Black Press Kicks Off Black History Month with Annual Conference

By Sylvia Dunnavant Hines Texas Metro News Correspondent Digital workshops, collaborations and discussions about new ways to do business were all part the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s (NNPA) Mid-Winter Conference in San Juan, PR, last week. Initially scheduled for St. Thomas Virgin Islands, due to damage to the host property following the latest hurricane, NNPA leadership operated on a quick turnaround providing attendees what many are calling “one of the best conferences ever.” Gen Z, Millennials, journalists working for the so-called mainstream media and Black owned media put aside all gaps to have a meaningful exchange regarding keeping the Black Press relevant and true to its mission. “As we celebrate 196 years of the Black Press, it is very important that we continue moving our organization forward,” said Karen Carter-Richards, NNPA Chairperson and owner of Houston Forward Times. “The Black Press is needed more today than ever before.” Carter-Richards shared how the historic Houston Forward Times partnered with Nike and artist Jeremy Biggers to create a mural honoring basketball legend Sheryl Swoopes, who was the first player to be signed in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), where she won three WNBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards (2000, 2002, and 2005); and four WNBA titles (1997-2000) as a member of the Houston Comets. This partnership helped the Forward Times to generate $12,000 in revenue and Carter-Richards encouraged publishers to think outside the box as they seek new revenue streams in this challenging financial climate. Westside Gazette Publisher Bobby Henry, who like Carter-Richards is a second-generation publisher, also praised the conference, “The sessions were very beneficial and provided information that we can take back to our newsrooms to make our products and businesses stronger.” The four-day conference brought together publishers and journalists from across the country to focus on not only learning more about navigating in a world that is becoming more and more digital-focused, but also keeping Black communities informed and empowered. The underlying message throughout the conference was the power that the publications hold and the need to capitalize on the $1.6 trillion Black spending power. “This was by far the most impactful and rewarding Mid-Winter Conferences that I have attended,” Kenneth Miller, owner of Inglewood Today. “Each training session was presented with depth and weight that translated into bottom-line business results. We finally allowed for young people to have a platform that displayed the future of the NNPA, information from the tech community was outstanding, and the honoring of Dr. Ben Chavis with a much-deserved Life-Time Achievement Award made for a timeless experience.” With the power of 230 regional and local newspapers with more than 22 million readers per week, the Mid-Winter Conference attracted corporate support from several major corporations including: Google News Initiative, Reynolds, AARP, Hyundai, Diageo, Nissan, Wells Fargo, API, Zillow, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Pfizer, Reynolds and General Motors.

Speakers presented works shops on: How to Monetize Your Online Presence, Enticing Generation Z and Millennials in Digital Revenue Strategies, and Google Tools for Newsrooms. All sessions had one common theme of how to creatively work together and maximize efforts with limited staff and resources. Dallas-area papers reresented were: Dallas Examiner, Garland Journal, I Messenger and Texas Metro News. National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) President Dorothy Tucker, who had committed early in her first term that she would visit with publishers and work on bettering relationships, pointed out several efforts during her administration where attention has focused on the Black Press.

In addition to awarding more than $250,000 to members of the Black Press, under her administration both the president and executive director, as well as other board members have attended NNPA conferences and program. Also several NNPA members have been the recipients of awards, served on the national board and chaired committees and Tucker said there’s more to come, including engaging students and younger journalists, which the Chairwoman was pleased to hear. “One of my favorite moments from the Mid-Winter Conference was the information we all attained from the Gen Z and Millennial panel,” added Carter-Richards, who is serving her second-term as Chair of the NNPA Board. “To be able to work directly with these younger minds who are digital natives is an amazing opportunity. They talked about innovating the wheel rather than re-inventing it, and that is the energy that we need to continue pushing this network forward.”

A major highlight of the conference was a star-studded awards dinner gala celebrating the 10 years of service by Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis to the NNPA as its President and CEO. In addition to celebrating his 75th birthday, the civil rights activist, author, received the Lifetime Achievement Award, for work that included serving as: youth coordinator and SCLC assistant to Martin Luther King Jr., former Executive Director and CEO of the NAACP, the National Director of the March, the Founder and CEO of the National African American Leadership Summit (NAALS), CEO and Co-Chairman of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, which he co-founded with hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons. The NNPA 2023 Annual National Convention will be held June 29-July 1 at the JW Marriott in Nashville, TN.