This October, journalists from across New England have a special opportunity to connect, learn, and grow together at Radically Rural 2025: Rural Resonance in Keene, New Hampshire.

For the first time, the summit is offering an entire day dedicated exclusively to journalism programming. On Tuesday, October 7, attendees can take part in a full schedule of journalism-specific sessions and networking events designed to strengthen reporting skills, deepen community connections, and inspire fresh approaches to covering rural life.

Why Attend?

• All-day journalism track: Focused sessions tailored to the needs of community and local journalists.

• Networking with peers: Meet fellow reporters, editors, and publishers who share your passion for rural and community journalism.

• Affordable professional development: With sliding-scale registration, the event is accessible for newsrooms of all sizes.

• Part of something bigger: In addition to Tuesday’s journalism track, Radically Rural features two more days of cross-sector collaboration, plenaries, field trips, and creative programming that explore the year’s theme: Rural Resonance.

Now in its ninth year, Radically Rural is known for sparking new ideas and collaborations among people who believe in the power of small communities. The 2025 summit will highlight storytelling, resilience, and cross-sector innovation, with dynamic plenary sessions and creative exchanges that extend far beyond traditional conference formats.

Details at a Glance:
📍 Location: Keene, New Hampshire
📅 Dates: Tuesday, October 7 – Thursday, October 9, 2025
🎟 Registration: Sliding-scale pricing makes this a truly affordable professional development opportunity

Whether you’re an editor looking for strategies to engage readers, a reporter eager to sharpen your craft, or a publisher exploring new approaches to sustainability, Radically Rural’s journalism track offers tools and inspiration for you.

Register today and be part of this energizing gathering of journalists and community leaders: https://whova.com/portal/registration/3rw6EDJMiYB-ewxsRdTV/

The Academy of New England Journalists is now accepting nominations for the Yankee Quill Award, the region’s highest individual honor in journalism. The award recognizes the lifetime achievements of those who have made broad and enduring contributions to the practice of journalism in New England.

Editors, publishers, educators, colleagues, and members of the public are encouraged to nominate individuals whose careers reflect a lasting commitment to the ideals of a free press and service to their communities. Nominees may be working or retired journalists, journalism educators, or others who have made special contributions to the field. Posthumous and historical figure nominations are also welcome.

At the 2024 awards ceremony in Portland, Maine, the Academy honored Mike Bello, Randy Capitani, Gloria Negri (posthumously), Jacqueline Smith, and historical figures Henry and Benjamin Lindsey. Their induction highlighted the diverse achievements that define the Yankee Quill tradition.

Nominations are now being accepted for the Yankee Quill Award through Friday, October 17, 2025.

Nominations may be emailed to: L.Conway@nenpa.com, or hard copies may be mailed to:
Yankee Quill
c/o NENPA
PO Box 2505
Woburn MA 01801
Download Nomination Form

Details on how to submit a nomination, including deadlines and instructions, are available at the Yankee Quill Award page.

Don’t miss the opportunity to celebrate a journalist whose career has left a lasting mark on New England.

The Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications is offering a lineup of free and low-cost classes on topics such as writing about personal milestones, making sense of Substack, learning how to make use of AI, and First Amendment rights around protest and assembly.

Classes begin September 17.

Pre-registration is required, and class sizes are limited

FREE IN-PERSON CLASSES 

Turning Points: Writing about milestones and how they shape our lives
Four Wednesdays: September 17 and 24, October 1 and 8 | 6-7:30 p.m.| Free
Explore and write about defining life moments through essays, fiction, or poetry.  Great for new and experienced writers alike with instructor Kimberly Marlowe Hartnett.

Getting Started With Substack
Two Wednesdays: September 17 and 24 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Free
Learn how to use Substack to share your writing, grow an audience, and create interactive blog posts using simple, free tools with Instructor Zac Little.

New Hampshire Politics: The State Sport
Wednesday, September 17 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Free
Explore NH’s special role in presidential elections, polling trends, and grassroots politics and why civic engagement matters with Instructors Andrew Smith and Josh McElveen. 

AI Essentials for Small Biz & Nonprofits: Work Smarter, Connect Better
Four Thursdays: September 18 and 25, October 2 and 9 | 5:30-7 p.m.| Free
Use AI like ChatGPT to write faster, boost outreach, save time and streamline tasks. No tech skills needed. Ideal for nonprofits and small businesses with Instructor Gail Zona.

FREE ONLINE CLASSES

How to Become a Local Government Watchdog
Two Thursdays: September 18 and 25 | 5:30-7 p.m. | Free
Learn to track issues you care about, access information, get involved locally, build networks, and learn how to influence change through civic engagement with Instructor Miranda Spivack.

Marches and Media: First Amendment Freedoms in Action
Thursday, October 9 | 5:30-7 p.m. | Free
Understand your First Amendment rights at protests, what you can record, and how laws impact speech, press, and assembly in real-life events with Attorney Kathleen Sullivan. 

PRO SERIES

For those looking to deepen their professional skills, the Loeb School offers the following Pro Series options providing in-depth, in-person training at an affordable price.

Lights, Camera, Scroll: Creating Video Content That Connects
In person | Four Wednesdays: September 17 and 24, October 1 and 8 | 6-7:30 p.m.| $39
Learn to create short- and long-form video that boosts engagement, builds trust, and works with your brand across YouTube, Instagram & more with Instructor Victoria Carrington Chavez.

Public Relations Workshop, sponsored by the Yankee Chapter of PRSA
In person |Friday, November 14 | 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon | $59 (includes light breakfast)
Build PR skills in this half-day workshop covering strategy, crisis communications, media relations, and internal/external best practices in this half-day workshop with Instructor Robin Schell. 

In-person classes are at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at St. Anselm College, 5 St. Anselm Drive, Manchester (GPS address). Email loebschool@loebschool.org with any questions. 

The Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications, Inc. is a nonprofit with a mission to promote and defend the First Amendment and fosters interest, integrity and excellence in journalism and other forms of communication by educating students of various backgrounds and providing them with the tools and knowledge to improve their skills. Learn more about the School and register for classes at loebschool.org.

The NENPA Press Freedom and Local News Committee is taking its next major step in protecting press freedom and strengthening local journalism: launching a region-wide public education campaign on Constitution Day, Wednesday, September 17, 2025.

The campaign — Know Your News: Understanding Press Freedom and the Value of Local News — will roll out a series of in-depth, reader-friendly stories and ready-to-use social media content designed to inform the public about their rights, the role of the press, and the essential role local news plays in civic life.

The effort is aimed at giving newspapers across New England the tools to educate their audiences on topics ranging from “What the First Amendment Really Says About the Press” and “How You Can Request Public Records” to “How to Spot Trustworthy News” and “What If Your Town Lost Its Local News?”

A Month-Long, Four-Week Series
The campaign will unfold over four themed weeks:

• Week 1 – Press Freedom and Why We Should Care
  Stories explaining First Amendment protections, open meetings and records laws, and what’s at stake when press access is denied.
• Week 2 – Building News Literacy and Trust
  Coverage on identifying credible sources, understanding bias, and how schools and parents can teach media literacy.
• Week 3 – Understanding Local News
  Insight into how local newsrooms work, how editorial decisions are made, how AI is used, and why local journalism matters.
• Week 4 – Solutions for the Future
  Reporting on communities rebuilding news coverage, innovative funding models, and ways readers can support their local outlets.

How to Participate

Editors, publishers, and marketing managers are invited to join the NENPA Press Freedom and Local News Collaborative, which will serve as the distribution hub for the full series of stories and social media assets. Participants will receive:

• Weekly story packages with art and social media posts ready for print and digital publication
• Coordinated launch timing to maximize regional impact
• Opportunities to share your own local reporting connected to press freedom and local news

Please complete this short sign-up form for interested publications to join the Collaborative and be ready to start publishing content on Constitution Day.

By working together, we can make this campaign a powerful, unified call to protect press freedom and support the local news organizations that keep our communities informed, engaged, and strong.

The New England First Amendment Coalition is launching a legal fund to provide support for journalism and open government cases.

The fund is being established with a new investment from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

“For nearly 20 years, our coalition has been the region’s leading advocate for First Amendment freedoms and open government. We educate New Englanders about the vital roles journalism and government transparency play across the nation,” NEFAC President Gregory V. Sullivan said. “With the help of Knight Foundation, we can now expand our litigation efforts and better serve democracy in the region.”

The need for a regional legal fund is growing. Journalists are encountering more obstacles in their pursuit of essential public-interest reporting. Accessing public records or court documents, protecting confidential sources and obtaining information from public officials are all growing more complex, time-consuming and expensive. In many cases, legal action becomes the only viable option. For local newsrooms and individual journalists, however, the costs are often prohibitive.

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The New England First Amendment Coalition will host its 15th annual investigative journalism institute from Oct. 24 to Oct. 26 at Boston University’s College of Communication.

Named after the late trail-blazing Boston Globe journalist, the Gloria L. Negri First Amendment Institute (formerly the New England First Amendment Institute) is an intensive training program on freedom of information law and investigative reporting techniques.

The Institute is offered each year tuition-free and exclusively to 25 working New England journalists. It is open to New England Reporters, Editors, and Producers. More than 350 journalists from 100 local news organizations have benefited from the program since it began in 2011.

The deadline to apply is August 29. Application materials can be obtained here.

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