SPJ national update IV: Truth in advertising; makes you cry; and how the Pentagon supports the troops. A U.S. Senate panel Oct. 20 approved legislation by Democrats requiring government agencies to disclose their role in prepackaged news stories they issue. The move follows sharp criticism by, among others, the Government Accountability Office about prepackaged news segments, such as one by the Department of Health and Human Services that touted a Medicare prescription drug law. A paid actor narrated the piece similar to a television reporter. Some stations aired such segments without a disclaimer that they were produced by the government. The GAO, the investigative arm of Congress, called this a misuse of funds and a form of covert propaganda. More here. ... Thought the White House had enough on its plate, with its search for a new Supreme Court nominee, the continuing war in Iraq and the CIA. leak investigation? Nah, here's what's really important -- stopping The Onion, the satirical newspaper, from using the presidential seal. More here. ... Eight hundred twenty-four new, top-of-the-line armored Humvees are parked in Texas and Kuwait and won't be shipped to troops in Iraq even though those soldiers face daily roadside bombs, the Army acknowledged Oct. 20. The Army said it's keeping the vehicles out of Iraq until the 3rd Infantry Division's replacements, the 4th Infantry Division, arrive at the end of the year. More here. Meanwhile, Todd Bowers says his vision and possibly his life were saved from a sniper's shot by a $600 rifle scope and $100 goggles sent to him by his father. His dad had to provide the items because the Pentagon wouldn't. On Oct. 5, the Senate approved ordering the secretary of defense to follow the law and reimburse troops who buy their own protective equipment. More here.
SPJ national update V: Making the world safe to blog; trimming court secrecy; happy news!; and ad buyer to publishers: Keep product strong; Bloggers who gather news would be protected under the proposed federal shield law, according to the legislation's first author, U.S. Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind. Pence's view of who would qualify as a journalist under the Free Flow of Information Act differs from the assessment of the bill's co-sponsor in the Senate, Indiana Republican Richard Lugar. More here and here and here and here. ... Secret docketing procedures used by a federal court in Miami are unconstitutional, the U.S. Court of Appeals in Atlanta (11th Circuit) has ruled, meaning that federal trial courts in three states must provide written explanations when they decide that sealing documents is warranted. More here. ... The Newark City Council has awarded the Newark Weekly News a $100,000 no-bid contract to publish positive news about the city. Howard Scott, who owns the paper, told The Star-Ledger in Newark that he's merely providing a service. "Do we have critical reporters on staff? No. Do we have investigative reporters? No," Scott told the newspaper. "Our niche is the good stuff. People have come to know it, and they love it." Under the contract, the paper can only generate stories based on leads from the council and the mayor's office. More here. ... Bottom-line publishers who cut their paper's news content are undermining their business, an executive with the big media planning firm Newspaper Services of America told the Inland Press Association at its annual meeting Oct. 24. "Don't let your CFOs run your companies," Dave Gusse said. "Don't cheap out on editorial." More here.
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PEOPLE & PLACES
Editor Reneé Gatons won four first-place awards for design and headline writing, and the UTA Shorthorn took sweepstakes at the latest Southwestern Journalism Congress competition. The SWJC includes major college media in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. Other winners: Kevin Bueker, Josh Bohling, Mark Roberts and Whitney Shropshire, first place; Roberts, Bohling, Amber Chisholm, Amanda Kowalski, Melissa Winn, Hayley Harris and Mary Richert, second place; Bohling, Erika Nuñez, Jessica Ramirez, Jean Weaver and Shannon Duffy, third place; and Roberts, Bueker, Shropshire, Bohling and Drew Campbell, honorable mention. ...
