Party with the people who make - and break - news this September

Newsapalooza brings a festival-like atmosphere to making news of the day.

Food trucks, mingling, a party, and a story pitch session are part of Newsa, along with daylong discussions on stage about news issues people might just read or listen to. Programming kicks off at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 27 at the Pittsburgh Playhouse and concludes with a story-pitch competition and party at 5 p.m.  Newsapalooza activities begin Sept. 14 with an appearance by former Washington Post executive editor Martin "Marty" Baron in Downtown and throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Newsapalooza is an event for everyone who wonders why the media does what it does, and why it matters. Robert Costa, CBS News chief election & campaign correspondent, will open the day with a keynote. Costa is a familiar presence as a guest anchor for news programs on the CBS Television Network. He’s also a regular contributor to 24/7 programs such as “American Decides” and covered the Republican National Convention.

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Following Costa’s appearance on Sept. 27, sessions start at about 10 a.m. at the Playhouse. Daytime sessions include:

+ 10 a.m. - Presidential politics in the Rust Belt & Appalachia. Politics now divides communities and families at Thanksgiving. Meet Salena Zito, national political reporter, among others. KDKA political editor Jon Delano will lead this conversation.

+ 11 a.m. - Is Pittsburgh still a City of Champions? Hear from columnist Mike DeCourcy of The Sporting News and Jennifer Bullano Ridgley, chief marketing and communications officer for the Pittsburgh Penguins.  

+ 1 p.m. - How Pennsylvania colleges can help solve local news desert issues
Richard Watts, director, Center for Community News at the University of Vermont.  

+ 1 p.m. - Where Pittsburgh gets its news  
University of Pittsburgh professors Lara Putnam and Elise Silva discuss.

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+ 1 p.m. - Bringing communities into the newsroom. Letrell Crittenden, director of inclusion and audience growth for the American Press Institute helps news outlets in Southwestern Pennsylvania to develop programs to better reflect the communities they serve.  

+ 2 p.m. - Philanthropy in local news. Donors are working to strengthen news outlets in Southwestern Pennsylvania through Press Forward, a national movement that puts donor dollars into local news. Find out more about their plans for Press Forward Pittsburgh with Christina Shih, associate director, Press Forward; Michelle McMurray, vice president of program and community engagement, The Pittsburgh Foundation.

+ 3 p.m. - meet Walter “Robby” Robinson, the editor who led The Boston Globe Spotlight Team that unmasked years of sexual abuse within the Catholic Diocese in Boston – and inspired the Academy Award-winning film, “Spotlight.” The reporting also won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.

Stay into the evening for a party and story pitch session at the Pittsburgh Playhouse that kicks off at 5 p.m.  

The audience takes part too, selecting the best story pitches from applicants from professionals, students, and citizens. Hosted by YaJagoff Media’s John and Rachael, celebrity judges also include Sally Wiggin, Rick Sebak, and Miracle Jones.

Contestants get just a few minutes to pitch their story to judges and potentially, salty editors, “Shark Tank” style.  

Winners get $1,000 to help them report and publish their stories.

Tickets include entry to the Newsapalooza party at the day’s end, featuring a custom drink by sponsor Wigle Whisky for the occasion, and brews provided by sponsor Trace.  

Other events as part of Newsapalooza include a reception at the National Aviary on Thursday, Sept. 26 to celebrate the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association's 100th anniversary, and open houses at some media outlets on Saturday, Sept. 28. The NewsMedia Association is hosting three regional receptions in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Harrisburg. The events will begin with remarks from publishers, local leaders, and PNA executives and continue with a celebratory reception.

Buy tickets to Newsapalooza events Sept. 27-28, here.

Buy tickets to Marty Barron's appearance Sept. 14, here.

To help celebrate the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association's anniversary on Sept. 26, register here.

Newsapalooza is a fundraiser for Next Generation Newsroom and a way to bring the public into conversations about local news. This event will launch the Next Generation Newsroom, which will fill gaps in local reporting and serve readers through 29 media outlets in Southwestern Pennsylvania.