APA convention room block deadline just days away; reserve by Monday

The deadline is Monday, June 26 for those wishing to reserve rooms for the upcoming convention under the APA block at the DoubleTree by Hilton Little Rock.

The APA Convention will be held July 2022. Rooms are available with one king bed or two queen beds at the APA rate of $135 per night. Hotel amenities include free WiFi, non-smoking rooms, an outdoor pool, a fitness center and a business center.

“The theme of the convention this year is ‘Arkansas Newpapers: Connecting Our Communities for 150 Years’,” APA Executive Director Ashley Kemp Wimberley said. “We’ve got a great program lined up and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone in July.”

To reserve your room visit bit.ly/3HRnzqI. A convention registration form and full schedule of convention activities are in this edition of Arkansas Publisher Weekly

Keith

Continued from page 1

That blended right into his work at The Echo, for which he has been the faculty advisor since 2007.

Dr. Keith has used his own experience as a community journalist to develop into an effective teacher and newspaper advisor.

Where The Echo is concerned, “I make it very clear that I am the ADVISOR,” he emphasizes. “The students are in charge of that newspaper. They do all the writing and editing. In fact, I don’t read any of the content until it comes out on Wednesday morning.

“As their advisor it is my job to empower them to think critically so they can make decisions on their own.”

Dr. Keith said journalists are problemsolvers. They need to know who to talk to, how to get information, how to communicate clearly to readers and viewers and how to make the final product look professional.

He said today’s students take their work seriously and are interested in issues that will affect them in the future, such as presidential politics, climate change and social justice.

“They really do care about these things,” he said.

One problem often encountered in teaching students basic reporting is their initial reluctance to interview subjects. Dr. Keith attributes this, in part, to the world of mobile phones and social media. “They are often scared to talk directly to people because they haven’t done it,” he said.

“We just encourage the students to jump in and get started,” he added. His more experienced students and reporters often help newcomers work through their fear of interviews.

Dr. Keith has taught a variety of classes

See Keith Page 3