Great Programs, Workshops, Changes Marked 1999
NINA OUTGOING PRESIDENT
For many members of the Northern Illinois Newspaper Association and its
board, 1999 was a year of tremendous change. For some of us it meant adjusting
to changes in staffing. For others it meant changes in ownership.
Some of us feel as if we are in a constant state of hiring. Weekly newspapers
that were once the training ground for young reporters now are faced with
the realization that reporters are being hired right out of college by daily
newspapers. Daily newspapers are well aware that without a couple of years
of on-the-job training at weekly newspapers, the new recruits require more
editing and supervision.
Ours truly is a changing industry. Not only are we experiencing changes
in ownership and staffing, but we also are adjusting to delivering information
to readers on the Internet in addition to ink on paper.
In the midst of all this change, NINA has continued to be an organization
that offers professional fellowship and support and opportunities for learning
and growth.
The 1999 spring conference highlighted another industry transition: the
cooperation between newsrooms and advertising and marketing staffs to produce
market-driven newspapers.
The most successful educational workshop of the year was Computer Assisted
Reporting. The workshop, jointly sponsored by NINA and the Illinois Press
Association, was so well received it was offered twice.
The 1999 fall conference and awards luncheon was well attended and featured
presentations on entertainment sections and publications that are meeting
the needs of readers, advertisers and newspaper companies.
In keeping with our mission to bring young people into our profession, we
continued giving scholarships both to talented high school journalists and
to Northern Illinois University students. The NINA board is grateful for
the ongoing synergism with NIU, especially Jim Killam of the Northern Star
and Dr. Lois Self, chair of the Department of Communication. Jim serves
at the NINA communications coordinator; Lois is NINA executive secretary.
As members of the NINA board, we didn't meet all of our goals this year.We
fell woefully short in the area of attracting new members. We also lost
a few members to mergers and changes in staffing. One of the goals for my
year as president was to increase membership. As I step down as president,
I'm pleased that incoming president Rick Nagel has announced that he is
making membership a priority, also.
Having been a member of NINA for 13 years, I can attest to the benefits
of belonging to the organization. I have benefited personally and so have
the readers of The Woodstock Independent.
This column concludes my year as NINA board president. As I join the ranks
of past presidents, I want to thank my colleagues on the board for the opportunity
to work with them and for their commitment to their various tasks. It has
been an honor and a pleasure to work with you.
And, I've learned a great deal from my association with such a fine group
of newspaper professionals.
Thanks, too, to Dr. Self and the NIU Department of Communication for helping
with conference and workshop planning and for sponsoring the annual contest.
The relationship between NIU and NINA is a benefit to both organizations
and to our profession.
Happy Holidays.
Cheryl Wormley is publisher of the Woodstock Independent..
Back to Winter 1999-2000 Newsletter
Back to NINA Home Page