By CONNING CHU
The UNITY News

UNITY: Journalists of Color Inc. has surpassed its projections in sponsorship and revenue for this week’s convention. But as the journalism industry grapples with job cuts, company sell-offs and a crippled U.S. economy, the revenue and registration numbers have dipped below those for the 2004 convention.

UNITY President Karen Lincoln-Michel said convention revenue from sponsorship was at $2.5 million, which is $100,000 above projected revenue. Revenue for this year’s convention stands at $4 million, not including registration, while revenue for the 2004 UNITY convention was $4.5 million.

Onica Makwakwa, UNITY executive director, said revenue was “on target” with expectations for this year’s convention.

Given the slow economy, Lincoln-Michel said, “we have done quite well.”

The media have been hard hit with declining readership and plummeting profits as the industry shifts to converging journalism to multiple platforms, including the Internet. Newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times and The Palm Beach Post, have slashed hundreds of jobs in the past few weeks, while other companies have been sold or consolidated.

In the past four years, the industry has seen The McClatchy Co.’s buyout of the Knight-Ridder Newspapers, which owned The Miami Herald and San Jose Mercury News. Also, the Tribune Co., which owns the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times, was sold to real estate developer Sam Zell and is now privately owned.

The weak economy has caused an emigration of journalists from the industry. Those who have stayed are taking on more responsibility to cover workforce losses.

NABJ Treasurer Gregory Lee said the combination of factors has put a strain on UNITY attendance. “There is a concern about making the numbers,” Lee said, adding that UNITY should adjust the registration goals for each alliance partner.

“Reductions would help us tremendously, as far as the bottom line,” he said.

As of July 16, Makwakwa said, registration for the convention was 6,000. She said the numbers could change because last-minute and on-site registration may boost attendance. In 2004, 8,100 attended the convention in Washington, D.C.

Advertising and exhibitor booth sales from companies that purchase space in the convention’s Media and Career Expo and Marketplace are also on the decline. Booth sales were at $1.4 million — $100,000 short of the organizers’ goal of $1.5 million — Lincoln-Michel said, noting that more recruiters will be attending this year than for the 2004 convention.

Gannett Co., which owns a slew of newspapers and news stations, is one of the convention sponsors. Gannett has also taken part in a number of buyouts and layoffs at some of its newspapers.

Tara Connell, a spokeswoman for Gannett Co., said the company committed to be one of the convention?s sponsors a couple of years ago, before rumblings of an economic dive. Recently, Gannett Co. has been frugal, she said.

Connell said, however, the company remained committed to supporting UNITY because the convention gives Gannett the opportunity to promote itself and to recruit journalists.

“We are very much interested in hiring and retaining journalists,” Connell said. “There is always a need for talented journalists.”

Not all media companies were able to afford the costs of UNITY though.

Lincoln-Michel said organizers needed to approach non-media companies for support after a number of media companies turned them away, citing dwindling funds for recruitment and advertising. Wal-Mart Inc. and Boeing Co. are examples of non-media companies that have signed on as sponsors and will recruit at the convention.

BY THE NUMBERS

UNITY Registration
2008: 6,000* Chicago
2004: 8,100 Washington, D.C.
1999: 6,800 Seattle
1994: 6,000 Atlanta

UNITY Revenue
2008: $4 million*
2004: $4.5 million
1999: $2.5 million**
1994: $300,000

* As of July 16. Convention ends July 27.
** Estimate based on a formula. Partner associations received formulaic shares of job fair and advertising revenues, according to the Unity ‘99 chapter in “Rugged Waters: Black Journalists Swim the Mainstream.” [2003]

topic: UNITY Convention
tags: layoffs, UNITY convention

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