• John Hope Franklin, Duke University professor emeritus who heads President Clinton’s race relations commission.

• Mark Willes, Times Mirror Co. president and chief executive.

• Alan Greenspan, chairman, Federal Reserve.

• Stephen Covey, author and management guru.

Other headliners invited to speak at the convention are President Clinton, Microsoft executive Bill Gates and Gen. Colin Powell. Wednesday will focus on journalism credibility, with a keynote breakfast and "town hall meeting," as well as sessions on journalism practices (corrections, bias, training) that affect credibility.

Following the committee meetings on Thursday morning, the major emphasis will be on improving writing in the newspaper. Next year is the 20th anniversary of the ASNE Distinguished Writing Awards. These sessions will include the 1998 Distinguished Writing Awards/Jesse Laventhol Prizes winners. Another writing session will be moderated by Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times and television film critic. It will include Dave Barry, columnist, The Miami Herald; Rick Bragg, correspondent, The New York Times; Donna Britt, columnist, The Washington Post; and Ellen Goodman, associate editor for The Boston Globe.

Another topic on the schedule is publishing/privacy issues following the death of Princess Diana.

The opening reception will be held at the National Gallery of Art and a Thursday evening event will be held in another Washington venue, likely the U.S. Capitol or the Air and Space Museum.

The Tuesday afternoon (3 p.m.) starting time (March 31) and 2:30 p.m. conclusion (April 3) pioneered at the 1997 convention will be repeated in 1998. It was well-received by convention attendees.

The 1998 registration fee for active members will be $500; for non-member guests, $600; for spouses/companions, $130; and for retired members/journalism educators, $300.