May 2009 Spot News

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Spot NewsVol. 15, No. 8 MAY 2009

A publication of the East Tennessee Chapterof the Society of Professional Journalists

www.etspj.org

ETSPJ’s Golden Press Cardto honor journalistic excellenc

SEE FROM THE PRESIDENT, PAGE 2

From the presidentBY MIA RHODARMER

ETSPJ

RHODARMER

I am writing this as we have

just celebrated Ethics Weekin journalism. In some recentpolls, people rank journalistsright up there with lawyerswhen it comes to trust, orrather a lack of it. So EthicsWeek is a time for journaliststo talk to the public abouthow we do our jobs and the ethical dilemmaswe sometimes encounter as we gather anddisseminate information.

In observance of Ethics Week, national SPJhosted town hall meetings across the countryto give people an opportunity to talk to

journalists about ethics and credibility and tomake our jobs more transparent to our readersand viewers.

The East Tennessee chapter was honoredto be one of the 10 chapters to host one of these town hall meetings on April 30. Richardmoderator for the evening and had preparedseveral scenarios for our panelists to consider.The discussion also prompted good questionsfrom the audience. Thank you to our panelists,Jack McElroy, Bill Shory, Michael Grider andGlenn Reynolds, for giving of their time.

While Ethics Week has come and gone for

another year, it is important that we keep thethroughout the year. I have included the mainpoints of the ethics code below. The full codeis available on our Web site, www.etspj.org.

“Members of the Society of ProfessionalJournalists believe that public enlightenmentis the forerunner of justice and the foundationof democracy. The duty of the journalist isto further those ends by seeking truth andproviding a fair and comprehensive accountof events and issues.

Winning entrants of 185 stories, photographs,

audio or video entries and Web sites submitted

plus congratulations from their peers at the

Two others will be singled out for special Award. That “best of show” honor is selected categories and the winner will also take homea check fo,r $100.

The entries for work done in 2008 representwork for 16 different publications, broadcaststations or Web sites as well as three

individuals. Journalists from the entire EastTennessee area are represented from Bristolbetween.

The festivities will begin with a reception at5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6:15, followed by apresentation by Bob Benz, a newspaperman-turned-online guru and now chief operatingbe “Shut Down Your Web Sites!”

We also will honor the ETSPJ winner

Guerrero, who wrote on the topic, “Why sent on to the national contest, where he cwin the grand prize of a $1,000 scholarscontest chairman for the second year.

Tickets to the awards dinner are $25 at

door. More details are available at http://eorg/golden-press-card-awards-2/.

will send entries for our chapter to judge lin the season. If you are able to help juElenora E. Edwards at [email protected] volunteer your assistance. Edwards Bowles.

Make reservations for the dinnat www.etspj/golden-press-carawards-2/. Tickets are $25.

Next big event: Front Page Follies what’s going on around us from the creativeRehearsal dates have been set.

The auction committee has begun its work(see story on page 2).

2009 honorees are brothers John M. Jonesof Greeneville.

The ETSPJ board will keep the members

it seeks their help, since production of th casting call is going out, so anyone whwould like to be considered for participatio

There are many ways people can helpAsk how.

it’ll be Saturday, July 18, at the Marriott iing journalists, enjoy a smashing show an

enjoy fellowship with other journalists.

http://www.etspj.org/



http://etspj/

http://etspj/

mailto:[email protected]







http://etspj/




Mia Rhodarmer, presidentJean Ash, first vice president

and communications coordinatorElenora E. Edwards, second vice president/

Golden Press Card Awards and Spot Newseditor

John Huotari, secretary and immediate pastpresident

Dorothy Bowles, treasurer and FOI chairmanJohn Becker, membership chairmanMichael Grider, program chairmanAmanda Womac, diversity chairman and

student liaisonKristi Nelson Bumpus, ethics chairmanGeorgiana Vines, at large; Adina Chumley, exofficio

ETSPJ Officers and Board of Directors 2008-09

From the presidentFROM PAGE ONE

- Spot News

BY ELENORA E. EDWARDSYou can help make Front Page Folliessuccess. Help us round up items for theuction, the major fund-raising event of he year.The Follies, which annually honors oner more East Tennessee journalists and

Have something to contribute to auction?provides scholarships for young peopleearning journalism degrees, will take placeSaturday, July 18.

Auction chairman Georgiana Vines andthe ETSPJ board ask every ETSPJ memberto contribute one item.

It can be a journalism memento, a col-

restaurant, something you’ve made your-self, tickets to an event you know youwon’t be able to attend. Do you have ahistoric or art photo you can part with?Items large and small, together, will raisethe money ETSPJ needs to support aspir-ing journalists.

Here are a couple of examples. Last year,a photo of the signing of the Open Meet-ings Law in 1974 brought $500. A bowlmade of newspapers brought $50.

We all have contacts we can approachfor free or discounted items, and we allhave attics, or something comparable,for this project.

Jim Crook, retired director of the UTSchool of Journalism, is assisting Geor-giana. Contacther at [email protected] or Jim at [email protected].

Conscientious journalists from all mediaand specialties strive to serve the publicwith thoroughness and honesty. Professionalintegrity is the cornerstone of a journalist’scredibility. Members of the Society share adedication to ethical behavior and adopt thiscode to declare the Society’s principles andstandards of practice.”

Seek Truth and Report It - Journalists shouldbe honest, fair and courageous in gathering,reporting and interpreting information.

Minimize Harm - Ethical journalists treatsources, subjects and colleagues as humanbeings deserving of respect.

Act Independently - Journalists should befree of obligation to any interest other thanthe public’s right to know.

Be Accountable - Journalists are accountableto their readers, listeners, viewers and eachother.

even of the 11 ETSPJ board members at the April 29 board meeting at Long’s Drug Store: fromeft, Amanda Womac, Bob Becker, Dorothy Bowles, Jean Ash, John Huotari, Georgiana Vines and

Mia Rhodarmer.

BY JEAN ASH

“A hundred thousand blogs are beingtarted every day, and most are being readnly by the blogger and his mother.“So says Sree Sreenivasen, professor andean of students at Columbia University

Graduate School of Journalism, who addshat some, like East Tennessee’s ownnstapundit, attract tens (if not hundreds)f thousands of readers a day. That’s aot of eyeballs, which Sree says is thecurrency” of blogging.

Figuring out blogs and whatever’s next Session at SPJ convention September 2008

So, how do you create a blog that falls

comfortably between the two extremes?angle. A catchy tag line, what it is you’re“selling” with original reporting, anoriginal point of view. Moreover, youdon’t need millions of eyeballs, “just theright ones, a subset of those addicted tothe Web,” he says.

Then, drive the eyeballs toward you witha lot of posts. His mantra is “content

SEE BLOGS, PAGE 3

NICK FRANTZ, SHOPPER-NEWS






- Spot News

BlogsFROM PAGE 2

ontent, content.” Your posts don’t needo be long but they do need to be frequent.

Check out Instapundit.com to see themaster at work with rat-a-tat-tat posts.Sree notes that the technology of blogsomething to say.

The best way to build a blog, accordingo Sree, is to post as much as humanlyossible without losing your day job.

That could be something like 10 postsweek, if they’re good. He cited one

logger as spending two hours on aSunday afternoon writing several postsnd “postdating” them so that theyppear on the blog throughout the week,

making it seem like the author is postingll the time. Otherwise, he recommends

dedicating at least 5-15 minutes a day on

our blog.Material could come from outtakesour regular writing, interesting thingsou see elsewhere on the ‘Net. Also,

make the blogs of others work for you.Participate in other blogs by commenting

r posting something intriguing that willmake readers click back to your blog toee what else you have to say. When you

make a particularly good entry, e-mail aote to all your friends and/or post it onour Facebook or Twitter account.

Your blog can be part of your résuméor a traditional job, too. “Publishers,cquisition editors and the like readlogs and get an idea of a person’s value”rom his or her blog. Sree’s bottom line,articularly valuable in these times of conomic crisis, is that the more you can

do for yourself via a blog, the more youan withstand layoffs and show you havedditional value by having developed aan base. He says this is of particularalue to television journalists.If you have a few hours–make that a

irtual lifetime—check out Sree’s Web ite, http://sreetips.com/blogs.html.

workshop, some of Sree’s own blogs,

lus links to blogs of all types that heecommends: conservative, liberal, thosey journalists, about journalists, business,ntertainment, travel, photography,ideo, tech, the list is nearly endless.

One blog in particular that he feels everyournalist should check every day is thatf Romanesko, now at Poynter.org.

Hello, all local chapter presidents and board members, national membershipcommittee members, and others:

Last month, in response to a request I sent out, some of you sent me feedback on

membership dues waivers or discounts for laid-off journalists. I was able to sharesome of the highlights of your comments at the April 18 national SPJ board meetingin Greencastle, Ind., and I want to thank you for your input.

As you may know by now, the national SPJ board voted to offer a six-monthmembership extension to journalists who are already SPJ members and have losttheir jobs. The six-month extensions will be digital only, meaning the members willhours of their time to the Society to participate in such activities as judging contests orhelping with chapter activities. More information is available on the SPJ Web site.

The membership extension policy is good for one year, meaning the board willreview it again next spring.

For those of you who are interested, I am forwarding you the copy of the reportthat SPJ President Dave Aeikens sent out regarding the April 18 board meeting. It is

included below.Let me know if you are interested in reading all the comments submitted to me about

the membership dues waiver/discount, and I will forward those e-mails to you.Thank you,John HuotariSPJ Membership Committee Chairman(865) 220-5533

Greetings,Here is a short recap of the SPJ board action from Saturday, April 18. Please feelfree to share this at what spring conferences remain and with your chapters leadersand members.Budget

The board approved a budget that spends about $1.6 million and projects a $30,000surplus at the end of the year. We have added categories to the Mark of ExcellenceAwards in hopes of adding entries. Quill magazine will be printed six times insteadof nine, saving about $40,000.

We also are going to replace the roof at the headquarters in Indianapolis, sharingthe cost with the SDX Foundation. Revenue projections are based on membershiplevels of 8,200. We are at 8,500 this week. Membership is about 32 percent of ourrevenue.New chapters

welcome Angelo State, Butler University, Harding University, Northern KentuckyUniversity and Western Michigan University campus chapters.Relief for laid-off journalists

The board approved a six-month extension for existing members who have losttheir jobs. The offer is good for the next year. This will help journalists who havebeen laid off to maintain their SPJ memberships while they transition to their next job. Quill will be sent digitally to members who apply for this option. Look for moredetails in the coming weeks.2010 convention

We are going to Las Vegas. We had a successful convention there in 2005, and weplan to return in 2010. The convention will probably take place in early October.The board also considered New Orleans. Hotel rates are expected to be under $150 anight. The conference was originally scheduled for New York in 2010, but the boardrescinded that when it became clear travel and hotel costs would be too expensivefor members.

From SPJ membershipchairman, SPJ president

SEE MEMBERSHIP CHAIRMAN, PAGE 4

http://instapundit.com/


http://sreetips.com/blogs.html


http://poynter.org/

http://poynter.org/

http://poynter.org/





Spot New

Membership chairmanFROM PAGE 3

(See photos on page 6)BY JEAN ASH

Dozens of members of the public attendedthe SPJ Media Ethics and Credibility TownHall April 30 at the Howard Baker Jr.Center for Public Policy in Knoxville.

The East Tennessee Chapter is honoredto have been one of 10 chapters acrossthe country selected to hold the town hallmeeting during Ethics Week. Moderatorby asking the panel of news managersand a nationally-known blogger somepointed questions involving various ethicalscenarios.

Panelists included Bill Shory, newsdirector at WBIR-TV; Jack McElroy,editor of the News Sentinel, Knoxville;Michael Grider of VolunteerTV.com; andGlenn Reynolds, a UT law professor whoalso writes Instapundit.com.

The ethics scenarios asked the journalistsand online writers what they would doupon getting Twitter tips about a reportedairplane crash and an assertion that theformer Microsoft chief had severe thumbinjuries from using a Blackberry. Panelistsnoted that Twitter, a social networkingtool virtually unknown a year ago, is nowbeing used by most news organizations as

a source of tips to be checked out as well asamong viewers/readers.

The most spirited response by the panel aswell as audience questions and commentscame concerning comments left by thepublic on online news Web sites. Somefelt there should be no “prior restraint”by the media managers, that damagingcomments should be removed as soon asnoticed, and that the media are movingmore into a role of “discussion manager.”Others felt comments should be screenedand more effort by the media should go totheir traditional products than to assumeeveryone is using the Internet and socialnetworking tools.

Panelists and audience alike seemed toagree that “citizen journalists” can be everybit as credible and reliable as journalistswith a “capital J,” but that until one’strack record is proven it’s risky to rely onReynolds told a story about a tip hereceived but did not use because he didn’tknow the authenticity of the tipster. A weeklater the story was front page news in theNew York Times. It was noted that thereare no tests or criteria for someone to workas a “journalist” and that the line between

news reporting and opinion/analysis been fading.

Another point that came up is tbloggers or citizen journalists are likely to replace the traditional medrole as watchdog with deep pockets wcan spend a week to pursue involstories, although Reynolds pointed that if bloggers are “obsessive” or consa certain beat their “hobby,” they candeeper digging than many traditiomedia outlets in the current economy

SPJ’s large and diverse membersorganization’s most important missi1926, is an industry standard. One elemof the code is to “invite dialogue withpublic over journalistic conduct.” Coof the SPJ Ethics code were distributethe audience and a framed copy presenthanks to ETSPJ president Mia Rhodarand program chairman Michael Grfor making the arrangements and alsVP Elenora Edwards for bringing a wvariety of refreshments for the attend(The Code of Ethics can be found at wetspj.org.)

Turnout good for SPJ Media, Credibility Town Hall Meeting

2011 conventionSPJ plans to pursue the concept of

a joint convention with the RadioTelevision News Directors Associationin 2011. Both organizations have agoal of creating a giant professionaldevelopment conference that might some

day include additional partners. Thepartnership provides the opportunity formore participants, better room and mealrates. It also ends the need to compete forspeakers, fundraising and attendance withanother large organization.

It is important to note that bothorganizations will keep any traditionsthey have in this new setup. We wouldstill have the President’s InstallationDinner, the LDF auction and the Markof Excellence Awards. Our businessmeetings would still be conducted.

The board rescinded its plan to have theconvention in San Francisco in 2011 so itcould work on a location that is suitablefor both SPJ and RTNDA.Fairness Doctrine

The board took a position in oppositionto the Fairness Doctrine. No bill exists, butthere has been discussion. The organizationopposes government intervention inspeech and journalism ethics. A numberof people have been contacting us askingwhat our position is on this issue. We willpost a statement on the Web site next week.The Fairness Doctrine was originally putin place in 1949 and required anyone with

a broadcasting license to provide bothsides of any controversial issue. The FCCrepealed it in 1987.

We believe that the Fairness Doctrine isan attempt to regulate speech. Branding statement

The Public Outreach Committee wasasked to recommend a branding statementthat can be used as a slogan internally andexternally. The board approved the slogan,“Fighting for your right to know, one storyat a time.”

This will complement and not replace the

“Improving and Protecting Journalism”that is now being used. It will start graduallymaking its way onto our promotionalmaterials during the next few weeks.Chapter reports

A recommendation to put before delegates a plan to remove from bylaws the annual report requiremwas rejected. The regional directorsworking on improving the current systo rate student and campus chapters.Shield law

SPJ has scheduled July 13-15 asannual trip to Washington, D.C. to to Congress about issues importan

journalists. More information will coout later on how board members committee leaders can take part if tare interested.Improved digital communications

The Dig i ta l Media Commitrecommended SPJ improve its bsystem, engage more in social networkopportunities and put all digital toolone place on the web site. All of ththings are in the process of happeninthe next year.Strategic plan

The board is still committed to strategic plan approved in 2007. It for about an hour Saturday to talk abthe nest steps in meeting the goals ofplan.

http://volunteertv.com/








ETSPJ publishes Spot News in papeand PDF versions. To subscribeone should contact Jean Ash

communications coordinator, [email protected]. The PDFversion is available at www.etspjorg, the chapter Web site.

Letters to the Editor Policy:The boardencourages letters to the editor oSpot News. Like letters policies amost newspapers, we ask that lettersbe limited to 200 words or less. Theywill be subject to editing for spaceand content. Send e-mail to [email protected].

Spot News2008-09 editor

Elenora E. Edwards

[email protected]

(865) 457-5459

Spot New

The deadline for the June-July issue of News is June 12.

ETSPJ President Mia Rhodarmer, left, CommunicationsCoordinator Jean Ash, center, and Lisa Hood Skinner with abox of chocolates Lisa delivered to Poker Night on April 17.Pizza and chocolate—what a great combination.

Vice President Elenora E. Edwards, left, and President Mia

Rhodarmer with Ethics Poker cards.

To the strains of David Lauver’s “TexasHold ’Em,” a table of ETSPJ membersplayed Ethics Poker on April 17 at JeanAsh’s house. The purpose was celebrateSPJ’s 100th anniversary.

Ethics Poker, created by an SPJ member,is based on the game Texas Hold ’Em.

Every card has an excerpt from SPJ’sEthics Code.The event began with pizza and was

topped off with chocolate from Lisa Hoodappeared that Jean (Shark) would take thelion’s share of the pennies from Mia Rho-darmer (Quiet One) and Elenora Edwards(Tank), who was heard to murmur, “Whatever happened to beginner’s luck?”Afteran hour and having translated the journal-ist’s objectivity into a bluff, Elenora wonwith 109 cents. However, Jean got the

most Ethics Code card matches.“Texas Hold ’Em, Texas squeeze ’em,

Tex-excite ’em, Texas please ’em.”ETSPJ board members are thinking of

holding another Ethics Poker Night as thenew year begins Aug. 1. Join ’em.

Poker Night—an ethically good time

JEAN ASH

ELENORA E. EDWARDS

BY JEAN ASHCommunications coordinator

A new page recently added toour chapter Web site is entitled,“Congratulations!” Its first entrycelebrates awards won by two UTstudent publications at the SPJRegion 12 Conference last month inLittle Rock.

“Congratulations!” is designed toinform our membership of honors wereceive, such as new jobs, promotions,honors, etc. Please don’t be shy, andlet us know when good things happento you!

Another new page is called, simply,“Jobs.” In this economy we wouldlike to help our membership findout about openings that might besuitable for them. In the past fewmonths we have listed several jobson our main calendar page but now

will dedicate a permanent locationfor these announcements. As youknow, most jobs are found throughnetworking, so if you hear about anopening, please pass it along to us.

A project we hope to implementfor the Web site is a listing of ourchapter’s past presidents with a shortbiography of each. We’ve starteda list, but there are some blanksin it, so any chapter “old-timers” are encouraged to dig through them

for information, especially about

www.etspj.org has new feature

ETSPJ’s early years. A volunteeflesh out thumbnail bios wouldvery welcome, too, if anyone wolike to become the chapter historIt’s important we try to completerecords before institutional memis lost. (We’d really like to haveFollies invitations or Spot Neditions before 1999, too.)

Finally, here’s an invitation to allmembers who have blogs or Web sof their own. Our “Links” area alrelists some of these and we’d be hato add yours as well. Take a look a“ETSPJ Member Web Sites” directo see what your colleagues are uand let us list yours too.

Please take a minute and checkwww.etspj.org! In addition to Calendar listings of upcoming evand summaries of past programs activities and word about the F

Page Follies and Golden Press CAward program, there is a loincluding board members’ contact ithe SPJ Code of Ethics, informaabout membership, and issues of SNews going back a decade.

Please send any information forWeb site to me at jeanash@comcnet or the official chapter e-maddress: etspj.communicationgmail.com. And if you have fursuggestions for improving our on

presence, please let me know.

The tools of Ethics Poker—the cards andpennies for the pot.







http://gmail.com/

http://gmail.com/




http://gmail.com/





1802 Pinoak Ct.

Knoxville, TN 37923

May 15—Golden Press Card Awardsanquet, 5:30 p.m. reception and 6:15.m. dinner, The Foundry, Knoxvilleune 5-7—Ted Scripps Leadership Insti-ute, Indianapolisune 8—ETSPJ board, 9 a.m., Long’s

Drug Storeuly 12—ETSPJ board retreat, 3-5 p.m.,

Ash house, Knoxville. Orientation andlanning for the new board and the 2009-0 year.uly 18—Front Page Follies, Marriott

Hotel, KnoxvilleAug. 27-29—National SPJ Convention,00th anniversary observance, India-apolis

Summmer-into-fall kickoff—BloopersNight or Ethics Poker event. Watch for

April TBA—Region 12 Conference,Knoxville. Host, ETSPJ.

- - -

McElroy talk before the program.

Town Hall Meeting April 30 at Baker Center

- Spot News

PHOTOS BY ELENORA E. EDWARDS





Documents

May 2009 Spot News