APA Active Member Benefits

Conferences & Convention
From conferences to webinars to regional workshops: APA helps members meet challenges head on. APA’s Winter Media Summit, traditionally held each February, offers programs on sales training, building revenue and a component for journalism students. 

Each summer, our members and associates from across the state gather for the APA Summer Convention, typically held on the Alabama Gulf Coast, for fellowship and continuing education. During election years, APA hosts candidate forums at this event.

Throughout the year, APA and the APA Journalism Foundation sponsors and assists in the coordination of workshops and webinars on a variety of educational topics, including multimedia journalism, reporting and newspaper and web design. Click here for a calendar of upcoming events. 

Legal Hotline
It’s like having your own staff attorney. By contacting the APA Hotline via email or phone, member papers could save thousands of dollars in legal fees. Both pre- and post-publication advice is offered in libel and privacy issues and Freedom of Information matters. Call 334-206-3100.

Better Newspaper Contest
Compete with the best in Alabama. Motivate staff with professional recognition and awards. APA has contests for member publications in editorial, advertising, online and magazine excellence. 

Job Bank
APA acts as a clearinghouse for professionals seeking employment in the newspaper industry. Additionally, we publish all current job openings at member newspapers that are sent to us for listing. Click here to view the current Job Bank listings.

Governmental Affairs
APA helps protect newspapers and First Amendment interests in the state legislature and on the local and national level. An example is the successful lobbing effort to have criminal incident reports clarified as open records in the state and adding other enforcement language to the Open Meetings Act. We also diligently work to protect the interests of our member publications. 

Publications
APA’s monthly newsletter, AlaPressa, is the official historical publication of the Association. AlaPressa, available online and via email subscription, keeps members up-to-date on industry trends and happenings at APA/ANAS. Additionally APA publishes a bi-annual publication, the Alabama Publisher, distributed at our conventions. Both may also be accessed at alabamapress.org. Keep up with APA on Facebook, too. Our Association page aggregates headlines and happenings of member interest. Our Alabama Media Directory is the most comprehensive publication available on newspapers in our state, providing a wealth of information on personnel, contact information and other data about member papers, television and radio. 

Press Identification
The APA press card acknowledges APA membership and interest in a high standard of professional ethics. These cards are mailed annually to member newspapers in good standing with the Association. Aphoto ID badgeis also available for a nominal price. These credentials assist law enforcement and other public agencies to identify members of the press and facilitate easier access to events and news venues. 

Online Public Notices
APA maintains a comprehensive portal of all public notices published within Alabama. All public notices are required by law to be uploaded to this site. 

Libel Insurance
Members need more than the Bill of Rights to protect their newspapers. Without adequate insurance, your newspaper could be lost. Save money with the premium discounts available through APA’s endorsement of the National Newspaper Association Libel Plus program administered by Walterry Insurance Brokers.