Minority Fellowships

The Minority Fellowship program is designed to widen opportunities for minority professionals to enter or advance in newspaper management. Newspaper executives and journalism educators are asked to nominate candidates who demonstrate managerial potential. The supervisor's recommendation plays a key role in the selection of fellows. For that reason we suggest that all applicants work closely with their supervisor when preparing the application forms.

The fellowships cover seminar registration fees, travel, meals and hotel expenses. Recipients attend newspaper-related seminars offered by the American Press Institute, the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, the National Association of Minority Media Executives and other academic and media organizations.

The next application deadline for the Minority Fellowship program will be April 30, 2008. 

For more information about the program, contact Angela Winters, (571) 366-1003 or e-mail winta@naa.org.

March 2008

We are very proud to say that the Newspaper Association of America Minority Fellowship program celebrates its 28th anniversary this year. That translates into a long-standing commitment to advancing the careers of newspaper professionals throughout the United States. Almost 1,000 fellowships have been awarded to ethnic minority newspaper personnel and journalism educators, many of whom now stand at the upper echelons of newspapers - evidence that this program is helping change the face of leadership in the industry.

The program is designed to widen opportunities for ethnic minority professionals to enter or advance in newspaper management. Newspaper executives and journalism educators are asked to nominate candidates who demonstrate managerial potential. The supervisor’s recommendation plays a key role in the selection process.

For July-December 2008, NAA will award 15 fellowships. I sincerely hope you encourage staff members of your newspaper - or faculty at your college - to apply. The fellowships cover seminar registration fees, travel, meals and hotel expenses. Fellowships and the organizations that sponsor them are:

• American Press Institute
  Benchmarks & Drivers of Bottom Line Success
  Building The New Revenue Portfolio
  Designing The Digital Experience
  Growing Audiences Beyond News
  New Managers’ Survival Guide
  Transforming the Circulation Department (2)

• Media Management Center - Northwestern
  Readership Leadership

• National Association of Minority Media Executives
  Leadership Development Institute (2 available)

• Poynter Institute for Media Studies
  Advanced Copy Editing: Words & Images
  Leadership for the 24/7 Print Newsroom
  Poynter Leadership Academy
  Reporting & Writing For The Ethnic Media

• Society for News Design
  Design Quick Course

Seminars are listed with the program description and detailed information. Applications must be received no later than April 30, 2008. If you mail the application, you must mail it in time to reach us by April 30, 2008. Applications can be sent via snail mail or fax. They cannot be e-mailed. Applications must include updated resume or they will not be accepted. Once the fellowships have been awarded, recipients will be contacted by NAA. A confirmation letter will be sent, and a copy forwarded to the fellow's supervisor. Please do not hesitate to call me with any questions.

Sincerely,
Jeanne Fox-Alston
Vice President, Talent Management & Diversity
Newspaper Association of America
(571) 366-1005

Business

Benchmarks & Drivers of Bottom Line Success
August 4-7, American Press Institute, Reston, VA.

For general managers, directors and department heads with financial responsibility from all functional areas of the organization.

Using tools from “Newspaper Next” and elsewhere, this seminar will provide participants with the knowledge and strategies to affect positively their bottom-line success across all functional areas. This program will increase participant’s understanding of the financial underpinnings of the entire newspaper organization.

Building The New Revenue Portfolio
September 22-24, American Press Institute, Reston, VA.

For executives and managing editors, online directors and others interested in developing content across platforms to reach new audiences.

From databases and “user reviews” to innovative platforms for community conversation, this seminar explores the tools for pursuing new audiences that exist outside the traditional core newspaper. Participants will learn to create platforms that enable people to share, trade and collaborate with others.

Readership Leadership
November 10-13, Kellogg’s Media Management Center, Evanston, IL.

For leaders from advertising, circulation and marketing departments who are responsible for growing the print and online newspaper.

This seminar offers strategies to put knowledge into action and overcome the hurdles and stalls inevitable in a long-term drive toward increased readership and radical transformation. Sessions include best practice examples, case studies and small group work. Participants will work throughout the seminar to develop an action plan relevant to their organization.

Transforming the Circulation Dept to the Audience Development Dept (2 Fellowships Available)
November 10-12, American Press Institute, Reston, VA.

For audience development, circulation, Web and interactive, marketing and sales executives who will be the architects of departments charged with growing audience across all products and platforms.

This course introduces you to the brave new world of the audience development department, which brings together and leverages the newspaper’s brand and marketing assets with two goals in mind: growing audience and revenue across all platforms.

New Managers’ Survival Guide
November 17-20, American Press Institute, Reston, VA.

For newly appointed managers, managers with no formal leadership development and those being groomed for management positions.

This seminar will help smooth a new manager’s transition from individual contributor to effective leader by providing the essential tools and insight that every manager needs. Topics range from understanding and being able to communicate organizational vision to building a top-notch team to leading transformational change and more.

Leadership

Leadership Development Institute (2 Fellowships Available)
October 2008, National Association of Minority Media Executives, TBD.

For managers and assistant managers of color across all functions of the enterprise.

A hands-on workshop designed to sharpen leadership skills and management techniques.Work with top-notch professionals to learn how to develop your career while successfully contributing to the goals of your company. The three-day program helps managers succeed by helping them to develop effective management skills while candidly addressing why managers sometimes fail or become stalled in their careers.

Poynter Leadership Academy
October 12-17, The Poynter Institute, St. Petersburg, FL.

For experienced mid-to upper-level managers from print, broadcast and online news organizations.

In this interactive and intensive seminar, participants will learn together in plenary workshops, then delve into their own unique issues in smaller “homeroom” sessions. They will benefit from personalized coaching and identify the strengths they can leverage and challenges they must overcome in order to develop both newsroom staff and the audiences for the news and information you produce.

Editorial

Leadership for the 24/7 Print Newsroom
September 15-19, The Poynter Institute, St. Petersburg, FL.

For print or online editors with responsibility for leading a newsroom’s transition to multiplatform publishing.

This seminar guides you through rethinking the organization of your newsroom staff to produce high-quality journalism for the newspaper, the Web and other emerging platforms. Participants will learn to address the challenges of multimedia publishing by building newsrooms that value innovation, high-quality journalism and a much greater level of audience interactivity.

Growing Audiences Beyond News
September 22-24, American Press Institute, Reston, VA.

For managing editors, online directors, senior editors and other executives interested in developing content across platforms to reach new audiences.

This seminar helps today’s editor think beyond the traditional news to innovative information products both for mass audiences and for small -- yet potentially powerful -- communities of interest. Participants will learn to build successful multimedia content that connects with audiences who have not been traditional newspaper readers.

Reporting & Writing For The Ethnic Media
October 20-24, The Poynter Institute, St. Petersburg, FL.

For writers, photojournalists and editors working in ethnic media organizations.

Join a select group of reporters, photojournalists and editors who will focus on the core elements of excellent journalism in ethnic media. Participants will learn to develop their interviewing, reporting, writing, photojournalism and ethical decision-making skills, use a range of story forms to tell stronger stories and find the untold stories.

Advanced Copy Editing: Words & Images
November 30-December 5, The Poynter Institute, St. Petersburg, FL.

For copy and desk editors in print and online with at least five years of experience.

Sharpen the complex range of skills called for on today’s copy desk. Write stronger headlines. Use design elements more effectively. Understand how to pair words and images effectively in print and online. Participants will also learn new ways of approaching content editing, writing highly engaging headlines and display type and more effectively use of design and visual elements.

Design

Design Quick Course
July 12-13, Society for News Design, Urbana, IL.

For design professionals looking to use alternative story forms.

During this 2-day story forms boot camp, participants will learn what kinds of stories lend themselves to what forms and how to visualize them. They will learn how to write, edit and design these forms as well as learn how interactivity and social networking functionality can be applied to news gathering. Bring your own story ideas and execute them as ASFs in the classroom. Software: Adobe InDesign CS3, Adobe Illustrator CS3, Adobe Photoshop CS3.

Designing the Digital Experience
July 14-16, American Press Institute, Reston,VA.

For web designers, editors, producers, and interactive technology developers who want to apply their creative vision to the widest spectrum of digital experiences.

From Web site design to the packaging and distribution of information, participants will gain the tools to create interactive digital experiences for consumers that are useful, usable and enjoyable. They will find out what works and what doesn’t in the digital environment and how to make smart decisions in content creation, design, navigation, branding, marketing and advertising.

First Published:
September 24, 2007