[CW:MONTHLY] NewsU Tech

NewsU is excited to introduce a new slate of offerings called NewsU Tech.

It features an extensive portfolio of training courses from some of the leading technology companies, including Adobe, Microsoft, Corel and Quark. Whether you’re trying your hand at design or you’re interested in building your own Web site, there’s a NewsU Tech course that can help you get started.

But what if you want to get started but don’t have the program?

Don’t worry. Each module creates software simulations that give you a feel for working in the program. You'll explore how to use the program using audio, slideshows and offline activities, so you don’t have to buy it or install it.

NewsU Tech features two rates: unlimited access for 90 days or unlimited access for one year, with prices ranging from $39-$299. With your subscription, you get unlimited access to the course so you can come back as often as you like to sharpen your skills.

To learn more about NewsU Tech and see our list of courses, visit NewsU Tech.

NewsU offers more than 70 focused, interactive courses that appeal to journalists at all levels of experience and in all types of media. NewsU is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

The program is a project of The Poynter Institute, a leader in journalism training.

[CW:MONTHLY] Leading an Online Newsroom

Are you transitioning to an online news operation? In NewsU's new course, "Leading an Online Newsroom: What You Need to Know," you’ll learn what editors who have gone before you already know about making the transition.

This course offers advice and tips from editors who have already jumped many of the hurdles that you face. They share with you the practices they have found to be most successful on topics including how to hire the best people and how to restructure your newsroom to accommodate your Web product.

But you won’t just be talked through this course. You get to participate. Use the activities in this course to see how you would respond to news in an online publication and to help you be a better leader and build a stronger newsroom. This free course will take just an hour or two to complete.

Enroll at www.newsu.org/leadingonlinenewsroom and take the course on your own schedule. It was developed in partnership with the Suburban Newspapers of America Foundation.

NewsU offers more than 70 focused, interactive courses that appeal to journalists at all levels of experience and in all types of media. NewsU is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

The program is a project of The Poynter Institute, a leader in journalism training.

[CW:MONTHLY] New from NewsU: Reporting on Nonprofits

Chances are you'll find yourself covering a nonprofit organization at some point in your job. But what information can you get on nonprofits?

What are they exactly, anyway, and what makes them different from other businesses?

NewsU's new course, "Reporting on Nonprofits," will show you that there's nothing scary about covering nonprofits. You will learn what constitutes a nonprofit and how it gets its tax-exempt status. You will get tips on digging for information -- especially on how to decipher an IRS 990 tax form -- and what to do with that information once you have it. At the end of the course, five journalists detail the steps they went through to nail great stories on nonprofits.

Their successes and the thrills they had along the way should give you the confidence you need to take on any of the 1.5 million nonprofit organizations in the U.S.

This free course will take just an hour or two to complete. Click here to enroll and take the course on your own schedule. It was developed in partnership with the Newspaper Association of America Foundation.

NewsU offers more than 70 focused, interactive courses that appeal to journalists at all levels of experience and in all types of media. NewsU is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The program is a project of The Poynter Institute, a leader in journalism training.

[CW:MONTHLY] News U.

Improve your writing by attending “Five Simple Ways to Write More Clearly,” NewsU's upcoming Webinar.

This Webinar will give you the diagnostic tools you need to make your writing more clear and persuasive. Whether you’re writing for print or online, these basic strategies will improve your work. This Webinar is offered at 2 p.m. ET, March 4.

You'll learn how to recognize red flags that lead to complex, wordy writing. You'll also learn how to avoid the “noun disease” that makes your writing soft and flabby. Can't attend the live Webinar? We'll have an archived replay available soon after the live session.

Your registration will give you access to the replay plus our bonus resources. For further information about these and other upcoming Webinars, visit: webinars.newsu.org.

NewsU offers more than 70 focused, interactive courses that appeal to journalists at all levels of experience and in all types of media. NewsU is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The program is a project of The Poynter Institute, a leader in journalism training.

[CW: MONTHLY] New Webinars from News U

NewsU is offering two new Webinars in the last week in January.

"Discover Your Missing Links: The Semantic Web" will help you beyond simple 'tagging' in this new digital landscape. Learn to build rich connections among all your content: articles, images, motion and audio. This Webinar is offered at 2 p.m. ET, Jan. 28.

"Eyetrack and Alternative Story Forms" will share new analysis about how story forms engage readers, plus other key findings from Poynter’s EyeTrack study. The study reveals how readers of print and online news understand and remember what they’ve read. This Webinar is offered at 2 p.m. ET, Jan. 29.

For further information about these and other upcoming Webinars, visit webinars.newsu.org.

NewsU offers more than 70 focused, interactive courses that appeal to journalists at all levels of experience and in all types of media. NewsU is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The program is a project of The Poynter Institute, a leader in journalism training.

[CW:MONTHLY] A New Year with News U

Start your year off right with some virtual training by attending one of NewsU's many Webinars in January.

"Multimedia Tools: Your 2009 Shopping List" will teach you how to identify the equipment that will meet your newsroom's mobile reporting needs; what to look for in video cameras, audio recorders, mobile devices and accessories; and what you can expect to spend on equipment. This Webinar is at 2 p.m. ET on Jan. 7, 2009.

"The Economy in Turmoil: Challenges to the White House, the Statehouse and Your House" will address how the news on the financial crisis is changing daily and how you can guide your readers through this complicated story. This Webinar, offered in partnership with the Knight Center for Specialized Journalism, is at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. ET on Jan. 14, 2009.

"Managing Change: Five Steps to Success" will help you guide staff through all of the changes in technology, scheduling and systems that 2009 will bring. This Webinar is at 2 p.m. ET on Jan. 21, 2009.

For further information about these and other upcoming Webinars, visit News U. for information on more than 70 focused, interactive courses that appeal to journalists at all levels of experience and in all types of media. NewsU is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The program is a project of The Poynter Institute, a leader in journalism training.

[CW:MONTHLY] Becoming a More Effective Writer

Good writing may be magical, but it’s not magic. In News University’s upcoming online group seminar, "Becoming a More Effective Writer," led by The Poynter Institute's Chip Scanlan, you'll learn the process approach step-by-step. This session takes place from Jan. 12-Feb. 6, 2009.

The deadline to apply is Dec. 8, 2008.

You'll learn how to use the process approach to analyze your work, diagnose and solve writing problems, and nurture collaboration by sharing the vocabulary of process with other reporters and editors. You'll get many opportunities to examine and refine your writing and reporting processes, both on and off the computer. The emphasis of this course lies firmly in the journey writers take, not the finished story.

Much like a traditional class, this online group seminar has readings, assignments, due dates and discussions. No formal evaluations or grades are given, but participants are provided detailed and individual feedback.

Instructor Chip Scanlan is Reporting, Writing & Editing senior faculty at The Poynter Institute; director of the National Writers Workshops; and journalism adviser at NewsU. He produces "Chip on Your Shoulder," a writing advice column for Poynter Online.

Click here for the application form.

NewsU offers more than 70 focused, interactive courses that appeal to journalists at all levels of experience and in all types of media. NewsU is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The program is a project of The Poynter Institute, a leader in journalism training.

[CW: MONTHLY] Online Media Law

Bloggers and other citizen media creators contribute to the vitality of free societies by reporting on events in their communities, exposing and scrutinizing the workings of government, and helping to hold those in power accountable.

Whether you’re a member of a news organization or working solo, your freedom to report on the world around you is protected by the United States Constitution and the courts.

However, freedom of expression is not absolute. News University's new course, "Online Media Law: The Basics for Bloggers and Other Online Publishers," addresses three important areas of media law that specifically relate to gathering information and publishing online: defamation, privacy and copyright.

See what the law says and learn about new legal developments and related protections and risks for bloggers and other online publishers. Know what red flags you should watch for to stay on safe legal ground. Test your new knowledge on some recent court cases involving bloggers in the "You Be the Judge" activities.

This free course will take just an hour or two to complete. Enroll at www.newsu.org/onlinemedialaw and take the course on your own schedule.

NewsU offers more than 70 focused, interactive courses that appeal to journalists at all levels of experience and in all types of media. NewsU is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The program is a project of The Poynter Institute, a leader in journalism training.

[CW:MONTHLY] Cleaning Your Copy

Mistakes in grammar, spelling and style are like coffee stains on a shirt. Readers notice. And, eventually, those mistakes eat away at your credibility as a journalist. In addition, if copy editors have to spend time fixing those errors, they have less time to edit your story and write compelling headlines.

NewsU's course, "Cleaning Your Copy," will help you understand the basics of grammar, spelling, punctuation and AP style. Learn the most common mistakes and how to avoid them. When you’re ready, take the "Copy Quotient Test" and see how well you can clean your copy.

This free course will take just an hour or two to complete. Enroll at www.newsu.org/cleancopy and take the course on your own schedule.

NewsU offers more than 70 focused, interactive courses that appeal to journalists at all levels of experience and in all types of media. NewsU is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The program is a project of The Poynter Institute, a leader in journalism training.

[CW:MONTHLY] Targeting New Audiences: Finding Your Niche

So you want to create a new publication for a specific audience. But how do you know if a Web site or a print product would be more successful? What kind of content does your audience want?

NewsU's new course, Targeting New Audiences: Finding Your Niche, will help you get to know your audience. You'll find out what data you need, where to get it and how to use it. Learn from some niche youth publications' successes and failures and brainstorm about your own ideas and goals. Practice pitching your ideas to your boss in the interactive "Talk to Your Boss" simulation.

This free course will take just an hour or two to complete. Enroll online and take the course on your own schedule. It was developed in partnership with the Newspaper Association of America Foundation.

NewsU offers more than 65 focused, interactive courses that appeal to journalists at all levels of experience and in all types of media. NewsU is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L.
Knight Foundation. The program is a project of The Poynter Institute, a leader in journalism training.

Enroll in Targeting New Audiences: Finding Your Niche

[CW:MONTHLY] NewsU: Beyond The Inverted Pyramid

Alternative story forms, ASF's, ALT's, storytelling devices - they go by different names and include everything but stories written in the traditional inverted pyramid style. NewsU's "Beyond the Inverted Pyramid: Creating Alternative Story Forms" will introduce you to the world of alternative story forms and show you how to add them to your writing, editing or designing repertoire. You'll learn how to select, write, edit and present a variety of alternative forms through various interactive games and activities.

"Beyond the Inverted Pyramid" will give you the tools you need to create effective alternative story forms. You'll learn to break down information by theme and organize stories to make them snappy and more useful to time-crunched readers. With a focus on the importance of newsroom collaboration, this course showcases a range of supplemental and standalone forms, demonstrates what forms work best with what story ideas and provides techniques for editing alternative forms for factual errors and other problematic copy.

This free course will take just an hour or two to complete. Enroll at www.newsu.org/asfs and take the course on your own schedule.

NewsU offers more than 60 focused, interactive courses that appeal to journalists at all levels of experience and in all types of media. NewsU is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The program is a project of The Poynter Institute, a leader in journalism training.

Register for "Beyond the Inverted Pyramid"

[CW:MONTHLY] NewsU: Reporting Across Platforms

Explore the different approaches you need to report for online, print and broadcast stories. In NewsU's "Reporting Across Platforms," you'll learn the strengths (and weaknesses) of each platform and how each can enhance your storytelling. And you'll get one reporter's first-hand analysis of stories told across platforms.You'll see how information from sources should be used in telling stories for each platform. You'll also learn to identify the writing styles and story structure for each platform and find out who can help you gather appropriate content for them.

The content for this free course was developed in partnership with the Radio, Television & News Directors Foundation. It will take just an hour or two to complete. Enroll and take the course on your own schedule.

NewsU offers more than 60 focused, interactive courses that appeal to journalists at all levels of experience and in all types of media. NewsU is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The program is a project of The Poynter Institute, a leader in journalism training.

Register for "Reporting Across Platforms"

[CW:MONTHLY] NewsU: Build & Engage Local Audiences Online

Are you worried about your newspaper's Web site? Not sure how to build out your content or draw readers to your site? Are you concerned that your paper will be left behind because of limited staff and resources in your newsroom? In NewsU's "Build and Engage Local Audiences Online," you'll see what the power of local content can mean for you.

"Build & Engage Local Audiences Online" will teach you 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. And you'll discover ways to understand and grow your online audience.

Created in partnership with the Suburban Newspapers of America Foundation, this free course will take just an hour or two to complete. Enroll today and take the course on your own schedule.
NewsU offers more than 60 focused, interactive courses that appeal to journalists at all levels of experience and in all types of media. NewsU is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The program is a project of The Poynter Institute, a leader in journalism training.

Register for "Build & Engage Local Audiences Online"

[CW:MONTHLY] NewsU: Writing Better Headlines

Do you want to sharpen your approach to writing compelling and engaging print headlines? NewsU is offering a four-week online group seminar on "Writing Better Headlines" from June 2-27, 2008.

"Writing Better Headlines" will help you improve all facets of writing daily newspaper headlines. The course will explore using key words for headlines, making headlines more specific, pinpointing the best verbs to use, avoiding traditional headline traps and recognizing when and how to use word play.

Taught by Kenn Finkel, the course costs $249 and includes readings, assignments, due dates and discussions. Although evaluations and grades are not given, participants will get plenty of feedback.

The application deadline is May 5, 2008. Visit www.newsu.org/headlines to find out more and apply.

NewsU offers more than 60 focused, interactive courses that appeal to journalists at all levels of experience and in all types of media. NewsU is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The program is a project of The Poynter Institute, a leader in journalism training.

Register for "Writing Better Headlines"

[CW:MONTHLY] NewsU: Freedom of Information

Celebrate Sunshine Week by learning more about freedom of information and its essential role in journalism and democracy.

News University's "Freedom of Information" course teaches you how to use the Freedom of Information Act, Public Records Laws and Open Meetings Laws to uphold your right to know the government's actions. Learn not only the details of FOI laws in your state, but how to use FOI to write better stories.

After you take the course, you'll be able to use the federal Freedom of Information Act to request information, obtain public records and attend meetings under state-level Sunshine Laws, and see how others have used FOI to write better stories.

Enroll and take the free course on your schedule. It will take just an hour or two to complete.

NewsU offers more than 50 focused, interactive courses that appeal to journalists at all levels of experience and in all types of media. NewsU is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The program is a project of The Poynter Institute, a leader in journalism training.

Freedom of Information

[CW:MONTHLY] NewsU: Five Steps to Multimedia Storytelling

Want to spread your wings beyond print reporting, but don't know where to start?

In News University's "Five Steps to Multimedia Storytelling," you'll learn the basic steps of telling your story with multimedia. You'll discover ways to map out your story before you head out to do your reporting. And you'll learn when to use such tools as audio, video and graphics.

Walk through a case study to see how a multimedia story is built. Explore a library of tutorials to help you with the technical side of recording, taping and editing for the Web. Enroll at http://www.newsu.org/courses/course_detail.aspx?id=ucknight_multimedia07 and take the free course on your schedule. It will take just an hour or two to complete.

NewsU (http://www.newsu.org/) offers more than 50 focused, interactive courses that appeal to journalists at all levels of experience and in all types of media. NewsU is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The program is a project of The Poynter Institute, a leader in journalism training.

Five Steps to Multimedia Storytelling

[CW:MONTHLY] NewsU: Dealing With Difficult Conversations

Manager or not, you've found yourself having a difficult conversation with someone in the past, and you know it's a lot like walking a tightrope. It can be scary.

With proper preparation, execution and follow-up, you can approach even the toughest conversations with confidence. In News University's "Dealing with Difficult Conversations: A Guide for Managers and Others," Jill Geisler will arm you with the tools you need to get from start to finish.

Enroll at www.newsu.org/difficultconversations and take the free course on your schedule. It will take just an hour or two to complete.

And just in time for the early presidential caucuses and primaries, NewsU has added a special section to "Understanding and Interpreting Polls" for elections polls. Click here to enroll now.

NewsU (www.newsu.org) offers more than 50 focused, interactive courses that appeal to journalists at all levels of experience and in all types of media. NewsU is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The program is a project of The Poynter Institute, a leader in journalism training.

Dealing with Difficult Conversations: A Guide for Managers and Others

[CW:MONTHLY] NewsU Offers: Telling Stories With Sound

Telling Stories with Sound covers the entire process: from planning and gathering audio in the field to producing in the studio. This free, self-directed course, brought to you by News University, will equip you with the tools you need to produce memorable, effective stories.

This free course will take one or two hours to complete. Visit www.newsu.org/sound to enroll and complete the course on your schedule, starting and stopping as needed.

News University (http://www.newsu.org/) is the e-learning home for more than 58,000 journalists, educators and students in 157 countries around the world. NewsU offers more than 50 focused, interactive courses that appeal to journalists at all levels of experience and in all types of media. Many courses take just an hour or two to complete and most are free. NewsU is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The program is a project of The Poynter Institute, a leader in journalism training.

[CW:MONTHLY] NewsU Offers Free Course on Covering Polls

Election season is right around the corner, and you're going to be covering a lot of poll results. But are you confident you can tell the legitimate numbers from the sloppy surveys? How effectively can you evaluate polling methods?

"Understanding and Interpreting Polls" covers what you need to know about the science of polling. This free e-learning course, brought to you by News University and the American Association for Public Opinion Research, will help you spot the red flags in poll results. "Understanding and Interpreting Polls" takes one or two hours to complete, and you can work through the course on your own schedule.

News University is the e-learning home for more than 56,000 journalists, educators and students in 157 countries around the world. NewsU offers more than 50 focused, interactive courses that appeal to journalists at all levels of experience and in all types of media. NewsU is a project of The Poynter Institute, funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Understanding and Interpreting Polls