Do you want to make strong contributions to your local newspaper? Do you need to brush up on your journalism skills and develop the confidence to be a local reporter? You’re in the right place!
Democracy counts on informed and engaged citizens. And it starts with local news. The University of Vermont’s Community News Service hosts a journalism training course for citizen reporters and those who want to understand journalism.
Attendees should participate in all seven sessions (about one hour) and complete at least one news story that will be published, with editing support from the instructors. The trainings are weekly, via ZOOM on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m., from Feb. 1 to March 15. The trainings are free but the spots are limited.
Update 01/23/2022: The class is now full. If you would like to be put on the waitlist please sign up via this form. Alternatively, please note if you would like to be told about future training opportunities.
All meetings will be held in this Zoom room. Participants will have access to recorded sessions if they miss a class.
Call or text Cory Dawson at 802-363-6696 or email him at cddawson@uvm.edu with any questions.
The schedule is below:
Tuesday, Feb. 1 @ 7 p.m. News Fundamentals + Intro
We will tackle the fundamental questions around news judgment, what a reporter’s role is and other foundational topics. What is news? How do we judge if a story is newsworthy? What is the role of a reporter in society?
Tuesday, Feb. 8 @ 7 p.m. Interview and Research Techniques
This lesson explores the most important tool in a reporter's toolbox: The interview. How does a reporter conduct a successful interview? How does a reporter conduct comprehensive research to make sure a story is on solid footing?
Tuesday, Feb 15 @ 7 p.m. News Writing
How does a reporter craft a story once their reporting is finished? What are some major differences between news writing and other writing? What are some examples of strong news writing?
Tuesday, Feb. 22 @ 7 p.m. Ethics + Law
This lesson looks at how to conduct yourself as an ethical reporter and goes over some best practices. What does it mean to be an ethical journalist? How has journalism ethics changed through the years? What legal rights do we have, and what are the limits of those rights?
Tuesday, March 1 @ 7 p.m. News Photography + Art
We'll look at how to successfully capture strong news photos, and how to choose "art" — a reporter's term for a visual element accompanying an article. What makes a strong photo? How do you take a strong photo with limited equipment, usually just a cell phone?
Tuesday, March 8 @ 7 p.m. Working a beat + Ending
Learning to become a beat reporter is one of the most tried-and-true methods of coming up with strong stories. This lesson will explore tactics and skills necessary to own a beat in your town. What is a beat? How does a reporter find news off a beat? How do you develop official and unofficial sources? How do you decide what are the best stories off a beat? How do you go from idea to pitch?
Tuesday, March 15 @ 7 p.m. Community News and Democracy (With Meg Little Reilly)
A thriving democracy relies on an informed and engaged electorate. Local news, in particular, is essential to civic engagement, trust, voter participation, and community vitality. Now more than ever, it can be a critical tool to help combat misinformation and polarization. In this session, we will discuss the role that local news plays in supporting healthy local democratic practices. This is also the last lesson so come with any thoughts or questions!
Participants who complete the trainings and publish at least one article that meets the standards and values of the CNS and our media partners will be recognized with a CNS Citizen Reporter certificate.
About the instructors:
Cory Dawson is the editor of the Community News Service, a student-powered partnership between the University of Vermont and local community newspapers in Vermont. Cory is a Vermont native and has written for The Burlington Free Press, VTDigger.org, The Associated Press, the NBC News Investigative Unit and was editor of The Vermont Cynic at UVM. Cory holds a master’s degree in journalism from Georgetown University and is a 2016 graduate of UVM.
Meg Little Reilly is the Deputy Director of the Center for Research on Vermont at UVM where she manages the Local Democracy internships. Meg is a writer and civic advocate. She previously worked as a communicator in the White House and U.S. Treasury, and she began her career as a producer at Vermont Public Radio. Meg is the author of three novels and her work has appeared in newspapers, magazines, podcasts, and public radio stations around the country.
Thanks to generous support from the College of Arts & Sciences, the Office of Engagement and other donors these trainings are offered at no cost to participants.
