“Earn Your Press Pass” program up and running

The Earn Your Press Pass program, a series of lessons covering the basics of community journalism, is now open for registration.

“Arkansas has a legacy of great smalltown journalism and journalists,” said APA Executive Director Ashley Kemp Wimberley. “While traditional journalism school is important, this online course will benefit smaller newspapers which may find it difficult to recruit fully-trained staff in rural areas. We are excited to be able to offer Earn Your Press Pass as a benefit to our members.”

Designed and taught by Lindsey Young, a Kansas-based community journalist and publisher with 10 years of high school teaching experience, Earn Your Press Pass is available to APA member newspapers at no charge.

Topics covered include newspaper basics, industry jargon, interviewing and reporting skills, sourcing considerations, news judgment, headline and cutline writing, AP Style, copy editing and basic photography. Participants will work at their own pace.

Earn Your Press Pass is designed to train those with limited or no newspaper experience. However, the courses are also suitable for seasoned reporters looking to brush up on their skills.

For more information or to sign up for courses, email ashley@arkansaspress. org.