Free training resources for TPA newspapers

Texas Press Association members have easy access to free educational resources via online and in-person training sessions.

Classes cover reporting and editorial topics, advice from experts, best practices for sales and tips for increasing readership and circulation. Many resources are available on demand.

Here’s an overview of the opportunities available to TPA members in 2023.

Earn Your Press Pass

To help newspaper publishers train rookie employees who lack formal training or experience, TPA offers members free access to “Earn Your Press Pass” training.

The self-paced, online training course is designed to help prospective and new employees get their feet on the ground.

Lindsey Young is a practicing journalist and co-owner of Kansas Publishing Ventures who teaches the course through online videos. A former high school journalism and public speaking teacher, she has been immersed in community newspapering since she and her husband Joey Young purchased their first community newspaper, The Clarion, in 2014.

Lindsey teaches simple interviewing and writing steps to make new reporters more successful. Additionally, the course outlines basics like newspaper jargon, editing and basic photography.

TPA members interested in the training may request access through Hodges at mhodges@texaspress.com.

DIGIVERSITY.TV

Through a co-sponsor agreement, staff members at TPA member newspapers can have access to webinars, online videos and other tools on Russell Viers’ Digiversity.tv training site.

Sorted into various series, the episodes are focused on specific tools features, functions or other topics that allow the viewers to learn quickly, then get back to work.

Episodes focus on Adobe publishing tools such as Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Bridge, Camera Raw, Lightroom and Acrobat.

In addition to full-length webinars, there are short features such as “Checkin the Mail” where Viers answers viewers’ questions and short demonstrations called Digital Bites that include time-saving tips.

Members who want to subscribe through TPA should submit email addresses for all employees wanting to view the sessions and the name of the newspaper where they are employed to Mike Hodges at mhodges@texaspress.com.

Once entered into the Digiversity.tv database, each employee will receive an invitation to join and will have access to register on the site directly.

For more information about this training program, contact Hodges at 512-477-6755 or mhodges@texaspress.com.

ONLINE MEDIA CAMPUS

Since 2021, TPA has sponsored Online Media Campus access for member newspapers.

In addition to current webinars sponsored each month, there are more than 135 webinars in the archive library on the Online Media Campus website that are available to TPA members.

Check the website, https://onlinemediacampus.com, or watch for the monthly TPA eNewsletter for information about upcoming webinars. When ready to register, contact Mike Hodges or Candace Velvin for the TPA access code to register for free.

Upcoming new webinars include “Stop Running Scared: Digital is Not the Death of Print” on Feb. 16;  “Reader Engagement: How to Grow Your Audience” on Feb. 23; “Business News as an Everyday Beat” on March 9 and “Six Sales Tactics You Need To Do in 2023” on March 30.

TEXAS CENTER FOR COMMUNITY JOURNALISM

In addition to short instructional videos, TCCJ has a traveling writing coach program for community newspapers. Communications practitioner Robert Bohler, former student media advisor and student publications director at Texas Christian University, and TCCJ Director Austin Lewter have taken workshops to several newsrooms since the program launched in 2021. Visit the website, www.tccjtsu.com/resources-for-journalists/ and to arrange a session, contact Lewter at alewter@tarleton.edu.

TCCJ also offers one- and two-day workshops on the campus at Tarleton University. Recent workshops have included a newspaper management bootcamp, a sports coverage workshop and a symposium on community journalism.

Watch the TCCJ Facebook page for announcements and registration periods for upcoming workshops.

TPA MOBILE LAB

Under the direction of Fred Anders, TPA’s Mobile Lab has been offering hands-on training free to TPA member newspapers since 1997.

Anders schedules training on demand according to the needs of newspaper staffs.

“Indesign and Photoshop are the most popular classes we offer. But we have in the past offered many other training sessions, including photography — with photo shoots in the area — and even Internet classes occasionally,” Anders said.

Anders works with newspapers interested in hosting a training session. No fees are charged when staff members from at least three newspapers attend, Anders explained.

So, if a newspaper is interested in hosting, they can invite other member newspapers nearby to participate. As long as two other newspapers commit to sending a staff member to the scheduled training session, the training is free.

The host newspaper provides the meeting space for the class, along with tables and chairs. Anders brings computers and other equipment needed to conduct the class. Classes may include one or two days of presentations, depending on the need.

For more information or to schedule a class, contact Anders at fanders@texaspress.com.