MEMBERSHIP

ONLINE PUBLICATION MEMBERSHIP

In January 2009, the Kentucky Press Association membership approved adding an online publication/newspaper membership division. The recommendation to the membership included the following:

There is also established the Online Publications membership within this division. Online Publications may apply for membership in the Kentucky Press Association after being in business for the previous 12-month period. To be eligible for membership in the Online Newspaper/Publication category, an online publication:

1. must have been published for the previous 12-month period;
2. must be updated no less than one time each week;
3. must be principally devoted to the dissemination of original local or general news and other news content, with a minimum of 25 percent of overall content;
4. must be available to the general public on the World Wide Web;
5. must not serve primarily as a platform to promote the interest and/or opinions of a special interest group, individual or cause;
6. must have a known Kentucky-based office of publication, open to the public, where business or publication is transacted, have a local telephone number and must include contact information in each updated publication;
7. must abide by copyright laws.

Online publications must apply to the Kentucky Press Association for membership and must be approved by the Board of Directors. Individual online publications shall have no voting privileges in the Kentucky Press Association business matters. Dues for Online Publications/Newspapers are the same as established by the Board of Directors for annual KPA Associates Division dues. Voting Members with an online publication will automatically be included in this membership division as long as they meet and maintain criteria 1 through 7 above. Dues for Online Publications of Full Members will be waived.

We invite you to apply to be an Online Publication/Newspaper member of the Kentucky Press Association. Simply complete each area, check the required statements at the bottom to indicate compliance with the requirements, and then click “Apply for Membership.”

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO APPLY

Online Publication Application (4853 downloads )

When received by KPA, your application will be reviewed and if approved for membership, you will receive a statement for dues. Dues are based on the same rate for Associate Division members, currently $450 per year. Membership does include most services and benefits of other member newspapers, excluding the right to vote on business matters. Some services are available with membership at an additional cost.

If you have any questions about the application, about benefits and services, or need more information about the Kentucky Press Association, please contact me at dthompson@kypress.com or by phone, 502-223-8821.

We look forward to welcoming you to membership in the Kentucky Press Association.

FOI HOTLINE

When you have a question about open meetings and/or records, potentially libelous materials, problems with wording in an ad, court closures or just about anything affecting your editorial or advertising department, know that help is one phone call away.

The Kentucky Press Association FOI Hotline puts you in touch with some of the state’s top media attorneys, like Jon Fleischaker, Michael Abate, Casey Hinkle and Heather Harrell, all with Kaplan and Partners, LLC, in Louisville.

The FOI Hotline number is 502-416-1630. Give them a call, identify yourself/your newspaper and ask your questions. Ninety-nine percent of the time, you’ll get your answer with that first phone call. Jon and Michael will also do a pre-publication review of a news story if you’re concerned it contains libelous material.

THE COST?

This is a member service and the basic fees are paid for by KPA. The only cost is for the long-distance telephone call to Kaplan and Partners in Louisville.

LEGISLATIVE LOBBYING

The main reason the Kentucky Press Association is in Frankfort is that it’s the headquarters of state government in Kentucky. KPA has designated itself as a watchdog on issues concerning the newspaper industry, particularly during the Regular and Special Sessions of the Kentucky General Assembly.

Of primary importance are issues related to Open Meetings, Open Records, Public Notice Advertising and environmental issues affecting the newspaper industry.

During each Regular Session, KPA member newspapers are kept aware of the latest legislative news with a weekly KPA Legislative Bulletin. The bulletin is sent to publishers, editors and advertising managers, giving a synopsis of each legislative bill of interest and stating the position taken on the measure, if any, by KPA.

Positions on various legislative concerns are taken by KPA only after discussing the issue with the KPA Legislative Committee and the KPA Board of Directors.

Two KPA representatives are registered lobbyists during all General Assembly sessions.

Periodically, member newspapers are asked for help in supporting or defeating a particular piece of information by getting in touch with their local legislators.

The Kentucky Press Association also publishes “Kentucky Laws Affecting Newspapers.” This publication is designed to keep newspaper staff aware of all laws involving the newspaper industry and is published every other year, following the Regular Session of the Kentucky General Assembly. All state laws and regulations are also available by contacting the KPA Central Office.

SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM FOUNDATION OF KENTUCKY

Beginning in 1993, the School of Journalism Foundation of Kentucky began an innovative internship program for college and university students. With a belief that students needed hands-on experience during their college years as an impetus for a career in the newspaper industry, the foundation restructured its long-standing scholarship program. In its place, the foundation began offering 10-week summer internships to college and university students.

Giving college journalism students experience in print journalism while providing a service to member newspapers is the purpose of the School of Journalism Foundation of Kentucky, Inc., internship program.

The foundation awards up to 20 internships each summer with Kentucky newspapers in editorial, advertising, photography and online journalists. Each internship is worth $3,000 and is paid from the foundation to the newspaper. In turn, that amount is paid to the the newspaper’s intern for summer employment.

Applications for students and for host newspapers are made available each September. Host newspapers are selected by the Kentucky Press Association Past Presidents, and all student intern applications are then shared among host newspapers, who are responsible for interviewing the students and then selecting the newspaper’s intern.

Any college student who has completed his/her freshman year is eligible to apply for a School of Journalism Foundation of Kentucky, Inc., internship. Students do not have to be a journalism or communications major to be considered for the program.

College journalism students and Kentucky Press Association member newspapers wanting more information about the internship program should contact the School of Journalism Foundation of Kentucky, Inc., which is based at the Kentucky Press Association central office in Frankfort.