-Kunkel at (815) 753-1564. Or, print this page, fill in necessary information and fax to Dana at (815) 753-7109. Payment is encouraged by Oct. 17, but checks (no cash) also will be accepted at the door. Make checks payable to Northern Illinois Newspaper Association.

Name of Newspaper:

Address:

Contact person and phone #:

Name(s) of attendees:

Parking: Participants may park free of charge at the Newman Catholic Student Center (on Newman Drive, directly behind the Campus Life Building). Parking passes will be mailed to those who register for the conference by Oct. 17. Those who register after Oct. 17 will need to pick up their parking passes at the NINA registration table on the morning of the conference.

Cancellations: Please notify us as soon as possible. Call (815) 753-1564.

Refunds: Individual registration fees cannot be refunded after Oct. 17 because of meal guarantees with NIU.

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