Register now to 'Connect With Readers' in Louisville Remember to register for "Connecting With Readers," APME's annual conference Oct. 13-16 in Louisville." The four-day conference is packed with programs and advice that attendees can put into practice, including the Great Ideas program, tips for election coverage, making tough calls in photojournalism, how to prepare for coverage of terrorism and how to juggle new initiatives. In addition, the Saturday session focuses on "Newsrooms of the Future: Blueprints for Editors and Readers." Readers and experts who are studying the future of our industry will help us brainstorm the design of the "new newsroom." Registration is just $420 for APME Supporting Members and $495 for those who are not Supporting Sembers. Rooms at the Galt House Hotel & Suites are as little as $99 per night. Click here to register>>>

Nominations sought for McGruder Awards for Diversity Leadership
The October conference is fast approaching and so is the deadline for nominations in the third Robert G. McGruder Awards for Diversity Leadership. The awards are a partnership of the Freedom Forum, the Associated Press Managing Editors and the American Society of Newspaper Editors. The awards go to individuals, newsrooms or teams of journalists who embody the spirit of McGruder, a former executive editor of the Detroit Free Press and relentless diversity champion. McGruder died of cancer in April 2002. Two awards are given annually: one for newspapers with a circulation of up to 50,000; one for newspapers with more than 50,000 circulation. Jurors will look for nominees who have made a significant contribution toward furthering diversity in content and in recruiting, developing and retaining journalists of color. The awards recognize achievement for the year from October-September, or contributions over a number of years. Individuals, newsrooms or teams of journalists from U.S. daily newspapers are eligible. A nominee's newspaper must participate in the ASNE annual employment census. Judges will include include representatives of APME, ASNE, the Freedom Forum and UNITY:Journalists of Color. Winners will be announced at the annual APME conference Oct. 13-16 in Louisville, Ky.
Details and application instructions>>>

Great Ideas 2004: The deadline approaches
Aug. 15 is the final deadline for the hunt for Great Ideas 2004. For the October conference in Louisville, APME has set a goal of developing an even better Great Ideas booklet to showcase the best work of newspapers across the country. Newspapers of every size can contribute. What constitutes a Great Idea? Anything that other editors can learn from. It may be a cutting-edge concept or just a better way of handling routine content. Possibilities to consider: outstanding content from any section, including projects; ideas that stimulate reader involvement; content strategies or niche publications that work to attract hard-to-reach audiences; content specific to young readers; newsroom management concepts that forward creativity, teamwork; how to generate diversity of staff and content; photography and graphics; bringing news of the world to the reader's door; Web strategies, especially as they relate to breaking or in-depth coverage; just plain cool stuff; strong approaches to community news. Please e-mail tightly written descriptions of your ideas and electronic page images to Lance Johnson, managing editor of The Day in New London, Conn. Tear sheets will be accepted and photographed, but electronic images are preferred. Final deadline is Aug. 15, so please hurrry!

"Rent-a-Grandma" helps readers get real-life help in the kitchen
The San Francisco Chronicle has launched "Rent-a-Grandma," a feature in which the paper plays matchmaker and pairs experienced home cooks with novice cooks who want to learn how to make cherished recipes of their youth. Each "Rent-a-Grandma" installment profiles a cook, their love of particular childhood dishes as well as the process of buying and preparing the food. "Food is a connection to people's past and heritage, and transcends so much," said Chronicle food editor Miriam Morgan. "If you want to bring readers to the paper, this is a great way to do it." Since the first feature was published May 5, the paper has received requests from at least 50 readers wanting to participate in future installments. You can read the debut story here. Morgan advised editors considering their own versions to use writers who are "connected to cooking in general" so they're better able to find qualified home cooks. "You have to know your restaurants and chefs. They can turn you on to good home cooks." Morgan said "Rent-a-Grandma" builds on another Chronicle reader-participation food feature called "Turkey Training." For the past two years, the Chronicle has asked readers to write, in 50 words or less, why they're the worst cook in the world and therefore worthy of a story showing them learning the basics of preparing a Thanksgiving meal. For more info on the Chronicle's "Rent-A-Grandma," contact Morgan. To share your newspaper's cool ideas for broadening readership, contact Logan Molen at The Bakersfield (Calif.) Californian and we'll consider them for a future APME Update.

Selection nears for 2004-2005 Credibility Roundtables newspapers
APME again has an invitation for you that will make your newspaper better. APME's National Credibility Roundtables Project will be selecting 20 additional newspapers to take part in the program. It is a chance to address two key challenges in your newsroom: Building trust in the news you deliver and understanding readers better. You will join more than 150 news organizations that have already used the simple but powerful approach: you bring your newspaper and your readers together for a carefully planned discussion to examine coverage that raised questions of the public's trust. You choose the topic. You write about what you learned and consider action that will make your journalism stronger and your connection with your community better. The upcoming cycle of the program is looking especially for:

• Newspapers that are new to reaching out to the public in a formal way.
  
• Larger circulation newspapers.
  

The project pays costs associated with Credibility Roundtables activities. It also will pay to bring editors to a workshop Sept. 10-12 that prepares them for their roundtables and for follow-up action, such as accuracy programs and diversity efforts. Interested? Go to the Credibility Roundtables site and fill out the simple application form. You can also learn more about Credibility Roundtables at the site. If you have questions, e-mail Carol Nunnelley or Debby Urken or call (212) 621-7503.

Editors tell how reader databases help newsrooms
The Reader-Interactive program is using the power of the Internet to broaden news coverage and dig deeper into community life. The program creates reader e-mail panels that can be reached quickly to advise on a journalistic dilemma, to suggest sources for a story or to comment for publication. How well is the project being received in newsrooms? Here are a few quotes from editors:

"Just yesterday we produced items on two topics we would never have been able to get close to through any other means." - Bill Felber, The Manhattan (Kan.) Mercury. "The results from the questions we have asked have been incredible. We plan to continue using the bank to get real people into our stories." - Jennifer Porter, Fargo Forum "There's no doubt it will become a regular and useful tool for reporters." - Deb Flemming, Mankato (Minn.) Free Press "I was at church a couple Sundays ago and introduced myself to a man in the pew behind me during the 'greetings' period of the service. At the end of the service, he asked me if I worked at the News & Record. 'Yes, I do,' I replied. 'My News & Record?' he asked. 'I'm glad you feel that way about the paper,' I said. 'Well, I'm a member of your Reader Advisory Network, so I do feel part of it,' he said. Can you beat that!????." - Ann Morris, Greensboro (N.C.) News & Record

More on reader interactive projects>>>

APME is on the 15th floor of AP's headquarters on the west side of Manhattan

We've moved!
The Associated Press Managing Editors Association joined the move of AP's corporate headquarters to new space in Manhattan. The new address for APME and its projects, the Credibility Roundtables and NewsTrain, is:

Associated Press Managing Editors
450 West 33rd Street
New York, NY 10001

E-mail addresses, telephone and fax numbers stayed the same.