by Joanie Hammes

* “Thank you for this well-planned and organized summit.  I’ve spent five times as much on a conference and not received as much.”

* “Well worth the time and money.  Very high caliber of speakers; couldn’t find something like this for this price anywhere.”

* “Very helpful.  Real world knowledge with TONS of applications.”

Those are just a few of the compliments from the more than 200 attendees from as far as New York , Texas and Illinois who attended the second annual MAP Publishing Summit. Attendees had the opportunity to network with one another, visit with 13 exhibitors Thursday and Friday and choose from 21 speakers hosting breakout sessions on Editorial and Design, Sales, and Publishing Management topics.

"MAP's first publishing summit was so successful that I worried we might not be able to equal it," said Don Ranly, Missouri Association of Publications founder and executive director. "Well, I think we surpassed it. The choice of speakers and topics attendees had this year was simply outstanding, and evaluations of the attendees clearly said as much. It was just a great show."

MAP members found the value they were looking for in the Summit . "I went in search of good ideas, and I found them," says MAP member Sandy Selby of Inside Columbia magazine. "I also enjoyed getting to know other publishers and editors and felt the Summit provided ample time to forge those relationships."

Plans are already underway for the 2007 Publishing Summit, and MAP is excited to add a publishing contest to next year's event.  Keep checking the Web site for more details throughout the year.

“I think we have a great core event that will continue to draw and grow each year,” said MAP member Ann Leach, who also is a member of the MAP communications committee.

For a list of 2006 sponsor exhibitors, click here

To view all speaker bios, click here

For a list of 2006 attendees, contact us at info@missouripublications.org

Thursday night's dinner was nothing short of inspirational when Roy Reiman shared his Cinderella story of the publishing industry.

In 1964, he began Reiman Publications in his basement with a typewriter and a TV tray, and built it into an empire of 14 publications — all with no advertising —and 16 million subscribers. Reiman sold the company in November 1998 for more than $640 million. 

Perched comfortably on the chair onstage, Reiman remembered earlier disasters that he coined his "master’s degree," and praised his wife, Bobbi, for standing by him through all the trials and tribulations of his business ideas. He attributes much of his success and Bobbi's support to his rural upbringing. "When you grow up on a farm, there is no job that's beneath you," he said. "I guess she always knew I'd find a way to put food on the table."

Reiman chronicles his path to success in his book titled I Could Write a Book. After Thursday night's dinner, Reiman stayed to sign copies of his book.  All proceeds go to  charity.

"I wish I could have counted the number of people who told me that hearing Roy Reiman was worth the price of the entire summit," said MAP founder and executive director Don Ranly. "What a privilege to have him here!"

Dinner attendees called Reiman's speech entertaining, inspirational, and fascinating.

Although most sessions had just one time slot in this year's Summit , Prof. Jennifer Moeller's grammar review session was held over three.

Moeller wasn't sure what to expect with three sessions, or how many people would want to stay. But, breaking it up was important, she said, because there were distinct differences in each individual session.

As far as the turnout, Moeller was pleasantly surprised. In fact, seven people spent the day in all three sessions. "They really got a comprehensive look at it," Moeller says.

Grammar seems to be a skill that, for writers and editors, becomes more challenging as more time passes out of the classroom. "Like anything we don't practice often, we lose that skill," Moeller says.

"It's always interesting to compare teaching grammar to people who are in school versus working professionals," says Moeller, who is a professor in the Missouri School of Journalism. “Professionals seem to have a better understanding and appreciation that comes with experience.”

Moeller remembers one attendee who spent the day in her sessions.  "He had just changed jobs and had suddenly taken on editorial responsibilities," she said. "He felt as if that was the best place for him to be all day." Moeller thought this was an interesting perspective because it shows that a grammar review can be useful to everyone.

"I went to only one session, but I could have gone to all three," says MAP board member Sherry Osburn of Osburn Public Relations. "It's a great review." She said she had a hard time tearing herself away from the grammar review in order to attend the other sessions. Osburn says the value of Moeller's grammar review is such that it could be held on its own, perhaps as a precursor to the Summit .

"Jen is the grammar guru!" says MAP member Heather Rueschhoff of Katey Charles Communications. "Her witty teaching approach refreshed rules and guidelines we all learned at one point in time, but have easily forgotten over the years," Rueschhoff says.

Moeller says in sessions like these, it is important to have a balance of inspiration and instruction. "They had a handful of things they could use Monday at work," she says, "And they weren't bored!"

Beyond teaching grammar at the university level, Moeller also consults for independent companies and conducts specialized training sessions and conference workshops. She has presented at Folio: conferences in New York and Chicago and for the Society of American Business Editors and Writers (SABEW).

For more information on consulting or training, contact Moeller at moellerjl@missouri.edu.

MU journalism students filed in to join the 2006 MAP Publishing Summit attendees to hear this year’s magazine panel discussion, “Keeping it Real: How to keep your stories relevant in a minute-by-minute, web-updated world.” 

The panelists, Ellen Kampinsky, senior editor of Glamour magazine and Zena Burns, entertainment editor of Teen People, discussed the state of the magazine industry within a technological society.  Questions continually abound on the survival of print publications in a digital world, and Kampinsky and Burns said the speculation hits home for monthly publications such as Glamour and Teen People. 

Burns, who had insight into younger readership, said females have a particularly tangible relationship with magazines that is not going to end soon.  Burns and Kampinsky agreed that pin-ups and perfume samples are things readers just can’t get from a digital format.

As technology grows, so goes the competition magazines face.  Burns remembered when Teen People did a photo shoot on the street in New York , and paparazzi had their pictures on the Web within days.  In Burns’ opinion, the best way to stay ahead of the curve is to continue to pursue exclusive interviews and get exclusive quotes.  Kampinsky said Glamour will not take a story that has been done on television or in another magazine.

Kampinsky spoke to the importance of addressing women’s issues that go beyond looks, fashion and celebrity gossip.  “Every month Glamour runs in-depth and investigative pieces on topics such as reproductive rights, human rights, politics, international affairs—not to mention our health coverage,” she said.

As far as the fate of print media, Kampinsky doesn’t see it dying anytime soon, as media  are an open market.  “The media are always looking at other media for ideas: TV producers read magazines, newspapers look at the Web, blogs write about TV,” she said. “It’s a constant flow of ideas and formats.”

With two successful Summits under its belt, MAP is looking ahead to the 2007 Publishing Summit.

One exciting change in next year's agenda is the addition of a publishing contest.

“The MAP awards are an important next step for the Missouri Association of Publications,” says MAP president Gary Whitaker.  “They will bring deserved attention to the burgeoning Association and its benefits to members, as well as bring recognition to those members who are doing award-winning work.”

Although categories have not been finalized, MAP committee members are fast at work to get organization for the contest underway.

“We’re not sure what form the contest will take or what categories it will have, but the board voted to establish a contest, and there will be one,” says Executive Director Don Ranly.  “We may start out small and expand as we gain confidence.  It’s an exciting venture, but an awfully lot of work.”

For more information on what you can do to help organize the contest, email MAP.