SPJ high school essay contest
Posted on January 18, 2012
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High school students in central Ohio are invited to participate in an essay contest that could earn them a cash prize along with a college scholarship.
The Society of Professional Journalists and the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation are sponsoring the contest, which asks students in grades 9-12 to write on the topic: “Why is it important that we have news media that is independent of the government?”
The entries must be between 300 and 500 words, and may be typed or handwritten, but must be double-spaced. Students in private and public schools are eligible as well as those who are home-schooled.
Entries must be postmarked by March 8 and must include a form signed by the student’s teacher verifying that the student is submitting original work.
The local chapter will judge entries from the central Ohio area, choose a winner and forward it for consideration in the national competition. The local chapter will award a $150 prize to the top winner from central Ohio.
Prizes in the national competition are a $1,000 scholarship for the first-place winner, a $500 prize for the second-place winner and a $300 scholarship for the third-place winner.
Entries must be sent to: SPJ High School Essay Contest, in care of Barbara James, The Columbus Dispatch, 34 S. Third St., Columbus, Ohio 43215.
Those with questions may contact national SPJ awards coordinator Lauren Rochester at 317-927-8000, ext. 210.
Diversity event taking shape for February
Posted on December 28, 2011
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The board of the Central Ohio Pro Chapter met Dec. 12 to start planning events, contests and possible chapter changes for 2012.
In February, the chapter will host a diversity event focused on immigration. Board members are lining up speakers to talk about the challenges of covering immigrant populations, from Latinos to Somalis and everyone in between. The event will cover tricky topics such as what to call undocumented immigrants, and the possible pitfalls of terms such as “undocumented” or “illegal.” Be on the lookout for the date, time and place, which we’ll send out in January.
Know any talented writers who also happen to be high school kids? The local chapter is getting the word out about a national SPJ essay contest with prizes totaling $1,800 in scholarship money ($1,000 for first place, $500 for second and $300 for third). The topic is one near and dear to any journalist’s heart: Why is it important that we have news media that is independent of the government? The postmark deadline is March 8. More information to come.
Speaking of text, the local chapter is undergoing a comprehensive bylaws review to ensure our activities and rules are in step with what we’re doing now. The membership will be asked to vote on any proposed changes at Founder’s Day this spring.
Finally, we want to connect with as many of you as possible on LinkedIn. Check us out here.
The board meets again on Jan. 9. Any members with comments or suggestions are asked to let us know. Contact President Julanne Hohbach at jhohbach@columbusmediaenterprises.com.
Happy holidays and Happy New Year.
-Meredith Heagney, board secretary mheagney@dispatch.com
Chapter programming for 2012 taking shape
Posted on December 1, 2011
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Immigration, politics and media convergence are possible topics of local SPJ programming in 2012.
The board of the Central Ohio Pro Chapter met on Nov. 14 to begin planning the annual diversity and ethics events that offer local journalists a chance to consider challenging issues related to the profession.
The dates for the programs have not been set, and the board is open to member suggestions on subject matter. Tentatively, the plan is to focus the diversity panel on issues of reporting on immigrant populations. A discussion over tricky terms such as “illegal” or “undocumented immigrant” likely will play a prominent role.
The board is considering topics for an ethics panel and plans to incorporate the 2012 presidential election. Another idea was to take a look at the convergence of media companies in central Ohio.
In other news from the meeting:
- Board member Dan Caterinicchia, Ohio State journalism professor and adviser to The Lantern, reported that the student chapter’s 100th anniversary celebration and networking event, co-sponsored by the pro chapter, exceeded expectations. About 50 people showed up for the campus event and heard Pulitzer Prize winner Jim Schaefer of the Detroit Free Press.
- The chapter will be promoting a high-school essay contest on behalf of national SPJ. More details to come.
- Founder’s Day isn’t until the spring, but we’d be grateful to start collecting silent-auction items now. Anyone with a potential donation is asked to contact Beth Gianforcaro at gianforcaro@occ.state.oh.us.
The board meets next on Dec. 12. Any members with comments or suggestions are asked to let us know. Contact President Julanne Hohbach at jhohbach@columbusmediaenterprises.com.
– Meredith Heagney, board secretary mheagney@dispatch.com
Ohio State’s SPJ chapter celebrates 100th anniversary
Posted on October 18, 2011
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Join members of The Ohio State University student chapter of SPJ as they celebrate the chapter’s 100th anniversary Friday, Oct. 28, with a program featuring 2009 Pulitzer Prize winner Jim Schaefer of the Detroit Free Press.
The free program will take place from 3:15-4:30 p.m. in the Ohio Staters Traditions room on the second floor of the Ohio Union.
Schaefer is an OSU graduate who won the Pulitizer for local reporting with partner M.L. Elrick. Their coverage of Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick uncovered evidence that the mayor had perjured himself in court and spent millions in tax dollars covering up his misdeeds.
Following the program, the Central Ohio pro chater will host a networking reception from 5-7 p.m. at Gooeyz, 1554 N. High St.
Don’t miss the Ohio SPJ Awards Luncheon, Oct. 22
Posted on October 16, 2011
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Tickets are available for the 15th annual Ohio SPJ Awards luncheon, noon, Oct. 22, at “Windows on the River” in Cleveland’s Flats district. The SPJawards.org web site has a list of all winners. RSVP at ohiospj2011.eventbrite.com, where you can also get more details. Deadline for RSVPs is Oct. 18.
The 2011 Ohio SPJ Awards competition received nearly 700 entries representing more than 1,500 journalists from news organizations throughout Ohio. Formal invitations to the awards luncheon have been mailed to all winners.
As a bonus, out-of-town winners and students attending the luncheon will have their choice of a complimentary ticket for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum or Great Lakes Science Center.
Questions? Contact Tom Moore at 440-454-3282 or e-mail at tmoore56@msn.com
National convention report
Posted on October 7, 2011
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Board member Phil Rudell represented the chapter at the national convention in New Orleans and submitted this report to the board explaining his votes:
Our chapter was awarded 2 delegate votes. I voted for the candidacies of Taylor Mirfendereski of Ohio University and Gideon Grudo of Florida Atlantic University. Grudo made an impressive speech from the convention floor. Both were elected from among 5 candidates. In the only other contested race, I voted for Carl Corry of New York for national director at large. The incumbent, Bill McClosky, was re-elected. I encouraged Corry, who made a positive impression, to run again for SPJ office.
On contested issues, the one with the most far-reaching consequences was one-member, one-vote, which was overwhelmingly approved in a voice vote. This bylaw change, which I favored, provides for the direct election of the SPJ national officers, instead of by the delegate system. Resolutions and bylaws changes will continue to be decided by delegates to the national convention. Many in SPJ leadership had resisted direct election for years, but the strong arguments in favor of direct election overwhelmed the opposition this time. Technology would allow the voting by the 8,000-member national organization at an annual cost not to exceed $5,000. Actual cost would likely be much less than that. Members within regions would directly elect their regional directors.
I’m glad the chapter gave me the latitude to vote as I saw fit because speeches from the floor changed my mind on restoring the Helen Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award. I joined 84 others in defeating a resolution to restore the award; 71 delegates voted in favor of restoration. Thomas had intensified her anti-Israel remarks of late to include disparaging comments about Jewish domination of the media. The national board’s decision to halt the award was correct.
A bid to overturn the national dues increase was soundly defeated. National dues for pros will rise by $3 and by $1.50 for students.
Region 4 meeting: The star system of rating chapters will be replaced by a method of rating chapters either “in compliance” or “not in compliance.” All pro chapters with Region 4 were represented at the meeting. All pro chapters are in good standing except for Pittsburgh, but I’m not sure what the problem is with that chapter. Regional Director James Pilcher of Cincinnati will be leaving office next year and encourages anyone who wants to replace him to step forward.
The Region 4 conference will be March 23 and 24 in East Lansing, MI.
Central Ohio SPJ co-sponsors 2011 Law & Media conference
Posted on October 4, 2011
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On Friday, Oct. 14, journalists, lawyers, judges, professors, students and others will gather for stimulating discussions about hot media law topics at the Ohio State Bar Association’s (OSBA) annual Law & Media Conference, held at OSBA headquarters in Columbus (1700 Lake Shore Dr.).
The Central Ohio Chapter of SPJ is a co-sponsor of the event.
Srinandan Kasi, former counsel for the Associated Press and current EVP and COO of the News Licensing Group in New York City, will kick off the day-long conference at 10 a.m. with an address entitled, “Measure to Monetize: The Business of News.”
Prof. Tori Ekstrand of Bowling Green State University will moderate a follow-up panel discussion about legal and legislative solutions for protecting news content. She will be joined by Ben Marrison of The Columbus Dispatch, attorney Glenn Ostranger of Ostranger Chong Flaherty & Broitman P.C. of New York City, and Prof. Kathleen Olson of Lehigh University’s Department of Journalism and Communication.
Visit the bar association site for more information or download a registration form.
“The Buckeyes and the Press”
Posted on August 30, 2011
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The Central Ohio Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Main Street Free Press Museum in Fredericktown invite you to …
“The Buckeyes and the Press”
7:15 p.m.Thursday, Sept. 8
First Baptist Church, Fredericktown
Columbus Dispatch Sports Editor Ray Stein will anchor a panel discussion about the role of the press in uncovering and reporting on problems in the Ohio State University football program. Other panelists will be Jill Riepenhoff, Dispatch projects reporter; Tim May, Dispatch OSU football writer; and Zack Meisel, immediate past editor-in-chief of the OSU Lantern. A question-and-answer session will follow.
Come early to tour the Main Street Free Press Museum and enjoy the food available at the booths set up for the Fredericktown Tomato Show. (Try the Presbyterian bean soup or the Baptist pie!)
Here’s the schedule for the program:
6 p.m. – Museum tours and dinner on your own at Tomato Show booths on Main Street. (The Museum is at Main and Second streets, a block north of the Public Square.)
7:15 p.m. – “The Buckeyes and the Press” panel. (The panel will be held at First Baptist Church, one block east of the Public Square at Sandusky and Pleasant streets.)
8:30 p.m.– Museum reopens for tours. Food booths will be open.
The program is free and requires no reservations. For more info and directions, visit the Museum’s Web site at www.FreePressMuseum.org or call or e-mail John C. Long at 917-693-7664 or JohnCLongNYC@earthlink.net.
About the Museum:
The Main Street Free Press Museum was established in 2000 by Rarick W. Long, a member of the Central Ohio Pro Chapter for 48 years, and by his children. The Museum is in the Lyman Wright building, which dates to 1836. It formerly housed the Knox County Citizen, a weekly newspaper that Rarick Long published for 35 years. The Museum’s goals including fostering freedom of the press at the grass-roots level and celebrating the institution of the small-town newspaper. Today, the Museum is directed by Rarick’s son, John C. Long, who’s retired from The Wall Street Journal.
IRE Watchdog Workshop Coming to Columbus
Posted on May 4, 2011
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Hosted by Otterbein University-Department of Communication
Co-sponsored by SPJ-Central Ohio Chapter
IRE is bringing its highly rated Better Watchdog Workshop to Columbus.
They’ll offer several of their core sessions that will improve your ability to find information on the Web quickly, point you to key documents that will help you produce quick-hit enterprise stories and give you tips on the best approaches when conducting interviews or developing sources.
In addition, this workshop will give you tips on how to bulletproof stories, how to deal with freedom of information laws and public records, and useful Web sites and strategies for using Internet tools such as wikis, blogs, robots and RSS feeds.
These sessions are designed for reporters, editors and producers from small, midsize and large publications, TV and radio stations and Web-only news sites and news blogs. Join IRE’s experienced trainers and a group of veteran reporters for our Better Watchdog Workshop May 21, with an extra half-day of hands-on computer-assisted reporting training on May 22 for those who are interested.
Get the tools and the tricks of the trade that you need to be a better, faster, watchdog journalist.
Optional Computer-Assisted Reporting Training will be held Sunday, May 22, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Limited seating is available so registration is required.
Registration
Professional journalists $50; Students $25. Fees include a one-year IRE membership.
To register multiple people please contact Amy Johnston at amy@ire.org or 573-884-1444
Founders Day 2011
Posted on April 18, 2011
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5:30 p.m. Monday, May 9
OSU Golf Club
3609 Tremont Road, Upper Arlington
Photo courtesy Columbus Dispatch | By Lisa Marie Miller
Guest speaker: Ohio State’s Gene Smith, director of the largest collegiate athletic department in the country. Smith presides over a department that supports 36 sports and more than 1000 athletes, with an annual operating budget in excess of $80 million a year. Nearly half of that is spent on the Buckeyes football program, which has won or shared the Big Ten title and earned a berth in a BCS bowl game every year since Smith was hired in 2005.
But it’s not all been trophies and accolades. The past few months have been perhaps the most difficult of Smith’s OSU tenure. He endured the so-called TattooGate scandal that’s ensnared football coach Jim Tressel and five of his star players in an illegal benefits NCAA violation. He also was the target of some criticism in March as the chair of the NCAA Men’s Basketball “March Madness” selection committee.
After hearing from Smith, the chapter will present college scholarships, high school journalism awards and its First Amendment, Brick Wall, Distinguished Service and Appreciation awards.
Dinner • Cash bar • Silent auction
Tickets are $30. Reservation deadline: midnight, May 3. Register to attend this evening you don’t want to miss!
The evening starts at 5:30 p.m. with a cash bar and networking, followed by dinner and the program at 6:30 p.m.