FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 30, 2023
The Indiana High School Press Association is proud to announce the 100th state high school journalism convention will feature a conversation with broadcasting legend Carole Simpson moderated by ABC News anchor and correspondent Linsey Davis. This keynote presentation will take place Friday, Jan. 26 on the Franklin College campus and is made possible thanks to the generous support of the college’s Pulliam School of Journalism.
Carole Simpson grew up on the Southside of Chicago and began her four-decades in journalism by joining her high school newspaper. From there, Simpson’s path took her from her hometown to the national spotlight as a correspondent for NBC News and then anchor of ABC News’ “World News Tonight” weekend edition. The three-time Emmy award winner made history as the first woman to broadcast radio news in Chicago, the first African American woman to anchor a Chicago newscast, the first African American woman national network television correspondent, the first African American woman to anchor a national network newscast, and the first woman or minority to moderate a presidential debate.
Simpson retired from ABC news in 2006 and moved to Boston to be near family. However, she remained an active figure in the field, teaching journalism for 13 years at Emerson College. She is on the Advisory Council at the International Women’s Media Foundation and established the Carole Simpson Scholarship for minority students while a member of the Radio Television Digital News Association. Simpson also published “NewsLady” in 2010, a memoir that recounts her success despite the gender discrimination and racial prejudice experienced throughout her journey.
Simpson will join ABC News anchor and correspondent Linsey Davis during the featured session of the 2024 convention. Davis is currently an anchor for ABC News Live Prime, which is ABC News Live’s first-ever streaming evening newscast, and weekend “World News Tonight” on Sundays. The two-time Emmy Award winner is a correspondent filing reports for “World News Tonight,” “Good Morning America,” “20/20” and “Nightline.”
Davis joined ABC News as a New York-based correspondent for ABC NewsOne, the network’s affiliate news service. Before joining the network in June 2007, Davis was anchor of the weekend evening newscasts at WTHR-TV in Indianapolis. Davis’ five children’s books, “The Smallest Spot of a Dot” (January 2023), “How High is Heaven” (February 2022), “The World is Awake” (February 2019), “One Big Heart” (August 2019) and “Stay This Way Forever” (February 2021) have all become bestsellers.
In addition to IHSPA’s continuing mission to support high school journalism across the Hoosier state, the event will focus on the theme “What’s Next,” encouraging student journalists to think to the future as they remember the fundamental skills of ethical storytelling and truth seeking. Teachers and students who are interested in attending the 2024 state high school journalism convention can register until Jan. 13 for as little as $12. IHSPA members who complete this form before Dec. 8 and present a convention session receive complimentary registration. Lunch is also available to those who wish to purchase an optional meal ticket for an additional $12. Any businesses or organizations wanting to participate in the event should complete the exhibitor/sponsor form and submit it before Jan. 5.
Please email ihspa@franklincollege.edu for any questions about the 2024 convention. Continue checking this page for further event updates.
Page last updated: Monday, Oct. 30
