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Helium Announces Unprecedented Partnership with Society of Professional Journalists
Nation’s Premier Journalism Organization Opens Membership to 6,000 of Helium’s Best Writers
ANDOVER, MA – April 27, 2009 – Helium.com, the world’s largest writing community, today announced a partnership with the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), the nation’s most broad-based journalism organization. As part of the alliance, SPJ is inviting 6,000 of Helium’s best writers to join the ranks of its professional journalists. Simultaneously, SPJ is encouraging its entire membership, which includes nearly 10,000 journalists, to leverage Helium as a platform to build their digital writing credentials and showcase their work in front of thousands of publishers online.
“SPJ has always been committed to inspiring and educating current and future journalists through professional development,” said Dave Aeikens, President of the Society of Professional Journalists. “Partnering with Helium allows us to continue this commitment by providing a vital stepping stone for our members to establish and build their digital credibility, while also opening our doors and embracing those who wish to become better citizen journalists.”
One of the oldest organizations representing journalists in the United States, SPJ’s mission is to promote and defend the First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and freedom of the press; encourage high standards and ethical behavior in the practice of journalism; and promote and support diversity in journalism.
“This partnership signifies a considerable elevation in the stature, awareness and quality of citizen journalism as it is perceived within the traditional journalism world,” said Mark Ranalli, CEO of Helium, Inc. “We are excited to work with such a prestigious journalistic organization and we look forward to continued growth and success as the world’s largest writing community.”
SPJ members who join Helium will have immediate access to a vast array of digital writing resources, such as to Helium’s Marketplace Premier Title Program, which is reserved for publishers seeking articles from Helium’s most accomplished writers.
Additionally, SPJ members will have access to Helium Zones, a revolutionary new micropublishing platform combining the best of multiple social media applications.
About the Society of Professional Journalists
The Society of Professional Journalists is the nation’s most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior. Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry through the daily work of its nearly 10,000 members; works to inspire and educate current and future journalists through professional development; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press through its advocacy efforts. For more information please visit www.spj.org.
About Helium
Helium is the world’s largest community of writers. Since its inception in 2006, Helium’s writers have published over 1.25 million articles on 125,000 unique topics. Each month more than 3 million people visit Helium.com to read articles on a range of subjects from careers to home & garden, parenting, politics and more. Helium writers earn money and establish digital credibility by publishing articles on Helium, securing writing assignments with publishers through Helium’s freelance Marketplace, competing in writing contests, and engaging in civilized debate around the issues and causes that are most important to them. Helium is a privately held, privately funded company headquartered in Andover, MA. For more information please visit www.Helium.com.
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