CJW Scholarship Deadline Extended! Virginia’s E-Press for May 16

CJW SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE!

There's still time to apply for a CJW scholarship: application deadline extended to May 22
Were you sitting on the fence about applying for a scholarship to this year's Community Journalism Workshop (CJW)? Found out about it the day before the deadline? Got so swamped that you didn't have time to apply?

Good news: The scholarship application deadline has been extended to Tuesday, May 22.

Six scholarships are available to staff from VPA member organizations. Each scholarship includes the $99 cost of the two-day workshop and one overnight with breakfast ($74 VPA rate) at the Comfort Suites Innsbrook on Thursday, June 21.

The scholarship application, including criteria, is available online at http://www.vpa.net/images/pdf/CJWScholarshipApplication.pdf. Winners will be notified by May 30.

The CJW is an intensive two-day program aimed at beginning journalists and those who want to refresh their skills. Interns and copy editors also benefit from the workshop. The emphasis is on the fundamentals of reporting and writing, with special attention to ethics. Participants also receive a take-home "tool box" of resources to use in their daily reporting.

CJW alumnus Mike Jones, Washington Redskins beat writer for The Washington Post, will be this year's keynote speaker.

NOTE: The registration deadline is June 1.

Read more at http://www.vpa.net/index.php/education/article/23202/
Registration Form: http://www.vpa.net/images/pdf/2012CJWregis.pdf

VPA'S COMING TO SEE YOU!

Publishers asked to share input at regional meetings
Virginia Press Association is hitting the road! Five "VPA Roadshow" meetings are planned over the next few weeks in locations across Virginia, and member publishers have been invited to join association staff for discussion and idea-sharing.

The small, informal gatherings will provide opportunities for publishers to brainstorm and exchange thoughts. There is no cost to participate, although pre-registration is requested. All ideas and projects are encouraged.

"We believe this is a good opportunity for member awareness of services currently offered by VPA and the opportunity to hear what VPA could do for members," said Ginger Stanley, VPA executive director. "Just because VPA has been doing things a certain way for years, we understand it may not be the way of the future, and a new direction could benefit everyone."

Meetings are scheduled for the following dates, times and locations:
Thursday, May 24, Lexington (Dairy Queen, 874 N. Lee Highway -- this is a change), 10 a.m.-noon (Register by May 17)
Thursday, May 31, Warrenton (Fauquier Times-Democrat, 39 Culpeper St.), 10 a.m.-noon (register by May 24)
Thursday, June 7, Chatham (Economic Development Office, 34 N. Main St.), noon-2 p.m. (register by May 31)
Friday, June 8, Bristol (Bristol Herald-Courier, 320 Morrison Blvd.), 10 a.m.-noon (register by June 1)

A report from these meetings will be produced and given to the VPA Board of Directors at its next meeting in July.

Registration Form: http://www.vpa.net/images/pdf/VPARoadshow.pdf

Publishers may RSVP to Kim Woodward at VPA, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), phone (804) 521-7574. fax (804) 521-7590.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Postmasters as salespeople?
The Missouri Press Association recently reported that a local postmaster visited the Cuba (Mo.) Free Press to sell U.S. Postal Service (USPS) direct mail products.

According to the newspaper publisher, Rob Viehman, the postmaster said that his superiors were pressuring him to make sales calls on local businesses, because he had gotten in trouble for failing to promote the USPS products.

The postmaster told Viehman that the Postal Service is waiving the permit fees for bulk mailings. When Viehman asked him if the USPS would waive the newspaper's fees, the answer was no.

"As part of his "sales pitch" he pointed out that customers could mail flyers for 14 cents each, to which I replied that we could do it for 8 cents," said Viehman.

"I am putting my salespeople on notice to contact all of their customers ASAP about our insert rates compared to the Postal Service bulk mail rates. We need to get out the word that all papers need to do the same!" he added.

Pew study reports growing smartphone ownership
Smartphone ownership among American adults has increased from 35 percent to 46 percent in recent months, according to a recent study by Pew Internet Research. The new statistics indicate that smartphone owners now outnumber users of more basic phones. Read more about the study: http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Smartphone-Update-20-
12/Findings.aspx

SPJ VIRGINIA PRO CHAPTER NEWS

George Mason Ceremony and Celebration set for June 12 at University of Richmond
The Society of Professional Journalists, Virginia Pro Chapter, has set a date and location for this year's George Mason Ceremony and Celebration: Tuesday, June 12, starting at 6 p.m., in the Alice Haynes Room of the Tyler Haynes Commons at the University of Richmond.

At the celebration, the chapter will present the George Mason Award, honor its 20-year members, elect officers and board members for the 2012-13 year, announce the winners of our two journalism scholarships and host a silent auction to benefit the Educational Foundation.

Tickets are $50 per person. Program sponsor tickets are $90 each. To purchase tickets, click here: http://georgemason2012.eventbrite.com/

'Access Across America' roadshow on July 12
Charles Davis, the former executive director of the National Freedom of Information Coalition and a journalism professor at the University of Missouri, will be in Richmond on July 12 to offer a training session on accessing public records, including great ideas for record-based stories, effective requests, and tactical strategies to overcome denials and exorbitant copy fees. Mark the date and watch for more details to come from SPJ Virginia Pro Chapter.

Executive Management Retreat registration information is now available online!
July 13-14
The Cavalier
Virginia Beach
Click here: http://www.vpa.net/images/pdf/EMRagenda12.pdf

2011 VPA Contest Gallery now online!
Click here to access the gallery: http://omnicontests4.com/gallery-search.aspx?gallery_id=11

VPA approves online memberships
VPA members approved bylaws changes that open membership to online members at the annual breakfast business meeting in Roanoke on April 21.

The membership requirements for the newly created online membership category are available at http://www.vpa.net.

Visit the Public Notice Resources page for VPA members on http://www.vpa.net to access online and print ads, our general information page, and more!

Ad networks pay off: join one or both today!
The Statewide Classified Ad (SCAN) and 2x2 Networks recently welcomed the following new members:
SCAN: The Lebanon News, Martinsville Bulletin, The Richmond Voice
2x2: The Lebanon News, Page News & Courier, The Richmond Voice, Shenandoah Valley-Herald, The Smithfield Times, The Valley Banner
If you are not participating in the network reward programs and would like to begin, or if you are only participating in one of the networks and would like to participate in both, please contact Adriane Long, Statewide Classified/2x2 Coordinator, at 804-521-7585 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).