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NEW ENGLAND NESPA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION Headquarters, Boston University College of Communication 640 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 02215 Volume 22, NewsNo. 3, Summer, 2017 Herald editor says journalism is thriving by Alexandre Silberman Joe Sciacca told the crowd how the newspaper busi- ness had changed overnight. "It was a feeling of impact,” he said. Despite those changes, Sciacca, the editor in chief of the Boston Herald, said the disturbance is positive. “No matter what someone might tell you, or what you might have heard, these are the best of times in journalism,” he said. The keynote speaker Friday, May 5 at the New England Scholastic Press Association’s 69th annual conference, Sciacca told students and advisers how the Herald had adapted to industry changes. The news- paper received an Innovator of the Year award in 2015 from the Associated Press Media Editors organization Alexandra Barlett, The High School View, Martha's Vineyard Regional High School for its digital radio platform. Joe Sciacca, giving the keynote speech, emphasizes “Disruption is a good thing,” he said. “Disruption the need for high standards as technology changes. breeds creativity, and creativity breeds innovation.” explosion in 1986. He remembered that reporters ran Sciacca presented a video that showed how the to use one of the 14 payphones to call in their stories. Boston Herald turned an old conference room into a The Herald printed a special edition. If the event took new platform for storytelling. He said that with lim- place today, information would be live from the scene, ited spending the newspaper has transformed into a Sciacca said. multimedia news organization. "We do know people want to be active participants, “The entire media model is being challenged by not lectured to," he said. "News consumers are becom- what people are looking for from the media,” Sciacca ing increasingly news content generators." said. “People want to be active participants in the news He affirmed that the pillars of journalism, including process.” credibility, accuracy, verification, fairness, solid sources, News has become increasingly visual and mobile, maintaining credibility and shoe leather reporting are he said. When news breaks, he said, reporters have an necessary, regardless of the platform. immediate voice. “The need for speed does not trump the need for “We need to open up our minds, and we need to accuracy and credibility,” Sciacca said. embrace new technology,” he said. Data journalism and computer-assisted reporting Sciacca recalled covering the Challenger space shuttle Story continues page 2 Inside: See news about awards and 69 tips from contest judges NESPA News Summer, 2017 page 2 Journalism is thriving, editor says Story continues from page 1 bait, adding that the biggest challenge is keeping faith can be good, he said, but there is no substitute for with readers. traditional practices. “Clickbait is an insult to readers,” Sciacca said. “You’re “The most powerful thing you can do is look some- treating them like clicks instead of like humans.” one eye-to-eye and interview them,” Sciacca said. He suggested that students ingest a variety of news “The ability to read their faces will help you tell the content, to see differences in coverage and keep pushing story.” for transparency. He said that meaningful, high impact stories were "Fight against injustice, and do it in a credible way," what got him into journalism. Sciacca wrote about an he said. "The biggest challenge we have is keeping faith asylum seeker who was mistreated by a judge, and the with our readers." case was re-held the next day. He reported on a boat Sciacca said that being in a room filled with emerging club on the Charles River on state land that excluded journalists made him feel positive about the future. women from joining. His story helped lead to the He concluded his speech by telling the crowd the best reversal of the policy. trait for young journalists: “Journalism is not dead," Sciacca said. "It’s thriv- “Passion is the one thing that I think makes a suc- ing. cessful journalist,” he said. “We need to redouble our efforts, and we need to • balance those ideals with the new technology.” Alexandre Silberman is an editor of The Register at He addressed the concerns of fake news and click- Burlington High School in Burlington, Vt. All New England Awards in Scholastic Editing and Publishing Class II First place: Wayland Student Press Broadcast NESPA judges evaluate Class I Network, Wayland High School, all entries individually. First place: Plymouth North News, Wayland, Mass. From among the Highest Plymouth North High School, Second place: The Big Red, Hudson Achievement winners the Plymouth, Mass., Panther TV, High School, Hudson, Mass. judges determine recipients Plymouth South High School, of All-New England Awards Plymouth, Mass., and The Pulse Print/online in Scholastic Editing and Class I Manchester High School, Manchester, Publishing. The Association First place:The Algonquin Harbinger, Conn. makes awards according to Algonquin Regional High School, Magazine the high schools’ enrollments. Northborough, Mass., and The Class I •In Class I are schools with Sagamore, Brookline High School, First place: The Register, Boston Latin more than 1,000 students. Brookline, Mass. School, Boston, Mass. •In Class II are schools Second place: The Newtonite, Newton Newspapers with 700-999 students. North High School, Newtonville, Class I •In Class III are schools Mass. First place: The Masuk Free Press, with 400-699 students. Third place: The Rebellion, Walpole Masuk High School, Monroe, Conn. •In Class IV are schools High School, Walpole, Mass. Second place: The Little Green, with fewer than 400 students. Class II Manchester Central High School, First place: The Register, Burlington High School, Burlington, Vt. Manchester, N.H. Second place: The High School View, Third place: The Lion’s Roar, Newton Martha’s Vineyard Regional High Yearbook South High School, Newton Centre, School, Oak Bluffs, Mass. Class I Mass. Third place: Veritas, Nantucket High First place: Tripod, Thornton Academy, Class III School, Nantucket, Mass. Saco, Maine First place: Tech Talk, Cape Cod Class III Vocational Technical High School, Online First place: The SHIP, Presque Isle Class I Harwich, Mass. and The Independent, High School, Presque Isle, Maine First place: The Ghostwriter, Westford Manchester Essex Regional, Second place: A Piece of Somers, Academy, Westford, Mass. Manchester, Mass. Somers High School, Somers, Conn. NESPA News Summer, 2017 page 3 Alexandra Barlett, The High School View, Martha's Vineyard Regional High School Daniel Sharkovitz, adviser to The High School View, listens as Helen Smith reads his citation. Daniel Sharkovitz receives Robert Baram Award or his exemplary leadership tic press: The High School View. bury’s Bread Loaf School of English in the region's scholastic "Back when most members of the and has taught in programs for press, Daniel Sharkovitz scholastic press found it a challenge Northeastern and Cape Cod Com- receivedF the Robert Baram Award. to come out monthly for a school munity College. The criteria for the award are as audience, Mr. Sharkovitz’s students "A member of the NESPA’s Ad- follows: were coming out weekly, and for an visory Board for the past 12 years, "With the Robert Baram Award audience of the 15,000 print readers he became a vice president on the the New England Scholastic Press of The Martha’s Vineyard Times—in Board of Directors in 2013." Association honors distinguished addition now to its online audi- Emphasizing the privilege of advisers from this region who have ence. working with Mr. Sharkovitz, one helped students raise their sights "Throughout these years of chal- former High School View editor said he and standards in the practice of lenges, Mr. Sharkovitz has stood for learned from him “how to write like a school journalism. students’ First Amendment rights. pro, how to think more clearly and how "The award is named for Robert "He has developed a journalism to work at the highest ethical standard.” Baram, founder and for 46 years course, advocated a state-of-the-art An NESPA board member, Tom the executive director of the Asso- student news publication office and Fabian, praised Mr. Sharkovitz’ ciation. worked to support the students’ commitment and professional insight. “Consideration for the award is very special relationship with The He recalled a time when Mr. based on an adviser's Martha’s Vineyard Times. Sharkovitz spoke in an annual •contributions to the cause of "Meanwhile, he served as the conference session here “about the idea ethical, thorough and articulate high school’s English department that we’re not only teaching journalism, scholastic journalism in the advis- chair. but that we really need to be in the er's school and community; and "Mr. Sharkovitz is a graduate business of teaching our editors how to •support for school journalists in of Medway High School where lead. I found that immensely helpful." all facets of their efforts to present he wrote for the paper, called The "On another note,” Mr. Fabian said, credible and useful material to their Zenger. “Bob Baram was my teacher at B.U. and audience.” "He went to Northeastern and being somewhat old school himself—a Excerpts from Daniel Sharkovitz' then served as a volunteer writing reporter’s reporter—I think he would citation: instructor at the Middlesex Jail and appreciate someone as committed as "For the past 25 years, Mr. Shar- House of Correction in Billerica. Dan receiving the award.” kovitz has advised an exemplary "He has a master’s from Middle- — Helen F. Smith publication in this region’s scholas- NESPA News Summer, 2017 page 4 Freedom to Write Award to Mary Burchenal Mary Burchenal, chair of the “She has fought to give the English department at Brookline newspaper a dedicated and exclu- High School, received the Freedom sive room in the school and to get to Write Award.

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