Missouri Press Association Constitution and Bylaws

 Article I Section 1. Name. The name of the Association shall be Missouri Press Association.

Article II Section 1. Location. Its location shall be in the City of Columbia, Boone County, and State of Missouri.

Article III Section 1. Duration. Its duration shall be perpetual.

Section 2. Status. It shall be a non-profit educational association to promote the welfare of the newspaper industry.

Article IV Section 1. Purpose. The Association is formed for the purpose of promoting and improving the profession of Journalism, and the development of the literature, history, science, information, skill and intellectual culture of the profession of Journalism and to make it more beneficial in every way to the people of the state.

Section 2. Powers. The Association shall have the power to plan, design, construct, install, repair, improve, buy or otherwise acquire, own, hold, use, operate, sell, lease or otherwise dispose of such building or buildings, or other property as the Association may require in its operation.

Section 3. Borrowing. The Association, by authorization of its Board of Directors, may borrow money.

Article V Section 1. Classes of Membership and Designations. There shall be four classes of membership in the Association: 1. Active,  2. Affiliate, 3. Executive, and 4. Specialty Publication.  Each member agrees to accept and abide by the Constitution and By-Laws of the Missouri Press Association by their acceptance thereof.

Section 1. (a). Active (includes both print and digital). The news organization must be registered with the Missouri Secretary of State’s office, unless acting as a sole proprietor or general partnership.  The names of the owner or owners must be publicly disclosed.

To be eligible for MPA membership, the news organization either must publish a printed edition at least weekly, or publish at least three locally produced articles weekly on its website or platform. The news organization must abide by the stated purpose of MPA: promoting and improving the profession of Journalism, and the development of the literature, history, science, information, skill and intellectual culture of the profession of Journalism and to make it more beneficial in every way to the people of the state. The news organization also must adhere to the quality, system and purpose of a newspaper.

A publication shall be published for at least one year, regularly and consecutively, prior to application for membership. It shall be published at least weekly.

News organizations applying for MPA membership will receive a provisional membership upon approval by the MPA board. The MPA board will vote on whether to affirm formal membership at the next regular board meeting. Any MPA member with a concern or grievance against a provisional member should notify the MPA office.

Print 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.

Digital dues structure:  $550 annually.

Section 1. (b). Affiliate. Includes honorary members and individuals. Honorary members, such as past MPA presidents, will not be charged membership dues. Individual members, such as an employee of a newspaper or writer, or any person serving in an information capacity with any unit of government or business and instructors in journalism will be charged $50 annually for dues.

Section 1. (c). Executive. Businesses or other corporate members supporting Missouri Press Association’s mission. Dues are $300 annually.

Section 1. (d). Specialty Publication. Includes those publications, such as magazines, which do not fit into the Active category. Dues are $300 annually.

Section 2. 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.

Section 3. Voting Rights. Members defined above as Active shall be entitled to one (1) vote in the affairs of the Association.

Section 4.  Benefits of Membership:  Every Member defined above as Active and Specialty Publication 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. 

 Section 5.  Other Requirements:  Every Member defined above as Active 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 3^rd party, as designated by MPA, to upload their notices.  This fee will be established and approved by the MPA board.

Section 6. Membership, Suspension and Termination. Any member may be suspended or expelled for unbecoming professional conduct by an affirmative two-thirds vote of all members present at the official or special meeting, provided that the member to be so voted upon is given reasonable notice and opportunity to be heard by the membership prior to the addition thereon. Members delinquent for 90 days in payment of dues shall be suspended, provided that members thus suspended can be reinstated within a period of one year upon payment of all indebtedness owed if so ordered by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors, in its discretion, may arrange for dues to be paid by installment or may waive such indebtedness.

 Article VI Section 1. Officers. To be an officer of the Missouri Press Association Board, the individual must be employed and actively working for a member organization.  The officers of this Association shall be President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Executive Director, Past President, National Newspaper Association Representative and six Directors. These officers and directors shall, with the exception of the Executive Director, constitute the Board of Directors. Officers shall take office January 1, following election. The Secretary shall record the minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors.

Section 2. Elections. The Second Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and National Newspaper Association Representative shall be elected at the annual meeting and shall hold office for a term of one year or until their successors are chosen. Upon completion of a term as Second Vice President, the member serving in that capacity shall assume the office of First Vice President for a term of one year or until his or her successor is chosen. Upon completion of a term as First Vice President, the member serving in that capacity shall assume the office of President for a term of one year or until his or her successor is chosen.

Section 3. Past President as Officer. The retiring President shall, at the expiration of his or her term, assume the office of Past President for a term of one year or until his or her successor is chosen.

Section 4. Duties. The Board of Directors shall be authorized to define the duties of the officers, to designate a custodian of funds and to establish an Executive Committee and define its duties.

Section 5. Executive Director. The Board of Directors shall have the power to employ an Executive Director, who shall operate the affairs of the Association, and authorize him or her to employ associate or assistant managers and such stenographic, clerical, administrative and other help as may be necessary for the efficient operation of the Association. The Executive Director shall supervise the financial records of the Association in the manner determined by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors has full authority to regulate the duties of the Executive Director, and to set his or her salary or other compensation including retirement benefits and his or her term of office.

Section 6. Directors. To be a director of the Missouri Press Association Board, the individual must be employed and actively working for a member organization.  There shall be eight Directors of this Association, and each shall serve a term of three years or until his or her successor is chosen. Directors shall take office January 1, following election. Director's terms shall be staggered so that no more than three seats shall be open for election each year.

Article VII Section 1. Official Meetings. The Association shall hold an official meeting annually in the fall of each year at such time and place as the Board of Directors may select. Notice of any official meeting shall be provided at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting. Notice of any special meeting shall be provided at least (3) days prior to the meeting. Notice shall be delivered either by electronic mail to the official email address on file with the Missouri Press Association or by telephone to the number listed in the Association’s records. Such notice shall be deemed delivered when transmitted by email or when a telephone call is made to the listed number. Attendance at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where a member or director attends solely to object that the meeting was not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting need be specified in the notice or waiver of notice. Special meetings may be called by the President or by the majority of the Board of Directors after (3) days’ notice in writing to all active members of the association. The active members present at any official or special meeting shall constitute a quorum.

Article VIII Section 1. Amendments to Articles of Agreement. These Articles of Agreement may be amended at any annual official meeting of the Association by an affirmative two-thirds vote of all active members present. And, further, these Articles of Agreement may be amended at any special meeting of the Association by an affirmative two-thirds vote of all active members present, provided that twenty-one days' notice in writing of any proposed amendment is given to all active members of the association.

Article IX Section 1. Disposition of Assets on Dissolution. In the event this Association is dissolved and no longer exists, then all of its remaining assets and property shall be given to the Missouri Press Foundation or to the University of Missouri School of Journalism.

BY-LAWS 

1. No member shall be eligible to serve as an officer or director of the Missouri Press Association if he or she is a candidate for, or serving in, any state or federal elective office, or is actively engaged in directing a campaign for candidate(s) for such elective office(s). If during his or her tenure of office in the Missouri Press Association, an officer or director becomes ineligible to hold office, he or she shall resign or be removed by an affirmative two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall have the power to name a successor who shall complete the unexpired term or serve until a successor shall be elected.

2. Roberts Rules of Order shall be the authority in all official, special or business meetings of the Association.

3. At the annual meeting a Representative to the National Newspaper Association shall be elected for a one-year term or until his or her successor has been elected. The Representative shall be a member of the Board of Directors. Duties of the Representative shall be to serve as liaison between the Missouri Press Association and the National Newspaper Association and to encourage membership in the national organization. The Representative may not serve more than three terms in succession.

4. If resolutions are presented in advance of the annual business session, the President may, at his or her discretion, appoint a Committee on Resolutions. If no committee is named, resolutions may be presented from the floor during the business session.

5. An independent audit of the Association's financial affairs shall be performed annually. Copies of the annual audit of the Association and copies of the current financial statement to date shall be available for examination by members at the registration desk during the annual official meeting. These documents are to be available and open at all times to members in the Central Office of the Association.

6. All applications for membership shall be made in writing to the Board of Directors, which Board may grant membership in compliance with Article V of the Constitution.

7. Thirty days in advance of the annual official meeting a Nominating Committee composed of at least five Past Presidents active in the newspaper publishing business shall be appointed by the President. The Nominating Committee will nominate candidates for officers and directors of the Association and report nominations at the annual meeting for election. Officers and directors of the Association also may be nominated from the floor.

8. These By-Laws may be rescinded, suspended, or amended by an affirmative two-thirds vote of the members present at any official meeting.

9. For good cause, a member of the Board of Directors may be removed from office by an affirmative two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors, or an affirmative two-thirds vote of the membership at any official meeting. Following such vote, the Board of Directors shall have the power to name a successor who shall complete the unexpired term or serve until a successor shall be elected.

The above is certified to be a true and correct copy of the Constitution and By-Laws of the Missouri Press Association, last amended September 25, 2026. Chad Stebbins