APME honors Michael Roberts with President’s Award
Oct 30, 2013, 10:23 PM
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Veteran journalist Michael Roberts received an Associated Press Media Editors President’s Award on Wednesday for his work guiding APME’s signature program, NewsTrain.
From its inception in 2003, Roberts has been a part of the low-cost, national traveling journalism workshop. He started as a featured speaker, became a crowd favorite and remained a staple of the program. He took over as its director in 2011.
“We are indebted to Michael for his service and dedication to NewsTrain,” said Brad Dennison, APME president and vice president of publishing for GateHouse Media Inc. “He’s passionate about the program and protective of its quality, and we’re fortunate to have him. It’s time to say `thank you’ in a public way.”
The President’s Award is given at the discretion of the organization’s president, and this recognition comes as NewsTrain celebrates its 10th anniversary. Roberts received the award at the 80th APME conference, held this week in Indianapolis.
Roberts is overseeing four NewsTrain workshops in 2013, in Springfield, Ill.; New York; Colorado Springs and Seattle. Sponsors of NewsTrain 2013 include The Associated Press, the APME Foundation, the Ethics & Excellence in Journalism Foundation, the Gannett Foundation, the Scripps Howard Foundation, GateHouse Media, Medicare News Group, Athlon Sports and The World Co.
In addition to his work with NewsTrain, Roberts is a newsroom trainer and consultant who works with news organizations in the United States and Canada. He was deputy managing editor of staff development at The Arizona Republic from 2003 to 2010, where he was responsible for all newsroom training, served as writing coach and edited major projects.
Previously, Roberts designed and taught the American Press Institute’s first online seminar for copy editors. He has also presented programs for the Poynter Institute, American Press Institute, the Maynard Institute, Freedom Forum and various National Writers Workshops.
Before joining the Republic, Roberts was for 10 years a training editor and writing coach at The Cincinnati Enquirer. He has also held writing and editing positions at the Midland (Mich.) Daily News and the Detroit Free Press, and worked as an editor at two magazines. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds a master’s degree in training and human resource development from Xavier University in Cincinnati.
The APME is an association of top newspaper, digital and broadcast editors, as well as journalism educators and students in the United States and Canada. APME works closely with the AP to foster journalism excellence and to support a national network for the training and development of editors who will run multimedia newsrooms in the 21st century.
APME is on the front line in setting ethical and journalistic standards for newspapers and in the battle for freedom of information and the First Amendment.
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