Capitol Hill began in 1982, a collaboration between Governor Richard Lamm’s press secretary (Sue O’Brien) and Fran Henry, from CHSPA. It takes place in the Old Supreme Court Chambers in the State Capitol, normally in the month of February.

Each CHSPA member school medium may send two reporters to the event, and those reporters may enter an on-the-spot news writing competition immediately after the press conference. Video package reporters have a few days to produce a three-minute package.

The event was originally called “Governor’s Day Press Conference,” but no governor has actually attended in the past decade. We hope to change that in 2013.

The three main purposes of this annual event:

1. sharpen your reporting skills by talking with government sources
2. become familiar with press conference logistics and strategies
3. turn reporting into news, under realistic time constraints

Each year the event begins with background on press conferences and advice on questioning strategies from a working professional journalist who has extensive experience reporting on state government issues.