The world’s biggest story in 75 years is also a local story for everyone: the coronavirus pandemic. It has posed special challenges for news organizations at a time when they were already challenged: the politicization of public health, pushback from audiences, confusing data, and pandemic fatigue – among audiences and journalists. To help journalists with this story, the Bluegrass Chapter […]
On Second Thought

SERNAM has its own virtual Fall Conference
Since November, 1984, in a snowstorm in Guntersville Lake State Park near Fort Payne, AL, executive directors from the southeastern states have gathered annually for a Fall Conference. SERNAM — Southeast Regional Newspaper Association Managers — meet each year in a host state to talk about all things newspapers and state press associations. We included West Virginia, Virginia, Arkansas and […]
New study will assess the financial state of college newspapers
From the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) announced it has received a $30,000 grant from Lumina Foundation to study the financial state of college newspapers, with a focus on editorially independent student-run media and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the sustainability of campus journalism. COVID-19 has exposed […]
RJI accepting fellowships for ‘innovative projects’
The Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute is now accepting fellowship applications proposing innovative projects that strengthen journalism’s future. Chosen projects often include devising new strategies or models to solve a problem, building new tools, creating a prototype or advancing a prototype so it’s ready for investment or launch. All projects will be built and implemented in a newsroom within the span of the eight-month […]

‘1 for All’ helping to build understanding, respect for First Amendment’s five freedoms
The Free Speech Center — 1 for All is a national nonpartisan and nonprofit educational effort to build understanding and respect for the five freedoms of the First Amendment. At a time of deep partisanship in America, the campaign’s goal is to remind America that the First Amendment, which gives us freedom of speech, religion, press, and the rights of petition […]

Pandemic no excuse for lazy reporting
By Jim Pumarlo, Newsroom Trainer Editors and reporters are facing some of their biggest challenges in gathering news during the pandemic. Access to everyday sources is increasingly limited with no relief on the horizon. Reporters no longer can walk into offices unannounced, and appointments are restricted. Remote work remains the norm at many places. And don’t expect immediate responses to […]