Why APSE?

Worse is relative. I think think of a lot worse than "dick." YMMV.

 

Just don't tell him to die in a fire, right?

 

Just saying, in the right context, 'dick' could be a significant compliment.

I would think 'dickless' would be the insult you'd like to avoid.

 

As has been noted, APSE goes out of its way to get people from smaller papers involved and in leadership roles. A few years ago I was asked if I wanted to be nominated for a vice president spot while I was the SE of a paper with a four-digit circulation. I regretfully declined because my company was switching to a regional copy desk and I didn't know what my job as going to be in two months, but I was anything but a "big player."

Also, you don't have to be an editor to join and you don't even have to be a member to attend some of the events.

It's far from a perfect organization, but you can get a lot out of it

 

I used to get a kick out of APSE pontificating about ethics when AP has been known to steal stories from papers (beyond the normal "pick up"). I knew a suburban guy who had the exclusive on a major contract signing. The AP guy stole it, then claimed he had been working it, too. Yeah, surrre.

Another AP trick was to send a staffer to a no-hitter in the eighth inning so the story could have a (fraudulent) staff byline. I once saw a frazzled AP staffer trying to get up to speed on a no-hitter in progress from the stringer who had actually been covering the game.

But, damn it, don't take the 49-cent made-in-China cap they pass out on Cap Day.

 

Looking at it from the outside, I do give APSE credit for seminars specifically for the industry. I know SND would do an occasional Quick Course for sports designers, but the state association certainly doesn't. The state sportswriters association has been great with credential issues and dealing with the CIF.

But I consider APSE membership from time to time, and I quickly dismiss it. We're an under-10K shop and, in skimming the site, am not sure there's much we can benefit from ... aside from hanging with Moddy and a few others at a convention, of course. And I don't see much -- if anything -- happening on the West Coast.

Moddy, the floor is yours.

 

The convention was in Salt Lake two years ago.

 

Last time I was a member, dues were only $90 for small papers. My company would pay more than that to send people to seminars hosted by the Virginia Press Association, I told the managing editor we'd get more out of joining APSE, having our section critiqued by other members and going to the regional conference, which I caught a ride to with the SE from one of the bigger papers in the chain.

APSE paid for me to go judge the contest one year, which it will do once for people from small papers, and I learned 50 times more than I ever did at one of the VPA borefests.

The directory itself is almost worth the dues.

 

Moddy unleashes fire!

 

The namesake of Dick's Sporting Goods wonders what the fuss is about.