The innovative web crew at the
Lawrence Journal-World, led by the enthusiastic and tireless
Rob Curley, do some amazing stuff -- especially amazing for such a small newspaper (circulation 20,000). Part of the secret has been to hire smart technologists/programmers who know journalism (or are journalists with strong tech skills).
ljworld.com and sister local sites
Lawrence.com and
KUsports.com have won a big pile of new-media journalism awards and consistently innovate. Curley's mantra is to take risks in creating new online (and print) features that truly serve the local audience.
The operation is frequently visited by editors and publishers from around the U.S. and world -- arriving to learn how this small paper manages to be such an Internet (and converged; the company also owns a cable-TV news operation) success. Now, Curley and crew have decided to go into the industry-education business, of a sort, and have scheduled two two-day "
CLIK" conferences in Lawrence focusing on the convergence strategies of the company. "Attendees will take an in-depth look at the company's convergence strategies and spend time with senior management, who will talk candidly about all aspects of the organization," according to the program. Dates for the conference are August 11-12 and August 16-17; cost is $350.
