• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, January 2, 2024

A movement is now afoot for would-be reporters to skip J school and submit instead to on-the-job training.  

That can be rough with old-school editors. For instance, a young reporter was once asked, “What’s his middle initial?” about a story subject.  

“He doesn’t have a middle name,” the reporter said.

“Well, he better have one—this story isn’t going in without it.” 

It doesn’t have to be like that.  

Poynter, an institute for media studies is now offering courses to help journalists do their jobs and contribute to sustainability. Among the courses are:

• Public Media Editorial Integrity and Leadership Initiative—A nine-month fellowship program, the second cohort of which will start in September. 
• Transforming Local Crime Reporting Into Public Safety Journalism—A 24-week online seminar for newsroom teams.  
• Leadership—Unfortunately, applications are already closed for the three Leadership Academy for Women in Media Cohorts and the year-long Media Transformation Challenge: A Poynter Institute Executive Fellowship. However, applicants can apply for Lead with Influence, Essential Skills for Rising Newsroom Leaders and Leadership Academy for Diversity In Media. 
• Candidates can also apply for these Poynter certificate programs: 
• Poynter ACES Introductory Certificate in Editing 
• NEW! Poynter ACES Intermedia Certificate in Editing—This is described as a “rigorous eight-part certificate program that ranges from ethics to law to tech.”

Still to come is the  Poynter ACES Advanced Certificate In Editing. Poynter is also offering the Beat Academy 2024 webinar series and a six-week program for entry-level reporters called Reporter’s Toolkit. Then there are these seminars:

• Will Work For Impact: Fundamentals of Investigative Reporting 
• Level Up: Critical Skills for Local Reporters
• Power of Diverse Voices: Writing Workshop for Journalists of Color

And, there are programs for international reporting. 

What a curriculum!