Archive for the ‘News/Commentary/Opinion’ Category

Conflict: A Behind-the-Scenes Snapshot of SPJ, Region 1

Sunday, June 29th, 2008

I’m not identifying anyone regarding recent email correspondence sent to me as part of an info-outreach by the Region I Director of the Society of Professional Journalists. Since several WORD writers have won SPJ Mark of Excellence awards in recent years, I try to be in contact with the organization though not actively involved. 

Dear Professor:
As the Region One Director for the National Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), I am reaching out to you as I have your name and email address on my list as the SPJ liaison for your college or university’s SPJ chapter. I would like you to know that I am available to you as a source of information and support for your chapter.

What follows is the edited response from a journalism professor who has been seriously involved with the organization for several years.  I thought I would post without explanation an edited version of what he wrote to the regional director but if several days from now I notice the need for more clarity, I will re-address this decision. I think the whole matter is very informative.

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New America Media Executive Director Likes the WORD

Sunday, May 11th, 2008

Sandy Close, Executive Editor and Director of New America Media, said, in so many words, in a conversation at the New York Times building in New York City (of course), May 8, that she really liked the WORD (because of its student writers learning and reporting* about ethnic, immigrant issues) and that she wished other colleges repeated the experiment.

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Senior Editor/Producer Jonathan Mena And Writer/Reporter Kisha Allison at the New Hampshire Primaries

Sunday, January 13th, 2008

They hit New Hampshire running, arriving Monday, January 7, in South Boston, via Amtrack, and then hopping a bus ride about an hour later to Manchester where they were hoping to catch up with members of the Independent Press Association of New York (soon – we’re talking days – to become known as the New York Community Media Alliance) which had arrived about an hour before them.

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