Reunión de Medio Año Ciudad de Panamá ,Marzo 11-14, Panamá

Apreciation

WHEREAS

our Host Committee, chaired by Scott C. Schurz and consisting of Franklin D. Schurz, Jr., Schurz Communications; Jack Fuller, Tribune Publishing Company (retired); Caroline Diamond Harrison, Advance Publications, Inc.; George Irish, Hearst Newspapers; Gary Pruitt, The McClatchy Company; Alan Horton, The E. W. Scripps Company; David Stamps, Hoosier State Press Association; and the Indianapolis Star, provided a hospitable and friendly environment conducive to professional and social activities

WHEREAS

the General Assembly received the generous support of the following organizations which sponsored hospitality events, provided services and furnished useful and informative material: Kathryn & Scott C. Schurz; PR Newswire; Bowater Newsprint; Cook, Inc.; Indiana Press Association (Hoosier State Press Association); McClatchy Company; E.W. Scripps Company; Tribune Publishing Company; Hearst Newspapers & Advance Publications; Indianapolis Star

WHEREAS

José Miguel Insulza, the Secretary General of the OAS; Governor Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. of Indiana; and Senator Richard Lugar, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the United States Senate, accepted the invitation of the Inter American Press Association to address the members and their guests

WHEREAS

journalist Raúl Rivero, a member of the IAPA Board of Directors and regional vice president of the Freedom of the Press Committee — and an outstanding representative of independent Cuban journalism —recounted his dramatic experiences in the dungeons of the Castro regime, where he was imprisoned for almost two years for exercising the right to think and write freely

WHEREAS

journalist Manuel Vázquez Portal, an independent Cuban journalist who was recently released from the prisons of the Castro regime, addressed the General Assembly and described the current state of the independent press in Cuba

WHEREAS

a number of prominent individuals gave important seminars and participated in roundtable discussions on the digital media, including Eduardo Danilo, Danilo Black, Mexico (“The Online Audience: Capture It and Raise Your Editorial Value!”); Andrew Nachison, The Media Center (“How New Technologies Can Revolutionize Your Newspaper”); Michael P. Smith, Media Management Center, Northwestern University (“How to Attract New Readers for Online and Hardcopy Editions”); and Nathan Stoll, Product Manager, Google News

WHEREAS

several individuals of note offered special presentations, such as the keynote address by Krishna Bharat, Chief Scientist, Google Inc., which was introducted by Fabricio Altamirano, El Diario de Hoy, El Salvador (“New Frontiers in Digital Journalism”)

WHEREAS

a number of important figures participated on interesting panels, such as: Tony Pederson, Southern Methodist  University; Milton Coleman, The Washington Post Company; and moderator Edward Seaton, Seaton Newspapers (“Shield Laws”); Marcelo Cacciola, Publicitas-Charney Palacios, Miami, Florida; Ernesto Rinaldi, 451 Group; Clifford M. Sloan, Slate magazine and Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive; and moderator William E. Casey, Jr., Dow Jones & Co. (“How to Sell Advertising in the Digital Era”); Bill Kovach, founding director of the Committee of Concerned Journalists, Washington, DC.; Raúl Kraiselburd, El Día, La Plata, Argentina; Asdrúbal Aguiar, El Universal, Caracas; and moderator Jack Fuller, Tribune Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois (“Discussion on 2006 IAPA Hemispheric Conference on Journalistic Values”); Silvia Pellegrini, Universidad Católica of Chile; Alain Modoux, Media and Society Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland; Esther Thorson, University of Missouri School of Journalism, Columbia, Missouri; Miguel Angel Bastenier, El País, Madrid, Spain; and moderator Luis A. Ferré, El Nuevo Día, San Juan, Puerto Rico (“Can Newspaper Quality Be Measured? If So… Is It in Our Best Interests?”)

WHEREAS

Juan Orrego Salas, former director of the Latin American Music Department at the Indiana University School of Music, and writer and artist Carmen Orrego gave a special presentation, which was moderated by Isabel Fascetto, El Día, La Plata, Argentina

WHEREAS

the IAPA staff has done excellent work, enabling the activities of this Assembly to advance in an efficient manner

WHEREAS

the 61st General Assembly was a resounding success in every way

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE IAPA RESOLVES

to express, on behalf of the president, officers, Board of Directors, and members, its deepest gratitude and appreciation to all the people and companies that contributed and provided support to this 61st General Assembly.