Poynter's News University, in partnership with the Suburban Newspapers of America Foundation, is pleased to announce a new pair of self-directed courses about developing high-quality user-generated content [UGC].
For years, newspapers have worked with UGC in the form of letters to the editor and similar efforts. Now, news organizations of all shapes and sizes are grappling with a dizzying array of community contributions. Non-staffers are publishing full-length stories, blog posts and multimedia content, to name a few.
These trends represent new opportunities to engage with audiences, spotlight new voices and address under-covered topics and communities. They also present new challenges, with implications for workflow, credibility and editorial control.
These new courses will give both managers and contributors tools to navigate successfully through this exciting new area of online news.
For editors and managers...
The Community Journalism Series: Strategies for Managing Local Contributors
Learn ways to add community contributions to your publication's site, whether you're interested in experimenting on a small scale or implementing a wide-sweeping initiative. Harness the benefits and steer clear of the pitfalls that come with this dynamic new content source.
For contributors...
The Community Journalism Series: Contributing to Your Local Publication
Learn about essential journalism skills and principles in this introduction to producing news. This course covers foundational concepts for writing, editing, interviewing and producing multimedia. You'll also gain insight into how journalists think and make editorial decisions, and you'll explore the benefits of contributing to a local publication. A built-in assessment tests your knowledge of the course content, and you can send your results to a boss or potential employer.
Other Training Produced in Partnership with the Suburban Newspapers of America Foundation
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Build and Engage Local Audiences Online
Self-Directed CourseLearn why local content is essential to your survival, and how you can continue being the chief information source to your community, no matter what the platform.
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Leading an Online Newsroom: What You Need to Know
Self-Directed Course
Understand how to manage essential concepts for your online newsroom whether you're dealing with staff, schedules or producing multimedia packages for the Web.
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Layout-driven Editing: A Seminar Snapshot
Seminar SnapshotMargaretha Engström, the publisher of two small papers in Sweden, describes how she upended the traditional editing and layout process in her newsrooms and the benefits she sees in streamlining newsroom production.
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Innovation at Work: Helping New Ideas Succeed
Self-Directed Course
Study how your organization encourages (or holds back) innovation, and prepare to lead conversations in your newsroom about putting innovation to work for your publication.
About Our Training Partner
Suburban Newspapers of America Foundation
The Suburban Newspapers of America Foundation focuses on suburban and community newspapers and supports their role as the leading local information providers, helping them identify and better fulfill future communication needs in changing communities.