2024 Oregon Rural
Journalism Conference
July 18, 2024
WE'RE SOLD OUT!
This July, FORJ is thrilled to host journalists from across the state for the 2024 Oregon Rural Journalism Conference at Eagle Crest resort in beautiful Central Oregon. Attendees will experience a full day of trainings, seminars and presentations related to community journalism throughout Oregon. An email with conference instructions will be sent on Monday, July 14.
​
NEW THIS YEAR! The Rural Journalism Conference is being paired with the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association annual awards banquet! This means reporters and editors who attend the conference can stick around into the evening to cheer on their colleagues and accept awards for their work. If you are receiving an award, FORJ will contact you to provide a complimentary ticket to the banquet. Non-award winners will need to purchase a ticket. Click here to register and purchase a ticket for banquet.​​​
LAST MINUTE TICKETS: This event is *technically* sold out. But turning away journalists isn't in our nature. If you are interested in attending, please contact FORJ Executive Director Jody Lawrence-Turner at info@forjournalism.org for access to the conference.
CONFERENCE PROGRAM
SESSION ONE: 10-11 A.M.
.png)
The Art of Interviewing
Emily Harris, Oregon News Exploration
Prepping for and nailing the interview is a critical part of the reporting process. Flubbing these sometimes-tricky exchanges means missing the chance to do your best work. This session is jam-packed with tips and techniques to get the most from interviewing everyone from community members to top government officials.
Emily Harris is a co-founder of Oregon News Exploration, a local news nonprofit working to increase high-quality, community-first reporting to underserved communities in Oregon and SW Washington. She has reported locally, nationally and internationally for a range of news organizations including NPR, The Center for Investigative Reporting, and Axios. Emily also teaches audio storytelling at the University of Oregon's Multimedia Master's program and moderates public conversations for the Oregon Health Forum.
.png)
Covering Rural Issues
Claire Carlson, The Daily Yonder
This session will hone in on the topics that truly matter for rural communities. Come away with story ideas and inspiration for reporting on food insecurity, agriculture, land-use, homelessness, healthcare and rural culture. With years of experience covering rural issues, Claire will provide first-hand anecdotes and learnings that will stick with attendees back in their own home towns.
Claire Carlson is an environmental reporter for the Daily Yonder, a national nonprofit newsroom that covers rural America. She holds a bachelor's in international affairs from the University of Nevada-Reno and a master's in environmental studies from the University of Montana. Before working in journalism, she did communications for environmental nonprofits and the state of Nevada's department of environmental protection. Her writing focuses on small-town stories and contextualizes them at the national scale. She currently lives in Portland, Oregon.
SESSION TWO: 11:10 A.M.-12:15 P.M.
.png)
Public Records
Richard Coe, The Bulletin
You've heard of the Freedom of Information Act, but do you know how to use it? What's the process for requesting local and state documents? Is there a secret to getting public records request filled on time and within budget? Learn tips and techniques for sorting through the ocean of available public records information from long-time journalist Richard Coe.
Richard Coe has been the city editor, an editorial writer and is now the editorial page editor at The Bulletin. In his first job in journalism, he watered plants at The New York Times, among other duties. Plants survived.
.png)
Public Meetings
Tim Trainor, The Redmond Spokesman
Oregon's Sunshine Laws help ensure public access to decision-making, but what meetings are worth attending? Join Tim Trainor for this session on what to look for in agendas and interviews to help prioritize your time. Learn new ways to dig deep and gather enriching information just by showing up to the right room.
Tim Trainor has 15 years experience at newsrooms throughout the West, including Idaho, Montana and Oregon. As both a reporter and editor he has covered a wide variety of public meetings, from city councils to school boards and quasi-public economic development groups. He is currently the editor of the Redmond Spokesman.
LUNCH: 12:25-1:35 P.M.
Join us for lunch provided by Eagle Crest and participate in your choice of two roundtable discussions with colleagues on topics of importance to rural journalists.
​
Roundtable 1 Community mapping: Knowing the needs and tapping the resources
Roundtable 2 Reporter Q&A: Hear how Rogue Valley Times' award-winning reporter Buffy Pollock followed a community tip to discover a shocking story about a caregiver who died at the hands of someone she tended to in "The death of Bobbie Kolada."
SESSION THREE: 1:45-2:55 P.M.
.png)
Watchdog on the Fly
Brent Walth, University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication
Small town governments sometimes wish the public wasn't watching. Journalists can be the community's most valuable ally in keeping elected leaders and agencies honest and accountable. This session will help reporters improve efficiency at writing quick stories that let readers know journalists are keeping officials on their toes.
Brent Walth is an associate professor at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication. He joined UO in 2015 after more than 30 years as an editor, author, and investigative reporter. He's worked as a staff writer and managing editor for Willamette Week; Oregon State Capitol correspondent for the Eugene Register-Guard; and Washington, DC, correspondent and senior investigative reporter for The Oregonian. At the UO, Brent is co-founder and co-director of the award-winning Catalyst Journalism Project, which focuses on helping students publish investigative reporting and solutions journalism.Brent is a five-time winner of the Bruce Baer Award, Oregon’s top reporting prize, and a recipient of the Gerald Loeb Award, the nation’s top honor for business and financial reporting. At The Oregonian, he was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting in 2000, and in 2001 he shared the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. He is the author of Fire at Eden’s Gate: Tom McCall and the Oregon Story, a biography of the state’s most influential governor. He was also a 2006 Nieman Foundation fellow at Harvard University.
.png)
Data and Storytelling
Andrew DeVigal, Agora Journalism Center, Endowed Chair in Journalism Innovation and Civic Engagement
Methods for visualizing data to help tell your story. Learn tools to help you create graphics and tables to convey complex data. The right visualization can boost readers' engagement and a better understanding on important issues or fun data points.
Andrew DeVigal is an Emmy-award winning innovative strategist who builds bridges by connecting ideas and people to produce meaningful, interactive, and engaging projects. As the former multimedia editor of The New York Times, he conceived and produced ground-breaking story forms and processes that help shape the industry. Today, DeVigal holds the endowed chair in journalism innovation and civic engagement and is the director of the Agora Journalism Center, the gathering place for innovation in communication and civic engagement, at the University of Oregon's School of Journalism & Communication. Devoted to transformative advancements for better journalism and stronger democracy, the center energizes research, teaching and learning to foster pathways for public participation and transform how journalists inform and relate with their communities.
COFFEE BREAK: 2:55-3:15 P.M.
Join us for a coffee and lemon bars in the foyer as we break down a dividing wall and create one big meeting space for our all-conference final sessions.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: 3:15-3:45 P.M.
Brier Dudley, editor of The Seattle Times Save the Free Press initiative, will provide an inspiring overview of crucial initiatives to keep journalism thriving in the face of challenge. The Roundhouse Foundation Executive Director Erin Borla will also provide remarks about investments in rural journalism and community across the region.
Brier Dudley
Editor, The Seattle Times Save the Free Press initiative
Brier Dudley is editor of The Seattle Times Save the Free Press public service initiative. Dudley has been with The Seattle Times since 1998 and was a member of the editorial board for five years. He spent 14 years covering Microsoft and the technology industry, including nine years writing a tech column for the Business and Technology sections. A third-generation Seattleite, Dudley received a B.A. in English from Whitman College and studied film production in Italy before starting a career in newspapers. He has won numerous regional and national journalism awards.
.png)
Erin Borla
Executive Director, The Roundhouse Foundation
Erin Borla is an Oregonian—born and raised in Central Oregon and the granddaughter of Oregon’s own tough mother-Gert Boyle of Columbia Sportswear. For more than 20 years, she has worked with and for nonprofit organizations that support rural communities with innovative economic strategies. Her dedication to supporting rural spaces through listening, collaborating and open and honest sharing of ideas helps her elevate community partners through her work.
ELECTION CAPSTONE PANEL: 3:45-4:45 P.M.
Covering candidates and elections is one of the most important civic responsibilities of journalists. Learn to go beyond bios and election results in this dynamic panel featuring experts who've seen it all. Get great story ideas to help your community make informed choices using data and storytelling. Come away with new strategies for freshening up your election coverage--and making a difference for rural communities across Oregon.
Tim Marema
Daily Yonder Editor
Tim Marema is editor of the Daily Yonder, a national rural news platform, and is a founding staff member of the Daily Yonder’s publishing organization, the Center for Rural Strategies. Marema grew up in Eastern Kentucky and started his journalism career at his hometown weekly newspaper while a student at Berea College. He served as editor of the daily Chapel Hill (North Carolina) Herald and as zoned-editions editor of the Durham Herald-Sun, 1988-1992. He was the development director of Appalshop, the Appalachian media-arts collective, in the 1990s. Marema holds a master’s degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a bachelor’s degree from Berea College.
Julia Shumway
Oregon Capital Chronicle Deputy Editor and
Lead Political Reporter
Julia Shumway is the Capital Chronicle's deputy editor and lead political reporter. Before joining the Capital Chronicle in 2021, she was a legislative reporter for the Arizona Capitol Times in Phoenix and reported on local and state government and politics in Iowa, Nebraska and Bend. An award-winning journalist, Julia also serves as president of the Oregon Legislative Correspondents Association, or Capitol press corps.
Steve Dennison
Deschutes County Clerk
Deschutes County Clerk Steve Dennison took office on August 1, 2021, by appointment by the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners. He was elected to the position of Clerk in November, 2022 and his current term expires in January 2027. Steve is responsible for election administration, recording property transactions, issuance of marriage licenses, archiving and records storage, Board of Property Tax Appeals, passports and more.
Thank you to our
FORJ Together sponsors
