Radically Rural, the two-day national summit that features sessions on community journalism, takes place Sept. 27-28 in downtown Keene, N.H.

With a theme of “How did they do that?” two of the journalism sessions focus on news organizations that have built sustainability through various means, including philanthropic support, custom publishing, digital readership, and membership, while a third looks at some of the best journalism being produced at rural news organizations in the country.

Just added a lunch session on Sept. 27 featuring Jeremiah Ariaz, professor of art at Louisiana State University. Ariaz spent months in Kansas documenting in photography the state of more than 100 rural newspapers.

To provide the greatest accessibility possible, Radically Rural has instituted a sliding-scale approach to ticket prices. This is on the honors system; no questions asked, keeping in mind that there is a limit for the free and reduced-cost tickets so that the organization can cover its costs.

For the first time, journalists can take advantage of this sliding scale to determine their admission price, based on their ability to afford to attend, for as little as no charge up to the full summit price of $175.

“We want to make this as affordable as possible for journalists to attend, particularly those stressed by the challenging revenue markets facing their organizations and the cost of travel,” said organizer Terrence L. Williams, senior advisor for audience and community development for The Keene Sentinel.

The Sentinel partners with the Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship each year to stage Radically Rural, which features solutions-based sessions for small communities on seven tracks – community journalism, land use, downtowns, healthcare, entrepreneurship, arts and culture, and clean energy. The New England Newspaper and Press Association is also a sponsor of the event.

To register to attend or learn more about the programming, go to www.radicallyrural.org

2023 Radically Rural in-person community journalism program:

Sept. 27 I 11:00 am -12:30 pm
How’d they do that? Building sustainability: The demise of local journalism in rural America has received national attention, but in more places than you think, small news organizations are thriving. Our panel discussion will give you insights into how three news organizations have evolved their operations to secure a bright future.
Moderator – Terrence Williams
Panelists – Joey Young, majority owner, Kansas Publishing Ventures, publisher of Harvey County Now, The Clarion, and The Hillsboro Free Press; Chris Baker, publisher, Taos News, Taos, N.M.; and Tristan Scott, managing editor, The Flathead Beacon, Kalispell, MT.

Sept. 27 I The Fourth Estate – 12:30 – 1:30 pm
Jeremiah Ariaz, professor of art at Louisiana State University, spent months in Kansas documenting in photography the state of more than 100 rural newspapers. In a moving, nostalgic presentation, he presents the fears and hopes for democracy in communities left without a newspaper or those clinging to what they have. Lunch provided.

Sept. 27 I 2:00 – 3:30 pm
How’d they do that? Generating audience revenue: Successful rural news organizations are building revenue through fundraising, membership, and paid readership. Our panel discussion unveils best practices among for-profit organizations and non-profits alike.
Moderator – Shay Totten, newsroom success manager, American Press Institute
Panelists – Arik Ligeti, director of the audience, The Narwhal, non-profit online publication, Victoria, B.C., Canada; Christiaan Mader, founder/editor, The Current, Lafayette, La.

Sept. 28 I 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
How’d they do that? Groundbreaking journalism: A deep dive into how three organizations — from Mississippi to North Caroline to Maine — reported powerful stories that have deeply impacted the rural communities they cover.
Moderator – Jack Rooney, managing editor, audience development, The Keene Sentinel
Panelists: Victoria Bouloubasis, journalist, filmmaker, Durham, N.C.; Adam Ganucheau, editor-in-chief, Mississippi Today; Samantha Hogan, investigative reporter, The Maine Monitor, Augusta, ME.

The New England chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) created the Emerging Journalists Fellowship to send early-career journalists to the 2023 NAHJ national convention. The fellowship program is designed to mentor these fellows and inspire them through the life-changing support of NAHJ. 

The chapter is using a portion of the funds it raised last year to send six amazing young journalists to the NAHJ International Training Convention & Expo in Miami July 12-16. After an application process, the winners of this competitive fellowship are: 

• Natalia Pérez-González, a freelance journalist based in Worcester, Mass.
• Lau Guzmán, a reporter for the Meriden, CT, Record-Journal and a Report for America member.
• Ezekiel Telemaco, a journalist and producer for WEEI radio in Boston.
• Jacob Garcia, a Newsroom Fellow at WBUR in Boston.
• Ana Luque, a rising junior majoring in journalism at Emerson College in Boston.
• Jaeel Beato, a rising sophomore majoring in journalism at Emerson College

“Journalism is an intense industry and for young journalists to thrive, they need mentoring and to be able to network with people who look like them and share their culture and background,” said Cindy E. Rodriguez, the president of NAHJ New England. “They need to see that there are others like them who are making it in journalism. The workshops, panels and plenary sessions offered at the NAHJ convention are catered to Latinos and not offered at this scale anywhere else.” 

“For many of our members, attending the conference may be cost prohibitive, and that is especially true of students, recent graduates and early-career professionals,” said Cristela Guerra, the vice president of NAHJ New England. “This is one huge way we can support these fantastic journalists.” 

“We’re not just sending them -– we plan to mentor these young journalists and make sure they make the most out of their time there,” said Vanessa de la Torre, the financial officer of NAHJ New England. “We will also follow up with the fellows when we return from Miami to continue to support their promising journalism careers.”

NAHJ New England wants to thank the NAHJ staff and in particular Executive Director David Peña Jr., Senior Director of Training & Membership Yaneth Guillen-Diaz and Director of Next Gen. Initiatives Leslie-Anne Frank for their help in coordinating logistics, making it easier for us to book flights and pay for lodging using our chapter funds. We are especially grateful to our financial officer, Vanessa de la Torre, who helped the board raise more than $10,000 this past year through our #EnHoraBuena series. 

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