SPJ national update: Decisions in the harsh light of war; decisions in the dark, where no one can see; and one wrong decision and you're dead. The NBC cameraman who filmed a U.S. Marine appearing to shoot a wounded and unarmed Iraqi prisoner says he felt a moral obligation to transmit the tape. "Making sure you know the basis for my choices after the incident is as important to me as knowing how the incident went down," Kevin Sites wrote in an open letter to the "Devil Dogs of the 3.1," or the Third Battalion, First Marines. "I did not in any way feel like I had captured some kind of 'prize video.' In fact, I was heartsick." More here and here. ... A Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press study of White House counsel Alberto Gonzales -- George W. Bush's choice to replace Attorney General John Ashcroft -- shows someone who has worked tirelessly to keep information from the public if he believes it could hurt the president. "I don't think concerns about the media enter into his thinking," said Lucy Dalglish, executive director of the Reporters Committee. More here and here. ... More than 100 journalists have been killed since January, making 2004 the deadliest year for newsgatherers in a decade. Recent killings in Ivory Coast, Nicaragua and the Philippines pushed this year's total to 101, the International Federation of Journalists said. More here. And a survey of deaths in Iraqi households estimates that as many as 100,000 more people may have died throughout the country in the 18 months after the U.S. invasion than would be expected based on the death rate before the war. Nongovernmental estimates of Iraqis killed range from 10,000 to 30,000. More here. As of Nov. 27, 1,235 U.S. servicemen have been killed, according to the U.S. Defense Department.
SPJ national update II: Better to carry the shield than be on it; the definition of independence in Baghdad; it worked for the Pentagon; and hello, government temps r us? send some spooks -- knowledge or experience not required, but must be loyal. Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., on Nov. 19 introduced a federal shield law that would provide an "absolute protection" for informants. The legislation is in response to a slew of recent court actions demanding that reporters reveal confidential sources. More here and here and here and here and here and here. ... Iraq's media regulator warned news organizations Nov. 11 to stick to the government line on the U.S.-led offensive in Fallujah or face legal action. The Media High Commission, set up by the former U.S. governor of Iraq, was intended to be independent of the government. More here. ... Iraqi insurgents in Fallujah invited journalists to "embed" with them to report their side of the war. "All media will be allowed into Fallujah to witness the crusade against Islam and see the real face of America," said a statement by a group of insurgent leaders, tribal chiefs and Sunni Muslim clerics. "We will protect and transport them to the location of the events. There will be a special building for the journalists." More here. ... The White House ordered new CIA director Porter Goss to purge the agency of officers believed to have been disloyal to President Bush or of leaking information about the conduct of the Iraq war and the hunt for Osama bin Laden. More here.
SPJ national update III: Yo, Arnold, where ya been?; and FOI wins in Arkansas and Connecticut, loses in California. Days after California voters approved a constitutional amendment to make government records more accessible, a media-backed group asked Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to release all his schedules and meeting logs since taking office a year ago. More here. ... The Arkansas Supreme Court unanimously ruled Nov. 4 that Fort Smith violated the state's FOI Act in 2002 when officials agreed in private that the city would try to purchase property. Attorney Mike Hodson of Fayetteville, who filed the lawsuit, hailed the ruling as one of the most important FOI decisions in the last 20 years. "It basically says, 'If you're doing the government's business, do it in the open.' " More here. Information on hospital infection rates, recalled meat and prison lockdowns in California will stay hidden from public view after the governor vetoed bills encouraging access. More here. Preventing state police employees from speaking on matters of public concern is unconstitutional, a Connecticut federal judge ruled Oct. 8. Trooper Mark Lauretano filed suit after his superior officers ordered him not to talk to the press while at the same time state administrators were giving interviews critical of him. More here.
SPJ national update IV: Blogging the night away; eavesdropping precedent; background checks and balances; and the "price of war." Writes C.W. Nevius in the San Francisco Chronicle: "Today (Nov. 2) is the first day of a major change in American politics. Naw, not the election. We've been holding those for 208 years. No, these are the first elected officials who will spend their entire terms in the sights of the Blogger Nation, the Wi-Fi world of wonks who aggressively target politicians. Bloggers closely covered the campaigns and even attended the two parties' national conventions, and Markos Moulitsas, the Berkeley-based creator of the mega-blog Daily Kos, says they are just getting started." More here and here and here. ... Two Atlanta Journal-Constitution writers were the subject of unauthorized background checks performed at DeKalb County police computer terminals, the newspaper reported Sept. 9. Also subject to background checks were three officials the newspaper described as "political opponents" of DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones. More here. ... A University of Delaware j-prof sued the Defense Department and the Air Force on Oct. 4 to get the government to release images of flag-draped coffins arriving at Dover Air Force Base. "They're public records," Ralph Begleiter's attorney said of the photos and videotapes of arrival and memorial ceremonies for the dead soldiers and other military personnel. "This is about the public's right to know the implications of U.S. foreign policy and to assess the price of war." More here.
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Get a Plan; Work the Plan; Plan to Work Again
Survival was the topic on a rainy November night at Fort Worth's East Regional Library -- surviving a layoff, with as little financial and professional damage as possible.
Layoffs at The Dallas Morning News, WFAA/Channel 8 and KERA prompted the session, but nationally known financial planner Bill Carter and his Carter Financial Management team -- Bob Berg, Tara Scottino and Paul Bazell -- also had solid advice for those who still have jobs. For those laid off, though, the suggestions hit close to home:
-- Keep some health insurance, if at all possible. Berg said medical expenses are the No. 1 cause of deep financial trouble.
-- Trim discretionary spending, which in most situations means cut up the credit cards. Even if you're trying to survive by putting basic expenses on a card, it's a losing proposition.
-- Don't panic. Sit down, weigh your options and make a plan.
-- The name of the game is conserving cash and maintaining cash flow. Don't use lump-sum severance to pay off the car or credit card; instead, tap the amount monthly to keep those accounts current. Think about boosting your insurance deductible. And don't shy from interim employment, even part time, until you find a new job in your field.
Scottino said that checking your credit rating is crucial during this period, since potential employers may be doing the same thing and it may sway their hiring decisions. The three major credit reporting companies each show different things; the best deal may be to get all three reports and scores from Transunion, for about $40. You can dispute any inaccuracies online. (Beginning in January, individuals may check their credit reports for free, once a year.)
On health insurance, Bazell said COBRA is the first line of defense after a layoff, but it's expensive. As an option, try to get added to your spouse's group plan or obtain health insurance through a professional association like SPJ. Another possibility is "gap" insurance, a temporary solution that covers catastrophic events but not pre-existing conditions. Those planning to stay self-employed for a while might consider individual policies. The last resort, for the very ill and those who have used up COBRA coverage, is the Texas high-risk pool. continued
