SPJ national update IV: TV reporters decry drop in Iraq coverage; 7 of 10 journalists surveyed accused of bias in past year; and photos show a war beyond investigations. News of the bombing that felled a CBS news crew washed over Baghdad's tight-knit press corps like a tempest, evoking waves of anxiety, sadness, resolve and dismay. American television journalists covering Iraq confronted the reality that it took the deaths of a cameraman and soundman and critical injuries to correspondent Kimberly Dozier to help push Iraq back to the forefront of the nightly news. By the end of April, the time devoted to Iraq on the weeknight newscasts of the three major networks had dropped nearly 60 percent from 2003, according to the independent Tyndall Report tracking service. Even before the June 5 attack in a relatively placid section of Baghdad, some network correspondents had concluded that, even as they were risking their lives, audiences and producers in America had grown weary of the coverage. More here. ... More than half of newspaper journalists in a recent survey believe an unethical or unprofessional incident occurred in their newsroom within the past five years, while seven out of 10 said they had been accused of bias in the past 12 months, according to a study by the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. But at least 70 percent of those polled more often pointed to "factors beyond their control" as the cause of such poor ethical perceptions, rather than their own newspapers' actions. More here. ... Again and again throughout the Iraq war, amateur photographs have exposed the flaws of the military's carefully constructed image of discipline. Pictures made Abu Ghraib a symbol of shame throughout the world. And photographs and video images are again undermining the military's cherished reputation for calm under fire and heroic self-restraint. More here.
SPJ national update V: Perhaps a different set of Republican family values for each family?; online privacy again at issue; and British news orgs tout objectivity to Americans. Republican Jim Galley, who is running for Congress as a "pro-traditional family" candidate, was married to two women at the same time, defaulted on his child support payments and has been accused of abuse by one of his ex-wives. The San Diego Union-Tribune discovered the personal history in making public-records checks on Galley. The checks are part of the paper's election reporting process. More here. ... Big internet and telephone companies are girding to fight an unprecedented call by the Bush administration for them to keep detailed records of customers' online activities for two years. The request follows disclosure this year that the Justice Department had solicited potentially billions of online search queries from some of the same companies and that the National Security Agency had requested calling records of virtually all U.S. customers. Internet companies typically keep customer histories for only a few days or weeks. More here. ... Two British news organizations believe America is so hungry for unbiased coverage that they launched similar ad campaigns touting their objectivity within days of each other. Reuters and BBC World News both tried the "you decide" approach to the news with ads that ask readers for their perspective on major issues. The campaigns feature images of controversial topics such as bird flu, the war in Iraq and immigration, accompanied by two choices that seek to capture both sides of the debate. More here.
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PEOPLE & PLACES
The Balcom Agency won eight awards at this year's All Industry Marketing competition -- two gold, five silver and a bronze -- for work developed for Justin Boots, Tony Lama Boots and Nocona Boots. The Justin America campaign won gold in multimedia national campaign greater than $50,000. An ad for Nocona Legacy boots also won a gold award. The ad featured the headline "Some things never get old" and a photograph of a couple in the back of an old convertible. Balcom earned silver awards for the Justin Vintage Collection campaign for new product introduction; Tony Lama TLX Performance radio spots; the TLX Performance billboard; the Tony Lama 2005 catalog; and the Justin Brands Christmas card. A bronze award was received for the Justin George Strait Cowboy Collection campaign. The AIM awards are sponsored by the Western and English Trade Association. ...
News from Decatur, the county seat of Wise. Texas Tech grad Jeremy Martin and Christina Lane from TCU have joined the Wise County Messenger staff. ... Messenger photographer Cody Duty, an '06 Decatur High School graduate and former editor of the student paper, received a $1,500 scholarship from the North & East Texas Press Association and will attend Western Kentucky University, majoring in photojournalism and Spanish. ... The Messenger, along with the Graham Leader and Hood County News, recently hosted a traveling bus tour of publishers from the National Newspaper Association. Messenger publisher Roy Eaton is a former NNA president. ...
Star-Telegram staffers won 13 first places and took home Photojournalist and Print Journalist of the Year honors at the 2006 Lone Star Awards in Houston given by the Houston Press Club. Leila Fadel, who has been dispatched to Iraq several times as a Knight Ridder correspondent, earned Print Journalist of the Year. Khampha Bouaphanh, now with the AP, won Photojournalist of the Year. The first-place prizes went to UTA Shorthorn exes Michael Currie, layout; Tom Pennington, both news and feature photo; and Linda P. Campbell, editorial writing; Deanna Boyd and Melody McDonald, a tie for first in spot news with Fadel; Amie Streater, Maria Recio and former S-T reporter Jennifer Autrey, investigative reporting; Autrey again, public service; Scott Streater and Mark Horvit, politics and government reporting; Austin bureau chief Jay Root, general commentary; Jim Reeves, sports commentary; Jan Hubbard, sports writing; Ralph Lauer, sports photo; and Jen Friedberg, internet-only feature.
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GET A JOB
The Battalion, Texas A&M's 112-year-old, 22,000-circulation daily student newspaper, seeks a news adviser. Must have a B.A. in journalism or related field and 3-5 years of professional news media or advising experience. Master's degree in journalism or related field and experience working with a daily newspaper preferred. More here. ...
A Mid-Cities company is looking for a proofreader and desktop publisher to work in department that facilitates large-bid proposal documents. Salary in low to mid-$30s with benefits. Contact Amy Cox at amy.cox@ajilonoffice.com or 817-870-1800, ext. 215. ...
Reminder: The South Florida Sun-Sentinel is accepting applications through July 30 for a minority editorial training program. After successfully completing six months at the Sun-Sentinel in the fall, the trainee will begin 18 months as an entry-level reporter, with the goal of being offered a staff position. Applicants should be beginning journalists, preferably with a college degree, capable of conducting interviews in Spanish or Creole. The trainee will receive a salary and benefits. Send a cover letter, résumé, one-page personal essay, 8-10 clips and three references to recruitment editor Kathy Pellegrino, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 200 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 33301.
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NEW MEMBERS
PRSA ... Kimberly Eloe, JPS Health Network
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COMINGS & GOINGS
Shiftings ... at the S-T: Leila Fadel to the Arlington newsroom, covering higher education ... Patrick McGee to Northeast, covering immigration ... Ben Tinsley and Mark Agee switching newsrooms, Agee joining the public safety team in Northeast and Tinsley covering cops in Arlington
