SPJ News

Bill Ketter named Wells Memorial Key recipient, SPJ’s highest honor

Sun, 1 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, lharry@hq.spj.org
Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Coordinator, ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org

LAS VEGAS – The Society of Professional Journalists honors Bill Ketter with the Wells Memorial Key. This award is the highest honor for an SPJ member. Ketter has been a member of SPJ for 62 years and is an outstanding leader in the Society.

Ketter began his SPJ leadership roles as vice president of the New England Pro Chapter in 1971 and went on to serve as president of the chapter. He was also chair of the New England Academy of Journalists, which was created by SPJNE, and served two terms as the Region 1 Coordinator before turning his attention to climbing the ladder at the American Society of Newspaper Editors – he served as president of ASNE in 1995.

During the early 1990s, Ketter prevented the New England chapter from folding. He was able to raise $50,000 to ensure that the chapter and its great achievements would live on. Ketter has also spent the last two decades volunteering his time as a member of the SPJ Foundation Board.

“It has been our great pleasure to serve with Bill on the Foundation board for many years. His wisdom and breadth of top-tier experience gives him a powerful and authoritative voice in Foundation meetings. When he speaks, everyone listens,” said a nomination letter from 20 SPJ leaders, including past presidents and Foundation board members.

“For decades, Bill Ketter has been one of the nation’s most respected and admired journalists, and this award would be a fitting tribute by an organization he has served and loved throughout that exemplary career… He is a repository of wisdom and principle, and someone I consider to be one of the Foundation’s and the Society’s top and most influential leaders,” said past SPJ National President Alex Jones.

He also supports SPJ nationally through auctioning off excursions on his sailboat to the SPJ Legal Defense Fund, and this past year, Ketter offered to match up to $500 in gifts made on SPJ Day of Giving.

“While all of these well documented aspects of Bill’s career and service to the Society, to the Foundation and to his surrounding community are testimony of his worthiness of the Wells Key, what speaks even more loudly is that his efforts and longstanding devotion continue to inspire young journalists to support SPJ in the spirit of improving and protecting journalism,” said past SPJ president Christine Tatum.

Ketter was honored at the President’s Award Banquet at the SPJ23 Journalism Convention, SPJ’s annual convention.

Named for Chester C. Wells, the second president of the Society, the Wells Memorial Key is awarded to an SPJ member who has performed outstanding service to the Society in the preceding year or through a period of years.

Read more about the selection process and previous winners.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

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Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins sworn in as 107th president of Society of Professional Journalists

Sun, 1 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

CONTACT:
Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, SPJ National President, ashanti.blaize@gmail.com
Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Coordinator, ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org

LAS VEGAS — Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins was sworn in as the 107th president of the Society of Professional Journalists during the President’s Awards Banquet at the SPJ23 Journalism Convention, SPJ’s annual convention held in Las Vegas. She became the first Black woman sworn in as SPJ national president in its 114-year history.

Blaize-Hopkins is a journalism professor at Santa Monica College, where she is also the faculty advisor of the institution’s award-winning student-run newspaper, The Corsair. In her role at Santa Monica College, she also serves as an equity coach, assisting faculty in equitizing curriculum and closing equity gaps amongst students of color.

She was a television news anchor and reporter for eleven years, working for stations in El Paso, Texas; Las Vegas; and Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas. Before her career in higher education, which included stints at Richland College, Loyola Marymount University and the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, Blaize-Hopkins ran a successful public relations/marketing firm and video production company. She has been recognized numerous times for her work as a journalist, including with a regional Emmy award and several nominations.

Blaize-Hopkins joined SPJ in 2017 as a board member of the SPJ Greater Los Angeles Pro Chapter. She quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the chapter’s vice president and then president. During her tenure on the board of SPJ LA, Blaize-Hopkins was instrumental in building a coalition of journalism organizations, First Amendment advocacy groups and media unions to address issues of press freedom in the state. The coalition successfully lobbied the California state legislature and the governor to pass a bill that would prevent law enforcement from detaining or arresting journalists while covering incidents of civil unrest. That law is now in place and the coalition’s work continues focused on advocating for journalists targeted by law enforcement.

At the national level, Blaize-Hopkins served as chair of the SPJ Nominations Committee and Executive Director Search Committee in 2022. She was also on the SPJ Delegate Taskforce that same year.

Blaize-Hopkins’ goals for the Society are to focus on the future and sustainability of local news, diversify newsrooms at all levels, upskill professional and student journalists by providing consistent programming and to shine a light on the mental health needs of all journalists, but especially journalists of color and journalists in the LGBTQ+ community. In addition, Blaize-Hopkins wants to ensure all SPJ members and potential members truly see the benefits of joining SPJ.

“The journalism industry is at a turning point, and I truly believe SPJ can position itself to build coalitions with like-minded journalism organizations in order to affect real sustainable change,” said Blaize-Hopkins. “We have to engage in policy discussions at the highest level. We have to produce research and reports that provide a more equitable way forward for the news business. Our very Democracy is at stake, and we don’t have the option to do nothing.”

Attracting a diverse group of new members to SPJ is also one of her goals.

“I hesitated to join SPJ for several years because I just didn’t see anyone who looked like me in leadership positions. It made me feel like I didn’t belong in the organization. But I decided to be the change that I wanted to see in SPJ,” she said. “Representation matters and I hope that I can show through my leadership and my diverse board of directors, that there is a place for everyone at SPJ.”

Blaize-Hopkins is the proud daughter of an immigrant father from Antigua. She grew up in Virginia Beach with her mother. She earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology at Columbia University and received her master’s degree in journalism at the University of Miami.

She takes the reins from Claire Regan, an assistant professor at Wagner College in New York City and a contributing writer to the Staten Island Advance.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

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SPJ Foundation creates fund to support Ukrainian journalists

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

CONTACT:
Hagit Limor, SPJ Foundation President
Zoë Berg, SPJ Communications Specialist, 317-920-4785, zberg@spj.org

LAS VEGAS — The Society of Professional Journalists is establishing a fund through its Foundation to support Ukrainian journalists as they continue reporting during the Russian invasion.

“A key part of SPJ’s mission is to improve and protect journalism and to encourage a climate in which journalism can be practiced freely. This is difficult enough in a war zone but doubly so when journalists become targets just for doing their jobs," said SPJ Foundation President Hagit Limor.

Russian forces invading Ukraine have targeted groups of journalists with drones and sniper fire. Sixty-six Ukrainian journalists have been killed, 10 while carrying out their professional duties. Russian secret police have arrived in newly occupied areas with lists of journalists to arrest. Twenty-two journalists have been kidnapped. Most are still being held in occupied areas.

The invasion also has forced 233 media outlets to close, some because of shelling, with other television facilities and editorial offices seized, including all the equipment necessary for reporting.

“SPJ believes the free flow of information is vital to a well-informed citizenry,” said Limor. “Contributions to this fund will help buy new equipment for journalists to use. It will help publications to reopen to deliver vital information citizens there need. They deserve the insight that can only come from local journalists who are able to report independently.”

SPJ is distributing the funds with the help of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine. Funding so far has helped cover the costs of re-establishing an existing newspaper in a newly liberated area, replaced gear or provided new equipment to help Ukrainian journalists continue reporting, and gave emergency donations to journalists whose apartments were destroyed in the recent Russian missile attacks.

Many SPJ chapters already have contributed, including the Deadline Club, New Jersey Pro Chapter, New England Pro Chapter and SPJ Florida. Individual SPJ members have also taken action, visiting Kyiv in June 2023 to bring $15,000 worth of gear for local journalists.

The Ukraine Journalists Fund is tax-exempt and 100% of the money goes to helping local Ukrainian journalists continue to do their jobs. You can donate here.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

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SPJ recognizes Ohio University with campus program honors

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, lharry@hq.spj.org
Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Coordinator, ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org

LAS VEGAS – The Society of Professional Journalists has recognized the Ohio University Chapter with its Campus Program of the Year award. It was chosen from a select group of campus chapters by SPJ’s 12 regional coordinators for its outstanding work in supporting the Society’s mission, members and journalism.

Ohio University is being recognized for its program “Breaking News Simulation.” The program was a free simulated news event for student journalists to experience what it’s like to report on a breaking news event. Students were given multiple ethical dilemmas and a red herring storyline to navigate. They were also judged by their journalism professors at the end of the event.

Ohio University was honored at the Collegiate Excellence Awards at the SPJ23 Journalism Convention in Las Vegas.

Read more about the selection process and past winners.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

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William Paterson University named 2023 SPJ Outstanding Campus Chapter

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, lharry@hq.spj.org
Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Coordinator, ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org

LAS VEGAS – The Society of Professional Journalists has recognized its chapter at William Paterson University as Outstanding Campus Chapter.

William Paterson University hosted 40 events focused on diversity, ethics, freedom of information and professional development. WPSPJ also launched what is believed to be the first podcast created by an SPJ campus chapter, which features interviews between with journalists who have been invited to campus or been shadowed members. The chapter also created the beta version of a digital archive where the public can access videos of their past educational events. It also contributed to the revitalization of the campus newspaper, the Beacon.

WPSPJ was one of six finalists for the Campus Chapter of the Year; the other finalists were University of Central Florida, Ohio University, Texas A&M University-San Antonio, University of La Verne and University of Arkansas.

William Paterson University was honored at the Collegiate Excellence Awards at SPJ23 Journalism Convention in Las Vegas.

Read more about the selection process and past winners.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

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SPJ recognizes Chicago, Indiana and Cincinnati chapters with Chapter of the Year Awards

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, lharry@hq.spj.org
Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Coordinator, ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org

LAS VEGAS – The Society of Professional Journalists is recognizing Chicago Headline Club, Indiana Pro Chapter and Greater Cincinnati Pro Chapter as the Pro Chapters of the Year. The chapters are being honored for their commitment to SPJ’s mission and the journalism profession.

The Large Chapter of the Year award is open to chapters with 75 or more members, and the Small Chapter of the Year is open to chapters with fewer than 75 members.

The Large Chapter of the Year, Chicago Headline Club, performed exceptionally in the area of freedom of information, which was recognized in its Circle of Excellence Award for First Amendment & FOI. Its FOIA Fest returned this year as a fully hybrid event, encompassing a day of in-person programming which was also presented online in a live, interactive format. This year's fest consisted of more than a dozen sessions, including in-depth conversations on using the Freedom of Information Act for groundbreaking journalism, hands-on workshops with experts and live Q&As with funders and public records officials. A total of 152 early-career journalists, members of the public and working reporters attended. The FOIA Fest Bootcamp was created to provide young journalists of color with access to mentorships which are often unavailable inside traditional newsrooms. This year's cohort included 15 early-career reporters who were paired with experienced journalists for guidance on a FOIA-driven project.

The chapter also annually presents the Watchdog Award, which honors Chicago-area journalists that defend and protect everyday folks. Typically built from lengthy FOI-driven investigations, award recipients call attention to situations in which the public is being harmed or poorly served by the government, institutions or businesses at any level.

Chicago Headline Club also provides ethics resources for journalists. The Ethics Advice Line for Journalists continues to be a free, on-demand service offered in partnership with Medill at Northwestern University to any journalist facing an ethical dilemma and in need of professional advice — even on a tight deadline.

There are two Small Chapter of the Year winners — Indiana Pro Chapter and Greater Cincinnati Pro Chapter.

The Indiana Pro Chapter made great strides in FOI and professional development. In May, the chapter hosted a live broadcast discussing the change to Indiana law that allows cameras in state courtrooms. Under the direction of chapter vice president Megan Kramer, the chapter invited a panel of experts including attorneys, public information officers and a retired judge.

The chapter also hosted a group of international journalists that were visiting as part of the Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists, organized through the U.S. Department of State. Nearly a dozen journalists from across the globe visited the WTHR Channel 13 studios and newsroom to learn about American journalism and journalists and share information about their own storytelling techniques and tools. The chapter also hosted a Law School for Journalists program at the federal courthouse, in partnership with the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana.

The Greater Cincinnati Pro Chapter excelled in partnering with other organizations to further journalism, locally and across the globe. It partnered with The Cincinnati Police Department, Greater Cincinnati Association of Black Journalists, the Cincinnati Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and Greater Cincinnati Black PR Pros to ensure the chapter’s programming touched more than just journalists and media professionals.

The chapter reached out to the community-at-large and universities through public forums and in educational sessions. It engaged local journalists and the public throughout the tri-state area with programs that focused on important topics such as diversity, ethics, freedom of information and First Amendment issues. The Greater Cincinnati Pro Chapter also partnered with the SPJ Freelance Community to host a quarterly event series for freelance writers.

The winning chapters, which were chosen by SPJ’s 12 regional coordinators, were honored during the Opening Business Meeting at the SPJ23 Journalism Convention.
Read more about the selection process and past winners.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

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E.W. Scripps School of Journalism named Historic Site in Journalism

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, lharry@hq.spj.org
Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Coordinator, ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists has named 1 Ohio University, 200 Schoonover Center in Athens, Ohio as a Historic Site in Journalism. The address is the location for the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, one of the oldest journalism schools in the nation.

SPJ’s Historic Sites program honors the people and places that have played important roles in American journalistic history.

“The Scripps Journalism School, long recognized as a national leader in journalism education, has come a long way since the first journalism class was offered in 1923,” wrote E.W. Scripps Journalism Professor Eddith Dashiell. “From its humble beginnings with a single journalism writing course to a fully accredited journalism program in the Scripps College of Communication, it has become a prominent school for aspiring journalists.”

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. The first journalism class was offered in 1923 and in 1982, through a generous $1.5 million gift from the Scripps Howard Foundation, it was named after E.W. Scripps.

An accredited journalism school by the Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication for more than seven decades, the Scripps School has produced some of the most noteworthy journalists, academics and industry leaders in the past 100 years, including Pulitzer Prize winners Clarence Page, Wes Lowery, John Kaplan, Michel du Cille, Jane Kronholz and Donal Henahan.

The school also has a long history with SPJ. The Ohio University chapter of SPJ was founded in 1932 and accepted both student and professional members of Sigma Delta Chi at the time. By 1971, the chapter was the largest student chapter in the U.S. and developed a reputation of excellence within SPJ’s student membership.

The SPJ Central Ohio Pro Chapter endorsed the Scripps School nomination.

A bronze plaque will be placed at 1 Ohio University, 200 Schoonover Center to distinguish it as a National Historic Site in Journalism with a ceremony held later this year.

More details about the award, as well as maps of places named National Historic Sites in Journalism dating back to 1942 can be found here.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

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ProPublica, The Texas Tribune, The Marshall Project, Military Times, City Bureau, The Maine Monitor honored with SPJ Sunshine Award

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, lharry@hq.spj.org
Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Coordinator, ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists has named five journalists and reporting teams as winners of its annual Sunshine Award.

This year’s winners are:
— Brett Murphy of ProPublica for his investigation into 911 call analysis
— Lexi Churchill, Vianna Davila, Megan Rose and Ren Larson of ProPublica and The Texas Tribune for documenting military injustice
— City Bureau for its website Documenters.org
— Samantha Hogan of The Maine Monitor for investigating jails that record attorney-client calls
— Perla Trevizo, Lomi Kriel, Andrew Rodriguez Calderón, Jolie McCullough, Keri Blakinger, James Barragán, Davis Winkie and Marilyn Thompson of The Texas Tribune, ProPublica, The Marshall Project and Military Times for their investigation on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s border initiative, Operation Lone Star

A judging panel, composed of members of the SPJ Freedom of Information Committee and Board of Directors, bestow these awards each year to individuals and organizations for their notable contributions to open government.

ProPublica

ProPublica Reporter Brett Murphy first heard about “911 call analysis” while investigating a district attorney’s office accused of a murder case in Louisiana. The technique refers to police and prosecutors using the cadence, grammar and word choice of people reporting emergencies to reveal a killer. He set out to track how far this “junk science” had embedded itself in the justice system, who was spreading it and whom it had been used against.

Murphy documented more than 100 cases in 26 states, interviewed around 120 people and sent more than 80 public records requests to local agencies. His months-long investigation produced a two-part series called “Words of Conviction.”

The first story involves Jessica Logan, a mother convicted of killing her baby.” after a detective analyzed her 911 call. After local authorities refused to release autopsy records and photos, Murphy enlisted Logan’s family to sign waivers to compel the government to release them. The records were then presented to a panel of outside pathologists, whose conclusions contradicted the coroner’s. Shortly after publication, the Supreme Court of Illinois agreed to take another look at Logan’s case.

The second story profiles Tracy Harpster, the one who started 911 call analysis, and names the institutions that embraced and enabled him. This story found that some prosecutors know that 911 call analysis is “junk science” but have snuck it into court anyways to win convictions.

Murphy’s stories have been used as educational tools and several district attorney’s offices have warned about the dangers of prosecuting crimes the wrong way. Now, some attorneys are calling for punishment of prosecutors who have used the technique while knowing it was inadmissible in court.

ProPublica and The Texas Tribune

In December 2021, Congress reached a deal to overhaul the military justice system, stripping commanders of most of their authority to prosecute sexual assaults and several other types of criminal cases. Reporters Lexi Churchill, Vianna Davila, Megan Rose and Ren Larson from ProPublica and The Texas Tribune discovered major gaps in the legislation, as well as commander’s continued influence over the military justice system.

Last summer, the U.S. Navy moved forward in prosecuting a sailor named Ryan Mays for allegedly setting ablaze the USS Bonhomme Richard in an act of arson. The incident followed two preventable, deadly collisions at sea. Rose reported on the Navy’s failures that led to the collisions and found that the case against Mays was weak. The investigation showed that Navy criminal investigators focused on Mays despite the lack of evidence and the conclusions of a different investigation that pointed to widespread failures which left the ship vulnerable to the deadly fire. Rose’s investigation revealed that Mays was being scapegoated. Mays was acquitted in September and his defense lawyers credited ProPublica’s work as part of the outcome.

During that time, Churchill, Davila and Larson found that soldiers accused of sexual assault in the Army are less than half as likely to be placed in pretrial confinement than those accused of offenses such as drug use and distribution. Commanders’ uneven treatment of soldiers became clear through the accounts of Pfc. Christian Alvarado and Pvt. Olivia Ochoa. Alvarado was accused of sexually assaulting five women before commanders placed him in confinement, while Ochoa was placed in confinement for more than three months for using drugs and mouthing off to her superiors. The reporters obtained records that showed commanders did not initially place Alvarado in confinement, even after he admitted to two of his assaults. He then went on to assault another woman.

After the investigation was published, U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar called for congressional hearings to examine pretrial confinement. She said she plans to explore ways to ensure all cases across the military are held to the same standard.

City Bureau

City Bureau created Documenters.org in 2019 with 40 volunteer coders building 93 web scrapers to collect public meeting data across disparate government websites. The base of Documenters.org, City Scrapers, remains an open-source resource that anyone can use and contribute to.

Documenters are local Chicago residents who are trained and paid to take notes at local public meetings, spaces that harbor huge potential for government transparency, but that often receive no media coverage and produce minimal records. This program evolved from a small pilot in Chicago to an expansive network with nine cities across the country and counting.

The website has had several contributions to open government in Chicago and beyond. In Chicago, City Bureau launched the Newswire newsletter, which synthesized notes from the website, for community members, local politicians and reporters. In Detroit, Documenters produce accessible online summaries of local public meetings. In Atlanta, Documenters.org houses the only public record of the Public Safety Training Center Community Stakeholder Advisory Committee. In Minneapolis, Documenters appealed to expand streaming access and remote participation to livestreamed public meetings.

The Maine Monitor

The investigative reporting project series “Eavesdropping in Maine Jails” documented how nearly 1,000 confidential calls were recorded and shared with investigators by six county jails between June 2019 and May 2020. Samantha Hogan found that dozens of additional phone calls were recorded and listened to by law enforcement, without the knowledge or consent of defense lawyers or their clients.

Hogan made more than 100 public records requests to county sheriff's offices and jails for call data, policies, inmate handbooks and emails and conducted three dozen interviews with attorneys, defendants, sheriffs and the former chief justice of the Maine Supreme Court. County sheriffs were reluctant to release data that would show how many times their jail’s phone system had illegally recorded attorney-client calls. Hogan pursued the release of this data, and The Maine Monitor made the data public online through a searchable database.

The series prompted several county sheriffs to restrict access to recordings made by the jails' phone systems to only top jail administrators. Securus Technologies, which provides inmate phone services to most Maine jails, made hundreds of attorney phone numbers private and unrecorded in the jails’ phone systems in May 2020 and again in May 2022. The company also added new warnings at the start of phone calls to notify parties if the call is private, if it will be recorded or if it can be monitored. All 14 Maine county jails that contract with Securus Technologies made these changes. Last year, prosecutors in Kennebec County dismissed a felony indictment against a man accused of domestic violence after a defense attorney said that one of the state’s investigators monitored three confidential phone calls.

The Texas Tribune, ProPublica, The Marshall Project and Military Times

The investigative team of Perla Trevizo, Lomi Kriel, Andrew Rodriguez Calderón, Jolie McCullough, Keri Blakinger, James Barragán, Davis Winkie and Marilyn Thompson from The Texas Tribune, ProPublica, The Marshall Project and Military Times investigated Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s claims about his border initiative, Operation Lone Star. Gov. Abbott said that Operation Lone Star would be a multibillion-dollar crackdown on the criminals who were “streaming across the border.” He repeatedly proclaimed the success of the initiative saying he deployed thousands of Department of Public Safety troopers and National Guard members to the border, made 11,000 criminal arrests and caught millions of lethal doses of drugs. The reporting team found this was not true.

After months of questioning from reporters, the Department of Public Safety acknowledged that it had incorporated arrests with no connection to the border and stopped counting more than 2,000 charges, including some for cockfighting, sexual assault and stalking. Of those, about 270 charges were for violent crimes, which are defined by the FBI as murder, manslaughter, rape, robbery and aggravated assault.

The Department of Justice launched an investigation into allegations of civil rights abuses that had come to light through reporting on Operation Lone Star. Texas Military Department improved temporary housing for soldiers after the reporters found they were sleeping in semi-truck trailers, and TMD took steps to speed up the purchase of lifesaving devices and began training troops to use them safely following the reporting about the soldier who drowned.

The winners will be honored during the President’s Awards Banquet at the SPJ23 Journalism Convention in Las Vegas, Sept. 30.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

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Austin American-Statesman, Chicago Tribune, ProPublica and The Washington Post earn SPJ Ethics in Journalism Awards

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, lharry@hq.spj.org
Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Coordinator, ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists is bestowing its Ethics in Journalism Award to Tony Plohetski of the Austin American-Statesman; Jodi S. Cohen and Jennifer Smith Richards of ProPublica and the Chicago Tribune; and William Wan of The Washington Post.

This award honors journalists or news organizations that perform in an outstanding ethical manner demonstrating the ideals of the SPJ Code of Ethics. Winners are selected by members of the SPJ Professional Standards and Ethics Committee and SPJ Board of Directors.

Tony Plohetski is being recognized for his reporting for of the Austin American-Statesman during the Uvalde school shooting. Plohetski was the first journalist to obtain an image from inside the school in June 2022. He also obtained a full 77-minute video that showed police officers not entering the classroom as police have been trained to do.

In the letter nominating Plohetski’s reporting, executive editor of the Austin American-Statesman Manny García, said Plohetski followed the SPJ Code of Ethics to minimize harm, balance the public’s need for information against potential harm and to seek truth and report it. Once the video was obtained, the newsroom focused on attempting to reach the family members of the 21 victims to ensure they knew they would be publishing the videos.

On July 12, 2022, the Statesman published an edited portion of the video with a narrative written by Plohetski. The entire video was also released with minor edits for privacy, as requested by the victim’s families. Plohetski is being honored for showing truth and accountability in his reporting.

Jodi S. Cohen of ProPublica and Jennifer Smith Richards of the Chicago Tribune are being recognized for the project “The Price Kids Pay,” examining how some Illinois schools found loopholes to enforce school discipline. Cohen and Richards traveled thousands of miles to hearings and submitted public records requests but encountered ethical challenges. They faced a pressing ethical question of how much detail about young people should be included to expose the injustice. The nomination letter written by ProPublica senior editor George Papajohn and Chicago Tribune investigations editor Kaarin Tisue noted how the reporters took care to minimize harm.

“Publishing students’ names alongside the reasons they were involved with police would create another long-lasting public record — one that college admissions officers or potential employers could easily find through an internet search,” Papajohn and Tisue wrote.

Cohen and Richards ended up only using the first names of students and avoided using parent’s last names if doing so would easily identify their child. Those who agreed to use their full names were briefed on the long-term implications of being identified. The news organizations made sure to not take any photos without the family’s permission. The project led to a new Illinois bill being proposed to stop ticketing in schools and the U.S. Department of Education has opened a civil rights investigation into one of the schools.

Washington Post reporter William Wan is being recognized for a series of stories that explored systemic problems for mentally ill youth but also captured the struggle of individuals trapped in those systems. The ethical challenges he faced revolved around intimately reporting on suicide and mental health without further traumatizing the victims, causing a contagion effect or making sure the interviewees weren’t passively written about.

“The interviews for these stories were among the most intense of my career. Many involved asking teens and young adults about the most traumatic episode of their life – the moment they tried to end it,” Wan wrote.

The subjects of the stories included a mother giving up custody of her son to face court charges to get him help; Yale University’s inadequacy in dealing with mental illness; an autistic teen waiting months in the ER for a psychiatric bed; and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge’s reputation for being “a magnet for suicides in the region.” Wan’s reporting prompted change. Child-welfare workers helped get the son into a long-term treatment facility; Yale announced major changes, reversing its policies on nearly every issue that was raised; the Maryland Hospital Association called for urgent action; and local leaders discussed the urgent need for suicide barriers on the Bay Bridge.

The winners will be honored during the President’s Awards Banquet at the SPJ23 Journalism Convention in Las Vegas, Sept. 30.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

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SPJ announces finalists for 2023 Pro Chapter of the Year

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, lharry@hq.spj.org
Zoë Berg, SPJ Communications Specialist, 317-920-4785, zberg@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists annually honors select chapters for their commitment to SPJ’s mission and journalism. SPJ has named the finalists for its Pro Chapter of the Year Awards.

These finalists were chosen by SPJ’s 12 regional coordinators from the 2023 regional honorees.

Large Chapter of the Year is open to chapters with 75 members or more, while Small Chapter of the Year is open to chapters with fewer than 75 members.

The three finalists for the Large Chapter of the Year award are the Chicago Headline Club, SPJ Florida — Professional Chapter and the New England Pro Chapter.

The three finalists for the Small Chapter of the Year award are the Indiana Pro Chapter, the Greater Cincinnati Pro Chapter and the St. Louis Pro Chapter.

"There is an incredible amount of inspiring work being done by our SPJ chapters across the country," said Chris R. Vaccaro, SPJ Region 1 coordinator and Regional Committee Caucus chair. "The regional coordinators have the pleasure of reviewing entries and are pleased with the level of planning and execution of creative programming from so many chapters. Congratulations to all regional honorees. We're looking forward to honoring national winners at SPJ23."

Winners of Large Chapter of the Year and Small Chapter of the Year will be announced during the Opening Business Meeting at the SPJ23 Journalism Convention in Las Vegas on Sept. 28.

Read more about the selection process and past winners here.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

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Dan Kubiske, Ginny McCabe recognized for outstanding contributions to SPJ with Howard S. Dubin Award

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, lharry@hq.spj.org
Zoë Berg, SPJ Communications Specialist, 317-920-4785, zberg@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS — The Society of Professional Journalists has selected Dan Kubiske and Ginny McCabe to each receive a Howard S. Dubin Outstanding Pro Member Award for contributions to their SPJ chapters and regions.

Each year, this award is given to no more than two members — one from a chapter of 75 or more members and one from a chapter of less than 75 members. The award is in honor of Howard Dubin, longtime member of SPJ’s Chicago Headline Club. Dubin not only contributes time and money to the Society, but also remains dedicated to service at the chapter level and as treasurer of the SPJ Foundation Board of Directors.

Kubiske is treasurer of the Washington, D.C., Pro Chapter and co-chair of the International Community. He has been an SPJ stalwart for more than thirty years. He is a past president and vice president of the D.C. Pro Chapter and, when he taught journalism at George Mason University, he organized an SPJ student chapter.

For the International Community, Kubiske has lined up numerous globe-spanning live discussions, focused on threats to journalists in Latin America, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia and other places; press freedom in Africa, Turkey, the Philippines and elsewhere; and on the difficulties involved in covering the struggles of international refugees.

“Dan has made these contributions to SPJ while spending many years living and working overseas in Mexico, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Dominican Republic, Brazil and Honduras,” said Stephenie Overman, Region 2 Coordinator, Denise Dunbar, D.C. Pro Chapter acting president, and Elle Toussi, SPJ International Community co-chair. “He has worked as a freelance journalist around the globe. And even when abroad, Dan always found ways to contribute to SPJ back home.”

McCabe is serving her third term as the president of the Greater Cincinnati Pro Chapter and her second term as the Region 4 coordinator. McCabe became a Cincinnati Chapter board member in 2010, serving as the secretary for five years before stepping into the presidency. She is also on the Freelance Community board, where she has served as its secretary, and has served on various SPJ national committees.

Under McCabe’s leadership, the Cincinnati Chapter has expanded board leadership membership to include more broadcast and multimedia journalists and continues to maintain a healthy fiscal management policy. She has also helped cement a partnership between the chapter and the Greater Cincinnati Association of Black Journalists and plan the SPJ Regions 4-5 conference.

“When I think of Cincinnati SPJ, I think of Ginny McCabe. Her dedication both to our craft and to this chapter has been admirable long before she became president,” said Lisa Murtha, freelance journalist and Greater Cincinnati Pro Chapter member. “Always with a smile, she is happy to help anyone who needs guidance and connect greater Cincinnati journalists to one another. She’s a kind and welcoming leader for our chapter and does a great job embracing journalists from every kind of media and making us all feel like we belong.”

Kubiske and McCabe will be honored during the President's Awards Banquet at the SPJ23 Journalism Convention in Las Vegas, Sept. 30.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

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SPJ announces 2023 professional chapter regional honorees

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, lharry@hq.spj.org
Zoë Berg, SPJ Communications Specialist, 317-920-4785, zberg@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists is delighted to announce a select group of professional chapters that are being honored for their work in advancing the Society’s principles and mission, as well as the journalism profession itself.

Annually, SPJ’s 12 regional coordinators select professional chapters in their respective region that have shown overall excellence. The Pro Chapter of the Year Awards finalists will be chosen from these regional winners.

SPJ is delighted to announce the following winners:
Region 1: New England Pro Chapter
Region 2: Virginia Pro Chapter
Region 3: SPJ Florida — Professional Chapter
Region 4: Greater Cincinnati Pro Chapter
Region 5: Chicago Headline Club and Indiana Pro Chapter
Region 7: St. Louis Pro Chapter
Region 8: Fort Worth Pro Chapter
Region 9: Colorado Pro Chapter
Region 11: Greater Los Angeles Pro Chapter and Valley of the Sun Pro Chapter
Region 12: Northwest Arkansas Pro Chapter

The 2023 Pro Chapter of the Year Awards finalists will be announced later this week, and the winners of Large Chapter of the Year and Small Chapter of the Year will be announced during the Opening Business Meeting at the SPJ23 Journalism Convention in Las Vegas on Sept. 28.

Large Chapter of the Year is open to chapters with 75 members or more, while Small Chapter of the Year is open to chapters with fewer than 75 members.

Read more about the selection process and past winners here.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

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SPJ announces 2023 campus chapter award finalists and regional program honorees

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, lharry@hq.spj.org
Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Coordinator, ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists is delighted to announce a select group of campus chapters that are being honored for their work in advancing the Society’s principles, mission as well as the journalism profession itself.

Annually, SPJ’s 12 regional coordinators select campus chapters and programs in their respective region that have shown overall excellence. These winners will compete for the Outstanding Campus Chapter and Campus Program of the Year awards.

The Outstanding Campus Chapter finalists are: William Paterson University from Region 1, University of Central Florida from Region 3, Ohio University from Region 4, Texas A&M University-San Antonio from Region 8, University of La Verne from Region 11 and University of Arkansas from Region 12.

The Campus Program of the Year Regional Honorees are:
Region 1: Pennsylvania State University for a trip to Pittsburgh to visit KDKA-TV and the Pittsburgh Steelers
Region 2: Georgetown University for The Public Relations and Corporate Communications Social Network and the Integrated Marketing Communications Network
Region 3: University of Central Florida for Intern Pursuit, an internship fair
Region 4: Ohio University for its breaking news simulation
Region 5: University of Kentucky for its programs on ethics, freedom of information and open government
Region 7: University of Missouri for its student bootcamp
Region 11: Sacramento State University for its open mic night
Region 12: Arkansas Tech University for its partnership with Dardanelle High School

Winners and honorees will be recognized at the Collegiate Excellence Awards at SPJ23 Journalism Convention in Las Vegas, Sept. 29.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

-END-

Jesse Wegman of The New York Times receives $75,000 Pulliam Fellowship for Editorial Writing

Fri, 8 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, lharry@hq.spj.org
Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Coordinator, ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS – Jesse Wegman, a member of The New York Times editorial board, has been chosen for the 2023 Eugene C. Pulliam Fellowship for Editorial Writing.

Wegman intends to retrace parts of the route taken by French nobleman Alexis de Tocqueville in the 1830s – plus newer regions of the country – to “learn what’s changed over the decades, and what hasn’t.” The fellowship will provide the resources and flexibility for him to do that.

“I want to see for myself what the culture of democracy in America looks like in the early 21st century,” Wegman said.

The $75,000 fellowship is awarded by the Society of Professional Journalists Foundation.

“Reporters have always traveled the nation’s byways to take the pulse of the people. Generations of freshman political science majors have looked to de Tocqueville for insight,” said Todd Gillman, Washington bureau chief of The Dallas Morning News and chair of the judging panel. “Jesse is uniquely prepared to offer an updated version. He’s thought deeply about lessons from early American history and about the current climate.”

Wegman joined the Times editorial board in 2013. His first book, published in 2020, is titled “Let The People Pick The President: The Case for Abolishing the Electoral College.” He’s working on a biography of founding father James Wilson, who played a key role in drafting the Constitution and later served on the Supreme Court.

This year’s judges were SPJ Foundation Board of Directors Gillman and Jay Evensen, opinion editor for the Deseret News, and Faye Flam, a science columnist for Bloomberg Opinion and 2020 Pulliam Editorial Fellow.

“Jesse Wegman has proposed a unique and interesting way to bring an historical lens to today’s divided America, leading up to the 2024 elections,” Evensen said. “I am intrigued by his intention to retrace the steps of Alexis de Tocqueville to bring clarity to how today’s diverse and often splintered Americans can coexist peacefully, and I am encouraged by his optimism."

Learn more about the award and see a list of previous winners.

The Society of Professional Journalists Foundation is a public foundation dedicated to ensuring that those who carry on the tradition of a free press are prepared for the challenge. The SPJ Foundation supports educational and professional needs of journalists and journalism students. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Give to the SPJ Foundation.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

-END-

SPJ chapters recognized with 2023 Circle of Excellence Awards

Wed, 6 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, lharry@hq.spj.org
Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Coordinator, ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists has recognized a select group of chapters in its annual Circle of Excellence Awards.

These awards honor contributions to the Society’s missions, including First Amendment and freedom of information activity, campus relations and scholarship activities, chapter communications and activities promoting diversity among journalists, professional development and continuing education programs.

Chapters with 75 or more members are eligible for Large Circle of Excellence Awards, while chapters with fewer than 75 members are eligible for Small Circle of Excellence Awards.

SPJ is delighted to announce the following winners:

Large Chapter Circle of Excellence Awards
Professional Development: Florida Pro Chapter
Diversity: Florida Pro Chapter
First Amendment and FOI: Chicago Headline Club
Campus Relations: Greater Los Angeles Pro Chapter

Small Chapter Circle of Excellence Awards
Professional Development: Valley of the Sun Pro Chapter
Diversity: Arkansas Pro Chapter
First Amendment and FOI: St. Louis Pro Chapter and Utah Headliners Chapter
Campus Relations: San Diego Pro Chapter

The Florida Pro Chapter was recognized for work including:
— “Crucial Context: Unpacking media coverage of LGBTQ public health issues” in partnership with NLGJA South Florida: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists
— The ReNews Project, which revives dormant student newspapers at historically Black colleges or universities and Hispanic serving institutions.

The Chicago Headliners Club won for its FOI work including:
— The FOIA Fest, which featured more than a dozen sessions, including in-depth conversations on using Freedom of Information Act for groundbreaking journalism, hands-on workshops with experts and live Q&As with funders and public records officials.
— The Watchdog Award, which honors and encourages enterprising journalism that defends and protects everyday people.

The Greater Lost Angeles Pro Chapter won for the work its members did in fostering journalism programming at the high school and college levels. This included:
— “Protecting the Rights of Student Journalists,” which discussed the issues student journalists are facing in schools in terms of free press.
— Hosting a day-long Region 11 conference at Loyola Marymount University.
— The Generation J Committee hosting virtual mentoring programs for students.

The Valley of the Sun Pro Chapter was recognized for work including:
— The Valley of the Sun Pro Publicity Summit, which gathers journalists and public relations professionals in a pitching and networking event.
— Hosting two “Get Freelancing!” programs that help freelancers develop their pitching skills.
— The State of Arizona Media 2023 presentation.

The Arkansas Pro Chapter utilized social media to highlight diversity in Arkansas journalism by showcasing Black and Latino journalists during Black History and Hispanic Heritage months.

The St. Louis Pro Chapter co-sponsored the 10th Annual First Amendment Free Food Festival, where people signed away their First Amendment rights in return for a free meal.

The Utah Headliners Chapter hosted the Utah Headliners Virtual Law School for Journalists event which trained journalists on how to access, read and interpret court documents.

The San Diego Pro Chapter was recognized for its work including:
— A mentorship program that pairs college students with industry professionals.
— Sponsoring the San Diego Union-Tribune’s inaugural Festival of Journalism.
— Participated in The Writer’s Symposium by the Sea at Point Loma Nazarene University.
— Hosted an “Ask Me Anything” event at San Diego State University where veteran journalists shared career advice with students.

The chapters will be recognized during the Open Business Meeting at the SPJ23 Journalism Convention in Las Vegas, on Sept. 28.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

-END-

SPJ selects Jill Martin, University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor, for Distinguished Teaching in Journalism Award

Tue, 5 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, lharry@hq.spj.org
Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Coordinator, ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists has chosen Jill Martin as recipient of the Distinguished Teaching in Journalism Award. Martin is an assistant professor at the College of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Each year, SPJ honors an outstanding journalism educator and recognizes their exceptional teaching abilities and commitment to upholding the profession's highest standards. Martin won this year with detailed letters from faculty and current students that demonstrates her extensive background and commitment to connecting students to real-world learning initiatives.

“The committee chose Jill Martin because of her demonstrated ability to develop students using numerous innovative and experiential learning opportunities that offer the practical real-world experience that is invaluable not only for students, but also for early-career professional journalists,” said SPJ Journalism Education Committee Chair Bey-Ling Sha. “As one example, Professor Martin’s students supplement local news outlets through the Nebraska News Service, offering a statewide wire service of entirely student-produced reportage on politics, education and other beats that matter to Nebraskans.”

Martin joined the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2018 and has since established new hands-on learning experiences for her students. With over two decades of experience in newspapers and broadcast news in Nebraska, she used her extensive background to launch the Experience Lab, in 2021 with her colleague Jemalyn Griffin, and help grow the Nebraska News Service. The lab provides students an opportunity to gain hands-on learning experiences in all aspects of a newsroom.

“Jill understands that applied expertise is critical in our rapidly changing professions and has created the Experience Lab as a space that provides the valuable opportunity for students to experiment, play, fail and fall in love with media,” said Shari R. Veil, professor and dean at the College of Journalism and Mass Communications. “Students develop both their professional skills and their ability to be nimble while preparing for their future careers”

Martin also mentors students through the Nebraska News Service. As credentialed state house reporters, there are more student journalists covering the legislature than there are reporters from any other news organizations in Nebraska. These stories reach more than 100 clients, and in 2022, students published a record-breaking 500 stories.

To her students, Martin has been a dedicated mentor and creates a nurturing and inclusive learning environment. Furthermore, her door is always open, giving students guidance in their job search and assisting them with opportunities to learn in environments beyond the classroom.

“As a senior in my final semester of college, I had been looking for jobs in my first television news market. I remember this being a stressful time, but with Jill’s help, I felt like I had some guidance on how to go about my job search,” said University of Nebraska-Lincoln student Jill Lamkins. “She helped me prepare for interviews, looked over my newsreel, and was always eager to answer the annoying amount of Microsoft team’s direct messages I would leave her asking for advice. No matter what I needed, Jill was there to help.”

“Professor Martin's dedication to her students is truly remarkable. She consistently reaches above and beyond to provide guidance and mentorship, both inside and outside the classroom,” said University of Nebraska-Lincoln student Macy Neumeister.

Martin will be recognized at the Collegiate Excellence Awards at SPJ23 Journalism Convention in Las Vegas, Sept. 29.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

-END-

SPJ congratulates photojournalists in historic settlement with NYPD

Tue, 5 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

CONTACT:
Claire Regan, SPJ National President, cregan@spj.org
Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Coordinator, ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists congratulates five renowned photojournalists in partnership with the National Press Photographers Association for achieving a historic settlement with the New York City Police Department.

Today, the settlement resolved a federal lawsuit brought three years ago by Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, in partnership with NPPA and noted civil rights attorney Wylie Stecklow, on behalf of Amr Alfiky, Diana Zeyneb Alhindawi, Mel D. Cole, Jae Donnelly and Adam Gray who were assaulted and/or arrested in New York while covering the racial justice protests of 2020, following the death of George Floyd.

“This is a remarkable settlement for police versus press in New York City,” said SPJ National President Claire Regan. “We congratulate our colleagues at NPPA for pursuing this noble cause with perseverance and success, and express hope that the message will reverberate across the country.”

The settlement promises to transform police conduct and training while reinforcing the First Amendment protections accorded to both journalists and the public. The NYPD is now obligated to implement policies and training to ensure that members of the press are free from the threat of wrongful arrest and harassment. Additionally, for the first time ever, the NYPD formally acknowledges that the press has a clearly established First Amendment right to record police activity in public spaces.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

-END-

SPJ selects 10 students for SPJ23 News team

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

CONTACT:
Claire Regan, SPJ National President, cregan@spj.org
Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Coordinator, ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS — The Society of Professional Journalists has selected 10 college students and recent graduates to be a part of the SPJ News team at the SPJ23 Journalism Convention. They will work closely with three professional journalists to cover programming at the convention in Las Vegas, Sept. 28-30.

The SPJ News team includes young journalists from colleges and universities across the country. They have experience working for their school media outlets as well as professional news organizations. Students and graduates on the SPJ News team are Rachel Andriacchi, Francisco Avila, Timia Cobb, Laura De la Garza Garcia, Tianrui Huang, Jamie Naylor, Chinanuekpele Okoli, Tania Ortiz, Uma Raja and Kristine Weller.

The SPJ News mentors this year include Bob Butler, broadcast vice president on the SAG-AFTRA national board; Lorraine Longhi, assistant city editor at the Las Vegas Review-Journal; and Justin Hinton, news anchor for “Good Morning Las Vegas.”

“We are excited to have these bright young journalists on the SPJ23 News team,” SPJ National President Claire Regan. “The experience will help the students build on their involvement in the industry and provide a wealth of knowledge they can take with them.”

The SPJ News team’s work will be posted online and shared on social media with #SPJNews23.

Rachel Andriacchi, a senior at Simmons University in Boston, is pursuing a degree in integrated media and journalism. Andriacchi been the op/ed editor at The Simmons Voice and a studio intern at WGBH, a public radio station in Boston.

Francisco Avila is from the west side of Chicago. He was a sports correspondent and sports anchor while at DePauw University, a producer and board member of D3TV News Television Station and a soccer commentator for WGRE 91.5 Radio.

Timia Cobb is a fellow with Syracuse.com at Syracuse University. During her undergraduate program at Texas State University, she served as news editor at the University Star, the university’s student-run newspaper, assistant web content manager at the university’s radio station, KTSW 89.9, and worked for Texas State’s official newsroom as a digital content contributor.

Laura De la Garza Garcia is a news producer for Univision 19. She held various student government positions at California State University-Sacramento, and then moved on to writing for her college newspaper, The State Hornet, where she reported on news, sports and entertainment. While there, she revived the Spanish section of the paper. She graduates from Cal State University-Sacramento in December.

Tianrui Huang is a philosophy-economics double major at University of California, San Diego. She has served as a senior staff member for the campus newspaper, the Guardian, and worked for the Washington Blade, Voice of San Diego and Hong Kong-based outlet RADII.

Jamie Naylor is a senior media studies major at Wright State University in Ohio. They have been a student journalist for over three years reporting on news, politics, social justice, and investigative work. They currently freelance and host the radio news show “Deconstructing the American Dream” on WWSU 106.9.

Chinanuekpele Okoli is a student journalist at Boston University with a passion for telling the stories that matter. On campus, he writes for the Daily Free Press, reports for BUTV10 and is a co-programming director at WTBU, where he started “Melanin Matters,” BU's Black radio show.

Tania Ortiz is a magazine, news and digital journalism graduate student at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. She is a Newhouse Diversity News Fellow, general assignment intern at Syracuse.com and the 2023 Pulitzer Center Campus Consortium Reporting Fellow for Syracuse University.

Uma Raja is a journalism graduate student at the University of Florida and is pursuing her MFA in narrative nonfiction at the University of Georgia. She has written for National Geographic, Atrium Magazine, which focuses on Floridian narratives, and the fashion and lifestyle magazine Strike.

Kristine Weller is a recent graduate from the University of Utah. She majored in communication with an emphasis on journalism and international studies and a focus on human rights. She was previously the general assignments reporter and newsroom intern for KUER, the NPR station in Salt Lake City.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

-END-

SPJ 2023 Diversity Fellows announced

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

CONTACT:
Eleanore Vega, SPJ Diversity & Inclusion Committee Chair, emvega777@gmail.com
Zoë Berg, SPJ Communications Specialist, 317-920-4785, zberg@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS — The Dori Maynard Diversity Leadership Program 2023 Fellows are Khorri Atkinson, Sheetal Banchariya, Charisse Gibson, Mechelle Hankerson, Bria Lloyd, Kishor Panthi, Angélica Serrano Román and Shen Wu Tan. This program aims to open minds and open doors in newsrooms around the country by giving fellows the opportunity to see first-hand how the Society of Professional Journalists works and what it has to offer.

The fellows will attend the SPJ23 Journalism Convention in Las Vegas, Sept. 28-30, where they will have access to networking events, meet SPJ leaders at the national and local levels and interact with other leaders in journalism who are making an impact in areas of diversity, equity and inclusion.

“SPJ strives to amplify new and diverse voices both within the organization and in journalism overall. This program, once again, brings together an outstanding group of journalists from diverse background and gives them the tools to be leaders in the Society and their workplaces,” said Claire Regan, SPJ National President. “I look forward to meeting them all at SPJ23 this fall.”

Maynard was an SPJ Foundation Board member beginning in 1999. In 2001, she was named an SPJ Fellow of the Society. Maynard was well-known for tirelessly working to ensure diversity in the newsroom. She challenged the news media to look at themselves and what she called “distorted coverage of communities of color” when covering America’s ongoing racial struggles and the impact it has on the country.

"SPJ is about opening doors for those who did not see opportunities in the past because of their diverse backgrounds,” said Rebecca Aguilar, SPJ Diversity Leadership program coordinator. “The Dori Maynard Diversity Leadership Program continues to help journalists of diverse backgrounds to find their voice, overcome challenges and hone their leadership skills in the newsroom and classroom. We appreciate the SPJ Foundations' support in helping make this program possible."

“We are happy to welcome eight exceptional fellows from across the country selected for the 2023 Dori Maynard Diversity Leadership Program,” said Eleanore Vega, SPJ Diversity & Inclusion Committee chair. “With support from the SPJ Foundation, we can continue Dori Maynard’s vision to train, inspire, and champion diversity by preparing these fellows as future newsroom leaders.”

Khorri Atkinson covers labor and employment at Bloomberg Law and has written for The New York Times, Axios and other publications. Atkinson is a member of SPJ, NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists and the National Association of Black Journalists, where he's served in various leadership roles. He's president of the Washington Association of Black Journalists.

Sheetal Banchariya is working as a city reporter for the New York Daily News after graduating from Columbia Journalism School with a master's degree in May 2023. Banchariya is also the 2023 Journalism Fellow at Women’s eNews and covers the Equal Rights Amendment with a specific focus on the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Charisse Gibson is a national Edward R. Murrow and Emmy award-winning journalist, producer, and evening news anchor at WWL-TV in New Orleans. She is currently producing a docu-series highlighting how discriminatory housing practices led to generational divestment from minority communities in New Orleans.

Mechelle Hankerson is news director at WHRO Public Media, the NPR affiliate station in eastern Virginia. She's a newspaper journalist at heart who believes in the importance of maintaining quality journalism on whatever platform is most sustainable and accessible.

Bria Lloyd started her career as a multimedia journalist at WDVM (now DC News Now) based in Winchester, Virginia. It was there that she found her passion for investigating. Since then, she's worked at Al Jazeera English, PBS NewsHour and Scripps News. She is currently an investigative reporter at Connecticut Public Radio.

Kishor Panthi, a New York-based Nepali American journalist, leads Khasokhas and NepYork and has been published in Huffington Post, Thrive Global and City Limits. An ex-ABC TV Nepal editor and anchor, Kishor authored "Kampan," "UNTRANSLATABLE" and "Zero Mile." Panthi was honored with the President's Lifetime Achievement Award and holds an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from CICA International University.

Angélica Serrano Román covers state tax policy for Bloomberg Tax. Before covering taxes, she was a journalist and web editor at Puerto Rico's Center for Investigative Journalism. She teaches journalism at Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in Puerto Rico and holds a Master of Arts in business and economic reporting from New York University.

Shen Wu Tan is a freelance writer who has worked as a reporter for five years at three different news agencies, including The Wyoming Truth and The Washington Times, covering a wide array of stories. She briefly worked as an intern for the Weekend Argus in Cape Town, South Africa.

The Society of Professional Journalists Foundation is a public foundation dedicated to ensuring that those who carry on the tradition of a free press are prepared for the challenge. The SPJ Foundation supports educational and professional needs of journalists and journalism students. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Give to the SPJ Foundation.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

-END-

SPJ selects Freelance Fellows to attend SPJ23

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

CONTACT:
Stacie Overton Johnson, SPJ Freelance Community Chair, stacieovertonjohnson@gmail.com
Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Coordinator, ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS – The Freelance Community of the Society of Professional Journalists will welcome Janelle Harris Dixon, Haley M. Sawyer and Dina Weinstein to Las Vegas Sept. 28-30 to participate as Freelance Fellows at SPJ23, the Society’s annual convention.

The three independent journalists are at different stages in their careers, came to journalism from various backgrounds and practice in a variety of media. They were selected based on need, merit and their contributions to SPJ and its Freelance Community.

“We are so happy to host these three talented independent journalists at SPJ23,” said SPJ National President Claire Regan. “This fellowship provides them the ability to further their professional development in a competitive field and see the many exciting opportunities SPJ has to offer its members and freelancers.”

Fellows will be mentored at the convention by members of the SPJ Freelance Community, who will help them network with attendees, choose sessions to attend, and connect with SPJ groups and programs that will most benefit their professional development.

“The applicants for this year’s fellowship exemplified professionalism, integrity and a clear commitment to their craft,” said SPJ Freelance Community Chair Stacie Overton Johnson. “We are thrilled to offer this opportunity to the chosen recipients. They are inspiring examples of informed, involved and dedicated journalists. Their contributions to journalism are to be commended and we’re excited to be part of their professional journey.”

Janelle Harris Dixon is a freelance writer and journalist in Washington, D.C., where she crafts stories that intersect race, gender, culture and class. She owns The Write or Die Chick, a boutique editorial services agency that centers women and people of color. Her work has appeared in Essence, Smithsonian and The Washington Post.

Haley M. Sawyer is a freelance journalist based in Los Angeles who is passionate about elevating women’s sports. She covers University of California, Los Angeles and University of Southern California sports as well as high school sports for the Southern California News Group publications, which include the LA Daily News and Orange County Register. She also writes features for community newspapers around Los Angeles and is an adjunct professor at College of the Canyons.

Dina Weinstein is an award-winning freelance journalist based in Richmond, Virginia. Her writing appears on the Virginia Commonwealth University News website, as well as the Washington Jewish Week, Cardinal News, Style Weekly and Richmond magazine. She also co-hosts the weekly radio public affairs show Open Source RVA on WRIR Community Radio and does tape syncs around central Virginia for various podcasts. Weinstein is president ex-officio of the SPJ Virginia Pro chapter.

The 2023 SPJ Freelance Fellowship is funded through the SPJ Freelance Fund, established in 2021 under the aegis of the SPJ Foundation. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charity, and gifts designated for the Freelance Fund are tax deductible.

The Society of Professional Journalists Foundation is a public foundation dedicated to ensuring that those who carry on the tradition of a free press are prepared for the challenge. The SPJ Foundation supports educational and professional needs of journalists and journalism students. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Give to the SPJ Foundation.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

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