(KTNC) -  Southeast Nebraska will step into the national spotlight next week, as the state will play host to a group of 25 journalists from national and regional media outlets.  They’ll be part of the fourth media tour the Nebraska Tourism Commission has sponsored in the past year.  The tour is designed to expose targeted media outlets to Nebraska’s offerings for visitors in various regions of the state.
 The media tour will take in activities in Lincoln, Nebraska City, Brownville, Beatrice, Pawnee City, and other locations in southeast Nebraska.
 Seventy-seven journalists have visited Nebraska on the three previous media tours, resulting in 119 articles or broadcast segments in various outlets.
 Nebraska Tourism officials say the coverage has exposed nearly 70 million potential visitors to the state.  They say that coverage would have cost more than $1.6 million had it been purchased as paid advertising.
 State and national sponsors have provided more than $65,000 in goods and services – including transportation, lodging, and meals – to the Nebraska Tourism Commission’s media tour program.