Convention – Texas Managing Editors

El Paso's Boxing Wall of Fame COURTESY: Visit El Paso

Beyond the Headlines: Join Us in El Paso for the 2026 TME Convention

Posted on April 15, 2026April 15, 2026 by txme

Texas journalism has always been a high-stakes endeavor, but the challenges we face in 2026 — from navigating the AI frontier to reporting on the latest immigration news — require a new kind of leadership.

From April 24 to 26, the Texas Managing Editors are heading to El Paso for a weekend of rigorous professional development and the celebration of the best journalism and journalists in the state. We’re finalizing our schedule, and it’s a lineup you won’t want to miss.

The Highlights

Frontline Reporting: We’re getting out of the conference room and onto the streets with a Chartered Bus Tour, visiting sites that define America’s border policy.
Crisis Management: We’ll go behind the scenes of the Kerrville Flooding coverage to discuss leading newsrooms through environmental and community disasters.
The AI Blueprint: Featured speaker Ryan Serpico, deputy director of newsroom AI and automation for Hearst Newspapers, joins us for a deep dive into practical planning every editor needs to navigate the AI shift.
Legislative & Open Government Status Check: Get the latest updates on open government challenges and press freedoms in our “Ask a Lawyer” session.

The Convention Schedule

Friday, April 24: Arrive & Connect

6:30-8:30 PM: Opening Reception: Kick off the weekend with drinks and hors d’oeuvres.
8:30 PM-Midnight: Hospitality Room: The networking continues late into the night.

Saturday, April 25: Visit the Frontlines

8:00 AM: Breakfast
8:50 AM: Welcome Remarks
9:00 AM: Trauma-informed Leadership: What a case study on Kerrville flooding coverage can show us about leading during crises.
11:15 AM: Awards Luncheon: Celebrating the first round of our state’s top honors.
1:00 PM: Immigration Reporting: A panel on where policy meets lived reality.
2:15 PM: Immigration Bus Tour: A guided tour of El Paso’s most significant frontline sites.
6:00 PM: Evening Reception & Silent Auction
7:00 PM: Awards Dinner & Live Auction: Join us as we toast the year’s most impactful journalism.

Sunday, April 26: The Future & The Final Honors

8:00 AM: Breakfast
9:00 AM: Big Tech, Big Stakes. Navigating the AI frontier for newsrooms.
10:15 AM: Guarding Press Freedoms. A legal legislative update and Q&A.
11:30 AM: Final Awards. The big reveal: Newsroom of the Year and Star of Stars Headliners winners.
1:00 PM: Closing Remarks & Adjourn

Register Now

Whether you’re here for the networking in the hospitality room or taking in the gritty reality of the border tour, this convention is about strengthening the connective tissue of Texas media.

Register here for the 2026 TME Convention in El Paso.

See you in the Sun City!

Hit the High Notes with Texas Managing Editors!

Posted on March 11, 2025March 17, 2025 by txme

Calling all Texas journalists! Get ready to rock the Texas Managing Editors conference, April 25-27 in San Antonio!

This isn’t just another conference — it’s a celebration of the power of journalism and the incredible talent we have in our state. Whether you’re an audience engagement guru, a sports fanatic, a city hall watchdog, or the maestro who makes sure every story sings, this event is for YOU.

Here’s a taste of the symphony of events:

Friday night

Kick back and connect with fellow journalists at our opening reception.

Saturday

Sharpen your skills with expert sessions, including

Countering News Avoidance
Name, Image, Likeness: How NIL is transforming college sports
Immigration: The first 100 days of the second Trump presidency

Saturday night

Get ready to celebrate! Our annual awards dinner features:

Networking reception
Recognition for outstanding team coverage, Texas’ best photojournalist, opinion writer, and online package of the year
A live and silent auction to support future journalists (Help us fund internships for the next generation!)

Sunday

Stay informed and inspired with

Essential updates on industry trends, open government and the 2025 Texas Legislature
A Q&A with a media law attorney
The grand finale: Newsroom of the Year and Star of Stars Headliners Awards

Ready to make some noise?

Register now: Use this form to register.
Book your discounted room on the Riverwalk at the Hilton Palacio del Rio for $199/night here by March 26.

Connect with us:

Questions? Email us at texasmanagingeditors@gmail.com.

Let’s make this a conference to remember!

Give it away, give it away, give it away, now!

Posted on April 18, 2024 by txme

Last call for donations to our Texas Managing Editors auction benefiting the Buster Haas Minority Internship Program.

If you’re coming to our TME annual convention in Temple this weekend, remember to bring auction donations with you and drop them off at the registration table when it is staffed or hand them off to Dino Chiecchi or Terry Bertling on Friday evening or early Saturday. The silent and live auction is on Saturday night at the awards ceremony in the Hilton Garden Inn Temple Medical Center.

We’re looking for all kinds of donations — prints of fantastic photos, logo items for news organizations, new books, jewelry, art of all kinds, sporting goods, home decor items, experiences, passes to events or great museums/attractions, wine/beer/booze — literally anything that would help us raise money to send young college journalists into a small Texas newsroom for a paid internship to launch their careers.

If you have a question about whether something is a good fit for the auction (it probably is), you can ask Terry (tbertling@txstate.edu) or Dino (eec99@txstate.edu) or bring it with you.

If you’d rather make a cash donation, you can do that through the registration link on this website, noting Buster Haas in the description.

And if you’ve somehow missed our convention notices, it’s not too late to join us for a great program lineup.