Practical help for newsrooms

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Search a curated collection of guidance, tools and expert resources for reporting, running a newsroom and serving your community.

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Guide

Understand Colorado open records and meetings

Legal, access & press freedom

CFOIC’s searchable Sunshine Laws guide covers Colorado records requests, open meetings, executive sessions and court access, with topic navigation and links to statutes and cases.

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Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition

Details

Description: CFOIC’s searchable Sunshine Laws guide covers Colorado records requests, open meetings, executive sessions and court access, with topic navigation and links to statutes and cases.
Who can use it: Journalists; Colorado residents. Public resource.
Cost: Public online guide.
Task: Read the guide
Provider: Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition
Format: Guide

Provider source for Understand Colorado open records and meetings

Worksheet

Plan a safer reporting assignment

Editorial & reporting

CPJ’s five-page risk assessment template helps reporters and editors plan an assignment, assess physical and digital risks, and document check-ins and contingencies.

Explore the resource →

Committee to Protect Journalists

Details

Description: CPJ’s five-page risk assessment template helps reporters and editors plan an assignment, assess physical and digital risks, and document check-ins and contingencies.
Who can use it: Reporters; Freelancers; Assignment editors. Public resource.
Cost: Public online guide.
Task: Explore the resource
Provider: Committee to Protect Journalists
Format: Worksheet

Provider source for Plan a safer reporting assignment

Guide

Improve reader membership retention

Revenue & sustainability

The Membership Guide’s retention chapter explains churn and retention and explores billing, customer service and participation practices that support a reader membership program.

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Membership Puzzle Project / The Membership Guide

Details

Description: The Membership Guide’s retention chapter explains churn and retention and explores billing, customer service and participation practices that support a reader membership program.
Who can use it: Audience teams; Membership managers; Newsroom leaders. Public resource.
Cost: Public online guide.
Task: Read the guide
Provider: Membership Puzzle Project / The Membership Guide
Format: Guide

Provider source for Improve reader membership retention

Explore resources

Find guidance and tools from CPA and trusted providers across the local-news field.

34 resources · Showing 13–24

Podcast and transcript

Improve advertiser value

Revenue & sustainability

In this April 2024 interview, Kenny Katzgrau discusses testing local advertisers’ needs, improving campaigns and building advertiser relationships.

Review local advertising experiments →

Local News Matters / Kenny Katzgrau

Details

Description: In this April 2024 interview, Kenny Katzgrau discusses testing local advertisers’ needs, improving campaigns and building advertiser relationships.
Who can use it: Public episode page; no CPA membership required to read it.
Cost: Public page and automated transcript; no displayed charge observed. Broadstreet and other products have separate terms.
Task: Review local advertising experiments
Provider: Local News Matters / Kenny Katzgrau
Format: Podcast and transcript

Provider source for Improve advertiser value

Handbook

Plan a data journalism project

Editorial & reporting

Explore approaches to finding, assembling and working with data, alongside case studies and newsroom collaboration practices. A reference for planning a project and understanding the limits of its evidence.

Plan a data journalism project →

European Journalism Centre / Google News Initiative

Details

Description: Explore approaches to finding, assembling and working with data, alongside case studies and newsroom collaboration practices. A reference for planning a project and understanding the limits of its evidence.
Who can use it: Public reference for journalists and newsroom teams; no application criteria stated.
Cost: Public web edition and PDF link offered; no fee shown on verified landing page.
Task: Plan a data journalism project
Provider: European Journalism Centre / Google News Initiative
Format: Handbook

Provider source for Plan a data journalism project

Guide

Plan a nonprofit news organization

Leadership & operations

INN’s Startup Guide walks founders through mission, operations, technology, ethics and financial planning for a nonprofit newsroom.

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Institute for Nonprofit News

Details

Description: INN’s Startup Guide walks founders through mission, operations, technology, ethics and financial planning for a nonprofit newsroom.
Who can use it: Nonprofit news founders; Newsroom leaders exploring nonprofit models. Public resource.
Cost: Public online guide.
Task: Read the guide
Provider: Institute for Nonprofit News
Format: Guide

Provider source for Plan a nonprofit news organization

Online course

Plan a podcast around your audience

Learning & professional development

Explore podcast formats, audience needs and story structure before production. This introductory online course helps shape an audio idea around the people you want to reach. Free; registration required.

Plan a podcast around your audience →

Thomson Foundation / University of Melbourne

Details

Description: Explore podcast formats, audience needs and story structure before production. This introductory online course helps shape an audio idea around the people you want to reach. Free; registration required.
Who can use it: Journalists and communicators planning audio storytelling; registration required.
Cost: Free course per provider directory; free account required.
Task: Plan a podcast around your audience
Provider: Thomson Foundation / University of Melbourne
Format: Online course

Provider source for Plan a podcast around your audience

Podcast and transcript

Plan election reporting around community questions

Editorial & reporting

In this July 2024 interview, Jay Rosen explains how a Citizens Agenda starts election reporting with questions from the community.

Plan election coverage →

Local News Matters / Jay Rosen

Details

Description: In this July 2024 interview, Jay Rosen explains how a Citizens Agenda starts election reporting with questions from the community.
Who can use it: Public episode page for reporters, editors and community-engagement teams.
Cost: Public page and automated transcript; no displayed charge observed.
Task: Plan election coverage
Provider: Local News Matters / Jay Rosen
Format: Podcast and transcript

Provider source for Plan election reporting around community questions

Guide

Plan the work behind reader membership

Revenue & sustainability

The Membership Guide’s planning chapter offers a skills checklist, recurring tasks and examples for staffing a newsroom membership program.

Read the guide →

Membership Puzzle Project / The Membership Guide

Details

Description: The Membership Guide’s planning chapter offers a skills checklist, recurring tasks and examples for staffing a newsroom membership program.
Who can use it: Newsroom leaders; Audience and membership teams. Public resource.
Cost: Public online guide.
Task: Read the guide
Provider: Membership Puzzle Project / The Membership Guide
Format: Guide

Provider source for Plan the work behind reader membership

Guide

Prepare for immigration reporting

Legal, access & press freedom

RCFP’s immigration reporting guide covers public records, immigration proceedings and coverage of enforcement actions, with a Spanish version linked by the provider.

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Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

Details

Description: RCFP’s immigration reporting guide covers public records, immigration proceedings and coverage of enforcement actions, with a Spanish version linked by the provider.
Who can use it: Journalists; Editors covering immigration. Public resource.
Cost: Public online guide.
Task: Read the guide
Provider: Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Format: Guide

Provider source for Prepare for immigration reporting

Guide

Prepare for protest coverage

Legal, access & press freedom

RCFP’s protest guide explains legal risks during demonstrations and offers reporting tips, including a concise printable summary.

Read the guide →

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

Details

Description: RCFP’s protest guide explains legal risks during demonstrations and offers reporting tips, including a concise printable summary.
Who can use it: Reporters; Photojournalists; Assignment editors. Public resource.
Cost: Public online guide.
Task: Read the guide
Provider: Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Format: Guide

Provider source for Prepare for protest coverage

Guide

Prepare for reporting in tense settings

Editorial & reporting

CPJ’s U.S. journalist safety kit brings together assignment preparation, crowd and rally coverage, aggression, online abuse and device security guidance.

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Committee to Protect Journalists

Details

Description: CPJ’s U.S. journalist safety kit brings together assignment preparation, crowd and rally coverage, aggression, online abuse and device security guidance.
Who can use it: U.S.-based journalists; Freelancers; Assignment editors. Public resource.
Cost: Public online guide.
Task: Read the guide
Provider: Committee to Protect Journalists
Format: Guide

Provider source for Prepare for reporting in tense settings

Guide

Protect your devices, accounts and sources

Editorial & reporting

CPJ’s Digital Safety Kit introduces account, device and communications security for journalists, with guidance on protecting personal data and recognizing digital threats.

Read the guide →

Committee to Protect Journalists

Details

Description: CPJ’s Digital Safety Kit introduces account, device and communications security for journalists, with guidance on protecting personal data and recognizing digital threats.
Who can use it: Journalists; Editors; Freelancers. Public resource.
Cost: Public online guide.
Task: Read the guide
Provider: Committee to Protect Journalists
Format: Guide

Provider source for Protect your devices, accounts and sources

Recorded session

Refresh your reporting craft

Learning & professional development

In this 2022 CPA session, COLab journalist Susan Greene discusses source development, interviewing, records requests, story structure, collaboration and avoiding burnout.

Watch the session →

Colorado Press Association and Colorado News Collaborative

Details

Description: In this 2022 CPA session, COLab journalist Susan Greene discusses source development, interviewing, records requests, story structure, collaboration and avoiding burnout.
Who can use it: Reporters, editors and journalism learners. Public video.
Cost: Public video.
Task: Watch the session
Provider: Colorado Press Association and Colorado News Collaborative
Format: Recorded session

Provider source for Refresh your reporting craft

Reference tool

Research a federal records request

Legal, access & press freedom

RCFP’s FOIA Wiki organizes federal records guidance, agency information, request examples, fees and appeals. It also points readers to state-law resources.

Explore the resource →

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press / FOIA Wiki contributors

Details

Description: RCFP’s FOIA Wiki organizes federal records guidance, agency information, request examples, fees and appeals. It also points readers to state-law resources.
Who can use it: Reporters; Researchers; Members of the public. Public resource.
Cost: Free public guide. Agency records fees are separate.
Task: Explore the resource
Provider: Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press / FOIA Wiki contributors
Format: Reference tool

Provider source for Research a federal records request

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