The February edition of SPJ’s fabulous, informal Press Club event is scheduled for Wed., Feb. 3, 7 to 9 p.m., at The Local Vine in Belltown. SPJ board members and freelance journalists David Volk and Dana Neuts will be on hand to say “hi.” Join us for this no host bar event to meet with other journalists, chat about local politics, complain about the industry or boast about how much you love your dream job writing, editing and reporting!
RSVP to Dana Neuts via email.
Hope to see you there!
Looking for a communications job? You’ll have an opportunity to network with people in the communications industry - Wednesday, January 27th from 4:30 to 7 p.m.at the University of Washington HUB Room 108.
Learn about the communication jobs available and the current state of the industry by visiting with company representatives and attending a panel discussion on entrepreneurship.
This event is free, but advanced registration is encouraged to ensure your spot and help with planning.
Register at
http://www.com.washington.edu/careerday.html
Schedule of events
Company Tables/Meet & Greet
4:30 to 7 p.m.
University of Washington HUB Room 108
Open networking will be interspersed with structured networking opportunities from 4:45 to 5:25 and 5:40 to 6:15. (See below for details.)
Participating companies
Microsoft
Amazon
Washington Technology Industry Association
MSNBC.com
comScore
Weber Shandwick
Starbucks (Digital Ventures)
Washington Filmworks
Edelman
Networking event
Round 1: 4:45 to 5:25 p.m.
Round 2: 5:40 to 6:15 p.m.
Feedback and closing remarks: 6:15 to 6:45 p.m.
University of Washington HUB Room 108
A lively networking opportunity hosted by My Tam Nguyen (’06), a public relations specialist for the City of Seattle, and staffed by the members of the alumni board and other alumni working in print and broadcast journalism, public relations, digital media, strategic communication and other communication-related jobs. Also joining the event will be the representatives from participating companies.
Panel discussion on entrepreneurship
7 to 8:30 p.m.
University of Washington
HUB Room 106B
The panel discussion will feature:
Moderator Kristina Hudson, enterpriseSeattle
Kristina Hudson has 15 years of experience in entertainment and economic development. She joined enterpriseSeattle in early 2006 as Business Development Manager specializing in Interactive and Digital Media Technology. In 2004, Kristina founded the Washington Interactive Network, and brought this program with her to enterpriseSeattle. This was the first economic development program in the United States to be targeted solely at the video game industry. For the last two years, Kristina received the distinction of winning awards from the International Economic Development Association: One for the best Technology-Based Economic Development Program; and the second for the annual Power of Play Event.
Fitz Cahall (’02), The Dirtbag Diaries
After graduation, Fitz Cahall worked as a freelance outdoor writer for a variety of publications. His dream was to bring his journalism training to rock climbing and outdoor sports. Over the years, he collected interesting stories about regular people that magazines did not want to publish. I was getting harder and harder to sell his stories, so he jumped into the world of new media with the 2007 launch of his podcast on climbing. He thought he might get a few hundred hits on his site, and instead saw thousands of downloads pretty quickly. Several sponsors later, he now has a radio show and will soon begin a web television show. Read more about Cahall atwww.dirtbagdiaries.com.
Laura Pavlou (’06), WWISH
Laura Pavlou is founder of the interactive online magazine WWISH. While attending Wenatchee Valley College, Pavlou founded and served as editor-in-chief of the student newspaper. Because of her grades and her achievements, she was awarded a full scholarship from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, giving her the opportunity to attend the University of Washington. She made the Dean’s list and graduated with a BA in Journalism in 2006. Laura was inspired to create WWISH, with a mission to help women move out of crisis, because of the personal adversity she overcame in her own life. Read more about WWISH and Laura’s personal journey.
Lucas Mack (’04), 4th Avenue Media
Starting out in public relations at the University of Washington, Lucas Mack worked side by side with sports columnists and sports broadcasters from around the Northwest. From there he took a job at KOMO TV, as the Audience Coordinator for the live talk show Northwest Afternoon. He moved to eastern Washington as a reporter for the NBC affiliate, where he fell in love with storytelling. His next stop brought him to the Lone Star State reporting for the FOX affiliate in San Antonio as their Feature Reporter, hosting his own live segment. In 2008, Lucas co-founded 4th Avenue Media to give clients the unique opportunity to tell their story by a broadcast journalist.
The Common Language Project
The Common Language Project (CLP) is a nonprofit multimedia production house that reports news from around the world about people affected by key social issues. The project is housed in the UW Department of Communication and has a core staff of young journalism and political science graduates from Hunter College and New School University. Also on board are a funding and outreach coordinator (and UW grad) and a CUNY graduate student.
The Western Washington Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists is offering five student scholarships totaling $10,000.
Four, $2,000 general scholarships will be awarded to undergraduate students majoring in journalism or communications at two-year or four-year colleges in the state of Washington. Awards are for the 2010-2011 school year. Applicants need not be members of SPJ but must intend to pursue a journalism career. A panel of journalists will review scholarship applications. Scholarship winners will be notified in May. They are encouraged to attend our annual Excellence in Journalism awards banquet, when the scholarship winners are formally announced. This year, the event will be on May 22 at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue.
Please send the following in a single packet that it is postmarked by March 1, 2010. Applications received prior to the deadline are appreciated. It gives the volunteers who will select the winners more time to review the submitted materials. Please send the materials to:
Sharon Salyer
The Herald
Box 930
Everett, WA 98203
ATTN: SPJ Scholarships
Required information:
1. A letter of application, including a succinct answer to the question: “Why have you have chosen a journalism career and what do you hope to accomplish after college?” (500 words maximum, please type.)
2. A copy of your resume, including current address, e-mail, phone number, what year of college you are in, your major, what year you plan to graduate and your hometown.
3. A letter of recommendation (i.e., from a college professor or a work supervisor). Enclose it in a separate envelope in your packet. Please have the person writing the letter of recommendation include her or his phone and e-mail contacts.
4. An official transcript of all your college credits.
5. No more than three work samples (clips, audio or video).
6. You may include a statement of unusual financial need.
NOTE: Incomplete and late applications will not be considered.
Questions? Contact Sharon Salyer, Scholarship Chair, by e-mail at
A $2,000 scholarship is being offered in recognition of the many professional contributions made by Seattle journalist June Anderson Almquist.
The Almquist memorial scholarship award is for the 2010-2011 school year. Applicants are limited to female undergraduate students majoring in editorial journalism at the University of Washington
Required information:
Please send the following in a single packet that it is postmarked by March 1, 2010:
1. A letter of application, including a succinct answer to the question: “Why have you chosen a journalism career and what do you hope to accomplish after college?” (500 words maximum, please type.)
2. A copy of your resume, including current address, e-mail, phone number, what year of college you are in, your major, what year you plan to graduate and your hometown.
3. A letter of recommendation (i.e., from a college professor or a work supervisor). Enclose it in a separate envelope in your packet. Please have the person writing the letter of recommendation include her or his phone and e-mail contacts.
4. An official transcript of all your college credits.
5. No more than three work samples (clips, audio or video).
6. You may include a statement of unusual financial need.
NOTE: Incomplete and late applications will not be considered.
Questions? Contact Sharon Salyer, Scholarship Chair, by e-mail at spjscholarships@gmail.com
News Train is editing and management training for front-line editors, journalism educators and others. Sign up for one or two days of training in editing, coaching and ethics skills for online news and print.
When: Wednesday and/or Thursday, February 3, 4, 2010. Workshops run from 9 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Participants may attend one or both days.
Where: The News Tribune, 1950 S. State Street, Tacoma, WA 98405
Cost: $50 registration fee for one day or two days, including lunches and coffee breaks.
Additional information:
Bios of the instructors teaching the two-day workshop
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Seattle, Washington, January 12, 2010 – Contest organizers in SPJ’s region 10 announced the launch of the 2009 Northwest Excellence in Journalism Contest today. The annual SPJ contest honors the best journalism work in daily newspapers, alternative newsweeklies, nondaily newspapers, magazines, online, radio and television. Each year thousands of entries are submitted, but only the very best receive the top awards.
Open to journalists in SPJ’s Region 10 (Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana), this year’s contest offers some significant changes:
1. Online submission: Entries in most categories will be submitted via our new online contest system, rather than mailed in. See contest details for exceptions.
2. Magazines: The magazine contest is now open to all chapters in the five-state region. Previously, magazine entries were only permitted from the Western Washington Pro Chapter based in Seattle.
3. Nondaily newspapers: The nondaily newspaper contest is now open to journalists in Alaska, Washington, Idaho and Montana. Previously, only Western Washington publications could enter. (Note: The Oregon-Southwest Washington chapter has its own nondaily newspaper contest and is not participating in the regionwide nondaily contest.)
“This year we’re making a lot of positive changes to the contest. These changes will make entering the SPJ contest easier than ever before while reducing administrative and mailing costs,” regional director Dana Neuts said.
“For the first time, we’re making online submissions possible, and we are expanding the magazine and nondaily newspaper contests to be open to others within the region,” Neuts added. “We’re excited to take the contest to the next level.”
Contest entries may be submitted online starting today through the end of the day on Friday, Feb. 19, 2010, the deadline for entry. Entry fees are $15 each and the contest is open to both SPJ members and nonmembers residing and working in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. For complete eligibility rules and instructions, please visit the SPJ website at http://spj-northwest.org.
As the largest journalism organization in the United States, the Society of Professional Journalists is dedicated to the perpetuation of a free press, promoting the free flow of information, and providing information to the public in an accurate, comprehensive, timely and understandable manner. SPJ also offers continuing education, ethics and diversity training and relevant programs for journalists and the public it serves.
For more information, please contact:
Scott Maben, former regional director, Spokane, WA, (509) 459-5528
Ruth Pettis, contest coordinator, Seattle, WA, (206) 781-8097
Dana Neuts, regional director, Kent, WA, (360) 920-1737
# # #
The annual AAJA Seattle Lunar New Year banquet is right around the corner! Please join us at the family friendly and parking accessible Tea Palace in Renton at 6 p.m Jan. 23. There will be a silent auction and a fundraising karaoke contest where YOU will determine the winner.
Reconnect with old friends and make new ones, as we celebrate the Year of the Tiger. Network with other Seattle members headed for the AAJA National Convention in Los Angeles this year. Find out what’s new with AAJA Seattle and what’s happening to make chapter programs work for you!
Advance tickets through BrownPaperTickets.com are $25 for members, $30 for nonmembers and $35 for everyone at the door. Tickets for kids are $12.50 in advance and $15 at the door.
If you are a current member of AAJA, please check your e-mail for the member discount code.
If you are not current, it’s not too late! We will send you the code after you renew. Please renew your membership ASAP at the following link: https://www.aaja.org/membership/register/
Lunar New Year Banquet & Silent Auction
6 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 23
Tea Palace
2828 Sunset Ln. N.E.
Renton, WA
Register early for discounted tickets!
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/94902
Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=223576199393&ref=ts#/event.php?eid=223576199393&ref=ts
If you feel you should have received a discount code and didn’t, please e-mail me. We look forward to seeing you! Please feel free to pass this invite along to your colleagues and contacts.
-Venice Buhain
AAJA Seattle Chapter Secretary
Don’t forget to register for this weekend’s reception and conference, presented by the Washington Coalition for Open Government, the Society of Professional Journalists and the University of Washington Department of Communications:
RECEPTION FOR HEATHER BROOKS
Jan. 15, 2010
5-7 p.m.
Women’s University Club, 1105 Sixth Ave., Seattle.
Cost: $25
Join elected officials, journalists, public interest advocates, and business and labor leaders as they celebrate open government and honor Heather Brooke, the journalist who exported it to Britain from Washington state!
To register, visit http://www.washingtoncog.org/20100115_reception.html
WASHINGTON STATE OPEN GOVERNMENT CONFERENCE
Jan. 16, 2010
8:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
University of Washington
Cost: $35*
*SPJ members interested in receiving a $10 discount, e-mail Hilary Reeves at hreeves@businessexaminer.com.
Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna and journalist Heather Brooke are featured at the Washington State Open Government Conference. The conference is presented by the Washington Coalition for Open Government, Society of Professional Journalists, and University of Washington Department of Communication.
To register, visit http://www.washingtoncog.org/20100116_registration.html.
We are already getting questions about our 2009 Excellence in Journalism contest. We will announce details by Monday, January 11, 2010, but until we do, here are a few changes to expect:
- We are merging the magazine and nondaily contests with the regional contest. What does this mean to you? One contest, less confusion.
- Magazines in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana will be eligible to enter the contest this year. In the past, only those in Western Washington were eligible.
- Nondaily newspapers in Alaska, Washington, Idaho and Montana will be eligible to enter the regional contest as well. Because Oregon has its own nondaily newspaper contest, however, nondailies in that state aren’t eligible.
- We are taking the regional contest online for all categories, though some (such as broadcast) may need to submit other formats.
- The rules will be streamlined for easier understanding.
- Contest deadline for ALL contests will be Friday, February 19, 2010.
Details coming soon. Please hold your questions until the contest information is posted.
Journalist Heather Brooke and Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna are featured at the Washington State Open Government Conference, Jan. 16 at the University of Washington in Seattle, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The conference is presented by the Washington Coalition for Open Government, Society of Professional Journalists, and University of Washington Department of Communication.
Registration for the Jan. 16 conference is $25 or $35 after Jan. 8. To register online: http://www.washingtoncog.org/20100116_registration.html. SPJ members receive a $10 discount to attend the conference. SPJ members contact Hilary Reeves to register.
To honor Heather Brooke, there will also be a reception (Friday, Jan. 15, 5-7 p.m.) in downtown Seattle. To register on-line (suggested minimum donation is $25): http://www.washingtoncog.org/20100115_reception.html.
Quill (the magazine for professional journalists) poses 10 questions to people with some of the coolest jobs in the industry. The current edition features an interview with Rosette Royale from Seattle.
Royale is the assistant editor for Seattle’s Real Change newspaper. He has been honored with SPJ’s Sigma Delta Chi Award for feature writing for his exhaustive 15,000-word investigative and narrative story titled “The Man Who Stood on the Bridge.” This three part series captured the attention of readers for nearly a month as the weekly paper, distributed by homeless and low-income vendors, told the story of a troubled young man on the brink of suicide.
Here’s the Quill interview with Royale who talks about the series and journalism.