Poynter

We have three jails workshops lined up for 2022. And, our new online seminar for public safety journalism deadlines this Friday.

Weekly Training Digest - Advance Your Skills With Training And Resources

For the last four years, Poynter has led training to help journalists understand the causes and consequences of local jail incarceration and explore ways that communities are addressing the issue.

With our partners at the Vera Institute of Justice and The Marshall Project, we have taught more than 1,000 journalists in person and hundreds more online. We have three more jails workshops lined up for 2022, and we’re hosting a brand new online group seminar for local newsrooms called “Transforming Crime Reporting Into Public Safety Journalism.” The deadline to apply for that program is this Friday.

Why is Poynter so focused on covering crime? I posed that question to senior vice president, chair of the Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and Leadership, and lead faculty for the online seminar, Kelly McBride.

“Poynter trains journalists to serve citizens and support democracy. Crime coverage that lacks strategy and intention can leave audiences with a distorted perception of public safety,” McBride said. “Fixing crime coverage is a first step to repairing relationships with communities that have traditionally distrusted local news. On top of that, better crime coverage will hold law enforcement accountable, identify trends and encourage citizens to engage with civic leaders.”

Learn more below about our different training programs, grants, and resources to help you serve citizens and support democracy.

— Andrew DeLong, director of teaching operations

P.S. Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up for yourself here.

NEW AND UPCOMING

Transforming Crime Reporting Into Public Safety Journalism

Online group seminar, May 10-Aug. 2, 2022

This new online group seminar from the Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and Leadership at Poynter will help local newsrooms fix crime reporting by embracing the best practices of public safety journalism.

Two people from each newsroom should participate: a frontline reporter or producer responsible for police and crime news and an editor or manager who can influence editorial policies. Together, they will analyze the newsroom’s existing habits around crime coverage. They will reconsider the purpose of their crime coverage and identify stories that accomplish that purpose. Working in two-week sprints, participants will build consensus in their newsroom for a new approach to crime coverage and propose improvements to practices and policies.

Cost: $500. The deadline to apply is this Friday, April 15.

APPLY BY APRIL 15

A Journalist’s Guide to Covering Jails – St. Petersburg

In-person workshop, St. Petersburg, Florida, June 2-3

This intensive two-day workshop will focus on understanding the causes and consequences of local jail incarceration and explore some ways that communities are addressing the issue. Poynter’s experts and experienced journalists will help reporters find engaging stories and reliable data so they can provide aggressive and thoughtful coverage of this vitally important topic. The sessions will be practical, inspiring and non-political. You can expect to return to your newsroom with a notebook full of specific, local story ideas and confidence in your ability to report them.

We will also host a workshop in Memphis in July and in Minneapolis in September.

Cost: Free, thanks to the MacArthur Foundation.

APPLY BY APRIL 22

Will Work For Impact: Fundamentals of Investigative Journalism

Online group seminar, April 27-May 18

Investigative reporting can seem daunting. By definition, it involves uncovering a problem someone would prefer to keep secret. It requires critical thinking, persistence, courage and optimism. It can be lonely work. The good news is, there’s a roadmap you can follow.

Over the course of four weeks, award-winning investigative journalist Alexandra Zayas will break down the process to help you think about what kinds of stories to choose, how to build a bulletproof case and how to maximize the chance your work will create change.

Cost: $399.

ENROLL NOW

Understand U.S. Immigration From the Border to the Heartland

Self-directed course, start anytime

Immigration is woven into the fabric of American society. It’s also complex, politically polarized and ever-evolving. This six-part, self-directed course will give journalists a thorough understanding of immigration and immigrants in the United States, as well as the skills and resources to produce strong, accurate storytelling.

Whether you’re looking to diversify your sources, tell more nuanced stories about your community, uncouple political rhetoric from policy proposals or simply level up as a well-rounded reporter, this immigration course is for you.

Cost: Free, thanks to the Catena Foundation.

ENROLL NOW

ALUMNI NEWS AND MOVES

🙏 Thanks to Hannah Wise, Leadership Academy for Women in Media alumna. She produced this toolkit to help newsrooms better serve the disability community. The first half of the living document is focused on improving coverage of disability, and the second half is focused on making journalism more accessible.

📰 Congrats to Ben Mullin, a former Poynter.org managing editor. He is joining The New York Times' media desk. Poynter's current managing editor, Ren LaForme, had this to share:

I'm allergic to hyperbole but let me say this anyway: There isn't a more passionate journalist anywhere in the world than Ben Mullin. This is a tremendous hire for The New York Times. I can't wait to see what he does there and I'm excited that I'll be able to say that I knew him way back when.

Are you a Poynter grad with a story to tell? Email [email protected] to be featured in this spot.

LEADERSHIP

Lead With Influence
Online group seminar, Oct. 3-24
This is an interactive, online training for newsroom leaders who manage big responsibilities — such as processes, products or platforms — but no direct reports. Cost: $600. Apply by Sept. 2.

Essential Skills for Rising Newsroom Leaders
In-person, St. Petersburg, Florida, Dec. 12-16
This five-day workshop will focus on critical skills new managers need on their paths to leadership in journalism, media and technology. Cost: $1,500. Apply by Oct. 14.

REPORTING, WRITING & EDITING

How to Develop Stories from 2020 Census Data
Self-directed course, start anytime
Access and analyze data from the 2020 census. Cost: Free. Enroll now.

Becoming a More Effective Writer: Clarity and Organization
Online group seminar, May 3-27
Build the habits you need to organize your information better and write more clearly in this four-week online seminar. Cost: $429. Enroll now.

Summit for Reporters and Editors
Online group seminar, July 7-23
Learn practical strategies and tools to become a sharper reporter, writer and editor. Plus, receive one-on-one coaching and 20+ hours of live instruction. Cost: $700. Enroll now.

FACT-CHECKING

The History of Fake News: From the War of 1898 to the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine
In-person event, Tampa, Florida, April 29
Explore the evolution of sensationalism in news and its imprint on democracy throughout the centuries. Get tickets.

$800,000 in Grants Available to Help Fact-Checkers Fight Misinformation on WhatsApp
Eligible applicants can receive up to $50,000 to launch, innovate and scale fact-checking solutions on the world’s largest messaging app. Proposals due May 13. Learn more.

COLLEGE RESOURCES

Teachapalooza: Front-Edge Teaching Tools for College Educators
Online or in-person program, St. Petersburg, Florida, June 10-12
Catch up, power up and reignite your passion for teaching with other journalism educators. Cost: $199. Register now.

MediaWise Campus Correspondents
One-hour online training
Bring front-edge fact-checking lessons into your classroom. Each training is led by college students and designed for college students. Cost: Free. Request training.