Wyoming Tribune Eagle to Use Poynter's NewsU Certificate Program in Training Pilot Project

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Feb. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Poynter's e-learning project, News University (NewsU), today announced that the Wyoming Tribune Eagle will integrate NewsU's Certificate of Proficiency Program into its training program for new staffers. Poynter NewsU will provide its certificates of proficiency and other online training on its site, www.newsu.org, as part of its partnership with the Tribune Eagle.

The Poynter NewsU Certificate Program is designed to help editors, publishers and educators assess a participant's understanding of the journalism industry's essential skills and best practices. In addition, individuals interested in enhancing their skills and demonstrating a level of proficiency also can use the certificates.

The Tribune Eagle will use the certificate program to develop the skills of staffers in its newsroom in Cheyenne by utilizing NewsU's e-learning modules. Brian Martin, the Tribune Eagle's managing editor, said the NewsU certificates are a great way to encourage staffers to complete a deeper level of training, while allowing them to do it as they have time, rather than on a set schedule.

"The NewsU certificates program is just the latest in a long line of valuable products and services that have allowed a small daily newspaper like ours to stretch our training dollars," Martin said. "I would encourage other media with limited training budgets to take advantage of all NewsU has to offer – from Webinars to self-directed courses to this new certificates program."

As an added incentive, the Tribune Eagle is offering an extra vacation day to staffers who complete the NewsU program and earn their certificate.

"We are delighted about working with the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. We see these partnerships as a vital part of Poynter's mission as a school for journalists," said Howard Finberg, Poynter's director of interactive learning. "Our certificates allow these journalists to sharpen their skills in key areas and then demonstrate their knowledge of the content."

In addition to working with individuals, The Poynter NewsU Certificate Program is designed to help editors, publishers and educators assess a participant's understanding of the journalism industry's essential skills and best practices. For more information about the Certificate Program, visit http://www.newsu.org/resources/certificates.

About Poynter's News University

Poynter's News University (http://www.newsu.org) offers training to journalists, journalism students, teachers and the public through more than 200 interactive e-learning modules and other forms of training. It has more than 170,000 registered users in 225 countries.

The Poynter Institute trains journalism practitioners, media leaders, educators and citizens in the areas of online and multimedia, leadership and management, reporting, writing and editing, TV and radio, ethics and diversity, journalism education and visual journalism. Poynter's Web site, (www.poynter.org) is the dominant provider of journalism news, with a focus on business analysis and the opportunities and implications of technology.

About the Wyoming Tribune Eagle

The Wyoming Tribune Eagle is a 15,000-circulation family owned daily newspaper in the state's capital city, Cheyenne. It has a newsroom staff of 25 and produces award-winning journalism covering the southeast corner of Wyoming seven days a week, as well as online at WyomingNews.com.

SOURCE The Poynter Institute/News University