Registration is now open for “The New Wave of Journalism: 2011 SPJ Spring Conference,” set for April 29-30, 2011 in San Diego!

Visit the conference website at www.spjsandiegoconference.com to check out the terrific schedule of programs and to register.

This action-packed conference will bring together professional journalists and students from throughout the region – California, Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii. The conference, which will be held at Humphrey’s Half Moon Inn & Suites on Shelter Island, will feature a variety of speakers including top journalists and new media entrepreneurs from around the region and the nation.

SPJ national president Hagit Limor, an investigative reporter for WCPO-TV in Cincinnati, will speak at the conference, addressing some of the hottest issues in journalism today. Frank LoMonte, executive director of the Student Press Law Center, will provide the keynote speech at the SPJ Mark of Excellence Awards Luncheon on Saturday, where the region’s best and brightest student journalists will be recognized.

The conference will include plenty of time for networking and socializing, beginning with a Friday opening night reception featuring a silent auction of terrific items to take home. Saturday’s schedule includes workshops on honing journalism skills, maximizing news coverage, and boosting career prospects, as well as resume critiques for students and young journalists.

Here’s the line-up of workshops planned for the conference:

News Beats

• On the Arts
• Hot Button Coverage: The Border and Immigration
• The Fun Beat: Travel, Food & Wine
• From School Board to City Council: Getting the Story at Public Meetings
• Business Ain’t Boring: Covering the Economy & Local Business

Skill Sharpeners

• Watchdog Reporting: How to Be a Watchdog on a Tight Budget
• Computer-Assisted Reporting: Easier Than It Sounds
• Backpack Journalism: Multimedia and You
• Digging Deeper: Getting & Using Public Records
• A Journalist’s Guide to Social Media

Career Builders

• Getting Your First Job in Journalism
• Freelance Nirvana: How to Successfully Be Your Own Boss
• Beyond Deadline: Journalists as Authors
• Going to The Dark Side: Careers in PR and Public Information
• Gamechangers: Innovative Business Models for Media

You’ll hear from local San Diego reporters as well as reporters from the Los Angeles Times, Orange County Register, Las Vegas Review Journal, Arizona Capitol Times, Patch.com, California Watch, The Watchdog Institute, and more.

Register by March 30 for the early bird discount, and, if you want to enjoy a staycation at Humphrey’s, be sure to book your room by March 30 to get the special conference room rate of $99.

When:  Friday evening, April 29, 2011, to Saturday, April 30, 2011

Where:  Humphrey’s Half Moon Inn & Suites, 2241 Shelter Island Drive, San Diego

Cost:  By March 30:  $100 for professional members, $125 for professional non-members, $50 for students. After March 30:  $125 for professional members, $150 for professional non-members, $75 for students. Registration includes all programs, Opening Night Reception and Closing Reception. Mark of Excellence Awards Luncheon tickets are sold separately for $40 per person.

Register online:  www.spjsandiegoconference.com.

Questions:  Contact spjsandiego@gmail.com