News

16 Oct Fall Continuing Education Series is here

Back by popular demand, the SPJ Western Washington Continuing Education Series is kicking off this fall with four sessions.

We are holding a special one-hour election coverage session next Tuesday night. The other three sessions will be held on Monday nights from 7 to 9 p.m. (don’t worry we didn’t plan one for the the week of the election!)

We will be hosting the series once again at Fisher Plaza (140 Fourth Avenue North). Sessions are FREE for members and $10 for everyone else!

Check out the sessions below:

Beating the spin: Top tips to stay true in local political reporting

Tuesday Oct. 23        7-8 p.m.

Whether you are a veteran political reporter or are jumping into political coverage for the first time, this will be a session you don’t want to miss. Chris Grygiel, Washington state news editor for The Associated Press, will lead this conversation about political journalism in 2012. Specifically Grygiel will dive into how social media affects and influences reporting and campaigning.

Quick and dirty analytics: Cheap and easy ways to analyze traffic to your blog, website or mobile platform

Monday Oct. 29       7-9 p.m.

Web publishing has become so prepackaged and easy, anyone can do it. But running a successful blog for your personal/professional use or small business? That’s a-whole-nother beast. How can you tell which posts people like best? Who are your readers? Where are they from? Is your site driving sales?

Join Ian Lurie, CEO of Portent, Inc., as he breaks down how to analyze a website using tools that are accessible to anyone in the second session of the 2012 SPJ Continuing Education Series.

Shooting big with a little phone

Monday Nov. 12    7-9 p.m.

As renowned Seattle photographer Chase Jarvis once said, “The best camera is the one that’s with you.” Learn how to use your wee little phone to take big, impactful photos with tips and tricks on everything from lighting to composition with award-winning Seattlepi.com photographer Josh Trujillo, who returns to this year’s continuing ed series after leading a hit mobile photography session last year.

How the law applies to your blog or hyperlocal site

Monday Nov. 19        7-9 p.m.

What pictures and videos can you use for your blog or hyperlocal news network? What is considered your intellectual property when you post online? What makes something private publishable? Navigating the legal implications of content on the wild, wild world wide web is not clear cut at all, but former newspaper reporter Eric Stahl, now a partner with Davis Wright Tremaine, has extensive experience he will share with SPJ members.

In 2 hours, he’ll cover fair use and copyright (including licensing, infringement, DMCA safe harbors); defamation (including libel, slander and best practices for avoiding it); and privacy (including publication of private facts and false light).