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| Contest and News Archives | |||||||||
| MULTIMEDIA TRAINING SEMINARS MAY, JUNE, JULY 2008 | |||||||||
Knight Digital Media Center - University of California‚ Berkeley‚ Graduate School of Journalism Application Deadline for all three seminars: April 11‚ 2008 The Knight Digital Center Multimedia Training Program is accepting applications for 20 fellowships per workshop for journalists to attend these seminars that combine practical instruction in multimedia reporting with in-depth exploration of issues in online publishing. Participants will receive six days of intense hands-on instruction on how to do multimedia stories for the Web‚ including:
Fellows create multimedia projects as part of the seminar. In addition‚ there are evening and noontime presentations by online publishing experts on the most pressing issues in digital media. WHO SHOULD APPLY: Professional print and broadcast journalists seeking multimedia skills. Fellowships include lodging‚ meals and instruction. Cost of travel to the workshop must be paid by the applicant’s news organization. HOW TO APPLY: An application form and instructions are available online. We are accepting concurrent applications for the May‚ June and July 2008 workshops. Applicants may apply to any or all of the workshops. Because we receive far more applications than we can accommodate‚ applicants are encouraged to apply for multiple workshops to increase their chances of being accepted into one of them. APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY APRIL 11‚ 2008 If you have any questions‚ please contact Lanita Pace-Hinton‚ director of multimedia training‚ at pacel@berkeley.edu or (510) 643-7429. The Knight Digital Media Center is a collaboration of USC Annenberg School for Communication and the University of California‚ Berkeley‚ Graduate School of Journalism‚ funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Additional funding for the multimedia training seminars is provided by the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation. For more information on the Knight Digital Media Center and other programs we offer‚ please visit our main Web site. |
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| MEDIA TELLS PRSA/NJ OF CHECKS AND BALANCES AFFECTING THEIR NEWS COVERAGE | |||||||||
Balancing the public’s “right to know” with the possibility that news coverage could hurt or ruin a subject is a decision many reporters face. Although they have different methods of weighing the pros and cons of coverage‚ many reporters say being careful about what details they expose is an important component of their coverage. The New Jersey Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America‚ in conjunction with the New Jersey Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists‚ presented a November 16‚ 2007‚ event‚ “Meet the Media Lunch Panel: How We Cover Controversial Stories‚” at the PSE&G headquarters in Newark. Media members participating on the panel included:
Bloomberg’s Servetah‚ and several other panelists‚ said their news outlets’ attorneys will often vet controversial pieces to check for possible instances of libel or slander. This gives their reporters an extra level of confidence that they are providing the news in an appropriate manner. Kane added that he will personally write the “teases” for his News 12 New Jersey investigative reports‚ as part of his checks-and-balances process‚ rather than run the risk that a colleague who quickly viewed the piece will misinterpret the story and create an incorrect impression of the piece. Reid of Dow Jones has his reporters approach stories that might damage “good” people from the standpoint of whether the public has the right to know. Some details about a story subject may not need to be reported if they have little bearing on the topic‚ he noted. Doyle of WBGO agreed‚ noting that he’ll weigh the coverage of a story that might negatively impact an individual or organization on the basis of whether the coverage will serve the public good. AP’s Rassmann echoed those comments by saying his reporters are frequently determining if story leads and details would serve the public interest or if they are merely sensational. At DiversityInc‚ Frankel and her staff often cover discrimination issues‚ and those topics warrant careful examination of whether pieces are presenting both sides of the story. Jones of the New York Times uses a simple strategy when determining if his articles have the proper amount of viewpoints from both sides. He will look at the piece as if his name was in the place of an accused subject’s name and see if he felt “his” side of the story was told properly. On the subject about whether to use anonymous sources‚ My9’s Taylor cautioned that these sources can be “terrifying‚” as it can be hard to determine if they have an ax to grind. But‚ just like reporters have to know what sources they can trust‚ PR people need to know what reporters they can trust when considering whether to talk off the record‚ she added. This can best be done‚ Taylor noted‚ by adhering to a good rule of PR: get to know the reporters before you need them or they need you. Ken Hunter |
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| The "Meet The Press" panel members discuss the practice of reporting controversial stories. From left to right: Stacie Servetah‚ Trenton Bureau Chief‚ Bloomberg News; Walt Kane‚ I-Team Investigative Reporter‚ News 12 New Jersey; Doug Doyle‚ News Director‚ WBGO Radio; Barbara Frankel‚ Executive Editor‚ DiversityInc Magazine; Rich Rassmann‚ News Editor‚ Associated Press; Michael Reid‚ Deputy Managing Editor‚ Dow Jones News Service; Barbara Nevins Taylor‚ Investigative Reporter‚ My9 News‚ and Rick Jones‚ Newark Bureau Reporter‚ New York Times. | |||||||||
| WERE YOU AT GROUND ZERO? | |||||||||
The New York Press Photographers Association is conducting a health survey of those who were at Ground Zero covering the events of Sept. 11. If you were one of those people‚ please go to www.nyppa.org and take the short survey at the bottom of the page. For more information‚ email David Handschuh‚ a member of the NYPPA‚ at h2photo@optonline.net. Please take a few minutes to check it out. |
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| TOTAL IMMERSION | |||||||||
By Eli Holtzman. I write by total immersion. I sink myself into my subject‚ and become as knowledgeable as possible about what I’m writing. And at all times I am thinking‚ thinking‚ thinking. Even as I go about other tasks. I’ll be writing something in my head -- turning a phrase‚ making sure all the "i’s" are dotted‚ and the "t’s" are crossed. Continued > |
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| WHAT DID YOU DO IN 2007? | |||||||||
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Did you write a super story‚ take a great picture‚ or produce an outstanding tape? If you are a journalist reporting on – or in – New Jersey during 2007‚ you are eligible to enter THE SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS’ NEW JERSEY JOURNALISM AWARDS. Award categories include:
Special Awards:
NEW EARLY BIRD PRICING - ENTER BY FEBRUARY 1 AND SAVE $5 PER ENTRY! Entry fees:
All awards will be presented at the annual awards ceremony to be held in late spring. The exact time and and place will be announced when the winners are notified. CLICK ON THE LINK for entry form‚ rules and more contest details. PLEASE USE‚ POST OR PASS ON! |
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SPJ’S 2007 ESSAY CONTEST WINNER Congratulations to Jonathan and thanks to all the New Jersey high school students who wrote essays! |
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SESSION ON HOW TO USE OPRA SET FOR OCT. 1 AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY A comprehensive learning session on how to use the New Jersey Open Public Records Act will be held at Rutgers University on Monday evening, Oct. 1 from 7 to 9 p.m. Beth Mason, the president of the New Jersey Foundation for Open Government, will conduct the session and will explain the process for those who want to find out how to obtain records. Mason is also a citizen activist and a councilwoman in Hoboken. The Foundation for Open Government is a non-profit organization which works to keep government open. The session will be held at the Rutgers Student Center on College Avenue, in Room 410. This session is free and open to the public. It is designed to help students, journalists and anyone interested in obtaining information from state or local government. The event is being co-sponsored by the Journalism Resources Institute, New Jersey Foundation for Open Government, Rutgers Department of Journalism and Media Studies, the Rutgers Chapter — Society of Professional Journalists, and the New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists The Open Public Records Act (OPRA) was signed into law in 2002. It allows anyone to look at or photocopy records of any state, county or local government agency. Federal records are covered by the Freedom of Information Act. For more information on the OPRA Learning Session . For more information on OPRA. |
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FORUM ON STEM CELL RESEARCH INFORMATION TO BE HELD AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY Imagined risks and societal well-being are inseparable aspects debated in lay and expert discussions of embryonic stem cell research, and while media and political experts have long weighed in, voters will cast their ballots on this topic during a referendum held at the time of this fall’s New Jersey legislative elections. The stakes are high, as labs across the country – including important ones in New Jersey -- make discoveries that heighten the promise of stem cell research, and raise public expectations, while, nationally, stem cell research is caught in the moral cross-hairs, wedged between an administration’s convictions, and the potential of an emerging science. How do journalists currently cover embryonic stem cell research – as science, politics, or a matter of ethical concern? What factors shape their coverage? In what way are values, information, trust in science and government, and mass media important to public opinion, as voters weigh in on this controversial science issue? A forum entitled, “Embryonic Stem Cell Research, The Media, and The Public: What Journalists Should Know” will be held Wednesday, September 19, 2007, at 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Rutgers University Alexander Library, in the Scholarly Communication Center on the fourth floor. The library is located at the corner of College Avenue and Huntington Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ. This forum is part of the 2007 Johnson and Johnson Blue Ribbon Health and Medical Speakers Series Risk and Well-Being in Everyday Life. For more information, contact Montague Kern. Keynote Plenary Panel: Plenary Address: |
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| JOURNALIST SETS SAIL FOR NEW HORIZON By Eli Holtzman. The following article appeared in The Home News Tribune on Thursday‚ April 19‚ 2007‚ on Page D3 of the Community section. |
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 Guy Baehr |
Guy Baehr drives a two-seated white 1992 Mazda Miata with 130‚000 miles on it. He has a sailboat berthed at the Raritan Yacht Club in Perth Amboy. He calls the boat “Sonrisa‚” which‚ he says‚ means “smile” in Spanish. That’s because he likes sailing so much he usually smiles when he’s aboard the boat. |
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He’s always liked living near water‚ and that’s a basic reason he enjoys Perth Amboy so much. That‚ and the city’s sense of its historical background and unique place in the area’s history. Guy is now a Rutgers journalism teacher and a key person in the operation of the Journalism Resource Institute at R.U. He is a veteran newsman‚ now retired‚ who has graced the area for 25 years as a reporter for the Star Ledger. Even as a young old-timer‚ though‚ he keeps up with what’s new in computer transmission of news‚ and friends say he likes to read news on-line. But Baehr’s reasons for going into journalism transcend “new vs. old” methods of news presentation‚ and seem almost universal. “You can change the world in some way‚” he said in what was almost a paraphrase of what many people -- such as myself -- said when they started out in journalism. And‚ as a fellow newsman‚ I enjoyed rubbing elbows with Guy‚ and just listening as he participated in the activities of the New Jersey Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ)‚ a group he had at one time led. So it was with some sadness when we at SPJ learned that Baehr would be resigning from the New Jersey chapter. He’s moving to the Dominican Republic‚ where he spent two and a half years in the Peace Corps during the Vietnam War. “I’m going to build a house there‚” he told the group. “This will be another stage in my life.” It wasn’t only I that was sad. We all were. Baehr always added his special knowledge and flavor to the meetings. David M. Levitt of Highland Park‚ New Jersey SPJ Past President ‚ observed: “Guy’s leaving will be a tremendous loss for us. There are so many things that he’s done. He’s chapter treasurer now‚ and has been a regional chairman and a national officer. “He’s a huge part of what we do‚ beyond which his is a great conscience. And he is a great guiding light.” Levitt is a former Home News reporter and now works in New York City for Bloomburg News. Later‚ Ron Miskoff‚ a journalism instructor at Rutgers and former Home News reporter‚ commented: “I’ve known Guy 20 years. He’s one of the great journalists of New Jersey. He’s done so many things. I wish him well. He’s a friend‚ a mentor and an authority on open government.” On the subject of open government‚ Baehr was one of the key people involved in promoting the establishment of “F.O.G.” -- the Foundation for Open Government -- which led the way in getting the Open Public Records Act passed in the New Jersey Legislature in January‚ 2002‚ and which is a landmark in helping New Jersey journalists get to the truth. “To be a good journalist‚” Guy has said‚ “your first loyalty is to the truth.” Early on‚ before deciding on a career‚ Baehr considered going to law school. He would have been another lawyer. Maybe a very good lawyer. And chances are he would have made significantly more money. But it’s likely he wouldn’t have interviewed Hubert Humphrey and Mikhail Gorbachev and Walter Mondale‚ “percs” which went along with the reporting job. “Journalism can be a business‚ a job‚ a craft‚ or a calling‚” Baehr says. And it is evident that Baehr has made journalism his calling‚ even though at this point he hasn’t decided exactly what he’s going to do in the Dominican Republic‚ other than live modestly and do a lot of sail boating. “I get satisfaction from telling somebody’s story‚” he said.“And‚ I do feel like hanging around with other journalists.” And he has strong feelings about the responsibilities of those who choose to go into the field.In addition to his wide-ranging background in promoting open public records and a freer scholastic press‚ he now teaches a highly successful course in investigative reporting at Rutgers. Barbara Reed‚ also a member of SPJ‚ is a prize-winning Rutgers academic and one of the outstanding teachers in the training of young journalists. She also had words of praise for colleague Baehr. “Guy Baehr is a solid teacher‚” she said. “His course has really been a rousing success‚ and he has had his students do interesting things…” Dr. John V. Pavlik‚ chair of the Journalism Department at Rutgers‚ called Baehr’s investigative reporting course “particularly remarkable.” “Guy's students have produced a series of investigative reports that not only have been published but have won awards and recognition for their excellence. “Beyond the classroom‚” Pavlik continued‚ “Guy also served for five years as associate director of the Journalism Resources Institute (JRI)‚ our bridge between the classroom and the newsroom. Through his efforts at JRI‚ we have established an important project on ethnic and immigrant media in New Jersey and New York. He has also directed our collaboration with the New Jersey Press Association in producing annual workshops for journalists on covering municipal budgets. Guy has also led the expansion of our annual Merck Science Journalism Awards program.” In his first newspaper job‚ at the Passaic Herald News‚ (my original home-town newspaper‚ which I delivered on a bike while in high school)‚ Guy’s knowledge of Peace Corps Spanish came in handy because of the changing demographics of Passaic. It also has been handy in Perth Amboy‚ where Baehr has lived since 1982. Baehr has been with SPJ during the 1980’s and was state chapter president for two years‚ beginning in 1991. He has won numerous awards‚ and has been extremely active in conducting the state-wide SPJ newspaper writing and excellence contest. He has limited his own entries to avoid the appearance of conflict. As for moving to the Dominican Republic‚ there’s an uncertain target date. Also‚ he says‚ “It’s not like I’m moving to Timbuctoo.” “I probably won’t miss the traffic in New Jersey.” He expects he’ll be doing some sail-boating down there‚ and may even run into some Raritan Yacht Club members who make their way down there. What occurred to him while thinking about his being a journalist? One key question: “How does the world really work?” And an observation: “The work that I do is a lot of fun. A lot of people don’t get that opportunity.” And: “You get to know people. Many people.” The house he’ll build in the Dominican Republic is in a town called Luperon‚ on the northern coast of the country‚ near Puerto Plata‚ a resort area. “It’s near the water‚” Baehr points out‚ “and is naturally shielded from hurricanes.” The Dominican Republic occupies half of the island called Hispaniola‚ and is Spanish speaking. The other half of the island is actually Haiti‚ and is French speaking. Baehr got his graduate journalism degree at Columbia University‚ the stellar graduate school for journalism. While he was an undergraduate at Wesleyan University in Connecticut‚ he attended an anti-war protest at the Pentagon. It was the protest‚ he recalls‚ where an iconic photograph was made of protesters placing flowers into the rifle barrels of the soldiers sent to watch over them. Baehr came back to campus to write the story for the Wesleyan Argus about the arrest of four Wesleyan students. He was a newsman‚ even back then. During the summer of 1967 at Wesleyan‚ he completed a Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class‚ which would have made him eligible for the rank of Marine Corps second lieutenant. But he felt that the military was not his cup of tea. His own “Semper Fi” turned out to be journalism. |
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| IN CELEBRATION OF SUNSHINE WEEK 2007 | |||||||||
Closed Doors; Open Democracies? Sponsored locally by:
What: A dialogue on open government and secrecy. The event consists of an interactive national program webcast from the National Press Club in Washington‚ DC‚ followed by a discussion of how transparency issues affect New Jersey residents. Visit www.sunshineweek.org and www.openthegovernment.org to learn more about Sunshine Week and the national event. When: Monday‚ March 12‚ 2007 12:30pm – 3:00pm Where: Rutgers University‚ Newark Campus‚ Room 449 of Conklin Hall‚ the corner of University Avenue and Bleeker Street. See www.newark.rutgers.edu/maps for maps and directions to campus. This event falls during spring break‚ so parking near campus should be better than usual. Background If you have questions about the event contact Suzanne J. Piotrowski‚ Assistant Professor of Public Affairs and Administration‚ Rutgers – Newark at spiotrow@rutgers.edu Let us know you are coming! RSVP to erborry@pegasus.rutgers.edu |
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