Register Schedule Travel Sponsorship Extras

Schedule at a Glance

[Subject to Change]

See Session Details Here

Wednesday, Sept. 20

5 - 7 p.m. // Welcome Happy Hour & Registration 

Stop by to grab your registration materials and be welcomed to the Twin Cities over great drinks and even better company. Mingle with sponsors, exhibitors and peers to kick off RTDNA23!

Thursday, Sept. 21

8:30 - 10 a.m.  // Opening Keynote

We'll kick things off with an engaging Opening Keynote: Managing Mental Health for You and Your Team

10 - 10:30 a.m. // Morning Joe: Coffee & Connections

Grab a cup, fill it up and spend time connecting with sponsors, exhibitors and peers in the RTDNA23 Lounge.

10 - 10:30 a.m. // Feedback Loop: Critiques

Sit down with the pros and have your reel or resume critiqued. Leave with tips and tricks, the confidence to know you’re moving in the right direction, and a new connection in the industry. *Sign-up required

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. // Life + Work Couch Coaching

Join certified coach and meditation facilitator Nicholas Whitaker for exclusive 1:1 coaching sessions just for RTDNA guests. In this laser-focused session, you will have the space to share what's weighing on your mind and heart, and receive compassionate coaching to help guide you to your next steps. If you've never received coaching before, this is a great, low-risk way to get some experience with it and discover what even a single coaching session can do to help move you forward. 

10:30 a.m. - Noon // Breakout Sessions

Our breakouts are built around shared knowledge, both from the trainer and other attendees. Participate in a session to get hands-on experience, in-depth discussions and a meaningful deep-dive into a variety of topics.

• • How Improv Can Help You Innovate in Your Newsroom
  • How Including Missing Perspectives of Women in News Can Revitalize News Organizations

12:30 - 1:30 p.m. // Next Gen Luncheon: New Ways to Recruit*

We'll salute the RTDNA Foundation's 2023 Scholarship and Fellowship recipients and then enjoy a moderated discussion about recruitment and retention. Everyone is talking about recruitment challenges facing their newsrooms — the vacancies are glaring and the old ways of recruiting just aren't cutting it anymore. How are newsrooms using innovation in their approach to filling the gaps? Does thinking outside the box yield different results? We'll find out during this conversation with organizations that have found creative ways to attract, train and keep new employees. *Ticket required

1:45 - 3:15 p.m. // Breakout Sessions

• • Is Objectivity Obsolete?
  • Listening as a Superpower

3:15 - 3:45 p.m. // Afternoon Boost: Snacks & Social

Get the boost you need with some afternoon snacks and gather in our lounge to share what you’ve learned and socialize with peers, sponsors and exhibitors.

3:15 - 3:45 p.m. // Feedback Loop: Critiques

Sit down with the pros and have your reel or resume critiqued. Leave with tips and tricks, the confidence to know you’re moving in the right direction, and a new connection in the industry. *Sign-up required

3:45 - 4:45 p.m. // Self-Care Space: You-Call-It

Leaders need self-care just as much as their teams do, and sometimes that comes in the form of fun. We’re here for you with a variety of activities to break up the day, help you take a breath and soak up a bit of enjoyment — you’ve earned it!

• • Goats! — Yes … GOATS! When can you go to a conference and take a break to pet baby goats?! Well, today is your lucky day! Take a minute to say hello to some of Minneapolis' finest baby goats.
  • Massages — Relax, rejuvenate and recharge with local massage therapists for a 10 minute massage, compliments of RTDNA.
  • Meditation — These sessions are perfect for beginners and experts alike, particularly if you're "not good" at meditation. All are welcome and there will be time for Q&A after. (Two sessions: 3:45 - 4:10 and 4:20 - 4:45)

5 - 6 p.m. // How to Improve Trust in Elections Coverage

Get ready for the 2024 Elections! One year after releasing a groundbreaking research study on trust and local journalism, RTDNA has again partnered with Magid on a new study that asked local news audiences how a newsroom could provide trustworthy coverage of elections in 2024! 

8 - 11 p.m. // Opening Night Party

Celebrate Day 1 by hitting the town with us at the Opening Night Party, sponsored by our friends at CNN Newsource, at Brit's Pub to get your fill of food, friends and lawn bowling!

Friday, Sept. 22

8 - 9 a.m.  // Mimosas, Marys & Murrows

Join us as we celebrate winners of the 2023 Edward R. Murrow Awards and raise a glass to their success. As you mingle, learn more from winners about their award-winning work and what it takes to win a Murrow.

9:30 - 10:30 a.m.  // Keynote

Gather with other RTDNA23 attendees for the final keynote of the conference: The Color of Coverage: Changes in Journalism and Race Post-Floyd

10:30 - 11 a.m. // Morning Joe

Grab a cup, fill it up and spend time connecting with sponsors, exhibitors and peers in the RTDNA23 Lounge.

10:30 - 11 a.m. // Feedback Loop: Critiques

Sit down with the pros and have your reel or resume critiqued. Leave with tips and tricks, the confidence to know you’re moving in the right direction, and a new connection in the industry. *Sign-up required

11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. // Breakout Sessions

• • News Leadership: Developing a Culture of Excellence and Staff Retention
  • Primer: HEFAT Training: Journalist Safety in the Field

12:30 - 1:30 p.m. // Lunch On Your Own

Get a bite to eat with new or old friends, but make sure you're back in time for the next round of breakouts!

1:30 - 3 p.m. // Breakout Sessions

• • What Your Newsroom Employees Aren't Telling You
  • All About AI: Creating Opportunity Around Change

3 - 4 p.m. // Giving Back: Community Service Project

Part of what makes RTDNA23 (and local journalism!) so special is connecting with the community, and while we’re in Minneapolis, we set out to do just that. Take time out of your conference collaboration and contribute some good, old-fashioned hands-on volunteer time. This year’s Community Service Project will benefit The Food Group, a nonprofit working at the intersection of equity and access to fresh, sustainable foods. From farming to distribution, The Food Group provides fresh food across Minnesota and Wisconsin.

4 - 4:30 p.m. // Afternoon Boost: Snacks & Social

Get the boost you need with some afternoon snacks and gather in our lounge to share what you’ve learned and socialize with peers, sponsors and exhibitors.

4 - 4:30 p.m. // Feedback Loop: Critiques

Sit down with the pros and have your reel or resume critiqued. Leave with tips and tricks, the confidence to know you’re moving in the right direction, and a new connection in the industry. *Sign-up required

4:30 - 5:30 p.m. // Honoring Excellence: Paul White & John F. Hogan Awards Ceremony

We’re honoring the best of the best with our Paul White and John F. Hogan Awards. Hear from each recipient about the power of journalism, their triumphs and tribulations and how they feel about the future of the industry.

5:30 - 7 p.m. // Celebrating Excellence: Paul White & John F. Hogan Awards Reception*

Join us in celebrating the careers and achievements of our Paul White and John F. Hogan Award recipients at a reception in their honor. Enjoy food, drink and friends — with a little music mixed in, too — at this ticketed event. *Ticket required

6 - 9 p.m. // Guided Riverwalk Food Tour*

Let us make the reservations for you! The food tour includes a fun and knowledgeable local guide and stops at four restaurants along the Riverwalk. By the end of the three-hour progressive dinner tour, you’ll have had some good local food, made some new RTDNA friends and had a chance to stretch your legs after a day of being in the conference hotel.  *Ticket required

7:10 p.m. // Minnesota Twins vs. Los Angeles Angels*

Join our RTDNA23 ticket block to watch the Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Angels square off at Target Field. *Ticket required