ABC Announces 2011 Annual Conference in San Francisco

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (Oct. 10, 2011) – On Nov. 9 and 10, Rob Fisher, senior vice president and group publisher of American City Business Journals and ABC conference chairman, will welcome members to the Audit Bureau of Circulations’ 97th conference and annual meeting at The Fairmont in San Francisco.

Attendees will discuss the ever-changing media industry with a not-to-be-missed lineup of leaders from the publishing, buying, social media, and digital information industries.

The conference kicks off on Wednesday, Nov. 9, with the useful newspaper and periodical Nuts & Bolts sessions where members catch up on recent rule changes, multimedia reporting options and the latest initiatives in their divisions. Later that evening, guests can network with speakers and colleagues at the conference’s opening reception.

Thursday, Nov. 10, is a full day of events. Following ABC’s annual business meeting, the general session will feature three panels.

"Using Social Media to Expand Publishing Community"

California Newspapers Partnership CEO Steve Rossi opens the session with a panel about how publishers are using social media — and how social media companies are reaching publishers. Panelists include Laura Graham O’Shaughnessy, The Washington Post; Scott Havens, The Atlantic; Justin Osofsky, Facebook; Aron Pilhofer, The New York Times; and Daniel Roth, LinkedIn.

• "Selling Subscriptions through New Channels"

Next, Ted Boyd, CEO of 58Ninety Inc., will lead a panel about growing a digital subscription business and capitalizing on this evolving business segment. Panelists include Lynne Brennen, The Wall Street Journal; Lee Shirani, Google; Mark Johnson, Zite; Deepak Shah, The Economist; and Perry Solomon, Time Inc.

• "Better Insights for Better Buys"

The general session concludes with a panel led by Alex Tamayo, managing director, PHD, about how publishers and buyers can collaborate and benefit from magazine digital editions. Panelists include Chris Anderson, Wired Magazine; Gregg Hano, Bonnier Corporation’s Technology Group; Tim Waddell, Adobe Systems; and Brenda White, Starcom Worldwide.

During lunch, media industry veteran Jack Griffin, founder and president of Empirical Strategic Advisors, will explain how companies can optimize digital media opportunities.

The conference concludes with member divisional meetings and director elections. In the newspaper meeting, Dow Jones & Company’s Todd Larsen will moderate a panel about measuring and evaluating audiences around the world. Bonnier’s Bruce Miller will lead a panel discussion in the magazine meeting about the transition to digital platforms.

Complete program details, including online registration, are available on ABC’s conference website.

About ABC
ABC is a forum of North America's leading magazine and newspaper publishers, advertisers and advertising agencies. The organization provides credible, verified information essential to the media buying and selling process. ABC maintains the world’s foremost online database of audited circulation information and a growing array of readership, audience and website usage data. ABC’s digital arm, ABC Interactive, is one of the world’s leading independent auditors of websites and digital ad-based technology. To learn more, visit www.accessabc.com.