Springfield, Ill., NewsTrain, April 29-30

NewsTrain will be in Springfield, Ill., on April 29-30, for a two-day workshop on watchdog journalism, government coverage, social media skills, working with data, covering diverse communities, and more. NewsTrain is sponsored by APME and this workshop is hosted by the State Journal-Register; Rockford Register Star, Peoria Journal Star; Quad City Times (Iowa); Illinois Press Association; the Associated Press and the AP editors board in Illinois. Other members of the planning committee include the AP editors boards in Indiana and Wisconsin; Belleville (Ill.) News Democrat, St. Louis Post Dispatch; Indianapolis Star; Chicago Tribune; and the Mid-American Press Institute.

Location: Prairie Capital Convention Center, Springfield, IL.

Registration: Cost is $75 for the workshop and food service. Registration available at this link.

Accommodations: Discount hotel rates are available for workshop participants at the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel. The rate is $89 per night. For reservations, call 217 544-8800 or 1-866-788-1860 and ask for the NewsTrain or APME rate.  

Questions: Contact Michael Roberts, NewsTrain Project Director,mroberts.newstrain@gmail.com. Bob Heisse, State-Journal Register, bob.heisse@sj-r.com, 217-788-1505.

Special Event: In conjunction with the 10th anniversary year of NewsTrain, those attending the workshop are invited to a free reception and performance of Freedom Sings, a musical program from the First Amendment Center, on the evening of April 29. The event will be held at the Old State Capitol and is sponsored by the Associated Press Media Editors Foundation, the Illinois Press Association & Foundation, and the Old State Capitol Foundation.

Learn more here.

APME urges colleagues to share letter to NCAA

Dear Colleagues,

APME and APSE have reached out to the NCAA numerous times in the last few years in an effort to meet with and discuss issues of importance.  Our efforts to communicate with NCAA officials have had very limited success.

Over the last year, Gerry Ahern, president of APSE and Tim Franklin, co-chair of ASNE’s Freedom of Information committee, have tried repeatedly to talk with the NCAA. Unfortunately, like earlier attempts to arrange meetings, the NCAA has not been able to find the time to meet with anyone.

The attached letter was written by Kevin Goldberg, ASNE's attorney, with the input and approval of the leaders of each organization and their respective counsels. The intent of this letter is to communicate our collective frustration with the NCAA’s continued indifference to our requests and to serve as notice that we are aware of the changes they have made for upcoming tournament coverage.

The letter was emailed from ASNE Feb. 13 and Kevin has put a hard copy in the mail to Mark Emmert and the six conference commissioners.

Now it's your turn to help by sharing this letter with your college or university presidents and athletic directors.

Thank you to Tim, Gerry and Kevin for their work on this important and difficult issue.

I will keep you posted on any developments.

Teri Hayt, Executive Editor, GateHouse Ohio Newspapers
teri.hayt@cantonrep.com

APME signs letter protesting the Steve Tyler Act

Colleagues,

Earlier this week APME signed a letter of protest sent to the Hawaiian Senator who authored a bill that would add enhanced criminal penalties for those photographing and recording celebrities or anyone else who reasonably believed that such an act was offensive. This is called the Steven Tyler Act and there have been a few stories about it.  See: http://www.wcvb.com/news/entertainment/-Steven-Tyler-Act-to-protect-celebs-from-paparazzi/-/9848582/18402244/-/qd64agz/-/index.html

Mickey H. Osterreicher, General Counsel for National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) wrote to Sen. Kalani English asking the senator to withdraw his bill that “as drafted tramples on the First Amendment rights of citizens and journalists.”  APME and several other media organizations support the NPPA’s efforts to stop this bill.  The bill is being presented today in a Senate hearing in Honolulu.  I will keep you posted.

Our letter is linked here.

Teri Hayt

Executive Editor

GateHouse Ohio Newspapers

The Repository | The Times-Reporter

The Independent | The Suburbanite

teri.hayt@cantonrep.com

APME seeking applications for Community Journalism Public Service Initiative

As it continues to show support for the work of small news organizations, the Associated Press Media Editors announces the second year of its Community Journalism Public Service Initiative.

Media companies in metropolitan areas (MSA) of 100,000 or fewer people are encouraged to apply for the grant. The recipient will receive $1,000 to jump-start the initiative and a trip to the annual APME conference to present the project.

It's easy to enter: Just draft a proposal of 500 words or less and include examples of how you would approach the project. It should be multiplatform, include social media and address a long-standing community issue.

Last year's winner was the Beaver Dam News of Beaver Dam, Wis. , won the grant with its series on mental illness in its community. Staff members Trena And Trista Pruitt presented their work on the project at the APME conference in Nashville.

This year's winner will have the opportunity to present at the conference Oct. in Indianapolis.

To apply, go to http://www.tfaforms.com/232227 and fill out the online form. The deadline for applications is March 15. The grant will be awarded in April.

Read more about the initiative.

Letter sent about federal booking mugs

Here's the link to the letter that was sent regarding the Marshals Service memo about federal booking mugs.

http://www.rcfp.org/reporters-committee-asks-doj-overturn-new-marshals-service-policy-blocking-release-federal-mug-shots

— Teri Hayt, Executive Editor, GateHouse Ohio Newspapers

NewsTrain Marks 10th Anniversary With First Stop in Springfield

NewsTrain, the signature on-site journalism training program of the Associated Press Media Editors, will make its first stop in its 10th anniversary year in Springfield, Ill. Workshops are being planned for April 29 and 30 at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Downtown Springfield. The APME-funded program makes four stops per year in the United States and Canada. Trainer Michael Roberts oversees NewsTrain and plans the workshops based on a needs assessment from a committee of journalists in the region of the host city. Programs are aimed at all levels of newsroom editors and managers, reporters, copy editors, visual journalists and online producers. College journalism educators and student journalist are also welcome. Other workshops are being planned later this year in Seattle and Colorado. The cost is $75 for the two days of training. Details are being worked out for hotel stays in downtown Springfield. We'll post registration details when we have them.