Creating a local committee for the CAR Conference
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REQUIREMENTS OF A LOCAL COMMITTEE

We are a small organization and the volunteer work and support from the local committee is absolutely crucial to the conference's success. Although our staff has taken over more of the conference duties, we rely on an active local group's advice and efforts.

And now to the details.


LOCAL COMMITTEE DUTIES

Finances and Fund-raising
IRE requires at least $15,000 seed money ($30,000 is more realistic) from a local news organization that will act as host for an conference before it can commit to coming to a particular city. IRE has a fund-raising goal of a minimum of $50,000 for each conference.

IRE asks the local committee to help with fundraising contacts for their own newsrooms and when possible raise money for the conference. All checks go to IRE.

Arranging planning meetings
IRE asks that the local committee have at least two or three planning meetings at times when IRE staff and/or board members can attend. We like to have the local committee fully up and running 12 months before the conference and have the first meeting at least nine months ahead of time.

Putting together the program of panels and speakers
The IRE board has final approval of all programs. The local committee works with the board's conference committee and IRE staff. IRE requests that the local committee provide:

• Ideas for panels that are pertinent both nationally and to the journalists in that region. This means identifying the issues and topics that will need to be addressed at the time of the conference.
• Ideas for speakers. The local committee helps IRE identify the best practitioners in the region who also can present well. Ideas for headline speakers and keynote speakers that will draw journalists' interest.

Invitations
IRE invites most speakers, but where the local committee has a good contact or good rapport with certain speakers, we ask the committee to help us. The local committee can make no financial commitments for travel or lodging. IRE does not pay honoraria or for food except in very special instances. If the speaker's company will not cover the registration fee, IRE may waive the fee. Waivers are given on an individual basis in a conversation between the speaker and IRE (they are not automatic and should not be promised by anyone other than IRE).

Printed Program
IRE asks that the local committee designate a local entertainment writer to do a guide for inclusion in the program. This guide should be completed six months before the conference and should include restaurants, night-life and sightseeing. IRE generally prints the program in Columbia, Mo.

Signs
IRE requests that the host organization create directional and panel signs for the conference (approximately 40-50 signs). The panel signs are generally 20" x 30" and mounted on foam board. Often the host organization's marketing department has the equipment and materials available to create the signs. Host will arrange to have the signs delivered to hotel the day prior to the conference.

Publicity
IRE asks the local committee to have a publicity subcommittee that will arrange for publicity in local media and at journalism schools in the year before the conference, and for on-site news coverage and photos of the conference. This includes arranging for a photographer to take photos at the conference. The time the photographer is available can be negotiated but IRE would designate some events and sessions to be photographed. Digital copies of the photos taken at the conference should be delivered to IRE at or shortly after the conference.

Reprints
IRE asks that the local committee designate a newspaper to receive all reprint shipments (can total 100 boxes), to have a librarian catalog the boxes, and to arrange for delivery to hotel the day before the conference starts. The receipt of reprints by a newspaper saves IRE thousands of dollars in storage cost charges from the hotel.

Volunteers
IRE asks the local committee to recruit about 20 volunteers to help with conference duties, such as monitoring panel rooms, helping with registration, and other activities. Volunteers are typically university students, not working journalists.

Reception
IRE asks that the news organizations, whenever possible, host a Friday or Saturday night reception for an estimated 400 conference-goers. The reception should have drinks, hors d'oeuvres and music, if possible.

Logistics Advice
IRE asks that the local committee designate two members to help with conference logistics in the year before the conference. This includes recommendations about items such as copying services, vehicle rentals, and where to ship materials.

Vendors
IRE recruits vendors for the conference, but welcomes suggestions and contacts. All vendor and recruiter space must be arranged through IRE.

Newspaper services
IRE asks the local committee to arrange for the delivery of copies of the major papers in the city to the conference for free distribution on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Journalism schools
IRE asks the local committee to make contact with local journalism and communication schools and suggest ways to involve professors and students. IRE can arrange special student rates, especially when students volunteer.

Hotels
IRE asks the local committee to help identify acceptable hotels in safe and accessible parts of the city. If the host news organization has special arrangements or a good rapport with certain hotels, we ask for help during our contract negotiations. IRE negotiates and signs all hotel contracts.

Transportation
IRE asks that the local committee put together a transportation guide for getting to the conference both for in-state and out-of-state (and out-of-country) attendees. This would include best airports, taxi and shuttle service, etc., and best ways to get around the city. In some cases, IRE needs the local committee to help arrange bus transportation for events. IRE signs all contracts.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. Overall, what are the specific responsibilities of the principal sponsor, that is, co-host, of an IRE conference?
A. Help with financing ($25,000 or more in seed money) and to work with us on making sure that we contract with a good hotel in a good location, make sure that we include in the program issues and speakers that will attract people regionally, help with entertainment guide and receive reprints until the conference, hold a reception for conference goers, print and deliver signs, arrange for a photographer and newspaper coverage of the conference.

Q. What are the co-host's specific responsibilities regarding the organization and planning of the event?
A. Help coordinate the local committee and help us ensure that people follow through on their task.

Q. What are IRE's specific responsibilities in the organization and planning of the event?
A. We handle planning of program, printing of program, speaker invitations, taking care of speakers, hotel contract and coordination with hotel, AV, computers, you name it.

Q. Who is responsible for forming the "local committee?"
A. IRE will work with the co-host and sponsors to form the local committee.

Q. What organizations are normally a part of the "local committee?"
A. All the area news organizations and universities that we can get to participate.

Q. How are the organizations selected?
A. IRE and the co-host solicit them to join and work with the co-host news organization.

Q. What is IRE's responsibility regarding the "local committee?"
A. To stay in constant touch, meet with and advise the local committee.

Q. Who is responsible for selecting and lining up the speakers for the IRE conference?
A. Final approval rests with IRE, but we get local committee's recommendations and do follow-up.

Q. Who is responsible for arranging travel and hotel for the speakers?
A. IRE

Q. Who is responsible for getting biographical material and photos from the speakers?
A. IRE

Q. Who deals with the speakers and all their problems, special requests, changes, cancellations, substitutions, handouts, etc.?
A. IRE

Q. What are the specific responsibilities of the co-host regarding this part of the conference?
A. Once speakers are selected, not much except helping with invitations with folks you have a rapport with.

Q. Who is responsible for dealing with the conference hotel in terms of selection?
A. IRE

Q. Who is responsible for negotiations of terms, etc. with hotel?
A. IRE

Q. For audio-visual?
A. IRE

Q. For banquet and food service?
A. IRE

Q. All the conference details related to the hotel (Room assignments for speakers, etc.)?
A. IRE

Q. What are the specific co-host's responsibilities of the principal sponsor regarding this part of the conference?
A. Some volunteer help and helping to deliver reprints and newspapers.

Q. Who is responsible for handling the conference registration?
A. IRE

Q. What are the specific responsibilities of the co-host regarding this part of the conference?
A. None unless someone wants to volunteer to help.

Q. Who is responsible for handling the conference vendors, including recruitment, selection and hotel space?
A. IRE with vendor recommendations from the local committee.

Q. Who is responsible for handling recruiters at the conference?
A. IRE

Q. Who is responsible for designing a conference logo?
A. IRE handles that with its own designers, but welcomes input from local hosts early in the process.

Q. Who is responsible for handling the conference publicity and marketing?
A. IRE and local committee. IRE does all national and regional mailings. We ask that the local committee do local publicity. We ask the local committee to get the word out locally and regionally and guide IRE on how to assist.

Q. Who is responsible for handling the conference program brochure, including design, printing and distribution?
A. IRE. We just need help on entertainment sections.

Q. What are the specific benefits to the co-host of the conference?
A. Constant mentions on the IRE Web site and in other mailings and marketing material to IRE's 5,000 members and to other journalists to whom IRE provides training. Coverage in The IRE Journal (goes to all members) and Uplink , other journalism magazine coverage, various journalism online calendars and in the conference's printed program. Thanks at the conference publicly.

Also, IRE grants up to 10 rolling passes for co-host staff. That is, one person can use one day, another the next day.

The host receives a complimentary recruiter table in the Exhibit Hall. The conference attracts the best in the business so great recruiting opportunities ensue. This offers the host an opportunity to show how great an organization you have and to create a buzz in the profession.