Why Join SPJ?
After years of dormancy, the St. Louis chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists is revitalizing itself. We invite you to join us at we rebuild and strengthen our journalism community and improve our profession.
There are many good reasons journalists of all stripes join the organization. Nearly 10,000 people are members of the SPJ, making it the largest professional organization in the country. With so many members, networking opportunities are ample, as are chances to learn and grow as a professional.
This year marks the 75th Anniversary of our chapter’s founding in St. Louis . We need all the support we can get as a volunteer organization to foster that legacy and SPJ’s missions. So join one of our committees, volunteer to lead one or ask one of our board members how to be invited to join the board of directors.
To foster a spirit of community and promote networking and advancing our profession, the local chapter hosts gatherings throughout the year, including monthly luncheons and happy hours, not to mention regional conferences and workshops.
When you are a member of SPJ, someone has your back. In two incidents this summer, journalists were arrested while covering stories. SPJ wrote letters to law enforcement on the journalists’ behalf and maintains a Legal Defense Fund to support journalists in First Amendment and FOI cases.
As a member you have resources such as job boards, training opportunities, Freedom of Information Tool Kits, and the Rainbow Sourcebook Guide to Finding Diverse Sources and Open Doors, a guide to using public records. You’ll also get a subscription to Quills magazine and e-mail newsletters.
If you are already an SPJ member, we encourage you to join us as we grow and encourage associates and coworkers to join and get involved. On the other hand, your membership in SPJ may have lapsed over the period of inactivity, or you may be new to the group. We urge you to reactivate your membership or join SPJ. Dues are just $72 per year for professional members, with discounts for multiple year memberships. Retirees, students, and SPJ family members qualify for special rates. Some media organizations provide funds to staff members who join professional organizations, so check with your boss. Freelancers may be able to deduct the fee from taxes as a self-employment business expense.
Local dues are $15 per year payable through the SPJ web site, or by mailing a check made out to St. Louis SPJ to our treasurer, Jeff Tomich, at 900 North Tucker Blvd. , St. Louis , MO 63101.