2006 MPA-IMAG Conference - Program Overview

May 11, 2006

3rd Annual MPA-IMAG Independent Publishers Conference May 10 &11, 2006 | W Hotel Union Square | New York City

Photos & Highlights | Podcasts | Keynote Speaker | Program Overview

Program Overview

You cannot overstate the immense value of getting independent publishers together in a room and letting us talk and share information with each other.   -- Bryan Welch, Mother Earth News

This two-day event, in its third year, is the premier conference for independent magazines.  Hosted by MPAs Independent Magazine Group (MPA-IMAG), the program is designed specifically for the senior team at independent companies, where there are numerous operational and strategic challenges to be met daily, generally by smaller staffs with limited resources.  As much about the peer-to-peer exchange of information as about the strength of the targeted program, the MPA-IMAG Leadership Conference is known for open, interactive discussion and for helping independents build connections and community that will serve them long after the conference is over.   

Some 2006 Program Highlights:

The Cycle of LeadershipJohn Griffin, CEO, National Geographic
Your magazine should be the center, the leader, of the communitybecause the leader makes the most profit and has the most opportunity.  John will discuss the steps to ensuring you have the strength of leadership in your category, in every channel, and how to achieve the cycle that will positively impact each area of your business, from circulation to advertising and beyond.  This year, National Geographic was nominated for five National Magazine Awards, including overall excellence and General Excellence Online.  Prior to joining National Geographic, John was President of the Magazine Group for Rodale, Inc., from 1990 to 2000, where he doubled sales, launced numerous US and international magazines, and became a leader in internet marketing.

If I knew then what I know now
Panel Moderator: Brad Fayfield, Founder & President, Storm Mountain Press; Eric Rayman, (recently) President & COO, Budget Living; Susan Caughman, Owner & President, New Hope Media; Tim Winsor, President, Belvoir Equine Group
You have limited resourceswhat costs can you skip and where is penny-wise actually pound foolish?  And more importantly, are operational inefficiencies keeping you from realizing your strategic vision and understanding what you are building? This panel of independent publishers will talk openly and honestly about the costs of publishing a magazine, what theyve learned the hard way, and how theyve either come to build real value in their magazine company--or faced demise.  Budget Living, a celebrated independent magazine launch and winner of a 2004 National Magazine Award, surprised everyone when they recently folded.  The President & COO will talk honestly about how you can avoid their mistakes, and join his fellow panelists in discussing how independents should operate to survive and thrive. 

The Independent Publishers Relationship with Editors
Panel Moderator: David Foster, Editor-in-Chief, Gray's Sporting Journal
David Hershkovits, Editor-in-Chief & Publisher, Paper Magazine; David Lusterman, President, String Letter Publishing; Bryan Welch, Publisher & General Manager, Ogden Publications.
The key to the cycle of leadership, editors provide the content and expert knowledge that are the foundation of your entire business.  When and how should publishers be involved with editorial planning, how can editors be encouraged to be marketers, and whats the best compensation structure for editorsthis panel of independent publishers will discuss best practices for building a fruitful relationship between church and state. 

Editorial Leadership for a Multi-Channel Brand
Steve Waldman, Founder, BeliefNet.com; Steve Hedlund, President, Ehlert Publishing Group
Continuing the editorial discussion, this panel will address the growing concern of how to create compelling content for every channel your consumers are using. Are your editors working effectively on-line and in other channels?  Beyond wordsmithing for a monthly magazine, your editors now need the vision to embrace the editorial realities of many different platforms.  What are the best solutions for this increasingly important organizational issue?

Protecting Your Assets in the Digital Age
There are significant copyright issues and licensing logistics to be aware of as a magazine moves off the printed page.  You need to utilize the best practices in your contracts and negotiations to have the freedom to re-package and re-sell your content, and promote your brand, in a host of ways. 

Building  and Capitalizing on Your Brand
Mark Ryan, CEO and Creative Director, The Ryan GroupMark will explore the steps to positioning your magazine as a truly competitive brand.  A veteren of successful ad campaings at A.T. & T., General Motors, Burger King, 7-Up and many others, Mark also has extensive magazine industry experience--and is a firm believer in the fact that no matter how creative your work, your positioning has to change attitudes and bring in new customers.

Creating Strategic Alliances Beyond Ad Sales as UsualFrancine Ryan, President & Chief Marketing Officer, The Ryan Group
Francine will give an in-dpeth look at using the assets of your magazine brand to create mutually beneficial joint ventures and partnerships.  There is a definite methodology involved and every facet of the magazine needs to be involved in the sales effort. Francine has been asked to share her expertise in this area with the sales teams of Hearst, Martha Stewart, and Organic Style, and now she is bringing it to independent publishers at the MPA-IMAG Leadership Conference.

How We Are Making Money TodayNancy Small, President, Hallmark Publishing, Moderator.  Theresa Stack, President, The Nation and Joe Landry, SVP & Publisher, The Advocate and Out   
This panel will share real-world examples of how they are growing their company revenues in traditional wayslike building efficient circulationas well as through successful ventures into the multi-channel, digital world.

This MPA-IMAG Leadership Conference was sponsored by: