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  Writer's Week  

Society of Professional Journalists

    Cleveland Pro Chapter Newsletter     

Sept. 9, 2014   

 Deadline For Next Edition: Sept. 19, 2014  
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President's message
New ethics code approved at EIJ     
Rodney Bengston
Rodney Bengston

 

There were many good times this year at the Excellence in Journalism convention in Nashville, but important things got done, too.

 

Among the most important was the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics has been updated. I will not even try to outline the changes - and some were made on the floor just before the vote - because most of them have already been outlined in The Quill.

 

But the ethics committee put in long hours and worked hard to give everyone a say in the process. Some might even say the process was a bit messy, but that's the way the democracy is sometimes. And we can cite that open process on this issue to the people we cover who often have a penchant for shutting people out of meetings for no good reason.

 

Is everyone happy with the revision? No, but the overwhelming majority of delegates favored it.

 

The online version of the ethics code also will provide links in certain areas that will give further context, explaining why items are - or are not - in the code.

 

I will share a few more things about EIJ in Nashville in a future column.

 

Rodney Bengston

President, SPJ Cleveland       

   

Job opportunities
 
MEDIA RELATIONS MANAGER, CLEVELAND RTA
 
The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) located in Cleveland, Ohio, is searching for a skilled, transformative, energetic leader to join its Marketing & Communications team. Reporting to the Executive Director of Marketing & Communications and working on a day-to-day basis with the CEO, this leader has a great opportunity to build strong relationships and enhance RTA's image at the local and national level. This position is responsible for aligning media relations strategies with the organization's business strategy and goals.

RTA is a financially-sound transit agency that is nationally recognized for the quality of services it provides and for its innovate management practices. It offers a wide range of comprehensive benefits and programs to support the health and wellness of employees and family members including Health Benefits and a very attractive pension plan.

Detailed Description

Duties: Plans and directs the development and communication of information directed toward media outlets that is designed to inform the public of the Authority's programs, plans, and points of view. Handles media strategy planning for crisis management and PR activities. Prepares press releases, media briefs, Op Ed pieces, and speeches to disseminate RTA information to the public. Maintains a working relationship with local media. Assists the Marketing and Communications Department in planning and executing promotions. Works in concert with the Authority's Legal Division to ensure the timely processing of public information requests. Performs duties of a similar nature as may be required.

Job Requirements
 
Minimum Requirements: Applicants must have a Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, English or other related field with an emphasis on public relations skills from an institution that is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the Higher Learning Commission, and/or the United States Department of Education. Applicant must have at least five (5) years of experience in communications and media relations. This experience must include communicating on radio and on camera (i.e. press conferences, television, etc.). Experience should also include working in a team-focused environment. Applicants must demonstrate strong oral and written communications skills as excellent diction and presentation skills are a must. Applicants must have strong PC skills in a Windows environment and working knowledge of the Internet related to public relations. Bilingual abilities are a plus.


Apply here. 
 
 
REPORTER - RECORD-COURIER, KENT

Record Publishing Company is seeking an experienced, dependable, energetic and motivated reporter to join the staff of our award-winning newspaper in Kent, Ohio.

Minimum Qualifications: At least two years of reporting experience Bachelor's degree in journalism or a related field Knowledge of Associated Press style, newspaper pagination, photography and video experience is a plus, as is knowledge of NewsEditPro and Adobe InDesign programs.

Qualified candidate should be proficient in major social media platforms and be prepared to move between print and digital. Candidates should excel at meeting daily deadlines. This position involves a combination of night, day and weekend shifts.

Record Publishing Company offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including medical and dental insurance, vacation and holiday pay, 401K and mileage reimbursement. Send cover letter, resume and writing samples to: editor@recordpub.com 
  

ASSISTANT EDITOR - EARLY AMERICAN LIFE MAGAZINE

Firelands Media Group LLC is interviewing for the position of Assistant Editor for Early American Life magazine. The position is full-time with benefits. The ideal candidate will have writing and editing skills for both print and electronic media, a knowledge and appreciation of American history and historic styles, and the ability to represent the magazine in public forums, both online and in person.

Duties include making assignments to outside writers, creating original content, editing for style, copy editing, and interfacing with the art department. Because we attend shows, the position requires flexibility and the availability to travel. Fluency in Microsoft Word and sufficient understanding of Adobe Creative Suite to work with the art department are required.

Early American Life is a national consumer magazine with headquarters in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and is published seven times a year.

Applicants should contact Tess Rosch, publisher, at 440-543-8566 or submit resumes by email to this address.



TECHNICAL WRITER - NORDSON CORPORATION 

Writes, edits, and coordinates the printing of Nordson technical publications including product manuals, instruction sheets, documentation for engineered systems, field service handbooks, and other technical literature.

Essential job duties and responsibilities: 
1. Writes and revises product manuals, instruction sheets, documentation for engineered systems, field service handbooks, and other technical literature. 
2. Assumes day-to-day responsibility for maintenance of major publications or product group documentation. 
3. Selects artwork for technical publications; assists in coordinating the production of artwork. 
4. Edits and coordinates the production of foreign language manuals for Nordson products. 
5. Assists in maintenance of technical communications files and information storage systems. 
6. Coordinates the review of internal and external technical publications to ensure the accuracy of text, completeness of information, and adequacy of warnings. 
7. Consults with Engineering and Marketing personnel to establish technical content and time schedules for manual publications. 
8. Checks artwork and graphics; coordinates publication and distribution of printed materials. 
9. Estimates and helps control costs consistent with quality and budget requirements.

Education Required: Bachelor's degree in English, Journalism, Communications, or similar is required

Experience Required: Minimum of one year of experience in Business, Engineering or Manufacturing environment

Preferred Skills and Abilities: 
1. Excellent written and oral communication skills 
2. Time and project management 
3. Basic knowledge of mechanics, hydraulics, and electricity is preferred 
4. Ability to read blueprints and engineering drawings preferred 
5. Knowledge of printing and printing process preferred 
6. Experience with Adobe InDesign, Corel Draw, Adobe Photoshop, RoboHelp and QuickSilver is preferred 
7. AUTOCAD and Solidworks experience is preferred 
8. Web, multi-media and graphic design experience is preferred

Location: Amherst, Ohio 
   

  

BROADCAST DESK ASSISTANT - PBS
 
Duration: Jan. 12, 2015 - July 17, 2015
Location: Arlington, Va. 

  

The Desk Assistant position is part of a six-month entry-level program designed for recent graduates and aimed at providing practical experience in a broadcast news setting. The DAs are exposed to all aspects involved in producing a nightly television news program. Desk Assistant duties are rotational among the different units that compose the NewsHour.

Over the course of the program, each of the Desk Assistants hired will work in three different units for a period of two months each. They also act as support staff for Senior Producers, Associate Producers, Reporter-Producers and Production Assistants by answering phones, sorting mail, distributing papers and other administrative tasks. Finally, Desk Assistants will attend a series of breakfasts with various members of our organization including correspondents, producers, and reporters.

Each DA will work in three of the following rotations for a period of two months each:

FOREIGN AFFAIRS / NATIONAL AFFAIRS / POLITICS The Beat DAs perform a variety of duties, including providing basic research, finding and pre-interviewing guests, logging feeds, and aiding reporters, producers and correspondents with whatever they need. In the evening, the National Affairs and Politics DAs work on script production and in the control room during the taping of the show.
(The script production and control room duties switch after one month.)

LOGGING The Logging DA logs and manages incoming feeds from the Associated Press Television Network (APTN). They also log press conferences and hearings as needed, create posts for the NewsHour's Rundown blog, and join reporter-producers on video shoots. Along with the Newsdesk DA, they also answer phones and provide support in the newsroom.
(This is done for one month and then switches with Newsdesk.)

NEWSDESK The Newsdesk DA is primarily responsible for providing general coverage in the newsroom, logging news feeds, answering phones, tracking tape stock, distributing information, photocopying and fact-checking all script and tape information before air.
(This is done for one month and then switches with Logging.)

PRODUCTION The Production DA is responsible for maintaining our tape library, accompanying crew on local shoots; and providing additional assistance in the edit and tape rooms. During the evening, this person assists with script production and sits in the studio to assist the anchors.

RESEARCH/COMMUNICATIONS
The Research/Communications DA plays two roles: assisting the research librarians with long-term projects by compiling dossiers for anchors, producers and reporters. and writing press releases, compiling press lists, editing DVDs for awards submissions, and performing other duties for the Communications offices.

- Bachelor's degree.
- Good writing and research skills.
- Demonstrated interest in journalism and/or television production.
- Pleasant phone manner and good administrative skills.
- Strong work ethic and effective time management.
- Knowledge of the PBS NewsHour's journalistic style.
- Prior experience in a broadcast news setting is strongly preferred.

The deadline for applications is Oct. 31. To be considered, please email ztreu@newshour.org.

The Desk Assistant position pays $9 an hour with overtime eligibility. As it is a temporary position, we are unable to provide health benefits.

To apply, please send the following to the Desk Assistant Coordinator via email (preferred) or ground mail.
  1. Application (available as a PDF or as a Word document)
  2. Cover letter
  3. Resume

Zachary Treu
Desk Assistant Coordinator
PBS NewsHour
3620 27th Street South
Arlington, VA 22206

Candidates must have valid authorization per DHS form I-9 regulations to work for any employer within the United States. Visa sponsorship is not available. 

 
Events
There is more information on most of these events in articles below and at left. Job listings are featured below at left, student internships below at right.

Sept. 10

Cocktails and Conversation
with Facebook Content Strategist Jonathon Colman

The Press Club

6 p.m. 

at the Cambridge Room at House of Blues

308 Euclid Ave., Cleveland 44114

NOTE: Ticket sales have ended

for this program. 

 

   

Sept. 11

The Second NOCA Cleveland Commercial Photography Exhibit

5:30 to 8 p.m.

at Artful Living Gallery in Gordon Square

1364 West 67th Street

Cost: $5

RSVP here 
 

Sept. 11

NEOSTC's Google GLASS: the Technical Writing Paradigm Shift

5:30 to 8 p.m.

at Parker Hannifin

6035 Parkland Blvd.
Mayfield Heights, OH 44124
Cost:
Meeting Only - Members/Students: $10
Meeting Only - Non-Members: $15
With Dinner - Members/Students: $20
With Dinner - Non-Members: $25 

More details here 

Sept. 20

Associated Press Media Editors

Columbus, Ohio, NewsTrain

8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

at the Columbus Dispatch

34 S. 3rd St., Columbus, Ohio 43215 

Cost: $75

More info and online registration here 

 

 

 

ASNE seeks teachers
to help develop
news literacy program
ASNE logo

The American Society of News Editors would like to talk with teachers interested in helping develop model news literacy lesson plans for science at the secondary school level. Teachers selected for the project will be compensated $3,000 each. The project is coordinated by the ASNE and the Journalism Education Association, and funded with a grant from the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.

 

Interested teachers would be provided with news literacy lesson plans and activities that could be modified and adapted for the science classroom or the teachers could create original lesson plans. Through this process, we hope to learn how science teachers view news literacy. We are also working on similar projects with national organizations and teachers in social studies, language arts and math.

 

What is news and information literacy? Simply put, it is the ability to use critical thinking skills to judge the reliability and credibility of news reports and information sources. In the information age, more data is produced in a single second than can possibly be consumed in a lifetime so the need for news and information literacy has never been more important. Research suggests that students who develop news and information literacy skills become more active and engaged citizens. Many schools across the nation already teach news literacy and more research on the impact of these efforts is underway.

 

One way to approach news literacy is with the REALLY technique developed by Al Tompkins of the Poynter Institute. See REALLY? Teaching Students to Ask Critical Questions (this link downloads a PDF document). 

 

An overview of news literacy can be found in the Six Principles to Guide Producers and Consumers of News and Information. This guide and other news and information literacy resources are available here.  

 

Interested teachers should email Le Anne Wiseman at Lwiseman@asne.org or call 573-884-2689 for more information.

 

Quick Links

 SPJ Job Bank

Join or Renew Membership
(Be sure to scroll down on the application form and sign up for the Cleveland Pro Chapter, as well as the national SPJ)
Internships for journalism and communication students

CLEVELAND INDIANS  

COMMUNICATIONS INTERN 

 

PRIMARY PURPOSE:  

To assist Indians Communications Department in all activities including business communications, social media and other projects as assigned. 


RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:  

* Utilize creative writing and editing skills to assist in the creation and implementation of communication plans and messaging. 


* Assist daily social media efforts, including writing daily posts, monitoring and tracking all platforms. 
* Assist in coordination of Indians Social Suite, both selection of candidates and gameday coordination. 
* Assist in planning and execution of media events, press conferences and influencer events. 
* Assist by monitoring all social media channels, websites, blogs and other media outlets for content relative to Indians, baseball and sports industry. 
* Assist digital efforts including Indians.com updates, email marketing and tracking. 
* Update and create message points for TV/Radio ratings.  

* Performs other duties as assigned. 



Requirements  

Marketing or communications or journalism degree preferred. 


* Excellent creative writing and editing skills.  

* Proficient in Social Media Channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Blogging, etc.

Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, E-mail & Internet. 
* Excellent oral communication. 
* Excellent interpersonal skills. 
* Reads, speaks, and comprehends English effectively. 
* The ability to work with multicultural populations and have a commitment to fairness and equality.
* Represents the Indians organization in a positive fashion to all business partners and the general public. 
* Ability to lift and carry items up to 40 lbs. 
* Ability to work extended days and approx. 40 hours per week for 10 months. 
* Ability to sit or stand for an entire shift. 
* Ability to move throughout all areas and levels of the Ballpark. 
* Ability to develop and maintain successful working relationship with members of the Front Office.
* Ability to act according to the organizational values at all times.

View or apply to job here.  

  

CREATIVE WRITER 

Save Local Now is looking for a creative writer interested in the world of advertising. Save Local Now is hiring an intern to help create and manage the content for its deal, event and business campaigns. You will be working with local business across the USA, Canada and Caribbean. We like wit, humor and energy!

Save Local Now is on a mission to grow local business, while making it easy for people to save money and buy local. Our digital marketing platform and suite of analytical tools help businesses promote themselves across social media channels. We offer mobile apps, email marketing, daily deals, and an event publishing service for consumers to interact with our members.

Responsibilities: 

Write copy for deal, event, and business campaigns;

  Ensure consistency and style, while focusing on commercial audiences;

Proofreading daily deals and events before publication;

Assist member engagement team with various projects.   

 

Requirements:

Undergraduate or graduate student or degree-holder. Creative Writing, Professional Writing or Journalism majors (preferred); 

Undergraduate or post-graduate writing or editorial experience (preferred);

Excellent oral and written communication skills (required);

Great attitude and sense of humor (required);

Tech-savvy and very comfortable using social media (required);

Passion for buy local initiatives and helping small businesses thrive (required); 

Experience managing and updating social media and blogs (preferred);

A strong desire to be an asset of a fast-growing, innovative company; 

Extreme attention to detail and the ability to multitask; 

Comfortable with a fast paced environment with the ability to adapt quickly;

Deadline driven.  

 

Location

Chagrin Falls, Ohio, or working from home will be considered.

 

Credit or Compensation

Internship can be used for college credit or a weekly stipend can be negotiated. There will be an opportunity for full-time hire at the conclusion of the internship.

Next Steps

Interested candidates should send a resume to Zach McCrory, Operations Manager, at this email address. 



VIRTUAL INTERSHIPS
THE CELEBRITY CAFE

We are looking for dedicated interns who understand the culture TheCelebrityCafe.com embodies. We have nine different internships opportunities; Marketing and Social Media, Business Administration, Research, Copy Editing, Graphic Design and our News, Music, Entertainment and Sports Writing internships.

This is a 12-week internship for students in a virtual office for academic credit only.

We had previously asked students to dedicate 10 hours minimum per week, but will be increasing the requirement to 15 hours each week. As the online forums for writers grow, we want to continue to guide students to the best of our ability and and help them understand how an online magazine operates, and found that this can not be properly done within our original time requirements.

Additional program descriptions are online here

We also want to highlight the importance of our Marketing and Social Media internship. Students who are interested in this internship will become knowledgeable in an array of online communication, and will learn how to combine online marketing with overarching outreach goals in a professional setting. This is a necessary skill for students to acquire upon entering professional work settings, many that are heavily internet focused.

Openings for the internships are limited. Please have interested students apply here as soon as possible.

 

infoaboutusWriter'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 Jackie Mitchell, a reporter for the Cleveland Jewish News and recent graduate of John Carroll University.

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: Rodney Bengston  

  

      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.