Ju-Don Marshall Roberts

I barely made registration for this year’s ONA conference. I registered just hours before the conference sold out. Congrats to ONA for year after year producing a conference that is a must-go for many in the news, tech and information businesses. This year’s lineup seems promising: there are tons of hands-on training opportunities, a job fair and the annual awards banquet in addition to the core conference.

AOL‘s Tim Armstrong and NPR‘s Vivian Schiller are headlining in a discussion about reinventing media companies. I have often pointed to NPR as a brand that has worked strategically to reposition itself in a quickly changing media environment, and for all the naysaying about AOL’s ability to rebound, I have to admit I’m rather intrigued by the new management and new approach they seem to be taking. I wouldn’t count them out just yet. As I often tell people who ask me what I think about this legacy company’s or that legacy company’s chance for success, the only companies that are obsolete are the ones sitting on their hands waiting for the answers to appear. As long as companies embrace reinvention and innovation, there’s hope.

ONA has created a waiting list for those still eager to attend. Check out the lineup for yourself. If you can’t make this year’s conference, look for the ONA’s regional events and meetups.

If you have suggestions for events in your town, send an e-mail to director@journalists.org. If you’re in the New York area and want to help plan ONA events, let me know.

(Disclaimer: I am a former ONA board member and conference chair and did some early work helping the conference committee this year. I also help coordinate New York area events.)