BSU offering free content to Indiana papers via InfoNet

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Initiative is a win-win for state’s editors, students

The Hoosier State Press Association and Ball State Student Media are teaming up to help HSPA members provide more content for their audiences, while giving student journalists an opportunity to earn professional bylines.


Multimedia content, including photos, graphics and videos from Ball State’s College of Communication, Information and Media students will be made available to HSPA member papers via our InfoNet site, which currently distributes other content options to participating newspapers across the state.

“Our hope is that these stories can give publishers and editors a helping hand.”

Steve Key, HSPA executive director and general counsel

The primarily evergreen pieces, distributed under the Cardinal News Service banner, aim to fill the gaps for publishers and editors in communities challenged by a changing media marketplace. Simple issues like staff vacations can create real headaches for publishers in some areas, and the HSPA partnership with Ball State Student Media can help alleviate some of the pressure felt by professional journalists.


Steve Key, executive director and general counsel of the Hoosier State Press Association, said that at its heart, the partnership helps the organization fulfill its mission of serving Indiana’s newspapers.


“A free press benefits everyone and helps preserve our democracy, but we understand the marketplace, and we know it is challenging for some news outlets to continue to provide the kind of service their audiences rely on,” Key said. “Our hope is that these stories can give publishers and editors a helping hand.”


“This is a fantastic opportunity for our students,” said Lisa Renze-Rhodes, student publications adviser at Ball State.

“By taking advantage of the content sharing, editors who are or who will be looking for staff members get a trial run of sorts with these young people. And the journalists themselves get an opportunity to build a more robust portfolio. It’s a great win-win,” Renze-Rhodes said.


Editors who use the student-written content are asked to give them a byline that credits the Cardinal News Service, similar to how you would bylined work of other entities, such as AP or Reuters.


The service will be live and available for members starting Monday, Oct. 26, at https://hspainfo.net.