Newspapers and Porn Conventions?

So in the first week of my internship with Greenspun Interactive, I quickly discovered that what classifies as news in Vegas might be something I would have never considered as newsworthy in Columbus or Athens.

For example, two big time conventions made their way to Vegas this week....the AVN and AEE. These "adult-film" conventions are hot topic around town and have sparked some very interesting conversations around the office--conversations I can easily say I've never heard in another newsroom.

With these events in town, several members of the Greenspun team headed to conventions to provide all encompassing coverage--articles, videos, photos and live blogging. All of this for a porn convention. Welcome to Vegas!

Las Vegas Weekly, the magazine owned by the Greenspuns, handled the majority of the coverage because it has an adult audience and publishes more risque stuff. LasVegasSun.com mentioned the porn conventions, but did not go to the lengths the Weekly did.

LasVegasWeekly.com even had a full page on the website dedicated to the porn convention. This page included stories and videos that I never expected to find their way onto news website.

But again, I'm learning that Vegas has a different set of rules--in many ways. (Quick sidenote... I walked into the CVS by my house the other day and found that they have slot machines and a 24-hour liquor store. I don't think you'll find either of those in the CVS on Court St.)

I was not one of the reporters sent to cover the porn conventions this week, but believe it or not, there was plenty of other stuff going on in Vegas to keep me busy.

Last night I covered a boxing match, which was my first time attending a live boxing event. I had to learn on the fly, and couldn't help laughing at some of the wild characters you find at a boxing fight.

As a reporter for this fight, which was a relatively minor event, I wrote the article and took photos for the web. The story and corresponding photo gallery were on the web by midnight.

One of the things I love about the Sun is that we're expected to produce the complete package when we cover an event. A print story is really not enough, and if I wanted photos to accompany the story, then it was up to me to take them.

And while I recognize I'm no expert in the world of photo journalism, I'm glad I get the chance to develop that skill. I hope someday it makes me more marketable.