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Last day to register at a discount for the LION Summit

Today is your last opportunity to register for the LION Summit - the country's only major conference devoted to local independent online news publishing - before the price goes up!

Registrations so far put us on track for this to be the biggest and most successful LION Summit yet. Reserve your spot today, and join us Sept. 29-Oct. 1 at Columbia College in Chicago.

Who should attend?
The LION Summit is open to anyone who cares about local news, not just LION members. The return on investment and time spent is off the charts if you're the publisher of an independent local news site. You'll return home with advice, tips and ideas you can implement immediately. But the LION Summit is also a great opportunity for supporters, teachers and students of journalism, and people who care about their communities and realize the importance of local journalism, to learn a ton about the state of the business.

What is the format?
We kick off with a reception and informal exchange of ideas on Thursday evening - free appetizers, beer and wine included - and then have two full days of speakers, panel discussions and workshops on all aspects of the online local news business - journalism, revenue, technology, community engagement. There will also be plenty of time and opportunity to question, discuss and commiserate with fellow publishers - one of the most valuable aspects of our annual gathering.

What's on the agenda?
This year's schedule includes advice and training on advertising sales, diversifying into other areas of revenue, nonprofit fundraising, investigative reporting and the Freedom of Information Act, using drones in journalism, monetizing video, choosing and working with website content management systems, navigating Google AMP and other platform publishing tools, training in free Google publishing products, measuring the impact of our work, community engagement, and how to compete against big legacy media outlets.

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FROM A SPONSOR:
This year's LION Summit in Chicago has been made possible by sponsors that include TownNews.com. When you combine the news industry's top Content Management System with powerful Big Data capabilities, amazing things happen. TownNews.com's integrated digital publishing and data management solutions help more than 1,700 news and media organizations create compelling content, grow their audiences, and boost revenue with targeted local and programmatic campaigns. Contact TownNews.com today to learn how we can help you thrive in the digital age.
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What makes the LION Summit different?


For many of the same reasons that LION itself is so vital: we are completely focused on the work of indie publishers, and the special challenges and creative opportunities we face in rebuilding local news.
  • How do we find ways to pay more local journalists, and pay them well?
  • How do we more effectively report on our communities?
  • How do we protect the bottom line, expand revenues, and maintain healthy connections with our readers?
  • How do we help expand the number of local independent publishers, particularly for readers who've been abandoned (or always ignored) by legacy chain media?
  • How do we better help each other, mindful of our many common experiences and respecting our diversity?

As with our overall organization, the LION Summit is a conversation, aiming to answer those questions and many more.

We're set to have our largest-ever conference this year, with more attendees, speakers and sessions than ever. But our focus on a particular industry segment means that, despite the wide variety of publishers represented, there isn't a cast of thousands. You'll have time to get to meet everybody, and get to know many of them well. And you'll set the stage for even deeper relationships after the conference.


Six reasons you should be at the 2016 LION Summit

1. You care about local news. As legacy media newsrooms face layoffs and buyouts and continue to cut back on local news coverage, a grassroots movement of local online news startups is cropping up across the country. You'll be immersed in their successes, challenges and opportunities.

2. You care about your community. If you believe the strength of local journalism correlates to the strength of democracy, you've got a vested interest in the business of independent online local news business.

3. You are thinking about launching your own local media organization. If this is the case, you really can't miss the LION Summit. It's like a local news startup boot camp. And the people you will meet — local news entrepreneurs who have been through all of the decisions and challenges you are about to experience — will end up being a resource long after the conference is over.

4. Your local news site needs more revenue. Well, if it doesn't, we'd like to know your secrets, so come to the LION Summit anyway, and share them with us. One of the most valuable parts of our Chicago conference for local online news publishers are the training, advice, tips and ideas on advertising and reader revenue that you can take home and implement immediately.

5. You need help navigating publishing tools and technology. This year's LION Summit will feature a ton of information about options for web CMS platforms, and presentations on whether and how small sites should participate in Facebook Instant Articles and Google AMP. Also, Mike Reilley of Google News Lab will be conducting training on Google Trends, MyMaps and Fusion Tables, Google Earth, Street View and more

6. Chicago! The LION Summit will be held on the campus of Columbia College, near some amazing restaurants, historic architecture, and just a few blocks from the Art Institute of Chicago. And the Lions are playing the Bears that Sunday at Soldier Field.


Questions, feedback, volunteer opportunities

Questions about the 2016 LION Summit? Special requests? Email membership@lionpublishers.com.

We'd also love to hear from you if you are planning to attend and are willing to do a little bit of volunteer work to assist with the operation of the conference!

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