The Indiana Publisher

lication's story about binge drinking by teenagers saved a life in the Mooresville com- munity. While H.B. 1016 allows students to learn how to write and report news, advisers and school administrators still have the ability to step in if the stu- dents cross a line with a story that is libelous, violates state or federal law, incites students to commit unlawful acts, would disrupt the operation of the school, or is profane. Hopefully, the House Education Committee, chaired by Rep. Bob Behning, R-Indianapolis, will approve H.B. 1016, as it did last ses- sion. At that time, Rep. Behning said, "[I] know that if we don't give students the voice and the ability to com- municate, they have the abil- ity to go on social media and all sorts of other avenues that could be much more inappro- priate. This way, we have the ability to have students who really are focused and, I think, will do an effective job." In a world where we are constantly bombarded with information, an understanding of how the First Amendment works and its role in a demo- cratic society is crucial. H.B. 1016 is a step forward in edu- cating today's youth in how to be responsible citizens. We urge students, parents and civic- minded Hoosiers to ask their state legislators to support this legislation. (Editor's note: This HSPA viewpoint is endorsed by Ryan Gunterman, executive direc- tor of the Indiana High School Press Association; and Adam Maksl, executive director of the Indiana Collegiate Press Association.) Page 5 January 2018 www.newspaperconsultants.com | 910-323-0349 | info@newspaperconsultants.com "Your team did everything you said you'd do (and more) when you were pitching us. That's rare for a vendor - we felt more like partners, and that's much appreciated." Scott Rosenburgh, Observer-Dispatch Boost your annual advertising revenue with a new or existing TV magazine! A unique partnership between the University of Indianapolis and the Indianapolis Star provided journalism students with valuable hands-on experience in the field– and the opportunity for a byline in Indiana's largest newspaper. Students in the Investigative Reporting course published a story in the Indy Star that shed light on how the City of Indianapolis Mayor's Action Center handles complaints. The months-long inves- tigation, published in December 2017, examined data from the Mayor's Action Center and found, for example, that poorer neighbor- hoods wait longer for pothole fixes. Jeanne Criswell, associate profes- sor and director of the Department of Communication's journalism program, taught the course, which brought together 14 students to work with the Indianapolis Star's Alvie Lindsay, news and investi- gations director, and Tim Evans, investigative reporter and consumer advocate. Criswell said the Indy Star journalists served as role mod- els, mentors and editors as students applied their skills in information gathering, verification and analysis and publication. "The Indianapolis Star part- nership and the expectations of its dedicated journalists gave the students an invaluable, project- based professional experience and inspired them to produce some insightful investigative reporting," Criswell said. Read the story at tinyurl.com/ StarUIndy. — UIndy360 South Bend Tribune, reporter selected for ProPublica's Local Reporting Network project News in brief IndyStar, UIndy students partner on coverage New Voices Continued from Page 4 The South Bend Tribune is one of seven news organizations across the country that were cho- sen for an investigative reporting network created by ProPublica, a nonprofit group dedicated to investigative journalism. ProPublica selected the Tribune and reporter Christian Sheckler for a yearlong program to focus exclusively on a local news topic. ProPublica, which is based in New York and recently opened an office in Chicago, will help sup- port and guide Sheckler's work and will jointly publish his stories. Sheckler was chosen from a pool of nearly 240 applications from radio stations, TV stations, newspa- pers and digital outlets nationwide. In announcing the creation of its Local Reporting Network earlier this year, ProPublica said it wanted to support investigative journalism in communities and "help create a path for crucial accountability journalism that wouldn't otherwise be done." ProPublica, funded primarily through dona- tions, was created 10 years ago to produce and pro- mote investigative journalism. Its journalists have published stories and collaborated with other news outlets on a wide range of topics, including criminal justice, health care and education, and have earned four Pulitzer Prizes in recent years. Sheckler joined the Tribune in 2013 to cover police and public safety stories. He previously worked at the News-Sentinel in Fort Wayne. "This is a great honor, and a great opportunity, for Christian and The Tribune," said the news- paper's executive editor, Alan Achkar. "We're excited about teaming with ProPublica and its first-rate journalists. And we're even more excited about the work this will help produce for our readers and our community." — South Bend Tribune Scheckler Tell us what you think. Have questions, comments or suggestions about the Indiana Publisher? We'd like to hear from you. Email news@hspa.com.

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