Deadline for NAHJ Contest Submissions

Leadership, Emerging Journalist, Student Journalist, Print, Broadcast and Photojournalist of the Year... these are just some of the categories for the National Association of Hispanic Journalists' DC Noche de Triunfos awards. The award program will be held Sept. 17 in Washington, DC. If you are a Hispanic journalist or want to encourage a friend to enter, the deadline for submissions has been extended to June 1.

Click here for more information and guidelines: http://www.nahj.org/awards/2009/2009awards.shtml

To see the list of winners from last year, click here: http://www.nahj.org/sponsorship/specialevents/2008/noche/08awardwinners.shtml

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CIMA Launches Global Media Assistance Resource

The Center for International Media Assistance has just launched a new web site aimed at filling a gap in globally accessible media law assistance. The goal of the site is that it serve as a source for both information and analysis through seminal texts, legislation, and court decisions on media law. The result of a two-year process involving various stakeholders, the web site has been designed and administered by the Center for Global Communication Studies at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication. Two of the key features are an online community where users can discuss issues related to media law with lawyers, journalists and academics, as well as a news blog covering developments in the area of global media law.

To visit this new resource, go to: http://www.globalmedialaw.com

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How Do They Get Away With It?

On April 1-2, 2009, the John Jay Center on Media, Crime and Justice in New York held an MF-sponsored Specialized Reporting Institute on covering financial crimes. Entitled “How Do They Get Away With It? Tracking Financial Crime in the New Era,” the well-received two-day conference and workshops featured panelists including former SEC regulators, FBI agents, economics professors and even a white-collar crook.

To see the agenda, background papers, reporting that resulted from the conference and a Bill Moyers interview with Professor William Black, click here:
http://thecrimereport.org/2009/04/16/financial-crimes-resource.

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May 1 Deadline for Applications to Leadership Institute for Women Journalists

Apply now to attend the International Women’s Media Foundation’s U.S. Leadership Institute for Women Journalists. The three-day, MF-sponsored training program, to be held in Chicago July 20-22, is designed to provide mid- to upper-level female journalists working in print, broadcast or internet media with critical career-building skills and the opportunity to network with colleagues. In addition to the onsite training, participants will receive one-on-one coaching on implementing personalized action plans for the three months following the institute.

For more information on the program, click here: http://www.iwmf.org/categorydetail.aspx?c=institutes

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It's Never Too Early!

It’s always encouraging to see young folks get interested in journalism—especially when they’re as young as Damon Weaver.

Brian Hamacher of NBC Miami tells the story of the fifth-grader from Pahokee, FL who has attracted national attention for his skills interviewing such luminaries as Joe Biden Caroline Kennedy, and Oprah Winfrey. And it only gets better from there: this sharp young guy was recently awarded a full-ride scholarship to Albany State University in Georgia. The school will be officially presenting him with the offer at a June alumni convention in Miami, and Damon plans to accept, calling it a “big relief to my mother and my family.”

As his first assignment, he’ll no doubt go after his dream interview: President Barack Obama.

See the full story here.

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RTNDA and RTNDF Appoint New Executive Directors

Radio and Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) and Foundation (RTNDF) have named new Executive Directors...and announced a name change, too!

Jane Nassiri will assume the helm at RTNDA, where she has served as VP for Finance and Administration since 2005. Kathleen Graham, currently the VP for Foundation Programs since 2005, will now lead RTNDF. Both appointments are effective upon the retirement of current RTNDA/RTNDF President Barbara Cochran on June 25, 2009. Cochran will continue to serve as President Emeritus.

Besides overseeing the financial and administrative activities of both RTNDA and RTNDF, Nassiri has also directed the RTNDA/UNITY and Murrow Awards, as well as the RTNDA annual convention and membership services. She joined RTNDA in 1998. “We look forward to forming new partnerships and reinventing the organization as we move forward in changing our name to RTDNA (Radio Television Digital News Association).”

Graham, who joined RTNDF in 1996, has been largely responsible for high school broadcast journalism programs, the U.S.-German Journalists Exchange, and diversity, scholarship and fellowship programs. She says that RTNDF will serve as a vital training source for digital journalists whose organizations have reduced training. “RTNDF will offer affordable, cutting-edge programming for digital journalists and managers to connect, learn and succeed on air and online.”

RTNDA Chair Ed Esposito said, “Jane and Kathleen know every facet of both organizations…they understand the tremendous shifts we are seeing in the industry as well as the mission and activities we need to undertake to transform RTNDA and RTNDF to meet the needs of journalists in the digital age.”

We’ll miss Barbara, but are confident in the incoming leaders Jane and Barbara!

For more information, visit the RTNDA/RTNDF website.

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