Florida Magazine Association
August 2021
ASSOCIATION NEWS & EVENTS
A Note from the FMA President
Dear FMA Members,
Congratulations to all of the winners at last month’s Charlie Awards Gala! The abundance of talent and excellence demonstrated by the publishing industry in Florida—in my opinion—is unrivaled.
The gala, and the Florida Media Conference, presented me with an extraordinary opportunity to meet many of you. I hope you were as inspired by the conference as I was while listening to subject-matter experts impart their wisdom. I would like to share my top five takeaways:
1) Digital is here to stay—and product diversification is key.
2) Design should teach you, entertain you or make you feel something.
3) Be creative in looking for new streams of sponsorships for existing sponsors or new ones.
4) Maintaining quality of content is important in both print and digital.
5) Find or hire people who are passionate about what they do.
Congratulations again to all the award winners, and may we continue to maintain the gold standard we are known for in the publishing industry.
See you soon—virtually or in person!
Karla Monterrosa-Yancey
FMA President
Recapping the 2021 Florida Media Conference
After missing out on an in-person event in 2020 due to COVID-19, the Florida Media Conference Xpress was back on track in 2021, with more than 386 magazine and newspaper professionals convening at The Westin Sarasota, July 15 and 16.
The conference opened with the general session, “Industry Leaders Take a Look at the Future of Our Industry.” Mike Blinder, publisher, E&P Magazine, presented the keynote, which led into a panel discussion. Panelists included: Mark Adams, CEO, Adams Publishing Group; Terry Duffy, regional publisher, Palm Beach Media; Terry Jimenez, former CEO, Tribune Publishing; and Maribel Wadsworth, president of news and publisher, USA Today.
Congratulations 2021 Charlie Awards Winners
Winners in this year's Charlie Awards contest were announced at the 2021 Florida Media Conference. Click here for complete contest winners' information including the final list of winners, winners' logos, and more!
2021 Charlies Winners' Books will be mailed out to members soon. Please check your address on file (and correct if needed) no later than Tuesday, August 17 to ensure accurate delivery!
Duplicate Awards: If you or your staff would like to purchase duplicate awards, please contact Kyle Letchworth at kyle.letchworth@awards4u.com.
FMA Board of Directors Openings
The Florida Magazine Association has openings on its board of directors!
- 2 Magazine member seat
- 1 Affiliate member seat
- 3 Associate member seats
If you or someone you know is interested in joining this dedicated, dynamic, and diverse board of directors, please visit our Nomination Form. You can nominate yourself or a colleague!
Q&A with the 2021 Doug Damerst Scholarship Recipient, Sabrina Salovitz
The Florida Magazine Association honors the life and career of Doug Damerst by awarding a $1,000 cash prize to an exceptional student majoring in the field of journalism/communications. During his 10 years as the editor-in-chief of Florida Realtor magazine for the Florida Association of Realtors, Damerst set an award-winning standard for the Orlando-based publication—a standard he held until his passing in 2014.
The winner of the 2021 Doug Damerst scholarship is Sabrina Salovitz. Salovitz is a junior at Florida Gulf Coast University pursuing a major in journalism with minors in interdisciplinary studies and political science. She is the Editor-in-Chief for her university paper, Eagle News, and has been published in her hometown paper, The Port Charlotte Sun.
FMA Can Help with Hiring!
Looking to Fill a Position? Your FMA member benefits include free job postings at https://floridamagazine.org/jobs/. Just send the job description to info@floridamagazine.org, and we’ll post it, absolutely free!
Tell Your Colleagues about the FMA!
FMA welcomes individuals and companies interested in the Florida magazine industry regardless of what state they may live or work in. FMA members enjoy many benefits including educational opportunities, professional development, networking events, the annual Charlie Awards, and so much more! If you have questions or want to better understand FMA’s membership benefits, please contact Membership Director Devon Dunkle at ddunkle@mediagenius.com or 321-283-5272.
Let FMA Feature Your Magazine on Social Media!
Submit your Articles and Covers for a chance to be featured on the FMA Facebook page!
MEMBER NEWS
Embrace Magazine Named FMA “Magazine of the Year”
On July 16, the 2021 Florida Media Conference culminated with the FMA’s Charlie Awards Gala and the naming of Embrace magazine as Magazine of the Year. Shortly following the gala, Embrace publisher and executive editor, John Sotomayor, shared with us his thoughts on winning the top honor in the inaugural year of publishing the magazine.
INDUSTRY NEWS & RESOURCES
Luxury magazine duPont Registry Tampa Bay ends print edition
By Ray Roa, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay :: June 11, 2021
After 30 years in the community and 20 years in print, duPont Registry Tampa Bay (stylized “duPont REGISTRY Tampa Bay) is shifting to a digital-only model.
Send us your news!
Send updates of happenings at
your magazine to info@floridamagazine.org.