For Immediate Release:
7/17/09

Contact:
Dave Aeikens, SPJ President, (320) 255-8744, daeikens@stcloud.gannett.com
Karen Grabowski, SPJ Communications Coordinator, (317) 927-8000 ext. 215, kgrabowski@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) will collaborate with the Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) to hold a joint convention in 2011.

“This is an outstanding partnership for SPJ and we look forward to working with RTNDA on a great convention for members of both organizations and all journalists,” SPJ President Dave Aeikens said. “Our goal is to put on the best professional development programs in the country while maintaining the traditions of both organizations.”

SPJ and RTNDA are in the planning stages of the joint 2011 annual convention, working together to more efficiently serve their members and the journalism industry. SPJ will have its own convention 2009 and 2010. The 2009 SPJ Convention and National Journalism Conference will be held Aug. 27-30 in Indianapolis, Ind. RTNDA had its 2009 annual convention in April in Las Vegas.

“Our ultimate goal is (to have) just one big journalism convention for broadcasters, print, online – it would not only be incredibly efficient but also encourage a great synergy with all those people joining together,” Stacey Woelfel, national chairman of RTNDA, said.

Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. For more information about SPJ, please visit www.spj.org.

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