Thanks to Bradley Wilson and Vanderbilt Television for posting these visual documents of the ACP/CMA Orlando convention:
Congratulations to the winners of the following awards announced at the ACP/CMA National College Media Convention in Orlando:
- ACP Best of Show
- Newspaper Pacemaker
- Online Pacemaker
- Magazine Pacemaker
- Yearbook Pacemaker
- Story of the Year
- Multimedia Story of the Year
- Photo Excellence
- Design of the Year
- Reporter of the Year
- Cartooning Awards
- Advertising Awards
Congratulations also to the staff of The Sun newspaper of Southwestern College for receiving the College Press Freedom Award from the Student Press Law Center. The award is co-sponsored by Associated Collegiate Press.
The College Media Advisers, Associated Collegiate Press and College Broadcasters all met in Orlando this week. It was an intensive week for the students, advisers and Texas Rangers. At least two of the groups came out ahead.
Each fall and spring as part of the convention, we host an on-site photography “shoot out.” It’s a point of pride to have the class favorite. And this fall, that recognition goes to Christopher Correa-Ortega, Valencia College (Ken Carpenter, adviser). In second place for class favorite was Ashton Bowles, Pepperdine University (Elizabeth Smith, Courtney Stallings, advisers). All 23 students who submitted work into the show collectively painted a picture of “The City Beautiful — Orlando.”
Special thanks to Jim Michalowski who helped to critique the work for the students.
As of Wednesday afternoon…
The following sessions for the ACP/CMA Orlando convention have been CANCELED:
Fakin’ it with Photoshop — Thursday, 11 a.m., Oceans Ballroom 10
Women in the Newsroom — Friday, 11:30 a.m., Labrid B
Creative Design — Friday, 11:30 a.m. Oceans Ballroom 11
Scaling the Inverted Pyramid — Friday, 2:30 p.m., Labrid A
Developing a Sports Beat — Saturday, 9 a.m., Wedgewood
Banishing the Box Score — Saturday, 11:30 a.m., Wedgewood
The following sessions for the ACP/CMA Orlando convention have been MOVED:
The Pacemaker — Saturday 9 a.m. now in Discovery/Wedgewood Ballroom
10 Quick Design Fixes, Saturday 11:30 a.m. now in Discovery/Wedgewood Ballroom
You’re all signed up for the ACP/CMA National College Media Convention, which begins in Orlando next week. We hope you’re ready for hundreds of learning sessions, wonderful keynote sessions and unique networking opportunities — as well as critiques and awards ceremonies. We wanted to give you a few reminders to ensure a smooth convention. If you registered with a group email or used an adviser/bookkeeper email, please forward to all attendees in your group.
PLAN AHEAD — SCHEDULE IS ONLINE
Check out the convention program, available now — it tells you where and when to show up. Planning ahead is helpful to know where to go. A program update will be supplied on-site with any last-minute changes.
CONVENTION LOCATION/FEATURES
All convention sessions are at the Renaissance SeaWorld hotel, located at 6677 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, FL 32821. The hotel phone number is (407) 351-5555. Each guest room includes a small refrigerator, and both wired and wireless Internet.
INTERNET
The guest rooms have wired and wireless Internet included in the room rate. The procedure will be that guests must accept the charges to log on, but the charges will not be applied to the final bill. Wireless Internet is available for no charge in the Renaissance hotel lobby and atrium area of the hotel. There is a large area for seating, networking, relaxing and having something from the bar/restaurant. Do not expect that the signal will be available in the meeting space.
WHAT’S NEARBY
SeaWorld is across the street from the hotel. There are not quick-service discount restaurants on site or within a few minutes’ walk. The Renaissance hotel plans to establish some cash sales on site, and there is a restaurant and large Starbucks in the lobby. The International Drive trolley will take you up International Drive to many restaurants of all price levels from McDonald’s to Oceanaire and Capital Grille.
GETTING AROUND
The hotel also is on a stop for the International Drive trolley, the I-RIDE Trolley. The trolley operates daily from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and each ride is $1.25, or use the passes provided at check-in. The trolley will take you to various locations along International Drive, which includes Pointe Orlando for dining, shopping and entertainment.
ACP, CMA and the Renaissance have also arranged for bus transportation to and from Pointe Orlando and Universal CityWalk on both Friday and Saturday from 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. These buses will be at no additional charge, but seating will be limited, so plan ahead to allow extra time.
FOR A SMOOTH CHECK-IN AT REGISTRATION DESK
Convention check-in opens at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Renaissance SeaWorld in the foyer outside the Oceans Ballroom. The exhibits will be in the Oceans Ballroom. Check-in and the exhibits are open until 8 p.m. Wednesday. Hours for check-in/exhibits are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday. The trade show also contains the CMA book display/auction and the CBI Cybercast.
NO REFUNDS BUT SUBS ALLOWED
If you get close to the convention and realize someone cannot attend, be sure to get a substitute. ACP and CMA do not allow refunds for the convention registration, but we do allow substitutions. Additional students or advisers may also register on site at the standard registration rates.
PLEASE PAY ON TIME
Most people coming to Orlando have already paid. Help us avoid a lot of invoices and reminders by sending in your payment or bringing a check to the convention. It really does help!
PRE-CONVENTION WORKSHOPS
If you have registered for the pre-convention workshops on Wednesday, just look in the program for the location and go directly to that room to check in. The instructor will have a list.
We still have spots available in our pre-convention workshops on Wednesday and Thursday. If you have not signed up and want to, contact Jackie Flaum in the ACP office at (612) 625-1857 or jackie (at) studentpress.org and she will add that to your registration. You can also sign up on site if room is available.
FOR A CHANCE AT AN AWARD
ACP Best of Show contest entries may be submitted at the check-in desk from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday and 8 a.m. to noon Friday. Entries are free for ACP members, and $25 per entry for nonmembers. The publication staff must have students attending the Orland convention. Bring the publication, broadcast or Web URL to the convention. Please note that all work must be from the 2011-12 academic year. Winners will be announced Sunday at the closing/awards ceremony, which begins at 9:30 a.m. in the Crystal Ballroom.
PHOTO CONTEST, CRITIQUES, EDITOR IN RESIDENCE, TOURS & JOB FAIR
These activities are available at the information booth in the Oceans Ballroom foyer:
+ Sign up for the Orlando photo-shooting competition by 3 p.m. Thursday
+ Sign up for a time to get personal evaluation of your media or to speak with Bill Elsen, editor in residence, beginning on Thursday.
+ Information on tours of local media organizations will be available at 8 a.m. Thursday. Signup by 5 p.m.
EVENING CONVENTION ACTIVITIES & HALLOWEEN FUN
+ Columbia Pictures will offer convention attendees an advance screening of “Anonymous” on Thursday evening. Stop by the Columbia Pictures booth in the trade show for passes and details.
+ ACP and CMA are pleased to host “Not As I Pictured,” an autobiographical film following Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist John Kaplan’s cancer journey, at 5:30 p.m. Friday in the Oceans Ballroom.
+ Midnight Snack and Cereal with on-site critiques, Oceans Ballroom 11 & 12, Friday 11 p.m.-1 a.m.
+ Many Orlando theme parks and night clubs have Halloween celebrations. Information is available here:
http://www.halloweenhorrornights.com/orlando/overview.html
http://www.clubzone.com/halloween1/orlando-halloween-parties
http://orlando.about.com/cs/atoz/a/halloween.htm
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/holiday/halloween/
QUESTIONS?
Give us a call at (612) 625-1857 or send e-mail to info (at) studentpress.org and we’ll do our best to get you an answer.
ACP/CMA convention attendees can purchase Universal Orlando® Resort tickets with ease and access special ticket options not available anywhere else. There is also a Local Attraction Desk in the Renaissance SeaWorld hotel that sells tickets to Universal Orlando and several other nearby attractions.
The registration book for the ACP/CMA National College Media Convention to be held Oct. 26-30 in Orlando is now available online.
Online registration for the convention will be open in a few days, so start looking at the special program components available in Orlando, submit your paperwork and get ready for learning and fun in Florida!
What’s new this year? Here are a few new highlights:
+ New workshops in Web Management and FCC 101
+ A special workshop with Tim Harrower called “Futurize the News” (there’s something there for reporters, designers and editors)
+ A screening on Friday evening of “Not As I Pictured,” a movie by Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist John Kaplan
+ Other great program components still to be announced!
Of course the best convention experience will be had when you stay at the convention hotel, the Orlando Renaissance SeaWorld, located across the street from the water park and located on the International Drive trolley line. You can reserve your hotel rooms here (please only reserve the rooms you will need). The hotel has a great open atrium area with WiFi, and the Internet is also included in the guest rooms.
Remember that ACP and CMA have guaranteed to the hotel that our attendees will fill a certain number of rooms. In fact, we’ve booked almost the entire hotel, which means that all your college media friends will be in the same place for learning, networking and relaxing after the sessions. You won’t find a more convenient and comfortable location — and for a few days this October, it’ll be the most exciting place in college media.
With warm Florida sunshine and world-famous theme parks as the backdrop, the 90th Annual National College Media Convention — the largest gathering of student journalists and advisers in the world — comes to Orlando in October and is sure to be an event that mixes business and learning, and maybe a bit of magic and fun.
If the best things in life are free or nearly so, networking, planning and fun will be on the on the agenda for many. Whether you hang out poolside or in the spacious underwater-themed hotel atrium, there’s plenty of space at the Renaissance SeaWorld to learn and to unwind. Add to that a big dose of sunshine to satisfy those who care that their summer tans have faded, and your visit to Orlando will be memorable, even if you don’t get much beyond the relaxing, resort-like grounds.
ACP, CMA and CBI have prepared nearly 400 practical and professional learning sessions, from high-profile keynotes to specific, problem-solving breakouts, hands-on workshops and discussion groups — all to fuel your energy, enthusiasm and electricity. Other convention activities include an exhibit hall with vendors who sell to student media, ACP’s Best of Show contest, receptions, awards convocations, critiques and a newspaper job fair.
Breakout sessions for print and online news organizations, broadcast stations, yearbooks and magazines are planned to meet the publishing and broadcasting needs of all college and university student media. Some are specifically for college dailies, some for journalists at community colleges and private schools. Others are for those looking for the latest information from the FCC affecting their campus radio station or how to use the latest software. Whether it’s ethics and law, technology and design, advertising and business operations, photography and art or just the basics of news writing and reporting, this convention covers all the bases.
With typical attendance of more than 2,300 delegates, the annual ACP, CMA and CBI fall gathering has become the place to seek solutions to the most challenging publishing and broadcasting problems, share success stories, see what’s new in the media marketplace, discover trends and network with students and advisers from the United States, Canada and often other countries.
If it’s parks you’re after, Orlando offers numerous options. Located just across the street from the SeaWorld theme park, the Renaissance hotel is your jumping-off point for after-hours fun. Don’t forget the parks at Walt DisneyWorld or Universal Orlando, home to the just-opened Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We’ll have transportation available to the must-do locations, and complimentary trolley rides to shopping and dining on International Drive.
Halloween will be just around the corner when our convention is held. Orlando is full of fantasy, showmanship and illusion every day, but several theme parks will hold special bewitching events during our convention weekend.
Come to Orlando, and by the end of the weekend, you’ll fill your mind with new knowledge and ideas, make new friends and wonderful memories — and maybe take home some mouse ears. When you return to campus, you won’t need a wand to make magic happen because the excitement and energy from the National College Media Convention will definitely last a while.