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2026 NENPA and NEFAC Academic Partnership

In an evolving media landscape, preparing the next generation of journalists has never been more important. The New England Newspaper & Press Association (NENPA) and the New England First Amendment Coalition (NEFAC) are proud to offer a joint Academic Partnership designed to engage, inspire, and elevate students, faculty, and staff across New England’s colleges and universities.

At a time when press freedom, accountability, and public trust are under increasing pressure, the 2026 NENPA–NEFAC Academic Partnership provides meaningful, real-world exposure to the professional and ethical foundations of journalism.

The partnership includes access to two cornerstone events:

NENPA’s 2026 New England Newspaper Convention
March 13–14, 2026 | Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Held at The Venue at Portwalk Place, the convention offers a dynamic learning environment featuring workshops, panels, and networking opportunities with working journalists, editors, and media leaders. Students and faculty will gain insight into emerging trends, newsroom innovation, and the future of local journalism.

NEFAC’s 16th Annual New England First Amendment Awards
Boston | Date to be announced
This prestigious evening honors individuals and organizations who defend free speech, transparency, and the public’s right to know. Attendees will experience a powerful celebration of First Amendment values, including dinner and the opportunity to engage with leaders in press freedom advocacy.

Academic Partnership Benefits Include:

  • Unlimited access for students, faculty, and staff to all NENPA Convention workshops and sessions

  • Two tickets to NENPA’s Journalism Awards Banquet

  • Professional résumé and photography reviews for students at the NENPA Convention

  • Admission for two to NEFAC’s New England First Amendment Awards, including a private dinner

  • Exclusive meet-and-greet opportunity with NEFAC’s Hamblett Award recipient

  • Ongoing sponsorship recognition before, during, and after the NENPA Convention

  • Inclusion in NEFAC’s Awards Ceremony program and dedicated event webpage

  • Prominent branding across NENPA and NEFAC promotional materials

The Academic Partnership is available for $1,500, with a response deadline of Friday, February 27, 2026.

Join us in strengthening journalism education, supporting press freedom, and empowering the voices shaping the future of our democracy.

For more information or to secure participation, please contact Tara Cleary at t.cleary@nenpa.com

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Convention Registration Open and Better Newspaper Award Notifications Going Out!

Registration is now open for the 2026 New England Newspaper Convention & Trade Show, taking place March 13–14 at a new location, The Venue at Portwalk Place in Portsmouth, NH. The annual gathering brings together publishers, editors, and newsroom leaders from across New England for two days of practical programming, networking, and celebration of journalistic excellence.

Better Newspaper Competition Award notifications will begin going out this weekend, with winners formally recognized during the Better Newspaper Competition Awards Banquet on Saturday evening, March 14, the largest gathering of the convention.

Register Now

Hotel Rooms Available — Time to Book Your Stay

Planning to attend the convention? Now is the time to book your hotel accommodations. The official NENPA room block is open at the Hampton Inn & Suites Portsmouth Downtown.

Discounted convention rates include:

  • Two queen beds: $169 per night
  • King room: $209 per night
    (plus standard taxes and fees; hot breakfast included)

Rooms are limited, and attendees are encouraged to book early to secure their preferred room type.

NENPA Room Block March 13-14, 2026

Program Highlights

This year’s convention will feature a forward-looking, practical program focused on the ideas and skills newsrooms need to thrive in a changing media landscape.

Sessions will include:

  • Immigration and ICE Reporting Now
  • Collaboration & Newsroom Tools Panel
  • Turning Data into Headlines using Google Gemini + Pinpoint
  • Accelerating Research & Ensuring Trust with Google NotebookLM and SynthID
  • Nonprofit newsroom sustainability
  • Social Media Strategies for Newsrooms of Every Size
  • 10 Ways to Use AI for Sales Prospecting
  • The Power of the Obituary
  • FOIA that Works
  • How You Learn the Court Beat
  • Strategies for Engaging Younger Audiences
  • Column Writing in 2026
  • News Without a Newsroom (film screening)

Additional sessions are still being finalized. Stay tuned for program updates and register today!

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One way to get better information from advertisers

John Foust Advertising
John Foust has conducted training programs for thousands of newspaper advertising professionals. Many ad departments are using his training DVDs to save time and get quick results from in-house training. Email for information: john@johnfoust.com

You may have heard the old computer saying, “Garbage in, garbage out.” It means that the quality of input that goes into a system will determine the quality of the output. Good input equals good output and bad input equals bad output. 

This is certainly true in the advertising business. What you learn in researching information for an ad campaign will influence the quality of the advertising you produce. That’s why I’ve found it helpful to use the “Five Ws,” a technique commonly used in journalism – Who, What, When, Where and Why. For our purposes, we’ll add an “H” for How. 

Not all of this information should appear in a campaign. This approach is simply intended to dig a foundation for the end result of the advertising itself. Of course, the questions can be customized as needed. Let’s take a closer look: 

  • A logical WHO question is, “Who is your target audience?” Don’t accept “everyone” for an answer. Ads that try to appeal to everyone actually appeal to no one. Narrow it to a specific and relevant group of people – business owners, first-time homebuyers, weekend gardeners, etc.
  • A couple of WHAT questions come to mind. First, “What are the features and benefits of the product or service your client is advertising?” Draw a vertical line down the center of a page in your notepad and label the left side “Features” and the right side “Benefits.” Make sure the benefits are relevant to the target audience. Reduce the list later to the most meaningful points. Another question is, “What special offer can be made?” A buy-one-get-one sale? A discount coupon? A free sample? Maybe even a free consultation?
  • WHEN is a question to sharpen the focus. For example, “When will the special offer be available?” An offer should create urgency with a reasonable start and end date. “When can the target audience use the product or service?” If it’s seasonal, advertising at certain times of the year is obviously better than in the off season.
  • “WHERE is the competition coming from?” Local merchants, big box stores, online sellers? The answer doesn’t mean those places should be mentioned by name in the ads. It’s simply another piece of information that can help you understand your advertiser’s marketing objectives. A natural follow-up question is “Where is the competition advertising?”
  • “WHY should the target audience buy from your client, instead of the competition?” This should open a conversation about ways to differentiate your client from competitors. In order to be effective, they have to stand out. It could be special pricing, business philosophy, selection, track record of success, or something else.
  • If price is a factor to the target audience – and it usually is – an important HOW question is, “How much does the product or service cost” If it’s not appropriate to quote specific prices, consider quoting ranges or “starting from” prices.

It’s all about research. The right questions control the information coming in, so you can control the advertising product on the page. 

(c) Copyright 2026 by John Foust. All rights reserved.

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Business coverage vital to your product and community

Jim Pumarlo is former editor of the Red Wing (Minn.) Republican Eagle. He writes, speaks and provides training on community newsroom success strategies. He is the author of “Journalism Primer: A Guide to Community News Coverage,” “Votes and Quotes: A Guide to Outstanding Election Coverage” and “Bad News and Good Judgment: A Guide to Reporting on Sensitive Issues in Small-Town Newspapers.” He can be reached and welcomes comments and questions at jim@pumarlo.com.

Editors are regularly solicited to publish news that puts merchants in good standing. In small communities, grip-and-grin photos of check presentations often dominate the requests. The topic generated a healthy conversation in an editors’ hotline during the holiday season of charitable giving.

To no surprise, approaches covered the landscape. Editors know their communities best and incorporate policies accordingly.

The thread extended into other business coverage. One comment made me especially cringe and should give all editors and publishers food for thought. The remark: “I’m also this passionate about doing stories about businesses – nope. If you want me to write a story about your new business to bring customers through the door, it’s advertising, not news.”

The opinion was not universal.

I welcomed one publisher’s response that a new business, especially in small communities, is news: “Writing a story about a new business will create business. It shows a new business owner how many people are reading your paper!”

There’s no single standard for recognizing business donations to nonprofits and civic endeavors; policies should be flexible and open to re-evaluation depending on circumstances. Among the considerations, does a donation satisfy criteria for a photo and/or story, front or inside page?

Some suggestions to consider:

  • Focus on recipients and not donors, especially for photos contributed month after month. Two cases in point.

A newspaper regularly carried a full page of Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors decked out in red coats visiting new businesses. All eight ambassadors were in each photo; the only new face was the particular business owner. That is material for chamber newsletters. Instead, why not carry a photo of each owner with brief text including a distinctive element of the business.

Or consider the mayor who gets his or her photo in each community donation. Sorry, they have ample other opportunities to be in the news.

  • Focus on results. Recognize donors but elaborate on the value to the recipients and their contributions to community.
  • Avoid check presentations, if possible. If a donation is made to a playground, take a photo of a kid on new equipment.
  • Set appropriate monetary levels to recognize. Remember, however, that a $50 donation from a small company might be as equally noteworthy as a $500 donation from a large corporation.
  • Devote a page or section periodically to acknowledge donations.

Bottom line, business donations contribute to the social fabric of communities. There’s ample reason to acknowledge the philanthropy in some fashion.

Then there’s the realm of PR pitches beyond donations. 

Some can be dismissed immediately. A merchant submits a photo celebrating its 90th year of operation for the annual Progress Edition, a reasonable benchmark – but it proceeds to seek coverage for its 91st, 92nd, 93rd anniversaries. An appliance store carries a new brand and style of refrigerator, submits a photo of the owner wheeling the model on a dolly into the showroom.

Other stories are legitimate and newsworthy. I put new businesses in that category with a caveat. Timeliness and relevancy are essential. A new retailer merits a report when it opens. Its grand opening three months later is an ad.

A plethora of business stories can be pursued beyond the standard fare of openings, anniversaries, expansions and employee promotions. What happens in the workplace can often have greater impact than votes at a city council meeting. Consider the hours that employees – your readers – spend on the job.

Incorporating stories about employers and employees – the local economy – is a great topic to brainstorm. It’s imperative that news and advertising departments are on the same page regarding policies and guidelines. Consistency and fairness are especially important; the largest advertisers or friends of the publisher should not warrant special treatment.

Business dynamics were center stage during the extraordinary times of COVID-19. Recording the pulse for readers is equally vital during ordinary times. Expanding coverage into an everyday beat can be a win-win proposition. Stories generate great content and plant the seed for more advertising dollars.

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Convention Congratulatory Ads

Congratulate your staff and promote the extraordinary work and achievements of your organization by placing an ad in the New England Newspaper Convention Program Book! Your support increases staff morale and also supports our efforts at the convention.

You can also honor and congratulate colleagues being inducted into the New England Newspaper Hall of Fame and the Academy of New England Journalists.

The reduced rate for these ads, $125 for an inside page, is only available to member publications, colleagues and family members. We can design your ad for a total of $175. (Industry partners and vendors can click here for information on promotional ads.)

Please complete the form below to reserve space in the Convention Program, the Hall of Fame Dinner, or the Yankee Quill Awards Luncheon book. If you have questions, please contact Tara Cleary at t.cleary@nenpa.com.

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Subscribe to the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance notification system

The Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance recently developed a notification system that alerts subscribers in real time when certain information is posted to their website.

Currently, the information includes when a selected candidate or political committee files a campaign finance report, a committee such as a ballot question committee or SuperPAC files a report, a new candidate or committee organizes with OCPF, and when OCPF’s legal department posts a document resolving an issue with a candidate or committee. The agency plans to broaden the service to include educational materials, memoranda, and general press releases.

Users can subscribe to the system by going to the E-Notify icon on the front page of www.ocpf.us or by clicking here to register for OCPF’s e-notify system. Once registered, you will be able to subscribe to the notifications of your choice.

For additional information, contact OCPF at ocpf@mass.gov or by telephone at (617) 979-8300.

For information concerning this release, contact OCPF Director of Communications and Public Education Jason Tait at jason.tait@mass.gov

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Sponsorship Opportunities Added for the 2026 Convention

Looking to expand your business, strengthen your brand, and connect directly with decision-makers in the newspaper industry? Join us as a sponsor or exhibitor at the 2026 New England Newspaper Convention & Trade Show, taking place March 13–14 in a new location at The Venue at Portwalk Place in Portsmouth, NH.

As a Convention partner, you’ll gain direct access to publishers, editors, and senior leaders from daily, weekly, specialty, and digital news organizations across Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont. Sponsorship offers meaningful opportunities to engage with current and prospective clients during two days of live programming, networking, and industry celebrations.

Sponsor one of our three award events and celebrate excellence in New England journalism. The New England Newspaper Hall of Fame Induction Dinner will take place on Friday, March 13, honoring individuals whose careers have made a lasting impact on journalism in the region. The Yankee Quill Awards Luncheon, held on Saturday, March 14, will recognize distinguished service to journalism, civic life, and community leadership. The Better Newspaper Competition Awards Banquet on the evening of Saturday, March 14, recognizing outstanding work from newsrooms across the region, caps off the convention, and is our largest gathering of the year.

We welcome creative partnership ideas and are happy to work with you on custom sponsorship packages.

Explore Sponsorship Options

Contact:

Tara Cleary at t.cleary@nenpa.com or (617) 520-4585 to reserve your sponsorship and answer any questions.

Schedule a meeting to discuss our sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities.

Planning to attend the 2026 New England Newspaper Convention in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, March 13–14? Now is the time to book your hotel accommodations. The official convention hotel room block is open, and rooms are currently available.

Attendees can reserve rooms at the Hampton Inn & Suites Portsmouth Downtown through the convention booking link at discounted rates: rooms with two queen beds are available for $169 per night, and king rooms are available for $209 per night, plus standard hotel taxes and fees. All room rates include a hot breakfast each day. Participants are encouraged to book early to secure their preferred room type.

NENPA Room Block March 13-14, 2026

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Free legal training for journalists offered March 26-27 in South Carolina

The University of South Carolina is accepting applications from print, broadcast and internet journalists for its Media Law School program, which provides the opportunity to develop a basic understanding of the law and legal system so that participants can report accurately on the many important legal issues in the news. 

The program will be held March 26-27, 2026, on the University of South Carolina campus in Columbia, S.C. Applications for the program are due Feb. 13. 

There is no registration fee for the program, and fellows receive a travel allowance of up to $500, three nights hotel lodging and selected meals during the conference. The program is funded by the American Board of Trial Advocates and the American Board of Trial Advocates Foundation. 

Find out more and apply here.

For more information, contact Eric Robinson at medialawschool@sc.edu.

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Program Highlights and Hotel Rooms Available for the New England Newspaper Convention – Registration Opens Next Week

Planning to attend the 2026 New England Newspaper Convention in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, March 13–14? Now is the time to book your hotel accommodations. The official convention hotel room block is open, and rooms are currently available.

Attendees can reserve rooms at the Hampton Inn & Suites Portsmouth Downtown through the convention booking link at discounted rates: rooms with two queen beds are available for $169 per night, and king rooms are available for $209 per night, plus standard hotel taxes and fees. All room rates include a hot breakfast each day. Participants are encouraged to book early to secure their preferred room type.

NENPA Room Block March 13-14, 2026

Interested in sponsoring the event? Contact Tara Cleary at t.cleary@nenpa.com to learn more about our sponsorship packages.

Progam Highlights

This year’s convention will feature a forward-looking, practical program focused on the ideas and skills newsrooms need to thrive in a changing media landscape. Anticipated programming includes a screening of News Without a Newsroom, an unprecedented exploration into journalism’s uncertain future in the digital age. Examining the collapse of traditional media, the rise of misinformation, and the fight to preserve truth, trust, and accountability in an era of disruption. There will also be sessions focused on marketing and advertising, audience engagement, fundraising and philanthropy, nonprofit newsroom sustainability, FOIA and media law, newsroom collaboration, creator-driven journalism, and video storytelling—from getting comfortable on camera to making short-form video approachable and effective.

The program will also include a full-day Community Insight Reporting Track, focused on community-centered reporting and newsroom leadership, with topics such as language and representation in coverage, reporting across difference, accountability journalism, immigration and public policy, mental wellness in media, and building inclusive newsroom cultures.

📣 Convention registration opens next week, with full program details to follow.

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High School Journalists: Apply Now for the 2026 Al Neuharth Free Spirit Conference

Applications are open for the Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference, June 21-26, 2026, in Washington, D.C. One student from each state and the District of Columbia will be selected for the skill-building, networking-growing, and all-expenses-paid trip. 

Now in its 25th year, the annual conference, established to honor Al Neuharth, founder of Freedom Forum and USA TODAY, is designed to inspire and encourage high school juniors to pursue careers in journalism, multimedia storytelling, and the media industry.

Students will:

  • Go behind the scenes in some of D.C.’s top newsrooms
  • Hear from leading journalists about their work, learn from Free Spirit alumni, and be inspired by honorees at Freedom Forum’s Free Expression Awards
  • Receive a $1,000 college scholarship
  • Tour the sites of the nation’s capital
  • Make connections with students from around the country who are passionate about journalism and multimedia storytelling
  • Join the Free Spirit Scholar community, which includes a network of over 1,700 alumni who have gone on to work for organizations including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, ESPN, network-affiliated TV stations, the “This American Life” podcast, entrepreneurial media outlets like The Juggernaut, and more.

The application deadline is March 15, 2026.

APPLY HERE

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