TCCJ is committed to you in 2024

By AUSTIN LEWTER, TCCJ Director

As we bid farewell to another incredible year, we find ourselves reflecting on the cherished partnerships that have made 2023 truly extraordinary.

It is with immense gratitude and joy that we extend our heartfelt thanks to you — the hard-working news folk throughout the Lone Star State. The Texas Center for Community Journalism exists to serve you and we sincerely hope we have fulfilled that mission in 2023.

We covered a lot of ground over the past year.

In February, we extended our reach to young journalists by providing Boy Scout badge training to Scouts at our Stephenville campus. We also traveled to Ozona, where we gave a workshop to a group of high school journalists who man the local newspaper there.

In March, TCCJ staff worked the job fair at the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association Convention in Fort Worth. While there, Mark Henry, VP of Moser Community Media, and I hosted a roundtable about the values of community journalism with college media students from across the state.

Later that month, I presented a session “Consider Community Journalism” to the College Media Association Convention in New York City. We also partnered with the Center for Community News (University of Vermont) and hosted a faculty summit at our Fort Worth Campus, where professors from across Texas discussed ways to grow partnerships with local news outlets.

In April, we welcomed a wonderful group of community journalists to Stephenville for our “Community Newspaper, Community Podcast” workshop. This two-day event gave folks the tools they needed to go home and put their podcast initiatives to work.

Then we tackled advertising with our “Driving Serious Revenue” workshop in early June at our Fort Worth Campus. This intense, one-day training welcomed more than 50 advertising professionals from all corners of the state.

We then took to the road over the summer and fall, bringing news writing workshops to newsrooms far and wide. We hosted workshops in Lubbock, San Marcos, Linden, Fort Worth and Taylor.

Along the way, I worked the TPA Trade Show at Round Rock as well as presented trainings at each of the regional press association conventions — STPA in Boerne, TGPA in Port Aransas, Panhandle Press in Canyon and NETPA in Nacogdoches,where they honored me with the Tom Mooney Award. I was humbled. Thank you to the NETPA for thinking of me in this way. 

Indeed, 2023 was busy. But we are not slowing down.

We still have plenty of room for the “Courage, Tenacity, Integrity and Innovation in Rural Journalism,” symposium Feb. 29 in Austin. This free event will celebrate some of the best in our field from across the state.

You can find more information and RSVP on our website www.tccjtsu.com.

And stay tuned for more TCCJ announcements soon as 2024 is shaping up to be our busiest year yet.

Your trust and collaboration have been the cornerstone of our success, and we want to express our deepest appreciation for the confidence you have placed in us. Throughout the year, your unwavering support has fueled our commitment to delivering excellence in every endeavor.

In the spirit of the New Year, we look forward to continuing this journey together, exploring new opportunities and achieving even greater milestones. Your insights, feedback and collaboration have been invaluable, and we are excited about the prospects that the future holds.

May the coming year bring you prosperity, joy and success. We are committed to exceeding your expectations and being a partner on your path to growth in the new year. 

Together, let’s make 2024 a year filled with shared triumphs and remarkable accomplishments.

Once again, thank you for your trust, partnership and the pleasure of working for you. Wishing you and your team a prosperous New Year!