Chicago summit offers journalism students an entrepreneurship boot camp

Students are invited to attend the 2017 LION Summit — Oct. 26-28 at Columbia College in Chicago — for a unique immersion in both the basics and latest issues facing local news entrepreneurship.

This year's conference will feature a half-day "boot camp" for new publishers and idea-stage local news entrepreneurs that will walk attendees through how to develop a business plan, choosing between a for-profit and nonprofit structure, the basics of local advertising sales, developing reader revenue streams, tech stacks for publishers, and how to stay out of legal and business trouble.

It's an opportunity for journalism students who increasingly face a future career that could involve starting their own business, rather than working for legacy media. And big news organizations increasingly want new employees to understand the business side of media.

The full conference will include a packed schedule of speakers, panels and workshops on the journalism, revenue, technology, audience and community engagement issues facing the local online news business. A preview of the program can be found here.

Local independent online news publishers from more than 35 states will be represented.

The student rate for the conference is $40, which is an 85 percent discount off the regular rate for the three-day conference. It includes evening receptions on Thursday and Friday, and breakfast and lunch on Friday and Saturday.

For more information and to register for the 2017 LION Summit, click here.