We have published fifty original articles on “The Topline” so far, and none of them has generated the level of feedback that our Monday edition has about the lack of attendance at the annual RTDNA convention, held last week in New Orleans. Much of what we heard was in agreement with our genuine concern for the event’s future, if not for the organization itself.

We have also gained additional insights from individuals with direct knowledge of how things may have reached this point.

A reminder that our concern stemmed from the word that the attendance at the 2025 RTDNA event was reported to be considerably less than 200 people. Our initial figure came from Rick Gevers' weekly newsletter, which is typically published on Sunday nights. Gevers chose not to attend the annual RTDNA event for the first time in some 47 years. We found his decision noteworthy because he has supported the organization for such a long time, both as a former News Director and as a talent agent serving the industry.

Since our Monday item, we have heard from some who did attend the convention and found themselves surprised by more than just the low turnout. Especially since the RTDNA was reportedly offering free conference registrations to local TV newsrooms across Louisiana, in an effort to encourage more in-state attendees and boost the attendance total slightly. We have no idea how many people took up the RTDNA on this offer. (To be clear, we don’t begrudge those who may have accepted–it probably made the difference for those folks being able to attend.)

Speaking of being able to attend, we’ve heard from others concerned that the RTDNA has been selecting pricier hotel venues in recent years to host the annual convention. For example, the New Orleans convention hotel, the Hotel Monteleone, was charging nearly $250 a night for a room. Certainly, hotel rooms everywhere are more expensive these days. However, we’ve learned that the hotel was charging only $150 a night for a room booked through the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters to attend their annual conference, held just last month in the same location.

The cost of hotel accommodations has been a pain point for the past few years. We heard mentions that the expense of staying in the convention hotel was “a bit pricey” for previous events in Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and prior locations. This cost may have also reduced some journalism students' participation at the convention, which typically has made up a decent percentage of the attendees.

Our original article hypothesized that the annual convention was a significant source of revenue for the organization. However, multiple sources indicate that the RTDNA’s primary source of revenue is now the administration and awarding of the Edward R. Murrow awards each year. The Murrows are reported to have generated over half of the organization’s revenue in recent years. It is unclear whether the RTDNA is losing money on its annual convention. Still, with no exhibit floor to speak of, only a few corporate sponsorships, and dwindling attendance, it wouldn’t be hard to believe that is the case.

Monday’s post also drew a comparison between the turnout for the RTDNA convention and that of the Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE), which was also held in New Orleans last week. Multiple readers pointed out that the IRE’s agenda is strongly focused on practical topics and hands-on sessions. As one news director put it to us, “People go to the RTDNA mostly to be seen. They go to the IRE to learn new things and bring that knowledge back to their newsrooms. So if I only have room for one in the budget, the IRE is a much better investment.”

Those looking to recruit for their news organizations also note that the IRE’s annual convention is way more beneficial for that purpose as well. That may explain why there were nearly ten times as many registered for the IRE event as for the RTDNA. While we were only half-serious in proposing that the RTDNA hold its annual convention concurrently with the IRE, more than a few people asked about revisiting the idea of holding the RTDNA event in conjunction with the big NAB show each April in Las Vegas.

As we wrote back in April, we think News Directors should absolutely attend the NAB show. Having the RTDNA adjacent to that event made a ton of sense when it was done for a few years in the past. We’re told that two factors led to the end of the arrangement: the first was that the NAB stopped offering financial incentives to do so, and that some members of the RTDNA board at the time weren’t happy sharing the spotlight with the larger industry event. This same sentiment may have also led to the end of partnering with the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and other groups of journalists during the annual conferences that were held under the “Excellence In Journalism” banner.

Whatever the reasons, and whatever egos may have been involved in the seemingly fateful decision at the time, it is apparent to many that the time has come to reconsider the merits of even holding an annual conference in the future. As long-time news executive Jacques Natz replied to us on LinkedIn, “There are too many other ways to get professional growth sessions and leadership connections. Change the name and mission: focus on the Murrows.”

While we haven’t reached the conclusion that would be the best course for the RTDNA, Natz does have a point. If the association isn’t providing the opportunity to grow the next generation of newsroom leaders through an annual professional development event–whomever it can be held in conjunction with–the RTDNA board of directors needs to carefully examine, in the words of Murrow himself, “the hard and demanding realities which must indeed be faced if we are to survive.”

And for that, a great deal more than just “good luck” will be required.