|
|
 Writer's Week Society of Professional Journalists
Cleveland Pro Chapter Newsletter
Feb. 3, 2013
Deadline For Next Edition: Feb. 8
|
|
|
President's message
|
Come to SPJ's online writing training! | |
Cheryl D'Mello
|
Dear friends,
We invite you all to attend our training program "Writing That Works Online" and "Follow the Noise" on Saturday Feb. 23. National SPJ trainer Jeff Cutler will be at the Doubletree Hotel in downtown Cleveland (see details below). We have chosen these two trainings - one morning, one afternoon, with lunch in between - specially for our journalists and writers in Cleveland, and we are able to offer them at very reasonable rates. This is part of SPJ's commitment to excellence in journalism.
SPJ is the pre-eminent, national, broad-based membership organization for journalists in this country. Being part of SPJ gives us access to quality training and trainers. The changes and challenges faced by journalists call us to sharpen and update our skills continuously. So come on, sign up, and be ready for the new age of journalism!
Who: National trainer Jeff Cutler
When: Saturday, Feb. 23, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: The Doubletree Hotel Cleveland Downtown, 1111 Lakeside Ave., near the Hwy. 90 entrance and exit on East 9th. Free parking with stamp from an event at the hotel.
Cost: $15 for SPJ members, $25 for non-members, includes lunch.
Register online here by Feb. 19 please.
 | | Jeff Cutler |
For more information about the program and the trainer, see the national SPJ website writeup about this program here.
Sincerely Cheryl D'Mello cheryldmello@hotmail.com |
Pioneering women sportswriters tell all
|
 | Robin Palmer, left, and Stephanie Storm combine decades of experience as sports reporters and editors
|
By Carrie Buchanan
Being the first woman to enter the all-male dressing rooms and press boxes of sports journalism in Northeast Ohio was not easy for Robin Palmer, longtime sports reporter and editor for the News-Herald. But if she were starting out today as a newly minted Kent State journalism graduate, she would choose the same path all over again, Palmer told a group of SPJ members, colleagues and one student journalist at the Brecksville Community Center Jan. 23. "I wouldn't have stayed 19 years in sports if I hadn't loved it," said Palmer, who has spent close to 33 years at the News-Herald, moving into editing jobs after her years as a sportswriter. Palmer and fellow Kent State journalism grad Stephanie Storm agreed that women in sports were then, and still are, continually required to prove themselves worthy of the job. Kristen Davis of the Plain Dealer, who was also planning to join the panel, was unable to attend. Early in Storm's career, which began when she graduated in 1994 and has taken her around the country from the Orlando Sentinel to the Fresno Bee, then back to Ohio to the Columbus Dispatch and now the Akron Beacon-Journal, it was still challenging for a woman starting out in the field. "The players obviously didn't want the women in there, and they would make it difficult for you," she said. However, in each case, "Once I asked a difficult question, the coach took me seriously," she said. "You have to know your sports," the two women said repeatedly. That expertise, combined with experience, helped both women earn respect from players and peers. For both Palmer and Storm, the willingness to fight those early battles for recognition came from a genuine love of sports that began in childhood. When Robin Palmer was a kid growing up in Cleveland, she said she used to drag her father to Indians games and make him stay afterwards while she collected autographs.
"One day in high school at Lake Catholic, I took a journalism class. And I thought 'I could take my love of sports and be a sports reporter,'" she said.
At first, she said people were dubious. But at Kent State they took her dream seriously, she noted. Her first boss, and the man she gives credit for hiring her in 1980 as the first woman to cover sports in Northeast Ohio, was Ted Diadiun, who was sports editor, then executive editor at the News-Herald and later became the Plain Dealer's reader representative. "I was never sorry," Diadiun quipped from the back of the room. Storm, too, said sportswriting was a lifelong dream. "I always wanted to be a baseball writer," she said. As a child, she would often go to Indians games with her uncles. She used to look up at the press box and say, "Someday I'm going to be up there." When she decided to go for a job in sports, she recalled, "I walked into my boss' office and told him I wanted to be a sportswriter and he said, 'Come and sit down dear. Do you know what you're getting into?' He thought I would change my mind, I think." But she didn't. Feedback from readers could also be tough, Storm found, particularly as newspapers went online, where reader comments became possible with every story. She said she needed a "tough skin mentality. ... I just blocked it out. "I started keeping all the good things that people would send me ... so that whenever I had one of those (bad) times I would just take that out" and read the praise others had written for her work. Both women said it's more difficult for reporters of all types today because they are required to do several things at once. "It has gotten so hard to write the game because I've got so many other things to do," said Storm. "I'm tweeting and I'm doing the video and I've got a sidebar and I'm covering the game." "I marvel at the reporters today," said Palmer, listing the different things a reporter must do at a single event: cover the game in a story for print and online, tweet about it on Twitter, write Facebook entries, sometimes record video, and then blog about it. "That's one reason I love to cover baseball," said Storm. "It gives you time."
|
| Black Hole Award deadline Feb. 18 | 
It's time again for the annual Black Hole awards. Who this year is going to win the dubious honor of creating the worst abuse of the public's right to information?
To win a Black Hole Award you can't just make it difficult for someone to find what they have a right to know, you have to:
- Clearly violate a federal or state open-government law
- Know that you are walking all over the public's rights, endangering their welfare or placing your political or personal good over theirs.
- Your violation should have an impact on the public, not just one person.
Read about 2012's winners here
The deadline for entries is Feb. 18. For more information and to submit your nomination click here
|
|
Press Club: Expanding and Refining your expertise to compete in today's market
| 
Join the Press Club of Cleveland Feb. 6 for a panel introducing the Professional Development Series of workshops and other educational opportunities in storytelling, social media, videos, podcasts and more.
This kick-off event consists of multi-platform journalism panel: Mary Kay Cabot (The Plain Dealer), Chris Flanagan (WEWS), Eric Mansfield (Kent State University), Russ Mitchell (WKYC) and moderator Denise Polverine (cleveland.com)
When: Feb. 6 @ 6 p.m.
Where: The Market Garden Brewery
1947 West 25th St.
Cleveland, OH 44113
(Parking available on the street and behind the restaurant)
Cost: Free - limited to the first 100 registrants
Cash bar - after the panel for networking. Dinner
reservations are required.
Click here to sign up online today
|
|
"Seeking Public Employee Salaries- How One Newspaper provided information to readers."
| 
This month learn how the Record Searchlight in Redding, California collected pay information for its area's public employees and created a database that included not only base salary and benefits but also the amount taxpayers pay for:
- employee benefits
- retirement
- overtime
- issuance of agency owned cars, laptops, tablets or mobile phones
Presenter Jenny Espino, a multimedia journalist for the Record Searchlight, will cover
- Understanding the data
- Building your database
- Crafting your request for information
- Illustrating your findings
When: Feb. 20 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Where: Online Here!
|
SPJ's New America award
honors public service journalism | 
The 2012 calendar year was full of stories about newcomers to America who faced important challenges.
SPJ honors the best of those stories with the New America Award.
Did you report on one of those issues? You have until Feb. 7 to pay your $25 submission fee and enter it in the New America Award contest. Explain why you chose to report on that subject. What made it stand out? What resulted from the article?
For the complete rules and more information on how to submit your entry click here.
|
|
The question for this year's SPJ
High School Essay Contest is ...
|
Why is it important that we have news media that are independent of the government?
Are you a high school student in grades 9 to 12 who has an answer to this question? Write an essay of 300 to 500 words and submit it to SPJ by March 7 and you could win a $1,000 scholarship.
Be warned. This contest is nationwide and you'll have some stiff competition. For some that will be the best reason of all to give it a try and for others it'll be the chance to express commitment to continuing the freedoms we have that many others don't.
Whatever your motivation you can download the entry form here and send it to:
High School Essay Contest
Society of Professional Journalists
3909 N. Meridian St. Indianapolis, IN 46208
along with a $5 entry fee.
Here's a link that gives more information and also shows last year's winners. Good luck!
|
|
| Job opportunities |
Thanks to Kelly Blazek for her dedication and commitment in seeking out many of the jobs posted below.
To receive Kelly's full newsletter (we only excerpt media-related jobs) see the separate box headlined Cleveland Job Bank at right.
MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST/ COPYWRITER - LEXICOMP - Info and Apply Here
SENIOR WRITER/EDITOR - SS&G, one of the nation's top certified public accounting and business advisory firms, seeks a senior writer/editor for its Cleveland office. The ideal candidate for this full-time position will have previous in-house marketing experience with a strong writing/editing skill set.The person in this position will be responsible for the coordination and implementation of many marketing activities, including events, public/media relations, and business proposals/presentations. The individual in this role must be comfortable interacting with senior management and understand the firm's strategic goals along with the ability to execute those goals. Candidate should also be able to successfully manage multiple projects under tight deadlines. This position will have a significant writing and editing focus. Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:* Overseeing the firm's newsletters, from planning to production * Contributing copy to newsletter articles, blog entries, web pages, advertisements, collateral materials, e-mail communications, press releases* Providing editing and proofreading assistance on a regular basis* Ensuring that internal and external communications are consistent with the firm's goals and objectives* Develop and maintain relationships with media outlets, such as business publications and newspapers Position Requirements * Bachelor's degree, preferably in journalism, English, or writing/creative writing. Will also consider candidates with a degree in marketing or communications * 7-10+ years of comparable experience with a marketing department at a mid-size to large organization or agency* Previous experience as a journalist or editor is strongly desired* Strong writing skills and knowledge of AP style is a must* Ability to blend journalism with creative writing a plus* Capable of working in a fast-paced environment and juggling multiple projects and deadlines. Apply Here
|
| Cleveland Job Bank |
Check Kelly Blazek's website for advice on job-hunting and details on jobs in marketing, public and media relations, development, media, graphics/web design and more. Many of the jobs listed at left are reprinted from Blazek's newsletter. NEW BLOG FROM KELLY: With a fresh batch of college grads looking for their first job, She shares pointers on how to identify shady entry-level employment scams in "Don't Fall for Faux "Entry-Level Marketing and Sports" Jobs" at her blog, Here And, follow her on Twitter Here where she posts "breaking new jobs" prior to including them in this Job Bank. To subscribe and get the full list (we only excerpt journalism-related jobs), email the Cleveland Job Bank. For more information, go to the website. Also see the website for listings of out-of-town job search websites. Please Note: The jobs on Blazek's list are ONLY in communications related occupations. |
|
|
Laurie Mitchell Marketing & Communications
Executive Search
|
Laurie Mitchell Marketing & Communications Executive Search has been retained for the following assignments:
- Marketing Program Manager/Software
- Channel Marketing Manager/DIY/Big Box
- 4 Marketing Managers & Directors/Financial Services
- AD Agency Copywriter/3-6 years experience
- Kitchen Designer/High End Showrom
- Competitive Intelligence & Market Analyst
- AD Agency Account Supervisor/CPG
- Digital Producer w/PM & Web Development experience
- 2 PR Agency Account Supervisors/NEO
- Pharma/Med-Ed Account Manager
- Digital Sr. AE/Toledo
- Sr. Digital Art Director/Toledo
To apply for any of these current searches, please email your resume as a single Word file to
MitchellCo17@aol.com
.
www.LaurieMitchellCompany.com
216-292-9936
|
|
|
Summary
| | There is more information on these events and awards below, in articles under this column or the President's Message. For job listings, see lower left; for student internships, see lower right |
Feb. 6 Press Club Panel Expanding and Refining your Expertise to Compete in Today's Market
Feb. 7
Sigma Delta Chi Awards Submission Deadline
Feb. 7 New America Award Submission Deadline
Feb. 18 Black Hole Award Submission Deadline
Feb. 20 How I Got That Story "Seeking Public Employees' Salaries" More information online here or below at left Feb 23
"Writing that Works Online"
"Follow the Noise"
A day-long training workshop with national SPJ trainer Jeff Culter
Doubletree Hotel Downtown Cleveland
1111Lakeside Ave.
Cleveland 44114
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
March 7 National High School Essay Contest Submission Deadline
SAVE THE DATE!!! Region 4 Spring Conference April 5-6
University of Dayton. Watch this space for more info as it becomes available.
SAVE THE DATE!!! City Club James C. Goodale Apr. 12, noon Author: Fighting for the Press: From the Pentagon Papers to Wikileaks
|
| SPJ Internship Available! | |
What: Communications Postgraduate Internship - writing, marketing, social media and public relations
Ideal Candidate: Recent masters or bachelors college graduate
When:
Application deadline: Feb. 15, 5 p.m. ET
Anticipated start date: June 3
Length of Internship: 1 year from the start date.
Where: Indianapolis
Competitive Salary, benefits and paid leave
Primary duties will include:
- working with SPJ's board and staff to create and distribute internal and external messages.
- managing, maintaining, building and expanding SPJ's social media presence.
- assisting in marketing and promoting all of SPJ's products and services.
- organizing media inquiries, interviews and helping to prepare board members and leaders for media opportunities.
- providing editorial content for all of SPJ's communications vehicles, including its website, member magazine (Quill) and weekly e-newsletter.
Job-specific requirements:
- Experience using social media and ability to keep SPJ audiences engaged and informed through multiple digital communications channels.
- Knowledge of the journalism industry and the current issues facing its practitioners.
- Ability to multi-task and prioritize projects.
- Must be a self-starter who brings ideas to the table and is able to assist other staffers when needed.
- Demonstrate effective writing skills, often translating legal, ethical, freedom of information and diversity issues into meaningful messages for the public to understand.
- Ability to post content to our website and engage journalists and the public through relevant social media platforms.
- Curiosity and willingness to learn about the journalism/communications field in a non-profit setting.
- Proficiency in AP Style is a plus.
How to apply:
Interested candidates should send a cover letter, résumé, 3-5 writing samples relevant to this job description and three professional references to Tara Puckey via:
1. Google Drive
Upload your application materials and share them with tpuckey@spj.org. You are responsible for making sure the application is accessible.
2. Mail-in option
Society of Professional Journalists
ATTN: Tara Puckey
3909 N. Meridian St.
Indianapolis, IN 46208
For more information
|
|
Sigma Delta Chi Awards entry deadline Feb. 7
|
The prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Awards are now open for entries. You have from now to Feb. 7 to submit entries. The Sigma Delta Chi Awards date back to 1932, when only six individuals were honored for contributions to journalism. Now the awards recognize the best in professional journalism in categories covering print, radio, television, newsletters, art/graphics, online and research. The contest is open to international SPJ members and any U.S.media outlet. Publication or broadcast of entries must have happened during the 2012 calendar year. In May 2013 the winners will be declared and on June 21 there will be an awards banquet at the National Press club in Washington, D.C. For more information and to enter click here.
|
|
Members' Milestones
| Send us your stories, triumphs and adventures. We'd like to share them!
| |
|
'Immigration in the Heartland'
Justice & Journalism Institute
| 
Applications are now being accepted for "Immigration in the Heartland: Children and Families,", the 2013 program from the Institute for Justice and Journalism. The deadline to apply is Feb. 22.
IJJ will chose 15 journalists to attend the week long conference from April 21-25 at the University of Oklahoma's Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. The program offers tools and training to help journalists create deeper and more vibrant stories about immigrants in their regions.
Applicants must offer an idea for a project about immigrant children that will either be published or broadcast. Those chosen will be given $500 when the story, as well an account of how it was written, is completed.
For the past 4 years IJJ, in conjunction with the University of Oklahoma's Gaylord College has offered this "Immigration in the Heartland" conference as an opportunity to discuss national immigration subjects. The focus is on Midwestern states where the population of newcomers to America is growing the fastest
Founded in 2000, IJJ is a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening social justice journalism. They offer: fellowships, workshops, digital resources and direct story support.
For more information and to download an application form click here.
|
| Internships for journalism and communication students | | SUMMER EDITORIAL INTERNS - CLEVELAND MAGAZINE is looking for editorial interns for summer 2013. The deadline for applying is Feb. 15. The internships are unpaid. (They reimburse for parking or a bus pass.) The job ranges from 20 to 32 hours a week. Duties include fact-checking, researching, writing articles and blog posts, and some clerical work for Cleveland Magazine, its sister publication Inside Business, and other publications. Our interns are highly valued and are integrated into the editorial team. They are entrusted with serious responsibilities and given plenty of opportunity for professional development.
They're looking for bright student journalists or recent grads with experience at their college newspapers or magazines. The ideal candidates also have a flair for magazine-style feature writing and knowledge of Cleveland. Blogging experience is helpful.
Candidates must live or go to college in the Cleveland area (Akron, Kent, and Oberlin included). Minority candidates are encouraged to apply.
To apply, send a cover letter explaining what you could bring to the job, a resume, references, the date you would be able to start, and 4-5 published samples of your work to trickey@clevelandmagazine.com or:
Erick Trickey, Senior Editor
Cleveland Magazine
1422 Euclid Avenue Suite 730
Cleveland, Ohio 44115.
Cleveland Magazine takes on editorial department interns three times a year: for fall and winter/spring semesters and for summer. The deadline for applying for fall is July 15; for winter/spring, Nov. 15.
DIGITAL CONTENT INTERN - SHURTECH ShurTech Brand's Digital Media Intern primarily assists in the maintenance of digital content for ShurTech's corporate extranet. This individual will also work with marketing, communications, and graphics teams to gather and organize digital content, and ensure data consistency for all product copy and images.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES:Work with marketing, communications and graphics to gather digital content for ShurTech's corporate extranet. Submit requests to the corporate photographer for new and updated product images. Organize, edit, tag and delete image and copy assets on the corporate extranet. Generate a weekly progress report on all data entry activity.
POSITION REQUIREMENTS:
Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook)
Strong organizational skills
Strong ability to coordinate and prioritize multiple responsibilities in a fast-paced environment
Quickly adapts to web dashboards and interfaces
Self-motivated, poised, resourceful, enthusiastic.
SOCIAL MEDIA/COMMUNICATIONS INTERNSHIP - INDIANS SPORTSERVICE/CLEVELAND INDIANS
Info and
MARKETING INTERN - NORDSON Info and PUBLIC RELATIONS SUMMER INTERNSHIP - FAHLGREN MORTINE The Fahlgren Mortine summer internships offer students the opportunity to work with public relations professionals dedicated to mentoring and professional growth. This competitive internship program is offered in the Cleveland and Dayton, Ohio, offices of Fahlgren Mortine. Each position is a paid, full-time internship in which interns may be introduced to all aspects of public relations, including strategic planning, research, media relations, social media engagement, writing, internal communications, special events and online communications. Info and
SUMMER INTERNSHIP - GLOBAL PRAIRIE Looking for a summer internship program? If so, Global Prairie has a pretty awesome program! Whether your major is advertising, communications, humanities, graphic design, science, or marketing, there's a place for you at Global Prairie. It is a great opportunity to evolve and sharpen your passions and interests, especially if you care about giving back.
We value smart, engaged, team players with a passion for making our corner of the world better...while at work!
Our internship is a comprehensive 8-week program where interns partner with our full-time Global Prairie team to do cool work for incredible clients. The Global Prairie internship program provides college juniors and seniors with a world-class marketing internship doing great work for incredible clients.
At Global Prairie, each intern's experience is unique because we invest a lot in our program and believe in the power of great work, team building and giving back.
Interested?! Learn more here
|
| Volunteer Positions | | |
COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST VOLUNTEER:
Greater Cleveland Volunteers (www.greaterclevelandvolunteers.org) is a non-profit agency that provides volunteers for over 130 non-profit agencies in Cleveland, one-day community events, literacy tutors and mentors for elementary school students in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District.
The volunteer will work with Greater Cleveland Volunteers staff to perform several tasks for the marketing, communications and branding of the organization. The schedule is flexible and some work can be completed off-site.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES: Interview volunteers and partner agency staff and write bi-monthly newsletter articles
Assist in the graphic design and layout of the agency newsletter and various print publications
Will have the opportunity to assist in other communication needs (social media, promotion and/or special events)
Take digital photographs off-site of volunteers in action
POSITION REQUIREMENTS:
The individual should be proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Outlook and Publisher) or other graphic design software; digital photography and experience in journalism or other communications writing.
CONTACT:
Greater Cleveland Volunteers
Dianna Kall
Communications and Special Events Coordinator
216-391-9500 x 115 |
|
|
|
|
 Writer's Week is a service of the Cleveland chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. This e-newsletter is edited by Carrie Buchanan, assistant professor, Tim Russert School of Communication & Theatre Arts, John Carroll University, and assistant editor Elaine Wilson, who is studying editing and design.
Please send news items and job & internship postings to spjcleveland@gmail.com
Street Address: Cleveland SPJ, 4337 Chanticleer Drive, Fairview Park, Ohio 44126-1906
Chapter email: Cleveland@spj.org
President: Cheryl D'Mello
Chapter web site: www.spjchapters.org/cleveland/
The Society of Professional Journalists works to improve and protect journalism. SPJ is dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior. Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi and based in Indianapolis, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed public, works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists, and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and of the press.
|
|
|
