Latest News

Retired Hartford Courant photographer to be inducted into Connecticut Journalism Hall of Fame

The Connecticut chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists will induct John Long into its Connecticut Journalism Hall of Fame on May 23 at its annual dinner.

Long was a staff photographer for The Hartford Courant for 35-years.

He covered everything from political conventions, to golf tournaments (especially The Masters), to the plight of the homeless and all the local events that defined the Hartford area during the time. Every storm, every heat wave, every performance of the Hartford Ballet. He was on a first name basis with everyone from governors to the drug addict on Park Street.

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Need Freelance Advice?

Two upcoming events will offer Connecticut freelancers a chance to get advice and share ideas about the freelancing business.

The first, scheduled for May 23 in Westport, is hosted by the editorial freelancers association. Click here for more details.

The second event will be held on June 5 in West Hartford. Click here for more details.

Connecticut news organizations honored with prestigious Sigma Delta Chi awards

Three Connecticut news organizations were honored with prestigious 2012 Sigma Delta Chi awards.

Judges chose the winners from more than 1,700 entries in categories covering print, radio, television and online. The awards recognize outstanding work published or broadcast in 2012.

The winners will be honored at an awards banquet on June 21 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

Area winners included:

• Feature Reporting (Daily Circulation 1-50,000)
  “12-14-12,” by Staff, The News-Times
• Editorial Writing (Daily Circulation 100,001+)
  Tom Condon, Maura Casey, Henry McNulty and Robert K. Schrepf, The Hartford Courant
• Public Service in Radio Journalism (101+ Market)
  “State struggled at fire prevention ahead of Manorville blaze,” by Charles Lane and Naomi Starobin, WSHU Public Radio

Please click here to read the complete list.

Journalism high school seeks Principal

The Hartford Public Schools is seeking a collaborative, dynamic, motivated, and inclusive school leader as Principal of the Journalism and Media Academy Magnet School (JMA). JMA is a program designed for those with an interest in the fields of journalism and media.  Its goal is to prepare media-literate, college-ready students who can access, analyze, evaluate, and produce both print and electronic media. Media literacy builds an understanding of the role of media in society and provides students with the essential skills of inquiry and self-expression. All courses focus on critical reading and the development of high-level writing skills—exposing students to various formats of reading and writing while teaching them to understand the language, power, and business of the media world.

Moving to a new state of the art facility in 2013, JMA aims to provide its students with learning environments designed specifically to meet the needs of students learning about the media field—complete with working TV and radio studios, as well as technology and software used in the industry. Moreover, the school has a unique connection with Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network (CPBN), which will soon be offering students intensive and rewarding internships for the duration of their senior year.

The successful applicant selected for this position will be a champion of JMA’s theme.  The candidate will exhibit the ability to support current media integration practices, as well as identify new practices that lead to improved student engagement and achievement.  The candidate will have a strong Grades 9—12 background and a firm understanding of the range of academic, social, and emotional needs of students within these grades. Of utmost importance is a commitment to urban education in order to close the achievement gap and ready students for success in rigorous post-secondary education settings.

To apply to Job Id 1662, please visit: http://www.applitrack.com/hartford/onlineapp/ or www.hartfordschools.org and follow the appropriate link.  Additional inquiries may be directed to Nancy Shannahan Williams, Senior Talent Recruiter, at nwilliams@hartfordschools.org.

Two Proposals Threaten Transparency in Connecticut

By Jodie Mozdzer Gil, CTSPJ President 

The state legislature is reviewing two bills that limit the public’s ability to get public information.

Both proposals prohibit journalists from fully doing their jobs and prevent the public from remaining fully informed on issues of public concern.

The first is the proposal to redefine meetings under the FOI Act (Bill No. 1148). This proposal would allow “members of different political parties” to hold closed-door discussions about proposed legislation or action of their public agency.

That’s a concerning change to the current law, which allows closed-door meetings (executive sessions) in only specific scenarios, with a statement of what topic will be discussed.

So if this bill is approved, what could be discussed behind closed doors?  What discussions of public concern will be shielded from review? The consequences are frightening.

The Connecticut SPJ Board is drafting a statement opposing the proposal. Click here to get more information on the bill, including testimony from a public hearing held March 25. Click here for an overview on the Hartford Courant’s Capitol Watch blog.

The second concerning proposal is the effort to limit public access to death certificates, in the wake of the Sandy Hook shootings on Dec. 14 (Bill No. 5733).

In testimony before the Joint Committee on Public Health, opponents of the bill outlined the limited information already included in death certificates, and argued that there are legitimate reasons why open death certificates are useful to the public. For example, if a child dies while at a child-care center or in state custody, it is important to understand better what happened.

The Hartford Courant and the New London Day had editorials this week opposing the bill.

“Emotions should not drive public policy,” The Day’s editorial says.

Click here for an article on the proposal from the Hartford Courant.

Nominations report issued

The following slate of officers and board of directors for the Connecticut Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists will be presented to the chapter membership for approval at the annual meeting on Thursday, May 23 at Fantasia, North Haven.

College Contest now open for entries

The CTSPJ College journalism contest is now open for entries.

All Connecticut college media outlets are eligible to enter the contest. The deadline for entries is April 27, 2013 at 5 p.m.

To enter the contest, visit the contest website here. Make sure to pick “College Contest” as your circulation type under the main category drop-down menu.

For more information, please contact CTSPJ President Jodie Mozdzer Gil at jmozdzer@ctspj.org or Immediate Past President Cindy Simoneau at csimoneau@ctspj.org.

The categories are as follows. Or click here to download a PDF with the categories.

Print/Online

• Feature (A single article written because of some factor other than timeliness)
• General Reporting (Any article not covered by other categories)
• Editorial/Op-Ed or Opinion Column
• General Column
• Page 1 Layout
• Non-Page 1 Layout
• News Photo
• Feature Photo
• Sports Photo
• Sports Feature Story
• Sports News Story

Audio

• Feature (A single story written because of some factor other than timeliness)
• General Reporting (Any story not covered by other categories)
• Commentary
• General Column
• Sports Feature Story
• Sports News Story
• Spot News

Video

• Feature (A single story written because of some factor other than timeliness)
• General Reporting (Any story not covered by other categories)
• Commentary
• General COlumn
• Sports Feature Story
• Sports News Story
• Spot News

Nominations Committee seeks chapter officers, board of directors

The Nominations Committee of the Connecticut Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists is seeking members interested in serving as a chapter officer or on the board of directors.

Nominations are sought for one-year terms as president, vice president, vice president/communications, treasurer, secretary. Positions for terms on the board of directors are also open.

To apply send your resume and a note on office or position you are seeking and why you wish to run for office. All nominees must be paid members of both national SPJ and CTSPJ.

Send nomination materials to: Cindy Simoneau, immediate past president and chair of Nominations Committee at: csimoneau@ctspj.org or clsimoneau@aol.com. Cell: 203-400-0454

The deadline to apply is Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013.

2012 Contest Open For Entries

Over the last several days, Connecticut journalists have worked harder than ever to keep the state — and the nation — informed of the latest details regarding the Dec. 14 school shooting in Newtown.

It’s just one example of the difficult and important job Connecticut reporters undertake every day.

It can sometimes be a thankless job – one filled with new demands, pressures and criticisms.

That’s why the Connecticut Pro chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists hosts the annual Excellence in Journalism Contest.

We want to recognize the quality work being done at Connecticut news outlets – and honor the best of the best.

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Freelance Journalism Guide Available For Download

The national SPJ Freelance Committee has published a 77-page digital guide to help freelancers on topics from bookkeeping to branding.

The guide is free to download for all SPJ members. Click here to download the guide, called “On Your Own: A Guide to Freelance Journalism.”

It will also be sold as an e-book for a nominal fee, with the proceeds going toward committee programming.

SPJ’s Freelance Committee plans to update the guide on a regular basis and include more personal experiences from freelancers to reflect changes and trends in the marketplace.

SPJ also encourages freelance writers and editors not yet affiliated with the society to join and add their input to the guide.

Comments, suggestions and criticisms are welcome and should be made to David Sheets, the guide’s editor, by email at dksheets@gmail.com, or through Twitter at @DKSheets or LinkedIn.