From lachungsf at yahoo.com Tue Dec 11 22:02:14 2007 From: lachungsf at yahoo.com (Lisa Chung) Date: Tue Dec 11 22:02:21 2007 Subject: [SPJ-NorCal] Call for entries: James Madison FOI Awards; Jan. 8 deadline Message-ID: <10148.17731.qm@web50102.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Call for Nominations Deadline Jan. 9, 2008 SPJ-NorCal presents the 23rd Annual James Madison Freedom of Information Awards The James Madison Freedom of Information Awards recognize Northern California organizations and individuals who have made significant contributions to the advancement of freedom of information and expression in the spirit of James Madison, the creative force behind the First Amendment. The awards are presented at a ceremony in March during National Freedom of Information Week near the anniversary of Madison's birth. Eligible for nomination are Northern California journalists, citizens, media organizations, or community groups which, during 2007, have defended public access to meetings, public records, meetings or court proceedings or otherwise promoted the public's right to know, publish and speak freely about issues of public concern. Award Categories (awards may not be given in every category): * Professional Journalist Citizen Legal Counsel * Nonprofit Organization Public Official Student Journalist * Source/Whistle Blower Educator Electronic Access * Career Achievement Cartoonist News Media * The Professional Journalist and Student Journalist awards recognize journalists who have been involved in fights for access to records, meetings or court proceedings, who have made exceptional use of public records in their reporting or who have promoted education on FOI issues through stories, editorials or other advocacy. * The Public Official award is given to a governmental official who has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to keeping public records or meetings public, or otherwise has taken exemplary leadership on FOI or First Amendment issues. * The Beverly Kees Educator Award recognizes extraordinary efforts by educators to cultivate a devotion to the values of freedom of information. * The Norwin S. Yoffie Career Achievement Award is named in honor of a stalwart supporter of the chapter's Freedom of Information Committee, who died in November 2000 after many years of distinguished service to SPJ and the cause of freedom of information. See http://www.spj.org/norcal/awards/foiwinners.html for past award recipients. Deadline: Entries must be e-mailed by January 9, 2008. Entry Form: http://www.spj.org/norcal/2007/2008-jm-nomination-form.pdf E-mail entries only to: email inquiries only to: jmawards@thefirstamendment.org (include "James Madison nomination" on subject line) James Madison Awards Nominations chairs: David Greene dgreene [AT] thefirstamendment.org Andrew McIntosh amcintosh [AT] sacbee.com ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping From lachungsf at yahoo.com Wed Dec 12 13:30:21 2007 From: lachungsf at yahoo.com (Lisa Chung) Date: Wed Dec 12 13:30:30 2007 Subject: [SPJ-NorCal] Tonight, 7:30 p.m. "Save the News!" Counterpulse in SF Message-ID: <847061.58972.qm@web50106.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Event reminder: Tonight "Save the News!" A conversation about journalism, democracy and our communities December 12, 2007, 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM CounterPulse, 1310 Mission Street at 9th Street San Francisco Cost: FREE Event Description: Newsrooms are hamstrung by the business practices of Wall Street and Big Media, even as newspaper circulation declines and TV news continues the race to the bottom. Both the San Francisco Chronicle and San Jose Mercury News recently shed large portions of their newsroom staffs, and MediaNews Group's purchase of former Knight Ridder properties has given it a near monopoly on Bay Area newspapers. The company is now consolidating in an attempt to wipe out the Media Workers Guild and any other obstacle to cost-cutting. The Internet, meanwhile, is vulnerable to the same marketplace compromises, as commercial publishers retrench their focus on scandal, celebrity and trivia; colonize every square inch of space and content with advertising; and desperately try to monetize the open-source citizen journalism movement instead of investing in their own reporting staff. -- With all the high finance and power plays, how do communities actually get news that matters? -- Amidst the layoffs and shrinking newsrooms, how can reporters and editors actually do their jobs and serve the public interest? -- What future awaits the legions of talented young journalists graduating from the Bay Area's many outstanding journalism schools? Join us for this investigation of alternative business models for publishing the news, and help ensure journalism remains a vital part of our civic lives. With: * Rose Aguilar, (KALW-FM, Your Call radio), discussing how public radio has to fill the void left by the layoffs and consolidation, expand the presence of women in media, and give "real people a voice." * Carl Hall (Northern California Media Workers and SF Chronicle science reporter), on union organizing efforts in Dean Singleton's expanded Bay Area News Group. * Barry Parr (Coastsider.com, Mercury Center and News.com co-founder), speaking about the challenges of running a small, for-profit news Web site serving Coastal San Mateo County. * Michael Stoll (Grade the News, SJSU, SF Public Press), on the prospects of creating an advertising-free daily newspaper in the Bay Area and beyond. * Josh Wilson (Newsdesk.org), on the challenges and promises of commercial-free, public-service journalism on the Internet. Sponsored by: Shaping San Francisco, Newsdesk.org, Independent Arts & Media, Society of Professional Journalists-Northern California chapter -30- ____________________________________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs From lachungsf at yahoo.com Thu Dec 13 19:46:10 2007 From: lachungsf at yahoo.com (Lisa Chung) Date: Thu Dec 13 19:46:17 2007 Subject: [SPJ-NorCal] Training workshop & FOI call for entries Message-ID: <193089.1023.qm@web50112.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Dear colleagues: Don't let the holiday whirl cause to miss some upcoming deadlines! 1. Register now for IRE's "Better Watchdog" training session Jan. 19, 2008 2. Enter SPJ's competition for the James Madison Freedom of Information Awards by Jan. 9, 2008. ======================================= 1. Space is still available - Register today for this great training! Investigative Reporters and Editors will bring Better Watchdog training to San Francisco on January 19, 2008. It's a great opportunity to sharpen investigative skills for everyday reporting and editing -- all in an affordable program that's close to home. The workshops will cover the guiding of reporters in the effective use of the Internet, open-records laws, computer-assisted reporting and anonymous sources. You can see the detailed preliminary schedule on our website. All sessions will be held at KQED. We would appreciate it if you would share the information with journalism colleagues who might be interested. For any additional information, visit our website at http://www.ire.org/training/watchdog/sanfrancisco08. John W. Green IRE Membership Coordinator 573-882-2772 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Check out the list for our upcoming training schedule, to see if we are offering a session near you: http://www.ire.org/training/otr.php - - - - - - - - Did you know - The IRE Resource Center is a rich reserve of print and broadcast stories, tipsheets and guides to help you start and complete the best work of your career. This unique library is the starting point of any piece you're working on. You can search through abstracts of more than 20,000 investigative reporting stories without leaving the convenience of your Web browser! Check it out: http://www.ire.org/resourcecenter 2. Call for Nominations: James Madison FOI Awards Deadline Jan. 9, 2008 SPJ-NorCal presents the 23rd Annual James Madison Freedom of Information Awards The James Madison Freedom of Information Awards recognize Northern California organizations and individuals who have made significant contributions to the advancement of freedom of information and expression in the spirit of James Madison, the creative force behind the First Amendment. The awards are presented at a ceremony in March during National Freedom of Information Week near the anniversary of Madison's birth. Eligible for nomination are Northern California journalists, citizens, media organizations, or community groups which, during 2007, have defended public access to meetings, public records, meetings or court proceedings or otherwise promoted the public's right to know, publish and speak freely about issues of public concern. Award Categories (awards may not be given in every category): * Professional Journalist Citizen Legal Counsel * Nonprofit Organization Public Official Student Journalist * Source/Whistle Blower Educator Electronic Access * Career Achievement Cartoonist News Media * The Professional Journalist and Student Journalist awards recognize journalists who have been involved in fights for access to records, meetings or court proceedings, who have made exceptional use of public records in their reporting or who have promoted education on FOI issues through stories, editorials or other advocacy. * The Public Official award is given to a governmental official who has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to keeping public records or meetings public, or otherwise has taken exemplary leadership on FOI or First Amendment issues. * The Beverly Kees Educator Award recognizes extraordinary efforts by educators to cultivate a devotion to the values of freedom of information. * The Norwin S. Yoffie Career Achievement Award is named in honor of a stalwart supporter of the chapter's Freedom of Information Committee, who died in November 2000 after many years of distinguished service to SPJ and the cause of freedom of information. See http://www.spj.org/norcal/awards/foiwinners.html for past award recipients. Deadline: Entries must be e-mailed by January 9, 2008. Entry Form: http://www.spj.org/norcal/2007/2008-jm-nomination-form.pdf E-mail entries only to: email inquiries only to: jmawards@thefirstamendment.org (include "James Madison nomination" on subject line) James Madison Awards Nominations chairs: David Greene dgreene [AT] thefirstamendment.org Andrew McIntosh amcintosh [AT] sacbee.com ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ