The Society for News Design (SND), formerly known as the Society of Newspaper Design, is an international organization for professionals working in the news sector of the media industry, specifically those involved with graphic design, illustration, web design and infographics.
Founded in 1979, it is a United States-registered non-profit organization with about 1,500 members worldwide.[1] Among other activities, it runs an annual Best of News Design competition open to newspapers from around the world at Syracuse University every February, an updated Best of Digital Design international competition at Ball State University, and a yearly conference (rotating through various cities) that brings in visual journalists from all over the world.
SND also has a number of offshoot organizations, including student chapters (the largest including those at Ohio University, Michigan State University, the University of Missouri and Syracuse University) and international chapters.
Officers serve a one-year term and are selected by election of the SND membership. While the positions are decided on by election, historically most positions are held by prior position holders in a hierarchical style, in this way officers have generally progressed up a leadership ladder through other areas on the board of directors.
The organization publishes a number of publications throughout the year:
SND holds a number of regional and international events, with the purpose of educating and allowing opportunities for members to network. The society's annual fall workshop rotates through various cities around the world. Although generally in the United States, the workshop has visited locations in Canada, Puerto Rico, Denmark and Spain and Argentina (2009). The weekend-long event has featured a number of guest speakers on a variety of topics along with critiques, an auction and an awards dinner.
SND Orlando 2006 hosted "The Intern" competition. Ten students were chosen from a pool of applicants to compete for internships at The San Jose Mercury News, The Orlando Sentinel, and The Arizona Republic. The students competed for a week and attended the conference, where the winners were announced.
Throughout the year, SND members put on a number of one-to-two-day educational quick courses held throughout the world and designed to focus on a specific visual journalism topic.
From October 23 to 25, 2015, SND organized the second edition of the Creative News Design at Dubai Knowledge Village at Dubai (UAE).
On 3 November 2017, SND organized the first London conference: "The Future of Media is Visual". Keynote speakers were The New York Times Magazine art director Matt Willey and the graphic designer Neville Brody.