Writer's Week 
Feb. 15, 2016
Deadline for next edition Feb. 26

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President's Message
Ohio SPJ Awards open, Regional Conference soon
Kaye Spector - high res
Kaye Spector   

Hi everyone,
Hope you are staying warm! As promised, I'm bringing you more details about two important events in the coming months.
 
One is that entries are now being accepted for the 19th annual Ohio SPJ Awards. This statewide competition honors the best in journalism for work published in 2015. You don't have to be a member of SPJ to enter, but members have a reduced entry fee. Also, anyone can enter on their own; or your employer can submit an entry on your behalf.
 
And, attention college students and educators: The contest also recognizes the best college daily and weekly newspapers. We waive the entry fee for these organizations and offer college students a reduced entry fee for entries in the subcategories of news, feature, sports and opinion.
 
The committee that runs the contest - with representatives from Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati - have made some changes this year to better reflect the journalism landscape.
 
There are new categories for Digital Media, and new categories for the work of Ohio-based freelance journalists, who can submit regardless of where their work appeared.
 
Deadline is March 28. Complete details, including entry information and a list of last year's winners, is on our new contest website.
 
Second, registration details have been finalized for the SPJ Region 4 and 5 Conference in Cincinnati on April 1-2.
 
The conference opens at 5 p.m. Friday at the Kingsgate Marriott Conference Center with a reception. On Saturday, professional and student journalists can attend a full day of training sessions and networking. More details on the programs are available on the conference website.
 
You can register now on the Eventbrite website. Lock in the early-bird discount by registering by March 1.
 
If you're a journalist, a journalism educator or a journalism student, I hope you'll take a look at these important events and consider participating in one or both.
 
Kaye Spector
President, SPJ Cleveland Pro Chapter
mks0511@gmail.com 
About this newsletter
Students, scroll down past the jobs for internships.
Job seekers, find opportunities below the other news.

This newsletter goes out to members two days earlier than to our many subscribers who are not SPJ members. This gives our members first crack at the jobs and other opportunities listed here. If you're not yet a member of SPJ but thinking about it, check out this list of other reasons to sign up:




Group of event related 3D words. Part of a series.
Careers

 Feb. 15
The Press Club
"Terrorism: How is it
Changing our Lives?"
Music Box Supper Club
11:30-1:30
$30/$40  
Click here to register

Until Feb. 29   
StartMart
 
 
 
StartMart's 1st Annual 
CLE FREElancers Awards 
Honoring the Best Freelancers 
in the Cleveland  Area
Nominations close Feb. 29
Click for more info

Until March 28 
Ohio SPJ Awards 
Ohio's Best Journalism 2016
(enter your work from 2015)  
Contest website 
 
March 10
Northeast Ohio Society for Technical Communication
"How Mobile will Change Tech Comm"
with Neil Perlin
Akron General Health & Wellness Center (Fairlawn)
4125 Medina Road
Akron, OH 44333
5:30 to 6:00 p.m. - Registration
6:00 to 7:00 p.m. - Dinner
7:00 to 8:00 p.m. - Presentation 
Click here for more info

Feb. 20
Winter Fictionfest: A Mini-Conference
Literary Cleveland 
Saturday, Feb. 20th, 9 am - 1 pm  
($28 / $23.50 for members of Literary Cleveland)
Loganberry Books, 13015 Larchmere
Shaker Hts. OH 44120
Register here 
Compete or nominate someone for an SPJ award
   
Ohio's Best Journalism 2016 
COMPETITION CALL FOR ENTRIES  
Honoring the best of Ohio's Print, Broadcast, Digital Media, Freelance, Trade and College Journalism


 Click here for entry information and a list of categories.
  
Ohio's Best Journalism is presented collaboratively by the Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland Pro Chapters of The Society of Professional Journalists and honors print, broadcast, online, trade and college journalists in Ohio for their best work during 2015. It is the only Ohio competition that honors journalists who fulfill the SPJ mission: defense of the First Amendment, support of literacy, resistance to censorship, advocacy for openness of public records and meetings, media self-criticism and community service. This program also recognizes the best college daily and weekly newspapers.

Please take note of new changes in 2016: We have updated our Online category (now called Digital Media) and added new categories. In addition, we have added numerous Freelance categories to reflect the growing number of freelance journalists. Click here for Freelance categories. 
DEADLINE:  No entries will be accepted after 5 p.m. March 28.
ELIGIBILITY: Journalists are eligible who work for newspaper, magazines, radio, television, trade, online and college media in Ohio and adjacent states that have significant reach into Ohio. Freelance journalists, who are Ohio residents are eligible, regardless of where their work is published, broadcast or webcast. Entrants need not be members of the Society of Professional Journalists. The work must have been published or broadcast in 2015.
FEES: A $30 entry fee must accompany each submission, except College entries. College students pay a $10 entry fee for writing of news, feature, sports and opinion. College newspapers may enter for free. There is a $5 discount per entry for work by SPJ members. You may submit any given article in as many relevant categories as you wish. Submissions from trade publications, newsletters and other print alternatives are welcome. This contest is for journalists in the state of Ohio and immediately adjoining states whose publications / stations / work have significant reach into Ohio.
SPREAD THE WORD: Please forward this message to anyone you think would like to participate in Ohio's Best Journalism contest!
QUESTIONS?  For additional information, please contact:
Sarah Mills Bacha
614.563.1066
contact@ohiospjawards.org 
New America Award
Who? Open to media outlets, journalists, community and issue advocacy groups, individuals and others concerned with ethnic issues.
What? The New America Award honors public service journalism that explores and exposes an issue of importance to immigrant or ethnic communities currently living in the United States.
Where? Entries for the New America Award must be submitted online.
When? The deadline to submit is Feb. 19
Why? SPJ encourages diversity in journalism and wishes to recognize public service journalists for their hard work.

Also, check out the following SPJ Honors you can nominate people for:
Distinguished Teaching in Journalism Award
Ethics in Journalism Award
Historic Sites in Journalism
Sunshine Award 

For details visit SPJ's national website

Now, finally, a special award for dubious achievement:

The Black Hole Award

SPJ launched the Black Hole Award to highlight the most heinous violations of the public's right to know. By exposing such abuses, SPJ's Freedom of Information Committee seeks to educate the public about their rights and call attention to those who would interfere with openness and transparency.
 
Nominations for the 2015 Black Hole Award are being accepted now. Details about the award, past recipients and nomination criteria may be found on the national website (see link below).
 
The Black Hole Award "winner" will be announced during Sunshine Week, March 13-19. Please email nominations to FOI Committee member Mike Farrell (link on national website) or mail to:
 
Mike Farrell, Ph.D.
Director, Scripps Howard First Amendment Center
School of Journalism and Telecommunications
144 Grehan Building
Lexington, KY 40506-0042

More on the Black Hole Award at national website
Job opportunities
NEWS REPORTER 
The Record-Courier / recordpub.com, Portage

The Record-Courier and recordpub.com, Portage County's #1 source for news and information, is seeking a news reporter. We are transforming our newspaper and website for today's readers, and we are looking for a team player who wants to help make this transition and is comfortable writing everything from feature stores to investigative pieces to covering government meetings. Duties include covering public meetings, feature writing, breaking news, website updates and social media updates.

The ideal candidate has strong content skills as well as solid news judgement and will compose stories for clarity with excellent grammar and spelling. 

Additionally, the reporter will utilize social media and post fresh content for readers who choose to receive their local information online, including Facebook and Twitter users who seek breaking news updates, interesting facts and community statistics. 

Requirements for qualified candidates: Bachelor's degree in journalism or a related field. Ability to work a flexible schedule, with night, weekend and holiday work required. 

Experience in newspaper pagination, photography and video production. Ability to work with Mac computers. Ability to meet daily deadlines. Excellent written and verbal skills with emphasis on spelling, grammar, punctuation and AP style. Capable of effective and independent problem solving with excellent follow-through. 

Highly organized with attention to detail in a variety of computer software and programs, including Adobe InDesign, Apple iMovie and NewsEdit Pro. 

VIDEO PRODUCER
Northeast Ohio Media Group
Cleveland, Ohio

If you're looking to do video that holds fast to traditions of online newspaper or TV journalism, this ad is not for you. If you're looking to help blaze a path into a future that puts video at the core of a new kind of social storytelling, please keep reading.

Cleveland.com is bringing together videographers, filmmakers, editors and producers to create, find, curate and develop the best stroytelling in America - work to resonate far beyond Ohio.  

If you value exploring new ways to reach audiences, from Snapchat to Vine to Periscope and video, we'd like to talk to you about joining us. We have a thirst for more new ideas. Our goal is to do work that matters, and build audience to see it.

Our Cleveland.com video mission is:
  • Develop and fine-tune a storytelling voice that displays a sense of adventure and appreciation of places and and people.
  • Establish programming with attitude and perspective.
  • provide a regular diet of live broadcast, from sports to news to contest and reality series.
  • Reveal and tell the stories of who we are as Ohioans through our rich food and musical traditions, our sports and our waterfront.
  • Make work that drives our audience to laugh, cry, cheer -- and share. 
You'll join a team of progressive video practitioners who are excited about the future and get a charge from creating video that people want to watch. We are seeking people ranging from recent graduates to those highly established in the field.    
 

DIGITAL PRODUCER
Cleveland Jewish News
Beachwood, Ohio

The Cleveland Jewish News is seeking a digital producer to join our growing newsroom team.  We are looking for an individual with exceptional skills and passion for news generation across different media. As a digital producer you will routinely post content that spread across print, digital and social channels. You will be responsible for generating original content for digital and social media where appropriate. As a member of the editorial team that is evolving and growing, this person must demonstrate a collaborative working style and exceptional communication skills and yet exhibit the ability to work independently. 

We offer you a chance to make an immediate impact with a rapidly growing multimedia company that produces an award-winning weekly newspaper, multiple websites and social media channels, six magazine titles serving the Jewish and secular communities, community events as well as custom publications.

The digital producer will contribute to social media, search and landing page strategies, tactics and execution. As a digital producer, you'll be expected to leverage your established newsroom skills and digital expertise to become a more rounded journalist who makes a tangible difference in a fast-paced and constantly evolving 50-plus-year-old community-owned newspaper company.    

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 
  • Manage the home page, story pages and high-traffic landing pages of cjn.org. Direct the flow of content, dissemination of breaking news and push alerts adding meta-data information, hyperlinks, images, info boxes and additional digital content. Compose online headlines and summaries, taking into account SEO and key word elements. 
  • Optimize, aggregate and package assets for print and digital publication.
  • Edit JTA, JNS.org and AP wire content for publication-readiness, including clarity, fairness, legality, spelling, grammar, punctuation and style, and post.
  • Collaborate with reporters to post stories.
  • Determine appropriate schedule for posting of all online content.
  • Collaborate with manager of digital marketing and managing editor to evaluate current workflow processes and develop and continue to evaluate best practices to better satisfy audience needs.
  • Assist in developing custom strategies and tactics aimed at the highly desirable 18-to-49-year-old digital audience.
  • Use metrics to monitor real-time data to determine traffic patterns and direct changes tied to the data.
  • Produce e-newsletters.
  • Write, photograph and produce videos for print, digital platforms, magazines and events. 
  • Assist in the creation and launch of CJN-TV, an Internet-based news, feature and information channel, a first among Jewish media companies.
 
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
  • Minimum of Bachelor's degree in journalism or equivalent with an emphasis on newsroom and/or online competencies or professional equivalent
  • Minimum 2-3 years hands-on experience in a professional environment
  • Deep understanding of digital tools, trends and foundation
  • Advanced knowledge of social media and how to engage fan base on digital platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube,Instagram, Meerkat and Periscope.
  • Strong digital production skills, including video editing and multimedia production.
  • Fluency with InDesign, Adobe Creative Suite, Final Cut Pro, Avid, and Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. HTML, CSS, Word Press, or their equivalent.
  • Exceptional decision-making, planning and organizational skills.
  • Apply innovative, creative thinking to support the company's goals.
  • Knowledge of grammar, AP and local style a must.
  • Flexibility and open-mindedness also a must.
  • Position involves some weekends and night assignments.
  • Must have reliable transportation and a valid Ohio driver's license.
  • Knowledge of Cleveland Jewish community helpful, but not required.
  • Desire to win and have fun a requirement.
Other requirements: Ability to interpret audience data. Self-motivation and self-directed toward achieving excellence. Industry knowledge on latest habits and trends.Exceptional core journalism skills, including reporting, producing and editing. Effective communicator who is able to work well with and adapt to diverse personalities in a fast-paced and competitive environment. Ability to multitask and excel under intense deadline pressure in a rapidly changing landscape. Work collaboratively within a cross-functional environment, which includes editorial, sales, production and other departments. Must embrace peer-to-peer feedback and training

We value a culture of collaboration and professional and personal growth for all team members.
 
The CJPC provides a competitive salary, healthcare, 401(k), short-term and long-term disability, vacation time that increases with tenure and a generous company holiday and time-off schedule.
If you have a fresh perspective on your area of focus, identify with our values and feel strongly that you could contribute to our team, we encourage you to submit your cover letter, resume and available sample work to  bjacob@cjn.org
Cleveland Jewish Publication Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
  
Internships
NASA summer journalism internships

NASA invites students working towards degrees in journalism, communications, media relations, science writing, interactive journalism, or broadcast journalism, to participate in our science storytelling program - before you graduate. You'll gain on the job experience as you work with a leading team of writers and multimedia producers to create and share content from some of NASA's most exciting missions: mind-bending results from the Hubble Space Telescope; breaking solar storm imagery and the emerging field of space weather; new views of the moon from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter; and stories of our changing planet from NASA's Earth observing fleet of satellites. Our internships are designed to give students broad exposure to the many moving parts of the modern newsroom. Students wishing to explore the intersection between print, web, broadcast journalism and social media environments are particularly encouraged to apply. Note: Applicants must be registered students to be eligible.

Location: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
Start date: June 2016 [flexible]
Application Deadline: Feb 19, 2016

Full PD and application instructions located here

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Writer's Week is a service of the Cleveland chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. 

This newsletter is produced by
Editor: Carrie Buchanan, assistant professor, Tim Russert School of Communication & Theatre Arts, John Carroll University,
Assistant Editor: Stephanie Phelps, multimedia journalist.

Contact us: Please send news items and job & internship postings to spjcleveland@gmail.com    
 
Chapter President: Kaye Spector, mks0511@gmail.com