Become a MPA Member

To apply for membership, please complete the appropriate application, along with three copies of your newspaper, if applicable. Also, a letter from a sponsoring MPA publisher is required if your newspaper is applying for Active, Active Online or as a newspaper applying for a Friend of Missouri Press Membership. A check for dues is also required.  The MPA Board of Directors will act on applications at its earliest opportunity.  Active Membership dues are based on the formula listed below.

Dues are collected for the calendar year, new members can pay for half a year if applying in June or after.

MPA has seven classes of membership

Active Membership Application – Requirements for Active Print Membership shall be as follows: 1. A publication cannot contain more than 75 percent advertising in more than 50 percent of its issues during any 12-month period. The term “advertising” includes display, classified and all other forms of advertisements. The term also includes any editorial or other reading matter for the publication of which money or other valuable consideration is paid, accepted or promised. 2. When a newspaper or periodical advertises its own services or issues, or any other business of the publisher, in the form of either display advertisement, or editorial or reading matter, this is considered advertising. 3. News, pictures, features, editorials and other matters of general interest shall be considered non-advertising (news content) so long as no compensation is received for publication. Percentages shall be determined on the basis of the number of columns and inches published in each edition. 4. A publication must be published and printed in an accepted newspaper format, standard or tabloid. 5. A publication must have a known office of publication, open to the public, where the business or publication is transacted during the usual business hours with a local telephone listing. 6. A publication shall be published for at least three years, regularly and consecutively, prior to application for membership. It shall be published at least weekly. It shall bear a fixed title or name, date lines and numbered volume sequence. 7. Each request for Active Membership shall be submitted to and must be approved by the Board of Directors of the Association. Notice of such application for membership shall be published in the Association’s publications, i.e., Bulletin, and / or Missouri Press News three (3) times, with the first publication being at least 45 days before a Board meeting at which the application will be acted upon. An applicant denied membership may reapply after a lapse of 12 months. Application must be accompanied by three samples of the publication, and a check for the first year’s dues. Dues shall be prorated at 50 percent for applications made after July 1. In addition, newspaper applicant must submit a letter of sponsorship from one (or more) MPA active newspaper member publisher(s).

Active Dues structure:
2% of advertising revenue placed by Missouri Press Service in your newspaper from November to October the year prior.
(calculated at zero for new members) PLUS the net to paper cost of a full-page ad in your newspaper. A cap of $1,500 for non-weeklies (newspapers publishing 3 or more times a week) and a cap of $750 for weeklies.

Associate Membership Application – Any former publisher of a newspaper which held active membership in the Association, any employee of a newspaper or writer thereof, any person serving in an information capacity with any unit of government or business and any instructor in journalism is eligible to Associate Membership.

Friend of Missouri Press Application – Two Possible Descriptions: 1. Any person serving in an information capacity, public relations, advertising, any salesperson selling newspaper supplies or any person in an allied field is eligible to be a Friend of the Missouri Press.  2. Publications / Online Websites / News Organizations that hope to be approved for Active membership status after three years may apply for a “Friend of Missouri Press Membership.”  Each request shall be submitted to and must be approved by the Board of Directors of the Association. Notice of such application for membership shall be published in the Association’s publications, i.e., Bulletin, and / or Missouri Press News Bulletin three (3) times, with the first publication being at least 45 days before a Board meeting at which the application will be acted upon. .  Application must be accompanied by a check for the first year’s dues. Dues shall be prorated at 50 percent for applications made after July 1. In addition, the applicant must submit a letter of sponsorship from one (or more) MPA active publisher(s).  An applicant denied membership may reapply after a lapse of 12 months.

Honorary Membership – Honorary Life membership is automatically conferred on any Past President of the Association. Honorary memberships may be granted to any other person deemed suitable by a majority vote of the Board of Directors or a majority vote of the membership. No application needed, please contact MPA if you would like to receive any mailings or emails.

Active Online Newspaper – Requirements for Active Online Membership shall be as follows: 1. An online newspaper must publish for three years, regularly and consecutively, prior to application for Active Online Membership. 2. The Active Online Newspaper must be published using recognized standards of professional journalism. Its content must be revised on a regular basis, not less than once per week. It shall bear a fixed title or name and date lines. 3. The Active Online Newspaper must be principally devoted to the dissemination of original local or general news and other editorial content (not less than 25 percent of overall content). It must be available to the general public via the World Wide Web. 4. The Active Online Newspaper must not serve primarily as a platform to promote the interest and/or opinions of a special interest group, individual or cause. 5. The Active Online Newspaper must have a known Missouri-based office of publication, open to the public, where the business or publication is transacted during usual business hours with a local telephone listing. 6. All other definitions of a “newspaper” as determined by the MPA Bylaws and the Board of Directors of the Association shall apply to Active Online Membership. 7. Online Newspapers of MPA Active Newspaper members shall be designated Active Online Newspapers, effective September 7, 2007. 8. Each request for Active Online Membership shall be submitted to and must be approved by the Board of Directors of the Association. Notice of such application for membership shall be published in the Association’s publications, i.e. Bulletin, and / or Missouri Press News Bulletin three (3) times, with the first publication being at least 45 days before a Board meeting at which the application will be acted upon. An applicant denied membership may reapply after a lapse of 12 months. Application must be accompanied by a copy of the Online Newspaper’s web address and a check for the first year’s dues. Dues shall be prorated at 50 percent for applications made after July 1. In addition, the applicant must submit a letter of sponsorship from one (or more) MPA active publisher(s). 9. Only members of the working press associated with Active Member print or online newspapers may be issued official MPA press credentials. All applications for MP A press credentials must be received in writing from the publisher or editor. An applicant denied membership may reapply after a lapse of 12 months.

Specialty Publication Membership Application – Otherwise defined as:  Bi-Weekly / Monthly / Quarterly / Specialty Publication / Magazine Membership.  Requirements for Specialty Publication Membership shall be as follows: 1. Each request for membership shall be submitted to and must be approved by the Board of Directors of the Association.  2. The publication shall contain an average of at least 25 percent news content in it issues during any 12-month period; 3. The publication must be distributed in Missouri;  4.  The publication shall be published for at least three years, regularly and consecutively, prior to application for membership; the publication must be printed a minimum of 4 times annually.  5. Notice of such application for membership shall be published in the Association’s publications, i.e., Bulletin, and / or Missouri Press News three (3) times, with the first publication being at least 45 days before a Board meeting at which the application will be acted upon. 6. Applicant must submit 3 consecutive issues with the application.  Dues shall be prorated at 50 percent for applications made after July 1.  An applicant denied membership may reapply after a lapse of 12 months.

News Organization Membership Application – 1. An independent news gathering organization is defined as an entity dedicated to sharing their news to member newspapers free or for a fee. Requirements for News Organization Membership shall be as follows:  1. A news organization must publish for three years, regularly and consecutively, prior to application for News Organization Membership.  2. The News Organization content must be published using recognized standards of professional journalism. Its content must be revised on a regular basis, not less than once per week. It shall bear a fixed title or name and date lines.  3. The News Organization content must not serve primarily as a platform to promote the interest and/or opinions of a special interest group, individual or cause.  4. Each request for News Organization Membership shall be submitted to and must be approved by the Board of Directors of the Association. Notice of such application for membership shall be published in the Association’s publications, i.e. Bulletin, and / or Missouri Press News three (3) times, with the first publication being at least 45 days before a Board meeting at which the application will be acted upon. An applicant denied membership may reapply after a lapse of 12 months.  Application must be accompanied by a copy of the News Organization’s web address and a check for the first year’s dues. Dues shall be prorated at 50 percent for applications made after July 1. In addition, the applicant must submit a letter of sponsorship from one (or more) MPA active publisher(s).  5. Only members of the working press associated with the News Organization may be issued official MPA press credentials. All applications for MPA press credentials must be received in writing from the  CEO or Editor.


Fees and Dues

The annual dues to the Association for all classes of membership shall be set by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall be entitled to determine the date for the annual payment of dues and to provide for special dues assessment. Special registration fees for special events and conventions conducted by the Association shall also be determined by the Board of Directors.

Voting Rights

Members defined above as Active Print shall be entitled to one (1) vote in the affairs of the Association.

Benefits of Membership

Every Member defined above as Active Print, Active Online, Active  Specialty Publication, Active News Organization shall be entitled to: 1. Full legislative representation. 2.  Legal advice from Hotline Attorney.  3. Receive Weekly Bulletin and Monthly MPA Magazine.  4. Listing in the Newspaper Directory (Online and in print.)  5. Discounts to attend annual convention, meetings, and training.  6. Central office consultation and services. 7. Advertising representation.  8. Eligibility to compete in MPA News and Advertising contests.  9. Various other member services.  Friend of Missouri Press Members that qualify as Publications / Online Websites / News Organizations that hope to be approved for Active membership status may also receive the benefits stated above.

Other Requirements

Every Member defined above as Active Print or Active Specialty Publication  shall be required to send digital copies (PDFs) of every issue of your publication to MPA or MPA’s designee for archiving (i.e., State Historical Society) and for Advertising billing (tear sheets.)  MPA encourages all newspapers to upload public notices to mopublicnotices.com.  Newspapers not uploading agree to pay a per notice fee for a 3rd party, as designated by MPA, to upload their notices.  This fee will be established and approved by the MPA board.

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