We are excited to share that the INBA Fall 2022 Convention registration is open. The convention is Oct. 7-9 in Bloomington at the Parke Regency Hotel and Conference Center. To register, CLICK HERE.

Convention Schedule

Friday Oct. 7

• 12:00 p.m. – INBA Board Meeting at Parke Regency
• 3:00 p.m. – Hotel check-ins begin
• Evening welcome reception

Saturday Oct. 8

• 9:00 a.m. – President’s Welcome
• 9:15-10:30 a.m. – The future of Electric Vehicles
  • Panelists: 
    • Tucker Kennedy, Ameren Illinois
    • Chris Koos, Mayor of Normal              
    • Session Description:  Increased incentives for electric vehicle production are leading to questions about existing and needed infrastructure to support this evolution in transportation. Learn how energy experts and city leaders are keeping up with the changes.

• 10:30-10:45 a.m. – Break
• 10:45-12:00 p.m. – Cameras and Microphones in the Courtroom
  • Presenters:  
    • William Scanlon of McLean County Courts
    • Maggie Hradecky, Media Coordinator
    • Session Description: It’s been a decade since the pilot program which allowed cameras in the courtroom in Illinois. In 2016, the Illinois Supreme Court filed an Order amending the Policy for Extended Media Coverage in the Circuit Courts of Illinois and adopting the program as permanent. This discussion will focus on lessons learned over the past ten years as well as how we can be the best stewards of the additional press freedoms we have been granted.
• 12:00 p.m. -1:15 – Lunch and Business Meeting
• 1:30-2:00 p.m. – Keeping Stamina in News Reporting
  • Panelist:  Alex Degman, Illinois Public Radio
  • Session Description: Getting a job in news is one thing, staying with it is quite another. We hear from a longtime INBA member who has experienced the industry from a variety of roles and recently chose to come back to Illinois to serve as statewide audience in a demanding, daily reporting role.
• 2:30-3:15 p.m. – Vocal Delivery Workshop
  • Presenter: Shawn Allee / WBEZ
  • Session Description: You’ve got a great script, but now what? We learn to mark up scripts for teleprompter apps or paper, warming up, visualizing a listener, handling pick-up lines, and noting which tracks to keep and which to cut.
• 3:30-4:00 p.m. – Illinois Public Radio Meeting
• 4:00 p.m. – INBA Foundation Meeting (Location TBD)
• 5:30 p.m. – Doors Open for Evening Reception
• 6:00 p.m. – Dinner
  • Keynote Speaker: Alexis McAdams, Fox News Correspondent

• About our Keynote: Alexis McAdams currently serves as a national correspondent based in New York City. She joined the Fox network in October 2021.Most recently, McAdams reported live from the Tops grocery store in Buffalo, New York, where 10 people were killed in a mass shooting. McAdams previously worked at ABC affiliate WLS-TV in Chicago where she covered the city’s crime beat. In addition, she covered major breaking news stories across the Midwest including natural disasters, mass shootings and major court cases as well as extensive reporting on the protests in Chicago following the death of George Floyd. A graduate of Illinois State University, McAdams holds a Bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism.
  • INBA Crystal Mic Awards Presentation

Sunday Oct. 9

• 9:30-10:15 a.m. – Pandemic messaging lessons learned

• Presenter: OSF Healthcare
  • Session Description: The media relied on healthcare professionals to get accurate and timely information out to Illinois residents since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot has been learned about the virus itself and how to treat and prevent it. A moderated discussion on what has been learned from both sides of the messaging on best practices to ensure the safety of residents and the audiences we serve.

10:30-11:00 a.m. – Illinoisan of the Year 

The INBA Spring 2022 Convention is May 6-8 at the Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette Hotel.

Our keynote speaker is Ray Long, author of The House That Madigan Built. He’ll speak that Saturday evening and will sign books afterward.

The convention starts Friday evening at 6:00 with an open bar and hors d’oeuvres at the Peoria Riverfront Museum’s Dome Planetarium. The museum curator will show several rare items and the planetarium director will present a show on the overhead dome. A shuttle bus will provide transportation to and from the hotel, all in Peoria’s lively downtown.

SATURDAY SESSIONS

•  9:00-9:45 AM – Time, Stress and Health Management with a psychologist, dietician, and others
•  10:00-11:15 AM – Transportation and Infrastructure with former U. S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, current Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman, and others
• 11:30 AM -12:45 PM – Environment and Climate Reporting with Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford and others
• 1:00-2:00 PM – Lunch and Business Meeting
• 2:30-3:45 PM – The Face of Law Enforcement with representatives of the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police and Chiefs of Police Association
• 2:30 PM – Concurrent session for student resume & reel feedback
• 6:00 PM – Banquet with Ray Long, scholarship winners and SINBA awards

SUNDAY SESSION

• 9:30-10:45 AM – Covering Partisan Politics with Ray Long, Brad McMillan, and Tiffany White of the Dirksen Congressional Center

The deadline for room reservations at the hotel is April 22. Please mention the INBA for a rate of $109 plus tax. Call 309-637-6500 to book your room or click here. Convention registration is open until April 29. Click here to register for the convention. If you can’t attend the whole weekend, there are options to attend different parts of the weekend.

Contact H Wayne Wilson at hwilson@mtco.com with any questions or requests.

To book a room at our group rate of $109 per night with free parking, please click here or call 309-637-6500.

Deadline for room reservations is April 22.

Convention registration cost: 

Members: $115

Spouses: $95

Students: $95

Non-members: $130

Saturday day only (includes lunch): $50

Saturday evening banquet only: $50

“How I am in person is how I get to be with our viewers at home,” she said about her morning anchor job at WMBD, Peoria.

This podcast is worth a listen for those looking for some encouragement about landing that first job and beyond!

Shelbey was interviewed by Margaret Larkin via Zoom.

We’ll have several sessions throughout the day including a FOIA Tips and Tools workshop, a “Write Like You Talk” lesson, and our general business meeting. Though we will miss clinking our glasses in person, the convention wouldn’t be complete without a virtual happy hour (you don’t even have to tip the bartender!). We will also present our 2020 scholarship winners and SINBA award winners. This year, we’re ecstatic to present our largest scholarship checks in INBA history at $2,200 each. Scholarship finalists are being determined now and will be interviewed before four winners will be chosen. 

Whether you want to log in for a few minutes, an hour or two, or the whole day, INBA welcomes you! Stay tuned for a schedule of events. 

During our Spring Convention we usually have an awards ceremony for Illinois AP award winners. However, the AP Broadcasting Awards were discontinued. The good news is the INBA is launching its own contest: INBA Crystal Mic Awards. The INBA is excited to launch this prestigious celebration of the best broadcast journalists in Illinois. Our first awards will be presented at the INBA Fall Convention in Rockford. You can read more about the awards here. 

This convention is free for INBA members. Non-members can attend and become an INBA member for $25 through our virtual convention this spring. Our usual member dues are $35. 

You can register online now by clicking here.

MORE ABOUT OUR WORKSHOPS 

Write Like You Talk! 

Award winning TV journalist Jeff Butera will lead this session. Butera has worked at ABC7 in Fort Meyers, FL. since 2012. He’s earned four Emmy Awards, an Edward R. Murrow Award, and was named Best Reporter twice by the AP. Butera is known for being one of the authors of the latest edition of “Write Like You Talk”; a book to help broadcasters improve their writing. While he grew up in Florida, we’ll welcome him with open arms in Illinois since his station bio says he’s a Chicago Cubs fan! 

Like Butera’s book, this session is aimed at helping you finesse your writing and give you a chance to ask questions. 

FOIA Tips and Tools 

Jessica Huseman from Votebeat will lead this session. Votebeat is a non-profit newsroom covering voting rights, election administration, and redistricting. She is also an analyst for CNN and a former lead reporter for ProPublica’s Electionland project. Huseman will join us from Dallas, TX. to answer your FOIA questions and teach you new skills. In her LinkedIn bio she says, “I’m interested in boosting local journalism, making collaboration between newsrooms work and helping new reporters realize their potential.”