The Press List

Welcome to The Press List, our weekly newsletter alerting you to upcoming media events worth knowing about. This week, there will be plenty of panels, parties, and networking events to help media people get back to business after a week full of partying in the nation's capital. Highlights include a seminar on outsourcing at the Associated Press and mediabistro.com's panel discussion on Wednesday featuring NYU journalism school chair Jay Rosen and former HuffPo-er-turned-Abrams Research-er Rachel Sklar discussing social media strategies for reporters.

Last week, the press descended on Washington, D.C. to witness the inauguration of President Barack Obama, with The Press List joining the fray. Our Arlington hotel was the site of the Virginia Inaugural Ball, billed as "a celebration of turning Virginia blue." After watching the Southern belles and gentlemen filing in, we boarded the Metro and made our way towards the National Mall. Thanks to the security situation, the trains were filled with women in ball gowns and men in black tie who, we're sure, normally wouldn't be caught dead on public transportation. Change was definitely in the air.

In D.C. proper, the streets were filled with revelers and hustlers hawking Obama souvenirs. Once in town, we spent Monday evening at the Hip Hop Inaugural Ball sponsored by the Hip Hop Summit Action Network. On the red carpet, we spotted boxing promoter Don King spouting his catchphrase "only in America" to every reporter within earshot. Inside, we saw various boldface names including Dick Gregory, former MTV VJ Bill Bellamy, R&B crooner Ashanti, TV host Judge Greg Mathis, BET newsman Jeff Johnson, and District of Columbia Department of Health Director Pierre Vigilance. The ball included a ceremony honoring rappers LL Cool J, T.I., Bow Wow, Young Jeezy, activist Rev. Lennox Yearwood, and Hip Hop Summit Action Network co-founder Russell Simmons. There were speeches from Obama campaign national senior advisor Rick Wade and HHSAN's other co-founder and president Benjamin Chavis along with performances from singer Mario and rapper Busta Rhymes.

After the awards ceremony, we spoke to Isiah Whitlock, Jr., who played the delightfully corrupt Senator Clay Davis on HBO's The Wire. We asked Whitlock if he was as sad about the show's end last year as we were. Whitlock told us he thought "they could have done one more [season]." We also caught up with Dr. Chavis, who said his goal for HSSAN is "to encourage the hip hop community to address the poverty issue." Before retiring for the evening, we also saw Atlantic contributing editor Ta-Nehisi Coates talking with our own FishbowlNY editor Glynnis MacNicol, on the way to the Huffington Post Ball.

On Inauguration Day itself, we attended a party hosted by law firm Kirkland Ellis, where we had a great view of Barack and Michelle Obama walking up Pennsylvania Avenue. When the Obamas appeared in the street below, we caught the crowd of Washington business types fighting each other for plum spots by the windows. Afterward, we had one more inaugural encounter on the drive back to New York at the Maryland House rest area on I-95. While waiting on line at Roy Rogers, we saw several of the Tuskegee airmen having a meal in their trademark blue caps. We stepped off the line and went over to shake their hands. After all the pomp, circumstance, hype and media frenzy surrounding the festivities, nothing brought home the historic significance of the inauguration as much as that moment, far from the finery and madding crowds.

We'll be back next Monday to forecast which media events you'll want to know about, along with all that went down at this week's hottest happenings. Be sure to check out 'Conferences, Etc.' and 'Beyond New York' for media events beyond the five boroughs in San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles...

--Hunter Walker

Monday January 26, 2009

South By Southwest Networking Party
Networking with South By Southwest organizers and other digital creatives attending SXSW Interactive this March
Host: SXSW Interactive
Access: Open to the public -- RSVP required
When: 7pm-9pm, Monday, January 26
Where: Hi-Fi Bar, 169 Avenue A, New York

Tuesday January 27, 2009

Intro to Online Advertising
Workshop covering the basics of online advertising
Host: Carmina Perez
Access: Tickets available for purchase
When: 6pm-8pm, Tuesday, January 27
Where: 136 E. 76th Street, Apt. 3F, New York

mediabistro.com Freelancer Party in New York
Drinks and conversation for freelance media professionals
Host: mediabistro.com
Access: Open to media/press -- RSVP required
When: 6:30pm-8:30pm, Tuesday, January 27
Where: Bar 13, 35 E. 13th Street, New York

Telling Interactive Stories: The New York Times and the Online News Experience
Forum on digital journalism
Host: New York City Usability Professionals Association, Bloomberg
Access: Tickets available for purchase
Previous/Expected Guests: Andrew DeVigal
When: 6:30pm-9:30pm, Tuesday, January 27
Where: Bloomberg, 731 Lexington Ave, New York

Outsourcing News: Boon or Boondoggle?
Roundtable discussion on the pros and cons of outsourcing editorial jobs to India
Host: The South Asian Journalists Association, The Southern Asian Institute of Columbia University, The New York Press Club
Access: Open to the public -- RSVP not required
When: 6:30pm-9pm, Tuesday, January 27
Where: The Associated Press Conference Center, 450 W. 33rd Street, New York

Wednesday January 28, 2009

Brides 75th Anniversary Party
Party celebrating the 75th anniversary of Brides
Host: Millie Martini Bratten, Alison Adler Matz
Access: Open to the media/press -- RSVP required
When: 6pm-9pm, Wednesday, January 28
Where: Top Of The Rock Observation Deck at Rockefeller Center, 49th Street

Harper's Magazine Celebration for Ben Moser
Party celebrating the selection of Ben Moser as Harper's Magazine's new books columnist
Host: Harper's
Access: Closed/Private
Previous/Expected Guests: Roger Hoge, Jennifer Szalai
When: 6pm, Wednesday, January 28
Where: New York

Journalists and Social Media: Sources, Skills, and the Writer
Class exploring ways journalists can work with social networking tools
Host: mediabistro.com
Access: Tickets available for purchase
Previous/Expected Guests: Jay Rosen, Shirley Brady, Rachel Sklar, Andy Carvin
When: 6:30pm, Wednesday, January 28
Where: Tribeca Cinemas, 54 Varick Street, New York

Thursday January 29, 2009

The Magazine Lifetime Achievement Awards Luncheon
The Magazine Publishers of America and The American Society of Magazine Editors present lifetime achievement awards
Host: MPA, ASME
Previous/Expected Guests: Martha Stewart, Ann S. Moore
Access: Tickets available for purchase
When: 11:30am-2pm, Thursday, January 29
Where: The Grand Ballroom at The Plaza Hotel, Fifth Avenue at Central Park South, New York

The Economic Downturn's Impact On Media and Entertainment
Breakfast and panel discussion on the impact of the recession on the media industry
Host: The New York Media Information Exchange Group
Access: Tickets available for purchase
When: 7:30am-9:30am, Thursday, January 29
Where: Samsung Experience, Time Warner Center, 10 Columbus Circle, New York

NY Open Coffee Meetup
Weekly meeting for entrepreneurs and investors
Host: Nicholas Butterworth
Access: Open to the public -- RSVP not required
When: 9:15am-10:15am, Thursday, January 29
Where: Tarallucci e Vino, 15 E. 18th Street, New York

Michal Chelbin Talk and Book Signing
Event featuring the photographer and author of the book of portraits, Strangely Familiar: Acrobats, Athletes, and Other Traveling Troupes
Host: Strand Bookstore
Access: Open to the public -- RSVP not required
Previous/Expected Guests: Michael Chelbin
When: 7pm, Thursday, January 29
Where: Strand Bookstore, 828 Broadway, New York

Saturday January 31, 2009

Blogging Your Brand
Workshop on blogging for business
Host: Columbia University Strategic Communications Program
Access: Open to the public -- RSVP not required
Previous/Expected Guests: Keli Goff
When: 10am-2pm, Saturday, January 31
Where: Columbia University, 614 Schermerhorn, 2960 Broadway, New York

Conferences, etc.

Information Industry Summit 2009
Annual summit of digital industry leaders
Host: Software and Information Industry Association
Access: Open to the public -- RSVP not required
When: Monday, January 26-Wednesday, January 28
Where: Cipriani 42nd Street, 110 E. 42nd Street, New York

New Media, New Markets
Panel discussing new media's role in the marketplace, politics, and Latin American businesses
Host: Americas Society/Council of the Americas
Access: Tickets available for purchase
When: 8am-10am, Tuesday, January 27
Where: Americas Society/Council of the Americas, 680 Park Avenue, New York

Maximizing Ad Sales Even in Difficult Times
Two-day seminar on magazine ad sales
Host: Magazine Pubishers of America
Access: Tickets available for purchase
When: Tuesday, January 27-Wednesday, January 28
Where: MPA Conference Center, 810 Seventh Avenue, 24th Floor, New York

New Business Models for Changing Times
Panel on changing business models for magazine publishers
Host: Magazine Pubishers of America
Access: Tickets available for purchase
When: 8:30am-10:30am, Thursday, January 29
Where: MPA Conference Center, 810 Seventh Avenue, 24th Floor, New York

Beyond New York

Comic Book Industry Networking Dinner
Dinner for people working in the comic book and graphic novel industry
Access: Open to the public -- RSVP not required
When: 7pm-9pm, Thursday, January 29
Where: Junior's Restaurant and Deli, 2379 Westwood Boulevard, Los Angeles

Lunchtime Panel on Books, Publicity and Media
Lunch and seminar on developing relationships between authors, publicists, and the media
Host: American Society of Journalists and Authors NorCal Chapter, Northern California Book Publicity and Marketing Association
Access: Tickets available for purchase
When: 12:30pm-2:30pm, Thursday, January 29
Where: Jillian's at the Metreon, 101 4th Street, San Francisco

The Economic Crisis & Global Challenges
Discussion of the global financial crisis
Host: The Financial Times, Georgetown University
Access: Open to the public -- RSVP not required
When: 9am, Monday, January 26
Where: Georgetown University, Copley Formal Lounge, 37th and O Streets, NW, Washington, D.C.

mediabistro.com Cocktail Party in D.C.
Networking and information about the upcoming TVNewser Summit
Host: mediabistro.com
Access: Open to media/press -- RSVP required
When: 6pm-8pm, Tuesday, January 27
Where: K Street Lounge, 1301 K Street, NW, Washington DC