Conference Tweets

Posted on April 5, 2009
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A few folks followed Saturday’s spring conference on Twitter. See what they had to say:

http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23ohspj

Heaven help us

Posted on March 31, 2009
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An open invitation for all journalists:

A Prayer Service for The Media

A free people require a free and thoughtful media. The people of God at Trinity Episcopal Church on Capitol Square rejoice in the freedom that is our heritage and pray that God will continue to bless those who influence public opinion and work to sustain and protect our civic life.

As a sign of gratitude for all who serve our common life as devoted journalists, and in celebration of the excellence incarnated in our neighbors at The Columbus Dispatch, Trinity Church will offer a Prayer Service for those who influence public opinion.

12:05 p.m. Wednesday, April 1
Trinity Episcopal Church
125 East Broad Street, the corner of Broad and 3rd Streets

The Rev. Richard A. Burnett, Rector

Founders Day 2009: What’s next for the news?

Posted on March 27, 2009
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Ben Marrison in the Columbus Dispatch newsroom.

Columbus Dispatch editor Ben Marrison will be the keynote speaker at the 2009 Central Ohio SPJ Founders Day Banquet on Thursday, May 7.

As the editor at the Dispatch since 1999, Marrison has been attempting to find answers to the challenges facing the newspaper industry. In the last year, he notified the Associated Press that the paper would be dropping their service with its contract expired; helped form the Ohio News Organization, bringing together a team of rivals in an effort to sidestep AP copy; and oversaw the layoffs of 45 members of the editorial staff in what he called the worst day of his career.

Many other papers are dropping AP, news organizations in several states are following OHNO’s lead and forming cooperatives and, sadly, the Dispatch is hardly alone in reducing its staff.

Marrison will talk about the challenges facing news organizations and the outlook for the industry in his keynote.

The chapter also will present college scholarships and its First Amendment, Brick Wall, Distinguished Service and Appreciation awards.

Ticket prices this year have been rolled back to $25 ($15 for students). Reservation deadline: midnight, April 23.

The evening starts at 6 p.m. with a cash bar and networking, followed by dinner and the program at 7 p.m. Join us for an evening of fellowship at the Fawcett Center, 2400 Olentangy River Rd.

Make your reservations at http://foundersday2009.eventbrite.com

Call for nominations

Posted on March 27, 2009
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Members are asked to submit nominations for the chapter’s annual awards. The board of directors will review the nominations and select winners in each category.

The First Amendment Award: This award recognizes significant contributions to the First Amendment rights of freedom of expression. Individuals and organizations both inside and outside of journalism are eligible.

Distinguished Service Award: This award is for a member of the chapter who demonstrates professional excellence and dedication to SPJ.

Appreciation Award: This award is presented to an individual or organization that has made a notable contribution to journalism in central Ohio.

Brick Wall Award: Started in 2001, this dubious distinction is presented to the individual or organization that, according to chapter members, did the most to block citizen access to public records and proceedings or otherwise violated the spirit of the First Amendment during the past year. Anyone is eligible, but special consideration will be given to public officials and tax-funded agencies that fail to follow the law.

Send nominations, including background, to cnelson@centralohiospj.org by March 31.

For prior award winners, see the listing on the chapter’s Web site.

Spring Conference 2009

Posted on February 11, 2009
Filed Under Chapter News, Events, Ohio SPJ Awards | 1 Comment

The Society of Professional Journalists will host Spring Conference 2009 on April 3-4 at the Doubletree Worthington, with programming support from the Online News Association and the Kiplinger Program in Public Affairs Journalism.

The event will open Friday, April 3, with an evening cocktail and hors d’oeuvres reception at Winking Lizard Crosswoods, followed by a full Saturday of networking and professional development sessions dedicated to new media.

Pulitzer-prize-winning columnist Leonard Pitts of the Miami Herald will deliver a keynote on President Obama’s influence on national culture. Pitts also will be available for a book signing as he just had his first novel published.

Detroit News recruiter Walter Middlebrook will talk about his paper’s plan to cut back home delivery and boost digital readership.

Breakfast and lunch are included in the registration fee.

Use the discount code “spring” before March 20 for $20 off any registration.

Go to the registration page

Here’s the lineup:
Read more

2009 Ohio SPJ Awards: Call for entries

Posted on January 21, 2009
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Entries are now being accepted for the 2009 Ohio SPJ Awards.

The competition, presented collaboratively by the Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland Chapters of SPJ, honors print, broadcast, online, trade and college journalists in Ohio for their best work during 2008 to both serve the public interest and to protect press freedom. Categories have been revised to better reflect the changing challenges of journalism.

This is the only Ohio competition that honors journalists who fulfill the SPJ mission, defense of the First Amendment, support of literacy, resistance to censorship, advocacy for openness of public records and meetings, media self-criticism and community service.

This program also recognizes the best college daily and weekly newspapers, and awards up to $2,000 in scholarships for excellent college journalistic writing in news, feature, sports and opinion.

Deadline: Entries must be postmarked by Feb. 27, 2009.

Download the entry form and rules or go to www.spjawards.com for more information.

Meet the 2009 Kips

Posted on January 9, 2009
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Come join Central Ohio SPJ and The Ohio State University to meet the Kiplinger and Knight Fellows Class of 2009. This year’s class includes journalists from The Detroit News, The Tampa Tribune, The Daily Times in Maryville, Tenn., The Chronicle in Centralia, Wash., and the Times-Gazette in Hillsboro, Ohio.

During their six months at the John Glenn School of Public Affairs at Ohio State University, the fellows will be working on newspaper multimedia projects about multiracial teens, crime recidivism, flooding, business closings and post-industrial communities.

The Kiplinger Program in Public Affairs Journalism is dedicated to helping talented journalists unite rigorous reporting with multimedia storytelling and demonstrate the value of innovative public affairs projects that inform wider audiences about issues critical to their lives.

This event is FREE and will be held Jan. 22, 5:30 p.m., in the Wine Room at the Worthington Inn, 649 High St., Worthington. There will be a cash bar and free hors d’oeuvres.

RSVP to kkemper@bizjournals.com.

November Board Minutes

Posted on December 12, 2008
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November 10, 2008, board meeting minutes
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October Board Minutes

Posted on November 12, 2008
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October 13, 2008, board meeting minutes
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CMC program video

Posted on November 10, 2008
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If you missed last month’s Columbus Metropolitan Club meeting on race and gender in presidential politics, here’s video of the event via The Ohio Channel.

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