SPJ national update IV: Wal-Mart blogs a little PR; FEMA won't reveal names of hurricane-aid recipients; and White House trains sights on media leaks. Brian Pickrell recently posted a note on his Web site attacking state legislation that would force Wal-Mart to spend more on employee health insurance. It was the kind of comment the giant retailer might write itself. And, in fact, it did. More here. ... The AP and three major media companies on March 6 joined the fight to force the Federal Emergency Management Agency to produce names of people who got federal aid after the 2004 hurricanes in Florida. Inequities and fraud have been alleged in the distribution of more than $1.5 billion in assistance. At least 26 people have been charged with filing false FEMA claims in South Florida. More here. ... The Bush administration, seeking to limit leaks of classified information, has launched initiatives targeting journalists and their possible government sources. The efforts include FBI probes, a polygraph investigation inside the CIA and a warning from the Justice Department that reporters could be prosecuted under espionage laws. More here.
SPJ national update V: Doh!; NY Times sues Defense Department over spy records; Michigan State U. students go online; blogs exempted from campaign finance limits; and two wins for the student press. Only one in four Americans can name more than one of the five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment (freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly and petition for redress of grievances). But more than half can name at least two members of the "Simpsons" cartoon family. More here. ... The New York Times sued the Department of Defense on Feb. 27, saying the government has refused to release records related to its domestic warrantless telephone surveillance program. More here. ... MSU instructor Bonnie Bucqueroux believes that her students are the future of journalism, and she's looking to prove it with SpartanEdge.com, a student-run alternative to the university's main newspaper web site. More here. ... In a 6-0 vote, the Federal Election Commission left unregulated almost all political activity on the Internet except for paid ads. Perhaps most important, the FEC effectively granted exemptions to bloggers, allowing them to praise and criticize politicians just as newspapers can, without fear of federal interference. More here. ... Illinois Central College has stated its commitment to First Amendment rights for student journalists by removing staff handbook language giving the adviser "veto power" over decisions by the editors of The Harbinger. And with a unanimous vote and an apology, a northwest Illinois suburban school board allowed the distribution of a student newspaper that had been censored because it criticized a board member. More here and here.
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PEOPLE & PLACES
A five-year fight on behalf of press freedom on college campuses has hurt Margaret Hosty's bank account and her progress toward a teaching degree, but it hasn't dimmed her fiery outlook. "It's important for people to see that our rights are not as protected as we think," she said at UTA's E.H. Hereford University Center in March. Instead of the government being by and for the people, she said, "we're becoming a government for the government." Read the story here. ...
They're loving JPS at the Texas Public Relations Association. The JPS Health Network's Casablanca-themed "Evening at the Academy Awards" press kit won a TPRA Best of Texas Silver Spur at the TPRA awards competition in Austin in January. A brochure promoting the JPS Mom and Baby Special Services program received bronze, and a merit designation was given for TV and print coverage on the Pyxis BioID Biometric Security System. Other local winners: Jerrod Resweber, Bill Lawrence, Tracy Sturrock, Monica Feid, Cheryl Rios, Jack Keller, Judy Everett Ramos, Kay Barkin, Margaret Campbell, Elizabeth Clark, Springfield Lewis and Kay Jackson, who won in the most categories -- six. ...
TCU's Neeley School of Business has named the Balcom Agency as its advertising and marketing agency of record. Balcom's campaign will roll out in the fall. The agency also is creating newspaper advertising, radio spots, billboards and online ads for the Neeley M.B.A. programs. ...
The UTA Shorthorn is a finalist for the Columbia Scholastic Press Association's Gold Crown, arguably the premier national award for college publications, and for the SPJ Region 8 Best Daily Newspaper award. UTA's Renegade is a finalist for the Western Publications Association's Maggie Award for best college magazine. Andrew Campbell, Mark Roberts, C.J. Patton, Kevin Bueker, Heather Ann White and Sara Bookout are finalists in SPJ Mark of Excellence individual categories for work published in The Shorthorn. The SPJ awards will be presented at the Region 8 conference April 28-29 in Oklahoma City. ...
The Star-Telegram's Ellen Alfano, Celeste Williams, Cody Bailey, Michael Currie, Monique Miller, Jill Johnson, Andrew Marton, John McAlley and Mark Hoffer won in the Society for News Design's 27th annual international competition. More than 14,000 entries were received from 46 countries. ... The Star-T is yet again an Associated Press Sports Editors "Triple Crown" winner, marking the eighth consecutive year that the paper has made the Top 10 in at least one of the three APSE categories -- daily, Sunday and special section. Plus, the S-T was the only section (among the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, et al.) to win the Triple Crown in the highest circulation category.
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GET A JOB
The Monitor -- a 50,000 daily, 55,000 Sunday a.m. paper in the Rio Grande Valley -- seeks a general assignment/beat reporter. Fluency in Spanish is a plus, but not a requirement. Send cover letter, résumé and work samples to editor Steve Fagan or metro editor Henry Miller at The Monitor, 1400 E. Nolana Loop, McAllen 78504. ... There's a senior web producer opening at KDFW Fox 4/KDFI 27. E- résumé to resumes@kdfwfox4.com. ...
News copy editors with metropolitan copy editing experience are needed at the Houston Chronicle to slot, edit and/or design pages in a paginated environment. E- résumé to news editor at jan.jordan@chron.com. ... Cognizant Technology Solutions seeks marketing managers in health care, media and entertainment, and ERP. Location: Dallas, Chicago or Teaneck, N.J. Send résumé to anji.siragusa@cognizant.com.
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NEW MEMBERS
IABC ... Shari Shaver ... Mick Doherty, Texas Health Resources ... Annette Kearns, Countrywide Financial Corp.
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COMINGS & GOINGS
Additions ... at the S-T: '97 Boston College grad and former Knight Ridder intern Raul Vasquez, now full time in Northeast photo
Promotions ... at the S-T: versatile Mari Estrella, from city editor in Arlington to deputy features editor downtown
Shiftings ... at the S-T: Dennis Neighbours, joining the news copy desk after stints elsewhere on the third floor ... Pat Stroope, returning to the copy desk full time ... Trish Rodriguez, her chef husband's exotic-lands career cut short (or at least reoriented) by Hurricane Wilma, back as features editor
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PRESIDENT'S CORNER
Holly Ellman, Greater Fort Worth PRSA
What a tremendous experience the March 2-3 PRSA Southwest District Conference was. Lots of opportunity to network with 240 attendees, plus hear presentations from the top PR professionals in the country, all in beautiful downtown Fort Worth.
The conference launched over lunch with three speakers involved in the communication effort during and immediately after Hurricane Katrina. Following that, various breakout sessions were capped by a fun social event under the Reata dome. The second day was filled to the brim with terrific presentations, including new technology and the gnome from Travelocity.
The chapter owes a debt of gratitude to our own Tracy Sturrock and Ashley Antle, who co-chaired the conference with Ann Heidger of the Dallas chapter. Special thanks, too, to Lisa Orr and Lauren Burkett, as well as the myriad volunteers who worked the event.
Our first professional development seminar of the year is scheduled for April 12 with the Star-Telegram's Paul Harral and J.R. Labbe presenting a writing workshop titled "The Write Stuff." Don't miss this opportunity to learn good writin' from the pros!
