By Noor Tagouri
Philip Merrill College of Journalism, UM SPJ Chapter
As the 2013 SPJ Excellence in Journalism Convention wrapped, the dates for the 2014 convention were released. This year’s convention in Anaheim, Calif., was from Aug. 24 to 26. Next year’s convention will be in Nashville, Tenn., from Sept. 4 to 6.
Now, the question is, are these dates convenient for student attendees?
“There were many who were concerned because the EIJ conference was held this year at a time when many schools were just starting fall classes,” said Sue Kopen Katcef, SPJ’s new vice president of campus chapter affairs. She’s also campus chapter adviser at the University of Maryland, where she is broadcast bureau director of Capital News Service in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism.
According to SPJ’s associate executive director, Chris Vachon, “There is never going to be a perfect time to hold the conference.”
The organizers were having trouble finding a place to hold this year’s convention. When they found the Anaheim Marriott, everything was in line with the needs of the conference. However, if the dates were in September the attendees would have higher room rates. This year, SPJ decided to give up better dates for better room rates.
“Some years we give up the date, some years we give up the room rates, some we give up the meeting space,” Vachon said.
Kym Fox, a campus adviser at-large on the national SPJ board, explained that she is always thinking about the students. “My two main things are the dates and the room rates … if the room rates are 40 or 50 dollars more per night that is a significant expense,” she said.
According to Fox, the board had to make a really difficult decision choosing Anaheim. It was either the August dates or much more expensive accommodations. They went with the dates.
Regardless of this year’s dates, Vachon said the attendance was not affected. There were approximately 1,600 attendees at this year’s SPJ conference. In 2012, there were 994 attendees and in 2011, there were 1,317 attendees. Vachon explained that this year’s increase in attendees was because in addition to SPJ and the Radio Television Digital News Association hosting the convention, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists was hosting, too.
SPJ is the largest professional journalism organization, and thus had the largest group to accommodate for a journalism convention. Fox said that when choosing the dates, they have to consider “the school start dates as well as, religious holidays, and political elections because of how busy journalists are during election season.”
School starting dates vary across the board from coast to coast. There will never be a perfect time to hold the convention. On the plus side, Nashville was chosen as a central location to help with the travel! Until next year … .