Participants should meet at the media tours desk in the White River Foyer on the first floor near room 105 at the time listed. End times are the approximate time participants will return to the convention hotel. Transportation to media tours will be provided by JEA and NSPA and is included in the price. An Off-site Permission Form is required for each student attending a media tour.
All media tours take place on Thursday, Nov. 10. Online preregistration is required to attend.
Butler Athletics • $20
10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Limit 24.
The historic Hinkle Fieldhouse was the location for the championship game in the classic sports film “Hoosiers,” and has hosted some of the great basketball contests that built the legend of “Hoosier Hysteria.” The classic facility, home to the Butler University Athletics Department, was constructed in 1928 and underwent a major $36 million renovation in 2014 that provided significant upgrades and improvements. This tour will explore the famous venue and end with a Q&A featuring staff from the athletics department’s communications office.
EMMIS Communications • $20
9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Limit 16.
Emmis Communications owns and operates radio and magazine entities in large- and medium-sized markets throughout the United States Emmis is the ninth largest radio group in the U.S. (based on listeners) and has been voted the Most Respected Radio Company in a poll of industry CEOs. Those on the tour will visit an on-air radio studio on Monument Circle, the company’s publishing design floor, and see views of the city’s circle and war memorial from the building’s upper floors. The tour will conclude with a Q&A panel session featuring a magazine editor, an on-air personality and an account executive.
“The Fault in Our Stars” Tour • FULL
Image courtesy of Penguin Random House.
9:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Limit 30.
Are you a big fan of Hazel and Gus, the main characters from John Green’s hit novel, “The Fault in Our Stars”? This bus tour will hit all the major sites the characters visit in the book. Led by a retired English teacher from North Central High School — the school Hazel and Gus attended — participants will conclude the tour at the school and see the gymnasium where Gus played basketball.
FOX 59/CBS 4 • FULL
7:30-11:30 a.m. Limit 20.
Visit the newly renovated TV studios of the Indianapolis FOX and CBS affiliates and witness the behind-the-camera production process for two morning news shows. See what it takes to start a career in television journalism from both sides of the camera, and participate in a Q&A session that will feature on-air talent from both stations.
Indianapolis Star • $20
12:30-3:30 p.m. Limit 30.
Once owned by the famous Pulliam family, the Indy Star has been serving Indianapolis and surrounding communities for 113 years. The Star is the state’s largest newspaper and a Gannett publication within the USA TODAY network. The paper was located on Pennsylvania Avenue for 107 years but moved into a converged newsroom within Circle Centre Mall at the heart of downtown Indy. Participants will tour the new facility, explore the production process, and participate in a Q&A with staff members from the various areas of the newsroom including editorial, design, photo, reporting and web.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway • $35
Photo courtesy of Lavengood Photography.
Easily the city’s most popular and well-known landmark, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been the world center of racing since 1909 and just celebrated the 100th running of the Indy 500 this past May. There are two tours available for those who want to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the speedway known throughout the world.
Media Pagoda
10:45 a.m.-2:15 p.m. Limit 55.
This media-focused tour will guide participants through the Indianapolis Motor Speedway communications area and world-famous media pagoda. This is an all-access tour that will be led by an ESPN employee and give a behind-the-scenes look into what goes into covering the world’s most famous race.
Museum
12:45-4:15 p.m. Limit 55.
Explore the hallowed grounds that host the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” This tour of the Brickyard will take participants throughout the 2.5-mile raceway and includes admission to the 36,000-square-foot IMS Museum, which features more than a century of racing history.
Lucas Oil Stadium • FULL
Photo courtesy of MediaWright Photography.
9:30 a.m.-noon. Limit 30.
Home to the Indianapolis Colts, Men’s Final Four, Big Ten Football Championship and 2012 Super Bowl, Lucas Oil Stadium is a world-class facility that has consistently been named the best stadium in the NFL. Opened in 2008, the stadium is a multipurpose facility that seats more than 67,000 fans while featuring spectacular views of the downtown Indianapolis skyline with its state-of-the-art retractable roof. Participants will be guided through the 1.8-million-square-foot facility by the stadium’s director and have access to the field level, suites, state-of-the-art communications area and more.
National College Athletic Association • $20
9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Limit 30.
Headquarters to the NCAA, the Hall of Champions boasts two levels of interactive exhibits to engage visitors and create a true-to-life understanding of what it takes to make the grade within collegiate athletics. All 24 NCAA sports are represented and include a novice-to-historian trivia challenge, current team rankings, video highlights and artifacts donated from colleges around the nation. The tour concludes with a Q&A featuring NCAA staff highlighting what’s required to work within college sports.
Victory Field • $20
Photo courtesy of Carl Van Rooy Photography.
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Limit 20.
1:30-3:30 p.m. Limit 20.
Recognized as “The Best Minor League Ballpark in America,” Victory Field is home to the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Triple-A team, the Indianapolis Indians. The tour will explore the press areas, concourse and more. Each tour will last one hour and allow for Q&A time with the Indians’ senior manager of communications and retail.
Visit Indy • $20
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Limit 25.
This tour is perfect for those interested in business communications and public relations. Visit Indy has been integral to the revitalization of downtown Indianapolis, and its efforts have led to the city serving as host for everything from the NCAA Final Four to the Super Bowl. This tour will detail the process that has led to such success and features a Q&A with professionals from the world of advertising and promotions who will provide insight for those interested in a PR career.
Walter “Robby” Robinson NPR Interview at Franklin College • $20
Noon-5 p.m. Limit 200.
This tour will bring students to Franklin College, 20 miles south of downtown Indianapolis, to watch a live broadcast of an interview with Boston Globe editor-at-large Walter “Robby” Robinson, leader of the Spotlight team that was featured in the movie “Spotlight” for local NPR station WFYI’s “No Limits.” After the broadcast, students will have the opportunity to ask questions and meet Robinson.
WFYI • $20
12:30-3:30 p.m. Limit 15.
WFYI Public Media is the flagship PBS and NPR member station for Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations Inc. (IPBS). Approximately 450,000 households throughout Central Indiana continue to tune in to WFYI Public Television at least once a week, and 110,000 Hoosiers listen to FM 90.1 HD1 on the radio each week. The tour will feature snacks and conversation with WFYI reporters and producers, listening sessions, a Q&A with company staff, a peek in on the production of the radio call-in show, “No Limits,” and an opportunity to be on set with the TV show “Inside Indiana Business.”