Voting Media Categories & Criteria
Review All Membership Classes Criteria Categories Membership Application
Associate Media Member Criteria
One published/broadcasted credit in any category listed below. Payment for credit is required.
Associate Industry Professional criteria
Associate Industry Professional is a classification for individuals who work in the traditional outdoor sports industry and want to support the efforts of POMA through membership. This individual membership does not allow promotion of the individual’s business within the POMA structure. All companies wishing to promote within POMA must become Corporate Partners.
Voting Media Member Criteria
Voting media membership requires a minimum of 24 points (paid credits) within the past 12 months in any one, or a combination, of the categories below. The only exception is Category M.
A. Freelance Editorial or Non-Salaried Masthead Content: 24 published articles (500 word minimum, one point each) or 48 published fillers (100 word minimum, 1/2 point each) over a 12-month period. Must be published in a print publication with a paid circulation and/or distributed on newsstands or other outlets.
B. Newspaper Freelance, Staff Writer: 48 published columns or features (1/2 point each) over a 12-month period in a mainstream newspaper with paid circulation and/or distributed on newsstands or other outlets. Syndicated columns or features count as only as 1/2 point.
C. Book Author/Editor: One book (75-page minimum, 24 points) over a 12-month period. Books with fewer than 75 pages or with co-authors count as 12 points. For books done under contract, the payment of the entire advance is necessary to qualify it. A self-published book must be printed either on paper or electronic media (CD, DVD, Kindle, Nook, etc.) and available for sale before it can qualify.
D. Still Photographer: 48 paid images published in any medium (1/2 point each) over a 12-month period. Must be published in a print publication with a paid circulation and/or distributed on newsstands or on the Internet; or published in other paid media including, but not limited to, brochures, calendars, greeting cards and posters. Each photo purchased and published as an article/photo package or sold as a separate illustration qualifies as 1/2 point each. Photos published on an applicant’s personal website are excluded.
E. Videographer: Produce, host or script two feature videos (45-minute minimum, 12 points each) over a 12-month period. Shorter videos count as 6 points.
F. Radio/Podcast: Produce, host or script 48 broadcasts (1/2 point each) over a 12-month period. Shows must have aired before receiving credit.
G. Television: Produce, edit, script, photograph or host 12 shows of original programming (30-minute minimum, 2 points per show) over a 12-month period. Shows must have aired before receiving credit. Shorter shows receive 1 point each.
H. Public Lecturer: 24 paid lectures, seminars or presentations on some aspect of hunting, fishing, shooting or trapping or outdoor communications at trade or outdoor-oriented shows or at educational institutions (1 point each) over a 12-month period.
I. Internet Content Providers & Bloggers:
a. Freelance Internet Content Providers & Bloggers: 24 paid features (500-word minimum, 1 point each) or 36 paid short features (300-499 word posts, 2/3 point each) over a 12-month period. Features on an applicant’s personal website, which is used to promote the member’s media/communications business, do not qualify. Content on personal business sites that communicate accepted editorial-style text/images/video about/related to the traditional outdoor sports does qualify, if it meets compensation standards. This is a Voting Media membership.
b. Non-Monetized Individual Bloggers: Individuals who produce 24 paid features (500-word minimum, 1 point each) or 36 (300-499 word posts, 2/3 point each), as a hobby (not paid). Features on an applicant’s personal website, which is used to promote the member’s media/communications business, do not qualify. Content on personal business sites that communicate accepted editorial-style text/images/video about/related to the traditional outdoor sports does qualify, if it meets compensation standards. This is an Associate (Blogger) Membership, which allows non-monetized bloggers to:
i. Become Associate Blogger Members, for no more than two years
ii. Participate in four required webinars annually, focused on how to monetize editorial/blog communications
iii. Change status to an Individual Voting Media Membership when blogger meets monetization requirements for Voting Media Member status.
c. Corporate Partner Bloggers (Non-Monetized): Individuals who work with/for a current POMA Corporate Partner Media Outlet Member and produce 24 features (500-word minimum, 1 point each) or 36 (300-499 word posts, 2/3 point each), as a hobby (not paid). All qualifying blog posts must appear on the designated POMA Corporate Partner Media Outlet’s website. This is an Associate (Blogger) Corporate Partner Membership, which allows non-monetized bloggers to:
i. Become Associate Corporate Partner Blogger Members, for no more than two years
ii. Participate in four required webinars annually, focused on how to monetize editorial/blog communications
iii. Change status to an Individual Voting Media Membership when blogger meets monetization requirements for Voting Media Member status.
J. Illustrator/Cartoonist/Artist: 12 published works over a 12-month period. Unpublished art forms selling as prints qualify as long as they meet the standard of “produced in the previous 12 month period” (2 points each).
K. Print/Electronic Editor or Production Staff: Either a full-time or part-time salaried employee who is involved in the purchase and editing of material from others for print or electronic publications/editorial projects or those involved in the research and/or production of such publications/editorial/art projects. The Membership Screening Committee might require verification from an employer. Masthead editors who receive compensation as freelance contributors must apply under the Freelance category (24 points).
L. Poetry: 12 paid published poems (2 points each) over a 12-month period. May be published in any media, including magazines, newspapers, books or other periodicals.
M. Social Media Influencer: A professional social influencer who provides the following:
- Digital content and brand representation services
- Distribution of content primarily through social channels
- Provides purchase guidance to consumers and followers through produced content
Requirements for Associate member (must meet at least three of the four requirements listed below)
Requirements for Voting member (must meet all four requirements listed below)
- Receives payment for digital media services such as writing, photos, videos, appearances
- Has previously been paid in product for produced content
- Promotes other companies and products through their content
- Produces informational and educational editorial-style text/images/video about/related to outdoor sports.
N. Corporate Partner, Media Staff: A non-voting media membership open to full-time staff members of existing Corporate Partners. These staff members must develop editorial content for direct consumption by the public. This classification does not include public relations or corporate communications personnel. They are listed under the CP’s business listing. CP Media Staff members join through the CP’s primary membership but are listed in the media directory. They are identified as Corporate Partner Media Staff Members.
Applicants for any membership class in the Professional Outdoor Media Association must complete and sign an official application form. Although the submission of claimed published credits in the form of tear sheets are not required, the Membership Screening Committee/Board of Directors reserves the right to ask for tear sheets or other written or verbal verification of an applicant’s qualifications for POMA membership.
The appropriate dues for the specific membership class must be submitted along with the application. Once an application is received, it is processed as outlined in the POMA Bylaws. Membership is activated within 2 business days, upon receipt of payment of dues.