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October 2009 June 2010

GoogleTV DIVERSITY Threat Local TV News DILEMMA Faces a New Competitor for Viewers Page 4 Saluting the Best Black, Hispanic Journalists to Fete Their Own Page 15 News at Promax Stations Mine Entertainment Minority Journalist Tips for News Groups Struggle to Be Promotion United and Maintain Page 20 Distinct Identities Page 10 “Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world’s great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters.” Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It

SOCIETY OF ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISTS 20TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE HOSTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA–MISSOULA

Wild Rockies and the Changing West

October 13-17, 2010

Team Coveragey of planet earth r S E sa J 2 t r 0 h A n n i v e

w g w w . s e j . o r

This year “the place” sells itself… We’ll get you out and about in the only still fully intact ecosystem in the lower 48. We’ll hear from leading scientists about the threats facing this ecosystem and see and feel the impacts to fl ora and fauna from climate change and other disturbances.

We’ll have a plenary on The Changing West, headlined by Nobel laureate Steven Running, and another on Western Energy Frontiers, where we’ve invited Tom Friedman and Energy Secretary Steven Chu. We’ll have a group of European reporters join us, and we’ll hear renowned Western authors regale us with a sense of place. We’ll have a three-part video training workshop and a Western environmental law workshop and a post-conference tour to Glacier and beyond that’ll beat all.

And, yes, it’s SEJ’s 20th anniversary, and we’ll do it up right at the Montana Snowbowl Lodge in the mountains outside of Missoula with our blowout party, where surprise VIP guests are expected.

If you go anywhere this year… come to Missoula in October! FROM THE EDITOR The United State of Diversity

Diversity in the news industry has come a long way. Who is covered, Contents what is covered, who is covering it — all have changed considerably in the past two decades. Today’s news not only reflects the world around FEEDS l 4 When Google TV debuts in the fall, offering us more accurately, it more adequately addresses all the people living consumers yet more viewing options, it could in that world. mean serious competition for local TV newscasts. To be sure, the achievement of diversity in the field of journalism * Jobs in the TV news industry are approaching prerecession levels. has been a struggle. And even with the huge strides that have been * Hispanic journalism executives see new made, the struggle continues — albeit with a different set of challenges. opportunities for ambitious professionals. Now it’s not so much getting the job as it is finding a job to get. And not so much moving * Veteran broadcast journalist Maria Hinojosa undertakes a new endeavor. ahead in the job as finding the opening for opportunity. The dearth of news jobs has been especially painful to those groups making up UNITY, DIVERSITY IN JOURNALISM l 10 Journalists of color — the Asian American, Native American, Black and Hispanic news As job recruiters call for a single, unified convention, financially strained minority professionals — which find their memberships and revenues shrinking due to the ranks of journalists groups struggle with maintaining their the unemployed and underemployed who can no longer afford to attend annual conventions own annual gatherings and individuality. or, in some cases, even to belong. * The Natonal Association of Hispanic Journalists will put its focus on multimedia at its As Dinah Eng’s insightful cover story reveals, industry turmoil and the economic crunch upcoming convention, which will honor are imperiling the futures of those individual organizations, which are being urged by the broadcasters Gloria Campos and Ray Suarez. cost-conscious recruiting media companies to merge their efforts into a single annual event * The National Association of Black Journalists will pay tribute to broadcasters Soledad O’Brien under the UNITY umbrella. But while that approach may make things economically feasible and Paula Madison when they gather in July. for all involved, opponents fear it will endanger the specific interests of each minority group. If concerns over the bottom line win out, it could well mean bad news for the individual PROMAXBDA l 20 News promotion executives continue to find value organizations. Whatever the outcome, the undeniable good news is that due to the in the radically changed PromaxBDA conference. sustained and concerted efforts of all of the groups, diversity is clearly here to stay. —Tom Gilbert, Editor TECHNOLOGY l 24 BUSINESS l 26 ADVERTISING SALES HEALTH BEAT l 28 Ph: (212) 210-0748 Fax: (212) 210-0772 NEWSMAKERS l 29 Executive Producer: SIGN OFF l 30 Jeff Reisman, [email protected] (212) 210-0748

EDITORIAL OFFICES Producer: NewsPro (ISSN 2151-1764), Volume 1, Issue 9, is published Ph: (212) 210-0706 Fax: (212) 210-0772 Danny Schreiber, [email protected] (503) 723-9688 monthly, except for combined issues in January/February and SUBSCRIPTION HOTLINE (877) 812-1257 November/December at Crain Communications Inc, 711 Third Ave, Production Manager: Nicole Dionne New York, NY 10017. / Periodical postage pending at New York, VP-Publisher: Robert Felsenthal, (212) 210-0262 Group Circulation Director: John LaMarca Circulation Manager: Nicole Chantharaj NY, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address Editor: Tom Gilbert, [email protected] (323) 370-2420 changes to NewsPro, Circulation Dept, 1155 Gratiot Ave, Detroit, Art Director: Jeanine Dunn THE AD AGE GROUP MI 48207-2912. / Subscription and Customer Service (877) 812- Copy Editor: Angel Musker VP-Publishing and Editorial Director 1257.Subscription price for US and US Territories is $59, Canada David S. Klein and Mexico is $69, all other international is $89 per year. CRAIN COMMUNICATIONS INC. Executive VP-Operations: William A. Morrow Corporate Circulation Director:Kathy Henry Senior VP-Group Publisher: Gloria Scoby Founder: G.D. Crain Jr. (1885-1973), Chairman: Keith E. Crain Keep up to date with the news industry with NewsPro. Group VP-Technology, Circulation, Chairman Emeritus: Mrs. G.D. Crain Jr. President: Rance Crain To subscribe call (877) 812-1257. 1 year $59 (US) Manufacturing: Robert C. Adams (1911-1996) Secretary: Merrilee Crain VP-Production & Manufacturing:David Kamis ® [ Visit us online at TVWeek.com/Newspro ] Treasurer: Mary Kay Crain NewsPro is a registered trademark of Crain Chief Information Officer: Paul Dalpiaz Communications Inc.

June 2010 | NewsPro | 3 *INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS FROM THE WORLD OF PROFESSIONAL Feeds NEWS

CONVERGENCE WHAG-TV in Hagerstown, Md., doesn’t think so. A New Competitor for Local Eyeballs “I don’t know that it’s any different a challenge than any By Debra Kaufman station has already faced from As if local news didn’t have the Internet in general or from enough competition to contend a competitor or with the with, now comes Google TV, proliferation of hundreds of which sits squarely in the sweet channels,” said Kraham. “It’s spot where TV, the Internet, another voice vying for video content and search meet. attention, and all the more Want to watch a TV program? reason that a savvy broadcaster A search will give you options to needs to deliver a product that view it on cable, satellite or online, people want.” including channels such as Hulu and Netflix. Not Hyper-Local Though over-the-top TV Kraham pointed out that solutions have linked the TV Google hasn’t announced any and Internet before, these plans to actually produce local systems have largely been news, or any other TV content. kludged. Google TV takes the “When that time comes, I’ll most popular search engine and worry about it,” he said. “I marries it to Android think it would be difficult for technology, the Chrome them to become hyper-local.” browser, Intel processors and San Francisco-based media Flash capability. consultant Alan Mutter, who teaches media Coming This Fall economics/entrepreneurship at And it’s gone way beyond a the Graduate School of good idea: Google TV devices Journalism at UC Berkeley, will be on Best Buy’s shelves in isn’t nearly as sanguine. “The the fall. Sony and Logitech tipping point is not yet at hand, announced they would be the but the economics of local first manufacturers to the party. broadcasting may begin to Logitech is manufacturing a unravel as dramatically — and set-top box, as will Sony, which irretrievably — in the next five will also offer Google TV years as they did for newspapers receivers and Blu-Ray players. in the last five years,” he wrote The Dish Network is the first in his blog. “The reason in both video provider to feature cases will be the unparalleled Google TV. consumer choice made possible What impact will Google by a growing mass of (mostly TV have on local broadcasting? Is Google TV the death knell free) content on the Internet.” Is it the death knell of the local of the local station and, by It is true that, despite record station and, by extension, local numbers of viewers watching news? RTDNA chairman extension, local news? broadcast TV, audiences Mark Kraham, who is news continue to fragment. Bob director at NBC affiliate Papper, chairman of Hofstra

4 | NewsPro | June 2010 EMPLOYMENT University’s department of habits and thus a bigger threat yearly subscription to access journalism, media studies and to the broadcast TV model. listings. (Television stations are not charged. They are required by public relations, agreed that the But in the short term, at News Jobs the FCC to post listings on huge amount of choice is least, the impact of a Google services that widely disseminate fragmenting audiences, but he TV on local news isn’t clear. Back on job information.) pointed the finger at the Google’s achievement is in “They were wholesale getting stations themselves. “The search, not content creation, the Rise rid of people to keep the station stations run more and more Papper pointed out. “What is afloat,” said Holloway, who news,” he said. “Stations are Google going to bring to the By Hillary Atkin started the service in 1994 after a largely doing it to themselves.” table?” he asked. “The critical There is finally some good news television news career in San thing it will bring is easier in an industry that has undergone Diego. “Once they got through Power of Inertia access. Will that help news? Or a serious retrenchment over the the initial purge, it seemed to me Regardless of the undeniable simply give people more past few years: Hiring in the that they went after high-dollar trend of audience options instead of news? I don’t television news business appears anchors and reporters and shed fragmentation, even Mutter know the answer to that — no to be closing in on prerecession that expense of talent.” doesn’t think the entire edifice one knows the answer to it. levels, although the salaries may Now, he said, stations are of local broadcast is getting And, frankly, I think it’s as not be as high and more skills looking for multiple skills in ready for a tumble. “There’s a likely to help as it is to hurt.” huge industry that’s evolved in buying advertising, and inertia is More Thought Needed sustaining mass media,” he said. The onus is on the local “That and the retransmission stations to put out a news dollars from cable companies are product that stands out, why I don’t think anything will something tough to do in light fall apart overnight.” of the layoffs and survival-

The onus is on the local stations to put out a news product that stands out.

He did point out, however, mode operations holding sway that “the flow is diminishing” at so many stations. “There’s an may be demanded. one position that is often Before the economic pullback as audiences fragment and awful lot of reporting based on termed “multimedia reporter” there were about 2,000 jobs listed demographically older what’s cheap and easy to do as or “Web reporter,” meaning the on TVJobs.com at any given time audiences die off. “If you watch opposed to what people really applicant has to shoot, edit, for reporters, producers, the ‘CBS Evening News,’ every care about,” said Papper. “The write and report. photographers, editors and other other commercial is aimed at an problem is that that takes more newsroom and television station One-Man Bands older demographic, with Lipitor people and more thought. I positions. During the recession, “That’s where the largest trend and Depends,” he said. “It’s would argue at the end of the that number fell to about 400 to is,” said Holloway. “There have geared towards a very, very senior day, meaningful content well 500 positions. It’s now rebounded always been one-man bands in audience. When that audience done will succeed.” to about 1,700 job listings, each smaller markets, but now it’s goes away, who watches the Which leads back to of which stays up on the site for happening in larger markets as ‘CBS Evening News’?” RTNDA chairman Kraham’s 30 days. well.” Within that context, Google point of view. “Let competition “A year ago, the trend was to “What really has come on is TV — which offers viewers the come as it may,” he said. “You get rid of people, but I’ve seen backpack, multimedia chance to shop, message and can spend a lot of time looking that level off in the last six journalists,” agreed Mark play games in addition to over your shoulder when you months. The dark days are Shilstone, the owner and watching programs — is a should be focused on the behind us,” said Mark Holloway, manager of Medialine, another better fit for the younger product you’re delivering and president of TVJobs.com, which online job service, which charges demographic’s multitasking your own work.” K charges job seekers a $39.95 applicants to access job listings

June 2010 | NewsPro | 5 DIVERSITY “There are fewer opportunities, Feeds but the ones that exist are filled and post their reels and resumes. Hispanic by more diverse people than “In March 2009, the number of before the industry changed, jobs started rebounding from the ExecsSee because what is available past two years, which were at the requires more diversity and lowest levels we’ve seen since New Inroads more unique skill sets.” starting the business in 1986 as a telephone hotline,” he said. By Dinah Eng Common Challenges He said the challenges for Never to Return The number of traditional MARK CONTRERAS Holloway noted that a lot of management positions has Hispanics who want to rise in jobs that disappeared won’t be diminished as changes in the mainstream media are the same coming back because many media industry have forced as those that face other station groups centralized their restructuring of newsrooms, but minorities. For example, master control and graphics Hispanic executives say there Anglos often don’t realize that department operations and may be more opportunities for Hispanics come from different outsourced engineering. those who want to climb the ethnic backgrounds, and that Attrition and an corporate ladder. being bilingual does not Since media companies are automatically mean that a looking for new, innovative ways family is newly immigrated to Stations are to do business, those who have the United States. ideas on how to save and “We face the same HUGO BALTA looking for generate new revenue streams difficulties and discrimination multiple are more likely to be recognized based on ignorance from lack of and promoted. advantage,” Contreras said. “At understanding,” Balta said. “In skills in one “In trying times, you have to Scripps, we’re reorganizing so markets like South Florida, exhibit a greater degree of that managers oversee by where you have a strong position commitment and passion to function, rather than just by community of Cuban- make yourself more valuable to geography, which creates more Americans, or Los Angeles termed the organization,” said Mark opportunities to be recognized County, where the majority are “multimedia Contreras, senior vice president internally. We’ve decided one of Hispanic, you have companies of newspapers for E.W. Scripps the most valuable pieces of that recognize the value of reporter.” and chairman of the Newspaper currency we have is the ability to Hispanics in newsrooms. There Association of America. “For promote from within.” are other newsrooms where people looking to redefine On the broadcast side, Hugo there’s resistance to change, unwillingness to do more work themselves, it opens up doors to Balta, formerly vice president of which is human. But change for the same or less money was advancement that haven’t been news and news director of is inevitable.” also a contributing factor. there in the past.” WNJU Telemundo 47, is now a “Some of the old guys, like an Contreras said the need for senior producer for MSNBC, Money Talks anchor who had been on the great leadership has never been overseeing some of the news For those who work in Spanish- desk for 15 years, were asked to greater, but most companies have programs at the network in New language media outlets, pay is start reporting and carry a whittled down management York. He also founded Picaflor often a factor in deciding whether camera. They’re dinosaurs, they positions, so those who want Media Group, a media company to remain a reporter or move into retire,” Holloway said. to become decision-makers that produces news content for management. “The new guys carry a have to raise their hand higher Telemundo and other news “In my experience, media camera and are Web-savvy. It’s to be noticed. organizations in Latin America. promotes valuable journalists to a completely different type of Balta said there are fewer editors, and you lose their pen on person. Not that these older Changed Expectations management positions in the street,” said Ruben Keoseyan, guys couldn’t do it. When they television today, as the trend editor of LaRaza in Chicago. started, the technology wasn’t Those in the management there, and they’re not easily pipeline today, he added, face a toward consolidation of functions “Media should remunerate going to adopt a new different set of expectations. For has continued. journalists on the streets, and technology. They end up Hispanics, that may be a plus. “You might have had three make them happy being a retiring or going to work as a “If you have other skills, like a producers on a story before, and journalist, rather than their spokesman for a hospital or second language, and broader now you have one,” Balta, NAHJ having to rise up in management something like that.” K multimedia skills, that’s an vice president of broadcast, said. to make more money.” K

6 | NewsPro | June 2010 ONLINE exercise editorial judgment,” he said. “Section 230 Free speech, provides websites immunity from liability based on Making the Best content generated by users, but publishers and journalists as every have to edit their own work.” of Comments “Technology can help to a certain point,” Sullivan editor said. “There are a lot of sites where people can vote down knows, can By Jarre Fees comments that are offensive. In the heyday of newspapers, readers could “We used to delete profane comments straight away,” be fraught make their opinions known by writing to the he added. “Now we write right over them. We want to let editor. The best or most interesting of these people know there’s no profanity here; we’re watching.” ❑ with peril. letters were edited and published, usually on Sundays, and often provided a spirited community forum. That practice, morphed into a section called Reader Comments, is thriving on the Internet — only now you can say the first thing that pops into your head, comment about an unrelated topic or even include a link to your business. Generally no one follows you with an eraser unless your comments are profane, and everyone calls what you wrote free speech. And free speech, as every editor knows, can be fraught with peril. With many news organizations facing staff shortages, including a dearth of editors, who’s minding the comment sites? Will Sullivan, interactive director at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, said the paper has “amped up its moderation” significantly, but denied the paper was censoring comments. “People get confused by the word censorship,” he said. “There’s no real censorship — it’s your website. If someone came into your house and started spray- painting vulgarity, you would put a stop to it. It’s not the same thing as going to a public square, where you can say what you want.”

Frustrating Road Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act passed by Congress in 1996 says in part, “No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be held liable on account of (A) any action voluntarily taken in good faith to restrict access to or availability of material that the provider or user considers to be obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing, or otherwise objectionable, whether or not such material is constitutionally protected.” Jon Hart, legal counsel for Online News Association and author of “Internet Law: A Field Guide,” said online publishers have to use their editorial skills. “One of the reasons Congress passed Section 230 was to encourage publishers to

June 2010 | NewsPro | 7 FEEDS NEWSPRO Q&A

NewsPro: What were the media. Is it getting harder? A New Chapter Begins For pros and cons? Journalist Maria Hinojosa Hinojosa: It has always been Hinojosa: In public radio, it hard, and it will always be was the time and the use of hard, when you believe you sound. I think back now: I was have to tell certain truths … a a young reporter, and I was lot of times those truths are doing 12-minute pieces. really hard and no one wants to What was fun about being see them. at the networks was the When I put gang members extraordinary amount of on NPR, the hate mail I got resources we had. If you had a was amazing. … There was a network behind you, you lot of resistance to that, but it didn’t have to explain yourself. made me feel more committed There was wide reach and the to tell those stories. If you are a network carried a certain level journalist, in this because you of respect. feel there is a mission to tell a What I liked about cable truth, to reveal something, to was that it was not motivated shed light, to uncover, if that’s by the numbers when I first what motivates you, then you started; what I came to dislike need to be prepared to be When “Now on PBS” ended in April, senior correspondent was that it came to be only frustrated a lot of the time. Maria Hinojosa formed a nonprofit media group. about the numbers. I think part of being a What the public media — journalist is you learn that you’re Mexico-born Maria Hinojosa With the end of “Now” in television and radio — give going to have to fight for certain began in journalism as host of April, Hinojosa formed The me is time [and] the ability of truths, and it helps you a Latino radio show while at Futuro Media Group, a thoughtfulness. understand what matters to you. Barnard College, where she nonprofit dedicated to majored in Latin American community-based journalism NewsPro: You started out in NewsPro: With ‘Now on studies, political economy and and to fostering dialogue, which radio, and eventually added PBS’ ending, you’ve decided women’s studies. has taken over production of television. Was that an easy to strike out on your own Since then, she has worked “Latino USA” and is leap? with a new production at a wide variety of public and collaborating with StoryCorps, company. What are your commercial media outlets, PBS and the BBC. Hinojosa: I think that it’s just hopes for that? both radio and television, in Hinojosa recently discussed that I happened to be at the English and Spanish, from her career with NewsPro right place at the right time Hinojosa: I realize that I am NPR to CBS News to V-Me correspondent Elizabeth ... I started my career in one of very few journalists of to New York’s WNBC-TV, Jensen. An edited version of college radio, and I also color that have a national where she hosted “Visiones.” that interview follows. studied acting. When people audience…. That made me She has hosted NPR’s asked me to go on camera I understand I just had to step “Latino USA” since its wasn’t afraid. up to this challenge. I do it in inception in 1995, and from NewsPro: You’ve spent your It was a transition to the name of all the other 1997 to 2005 covered urban career jumping back and understanding how to report people I’ve met along the path issues as a New York-based forth between commercial for television. Throughout that have done much greater CNN correspondent. In 2005, and public media. each change I felt frustrated things than me. she joined “Now on PBS,” for the first five years, always [At the close of ‘Now’] one where she was a senior Maria Hinojosa: I always felt like I wasn’t getting it quite of the younger women staffers correspondent. that I was going to have a right. And that’s a really good gave me a talking to. … She Her many honors include better editorial perspective if I way to feel. … A certain level just basically said you have to the Robert F. Kennedy was working in the nonprofit, of discomfort propels you in understand there are young Journalism Award, the Ruben public medium and that was the right direction. journalists who look up to you, Salazar Lifetime Achievement true to a degree. When CNN respect you and are waiting to Award from the National called I was ready for a different NewsPro: The issues you have see what you’re going to do Council of La Raza and the perspective. After doing CNN covered — gangs, guns, and what you’re going to say. Overseas Press Club’s Edward for eight years there was a sense maternal health in Haiti, And we believe that you can R. Murrow Award. She is also that maybe being at a network taxing the poor — are tough do this and you must. I take the author of two books. was not all that I thought. topics to find a home for in the that very seriously. K

8 | NewsPro | June 2010 NEWS RESOURCES group of well-prepared experts sources’ on-camera presence. tablishing alliances with others whose perspectives will further The organization edits down a as well,” she said. enrich our public conversation.” two-minute clip from 15 Dornin is spending much of New Help So far, there are about 350 minutes of raw video of the her time right now experts on board, from former source being interviewed. demonstrating the service to In the Hunt U.N. ambassadors to oil spill news organizations including containment experts. Editorial Board Bloomberg, CBS and ABC, For Expert News Certified profits by “We do take the business of jour- where it has gotten a receptive charging a subscription fee to nalism seriously and even have an welcome. It is free to Sources such people and media training editorial board which we are in journalists, who can find out many of them. The fees range the process of establishing,” said within minutes whether a By Hillary Atkin from $2,000 to $4,000 for Dornin, who is vice president of potential source has an ISDN What does a group of training and to be listed on the strategic alliances. She said the line or Skype for a video experienced broadcast journalists site for three years. Media do as an encore to their training is done by former television careers? broadcast news professionals in If you’re like veteran reporter cities including New York, Rusty Dornin, you join forces Washington, Atlanta, San with some other colleagues from Francisco and Los Angeles. CNN to form a website that An expert must meet the provides expert sources across a criteria established by the variety of disciplines from med- organization to be established icine to law to environ mentalism. as newsworthy. Those who don’t make the cut to be on Filtering the Choices television have a photo but not Launched in March after a beta a video along with their version, the Atlanta-based service profiles. In addition to listing is called News Certified Ex- their accomplishments and change. The concept is to expand areas of expertise, experts on NEWS CERTIFIED EXCHANGE PROVIDES ACCESS TO EXPERTS WHO MEET SPECIFIC CRITERIA. the typical journalist’s “go-to” list the site are free to suggest other of people as trusted sources in story angles for which they board includes a managing editor interview. Another option is for news stories, many of whom can might be appropriate. at Forbes, the director of the the source to go to an affiliate be used for on-camera interviews. News Certified does not Global Media Institute at in his or her city. The organization’s mission guarantee its certification to George Washington University, “We don’t get kickbacks statement states that it “provides anyone who applies and has the head of Emory’s journalism when the experts get press,” the global news media with a rejected some people for lack of program and a former ABC cor- Dornin said. “I’m hopeful to searchable database of credible, proper qualifications. It recently respondent, among others. expand internationally and interview-ready experts and story trained nine people at the Nature “We’ve also established an al- domestically. We want to be ideas that are accessible 24/7. We Conservancy, seven of whom liance with Medill, Northwest- the source for one-stop are committed to increasing have videos online, enabling ern’s graduate school of journal- shopping for journalists to talk journalists’ access to a diverse reporters to “road test” the ism, and are in the process of es- about variety of subjects.” ❑

Crested Butte, CO 1-970-349-5836 www.ddgtv.com

June 2010 | NewsPro | 9 COVER STORY

THE FIGHT OVER UNITY The annual gatherings of the individual minority journalist groups are facing serious financial challenges. With cash-strapped media companies calling for centralization of their expensive recruitment efforts under a single UNITY umbrella, are the organization’s core member associations destined to disappear?

By Dinah Eng

10 | NewsPro | June 2010 MEDIA COMPANIES ARE QUIETLY PUSHING THE IDEA OF MORE FREQUENT “ONE-STOP’ UNITY CONVENTIONS

ational conventions have long been an annual summer every four years, and our organization says that’s not what we want to gathering for the four minority journalists associations, but do right now,” said Gustavo Reveles Acosta, growth and N changes in the news media and an uncertain economy are transportation reporter for the El Paso Times and NAHJ secretary. forcing members of the UNITY alliance to look at whether those “Our members have become accustomed to our conventions, which annual events can continue. are different from UNITY. Each year, the National Association of Black Journalists, National “I think as the industry has moved toward a period of uncertainty, Association of Hispanic Journalists, Asian American Journalists the budget and the concern for diversity has died off. Companies are Association and Native American Journalists Association have put on not coming to the convention anymore, and journalists of color are not conventions in different cities, largely sponsored by media companies. being sought out in any organized way now.” The gatherings create opportunities for training, networking and support for the journalists, as well as revenue to fund each association. Attendance Takes a Hit For media companies, the conventions are a way to show support for The average attendance at NAHJ conventions in past years was 1,600 diversity in the newsroom, recruit minority candidates and learn about to 2,000, but last year, the number of participants fell to 850, notes cultural differences in the workplace. Ivan Roman, NAHJ executive director. “This year, it looks like it may be lower than that,” said Roman, Fewer Jobs, Fewer Recruiters about the NAHJ convention June 23 to 26 in Denver. “We notice But in the past couple of years, as media companies have merged or people wait later and later to decide to come, so we extended our early folded, the number of jobs has plummeted. Recruiting efforts at the bird registration rates. Many people have been laid off, and others are minority association conventions have fallen off, and media companies fearful because they don’t know if they’re going to be laid off.” are quietly pushing the idea of holding a UNITY convention more Some members, he said, may not be able to get the time off from frequently so that recruiters don’t have to attend four separate work to attend because newsroom staffs have shrunk, leaving few to conventions a year. cover tasks when people are away. Where some media companies paid The idea is not being well received by the minority journalists. for convention registrations in the past, members tend to pay for their “There’s been talk of having UNITY every two years, instead of own participation now.

June 2010 | NewsPro | 11 DIVERSITY IN JOURNALISM

Roman said that NAHJ has signed hotel contracts for conventions the same city at the same time, allowing the two associations to negotiate through the UNITY 2012 gathering in Las Vegas, but it’s holding off more favorable hotel contracts. Programming would remain separate for on hotel commitments past that date. the two organizations, to serve each group’s membership needs. “One of the challenges for all the associations is to not depend on “Diversity has never been more important to the future of conventions so much for organizational finances,” Roman said. “We journalism,” Chan said. “Putting the same lack of diversity online is like have to change the convention model, and how we fund ourselves.” taking a dead battery and putting it in a new car, hoping it will work. “Our convention lost money last year, leading to a deficit in 2009 for New Revenue Streams Sought the whole organization. Hundreds of our members lost their jobs, media At AAJA, the annual convention has accounted for about half of the companies couldn’t come in at the same level of support, and we had to organization’s operational cash flow. Sharon Chan, technology reporter negotiate a buyout of one of our hotel contracts. But we’re now about 40 for The Seattle Times and percent above where we were president of AAJA, said the last year at this time for ATTENDEES AT association is now working THE MOST convention registration, so RECENT UNITY on strategies to diversify ‘CONFERENCE, IN we’re optimistic.” revenue streams. 2008. AAJA’s convention will be “Our Executive Lead- held Aug. 4 to 7 in Los ership Program is putting on Angeles, and like each of the three media demonstration minority associations, the projects now that have program will center on brought in new funding,” training and convergence. Chan said. “This longtime “Now you see print program is serving diversity journalists doing broadcast and communities in new ways. things, and broadcast We’re working with ethnic journalists are doing things media in Chicago, Arab- they never did before,” said American students in Detroit, George Kiriyama, news and experimenting with mob- “Diversity has never been more reporter for NBC Bay Area ile news in New York. News in San Jose and “We’re looking at possible important to the future of journalism.” AAJA vice president of programs to create profit broadcast. “We want to -Sharon Chan, AAJA centers within AAJA, and are make sure AAJA conven - reaching out to individual tions stay relevant.” donors and nonmedia sponsors in a way that remains true to our He said AAJA, like its UNITY partners, is strategizing on how to journalistic mission.” retain its membership and bring in new members after the massive Chan said media companies have pushed for more frequent UNITY industry layoffs that have taken place over the past two years. conventions to cut costs for themselves, and AAJA is talking with other “UNITY, when we meet every four years, is a great opportunity to meet associations about convention models that could save money for the and learn from other minority organizations,” Kiriyama said. “But I think minority groups as well. there are specific issues oriented to Asian-American journalists, and my fear One suggestion would be to partner with another association and go to is if we go to a UNITY model, the four organizations will disappear.”

12 | NewsPro | June 2010 Each of the minority associations say it’s important for their members alliance organizations — we share costs, we share profit, we all benefit. to continue to bond and support each other at separate gatherings because The economy and layoffs in the industry had an impact on attendance the cultural issues each deals with are unique. numbers in Chicago, but overall, it was a financial success.” “We’re such a small group, and have different problems and The next UNITY convention is slated to be held Aug. 1 to 4, 2012, situations,” said Rhonda LeValdo, a media communications instructor in Las Vegas. for Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kan., and NAJA vice For NABJ, which historically has had the largest membership of the president. “A lot of our tribes don’t have freedom of the press. If a reporter four associations, the economic downturn and industry changes meant writes something that the tribal government objects to about the a large financial hit last year when penalties had to be paid to several government, they could be fired. hotels for unfilled room blocks. “The tribal newspapers are going full steam, and have not been Kathy Y. Times, evening anchor for WDBD-TV in Jackson, Miss., affected by the economy. We had a couple of mainstream journalists in and NABJ president, said the group has planned for lower attendance major city markets who lost their jobs, and that is particularly significant this year at its San Diego convention, July 28 to Aug. 1, but it’s still because their voices are no longer heard. Being able to band together, see concerned about meeting its room block commitment. each other and talk about what’s going on at conventions is important.” This year, NAJA will hold a joint convention with Native American Turnout Suffered in 2009 Public Telecommunications, which helps Native Americans produce “We had been getting 3,000 people at our past conventions, and got half documentaries and films, July 21 to 24 in St. Paul, Minn. that much last year,” Times said. “Then the bottom of the economy fell LeValdo said this alliance offers NAJA members access to out. When we saw what happened in Tampa [in 2009], we cut our room programming they wouldn’t have otherwise, extending the idea of media block in half for San Diego. The good news is the recruiters are coming convergence to include documentary filmmaking, and will save both back, and media companies are buying more booth space than last year.” organizations money. Bob Butler, a freelance reporter at KCBS Radio in San Francisco and She said NAJA is not in favor of holding UNITY conventions more NABJ vice president of broadcast, said the group has a Facebook page frequently because many NAJA members can’t afford to attend UNITY where convention attendees can find roommates if they’re concerned conventions, and NAJA workshops were given short shrift in scheduling about the hotel cost. at past UNITY conventions. “We know that at the last UNITY convention, Will Sutton and Juan Gonzalez, two of the founders of UNITY, said they’d like to see UNITY UNITY Reviewing the Issue happen every two years,” Butler said. “The media companies would like Barbara Ciara, president of UNITY, Journalists of Color and that because it means they could do one-stop shopping.” broadcast journalist with WTKR NewsChannel 3 in Norfolk, Va., said Times said the four minority associations know that their convention the issue of holding UNITY conventions more than once every four years models have to change, and NABJ has a committee working on was reviewed by the UNITY board of directors following the 2008 recommendations for how NABJ should handle the issue. UNITY convention in Chicago, which drew more than 7,500 journalists NABJ has contracted with hotels through 2015, and Times said each of color and media executives. year’s commitments can be adjusted according to the previous year’s “The board concluded it was in the best interest of the alliance partner attendance. “It was to our advantage years ago to do this in advance,” organizations to support and maintain the current convention model,” Times said, “before the bottom fell out.” ❑ Ciara said. “There is some concern, and rightly so, that a UNITY convention every two to three years would siphon sponsor support from Dinah Eng is a syndicated columnist for Scripps Howard News Service and alliance conventions. a past president of both the Asian American Journalists Association and “The UNITY convention is always a financial windfall for all of the UNITY, Journalists of Color.

June 2010 | NewsPro | 13 DIVERSITY IN JOURNALISM Facebooking are the tools du jour, so we are providing that training. We Multimedia Key know that folks are having to reinvent themselves, so digital entrepreneurialism is one avenue.” Pimentel has been involved in NAHJ since its founding in 1984, when at NAHJ Meet it grew out of the California Chicano News Association. “I’ve seen us become more numerous,” Pimentel said. “Before, when you went to a newsroom, it wasn’t unusual to be the only Latino, or one of a few, which By Hillary Atkin nowhere reflected parity in the community.” Denver will be abuzz with Recent figures released by the American Society of News Editors camaraderie, networking and pro - show Hispanics make up more than 13 percent of newsroom fessional training as the 28th employees, a number that has declined in the past few years due to Annual National Association of contraction in the industry. Hispanic Journalists Multimedia “It’s a complex problem, and part of it is the last hired is the first fired,” Convention and Career Expo said Pimentel. “Minority journalists tend to be fairly junior in a newsroom. takes up residence in the Mile Others have taken buyouts, or have had doubts about the future of High City’s Colorado Convention journalism and have gone to other careers.” Center June 23 to 26. With the theme “El Grito (Shout) Across the Rockies,” attendees can “We continue to place emphasis O. RICARDO PIMENTEL participate in workshops on such topics as the stress of a layoff, ethics in on the training our members need to Spanish-speaking media and boot camp for nonphotographers. Other keep their jobs or get new ones,” said NAHJ President O. Ricardo Pimentel, subjects include building your network, managing your time, turning your who is the editorial page editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “The story into a book, marketing yourself in a multimedia world, creating your recent ongoing economic distress has resulted in a lot of our members losing digital resume, reinventing yourself, writing tight and bright and using 3- or fearing for their jobs. The emphasis will be on multimedia and social D graphics and animation. networking and general professional skills — things they will need to know A training project for journalists who want to be entrepreneurs is also part to evolve with the industry.” of the confab with a preselected group taking part in a day-and-a-half-long session sponsored by the Ford Foundation and Unity: Journalists of Color. 700 Expected to Attend About 700 attendees are expected at the conference, which features Online Business Pointers programs geared to various levels of experience, from those just starting out Another group will participate in a daylong workshop on starting their own to seasoned veterans of the news business. news and information business online. What they learn in the NAHJ E-J Nearly 40 sessions will focus on multimedia training and new skills Series is complemented by three days of training at the convention on other required for journalists. “It is recognition that sometimes journalists are being multimedia and career skills including starting a website from scratch, a tech thrown into new skill sets without proper training, and our aim is to give corner featuring demos and the latest software and tools for journalists, and them that,” said Pimentel. “We know social networking is becoming a financial corner at the Expo, with information on what foundations and extremely important, as well as marketing their own stories. Tweeting and venture capitalists are looking for in projects they support. Social and political subjects will be a big part of the conversation at the conference, with discussions about immigration reform, the violence ROBERT F. KENNEDY wrought by Mexico’s drug cartel wars and how to appeal to a Latino sports audience — a timely topic because of this summer’s World Cup CENTER FOR JUSTICE & HUMAN RIGHTS soccer competition. CONGRATULATES THE The NAHJ Hall of Fame will add two new members during the conference, with the induction of veteran journalists Gloria Campos, 2010 RFK JOURNALISM AWARD WINNERS longtime anchorwoman at WFAA-TV, Dallas’ ABC affiliate, and Ray Suarez, senior correspondent for PBS’ “The NewsHour.” RFK Journalism Awards honor outstanding reporting “There’s a lot of uncertainty in the business, but the world is always going on issues that reflect Robert F. Kennedy's concerns, to need good reporters and communicators,” said Campos. “Because of the including human rights, social justice and the power changing nature of the business, you may have to wear a lot of hats. But if of individual action in the U.S. and around the world. you’re determined to be the best, you’re still going to make it.” “We have to as an organization not only address problems in the business Winning entries provide insights into the causes, conditions and remedies of injustice and critical in terms of what it means to Latino journalists, but we have to worry about analyses of relevant public policies, programs, attitudes saving the business,” said Suarez. “We have to be part of the answer to the and private endeavors. question of how to save the business.” “These have been tough times, and we’ve weathered the times, and we’re here to give people the training they need to be relevant,” Pimentel said. Call for submissions for 2011. . . coming soon! “More broadly, our mission is to ensure Latino employment in the media www.rfkcenter.org and to ensure fair accurate and balanced coverage of our communities.” ❑

14 | NewsPro | June 2010 and make it happen,” she said. “I never dreamed I would talk to the president and first lady and cover inaugurations. I want to let them to NAHJ’s know to dream big.” Hall of Famers 2010 Ray Suarez On any given day, Washington, By Hillary Atkin D.C.-based senior correspondent Ray Suarez’s schedule calls for Gloria Campos conducting an interview, shooting a Gloria Campos grew up in a small taped piece or doing a live report for town in Texas dreaming of being in PBS’s “The NewsHour.” On the the television news business. Nearly road, he’ll often shoot photos and 34 years after earning her degree in do a separate narrative for the online journalism at Texas State University version of his broadcast reports. and starting her career back in her Servicing another distribution hometown of Harlingen, Texas, the platform is one of the biggest changes Suarez, one of this year’s reality has exceeded her dreams. inductees into the National Association of Hispanic Journalists’ Hall Campos is one of the most suc - of Fame, has seen since he started working in the news business 35 cessful anchors in a major market in the business. years ago. His career has included stints as a correspondent for CNN Campos, one of this year’s inductees into the National Association of in Los Angeles, a producer for the ABC Radio Network in New York, Hispanic Journalists’ Hall of Fame, landed a job shooting, editing and and a reporter for CBS Radio in Rome and for various news reporting at KGBT-TV in Harlingen, following a college scholarship. organizations in London. “As far as Latinas, I was a trailblazer,” she said. “I was the only one for a “When I look back at what newsrooms looked like, I was one of the time, the only trained female reporter. The others were secretaries or models only Latinos,” Suarez said. “Things have changed remarkably, almost who did talk shows. I had a couple male cohorts who were Latinos, but most beyond description. Now in bigger metro areas, at all the networks, of the people on the anchor desk were white males.” cables and big newspapers, that would be impossible.” Campos joined WFAA-TV in Dallas in 1986, again breaking new Suarez joined “The NewsHour” in 1999 after six years as host of ground by becoming the station’s first Hispanic anchor. Twenty-six years National Public Radio’s nationwide call-in news program “Talk of the later, she co-anchors the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts — along with pulling Nation.” He also hosts “Destination Casa Blanca,” a weekly program additional anchor duty every other week on the ABC affiliate’s 5 p.m. show. on Latino politics for HITN-TV, a public service network for Hispanics “Just about everything has changed from when I first started out,” she found on cable, satellite, on demand and online, as well as the monthly said. “Most of all it’s the technology that has changed.” radio program “America Abroad” for Public Radio International. Campos said that more importantly, she’s seen an evolution in the way Although public broadcasting’s audience is not heavily Hispanic, stories that impact Latin communities are covered in a marketplace that has Suarez is pleased at the opportunities to tell stories of impact and experienced a growing Hispanic population, estimated at about 25 percent educate the audience about important issues like immigration reform of the total. and the current hot-button issue Arizona’s passage of SB 1070. With decades of experience behind her, Campos devotes much attention “A lot of work I’ve done over the years is a bridge in a sense, taking to educating the next generation coming up. She’s endowed several audiences to hidden places in their own country, and also representing journalism scholarships in her name at her alma mater, and speaks frequently Latino aspirations as well,” he said. at schools about the importance of education, particularly to young Latinas. Suarez is also the author of several books, the latest being “America, “I let them know they can dream the grandest version of themselves The Holy Vote: The Politics of Faith in America.” ❑

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If we don’t cite the Source . . . who will?

June 2010 | NewsPro | 15 DIVERSITY IN JOURNALISM Power of Change Black Journalists Meet to Explore Learning Opportunities

JOURNALIST AND CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST EARL CALDWELL WAS INDUCTED INTO THE NABJ HALL OF FAME AT LAST YEAR’S CONVENTION IN TAMPA, FLA.

By Hillary Atkin extraordinary networking opportunities as it pertains to job cultivation, Things are certain to get off to a celebratory start at the National but that you are literally in an atmosphere bumping heads with people that Association of Black Journalists Convention and Career Fair in San Diego can change your life and your career,” said Durham, who attended her first July 28 to Aug. 1 when the 1,200 attendees kick things off at a welcome NABJ conference about 20 years ago. “Even more, it’s like a big reunion, reception on board the USS Midway. a family. It cultivates you as a person and as a professional.” “It couldn’t be a better place to be welcomed to the city,” said The opening plenary session will feature Dr. Mehmet Oz being convention chair Elise Durham. “From the flight deck, you can see the interviewed by former CBS anchor and author Rene Syler. They’ll take a entire San Diego Harbor. It’s a great opportunity to get into the San Diego look at top health stories involving African-Americans, and how spirit, and appreciate the history of the Navy. I think the membership is journalists can stay healthy in a profession that is often filled with long going to love it.” hours, little sleep, stressful deadlines and unhealthy food. They’ll also The opening festivities will be the first of three nights of NABJ After examine Dr. Oz’s success in developing himself as a brand and what black Dark following days filled with programs and panels and plenary meetings. journalists and media professionals can do to emulate that in their own With six tracks of sessions and workshops, the conference — under the careers. Capping off the session, gospel singer Donnie McClurkin is thematic umbrella of “NABJ@35: The Power of Change” — offers up a expected to perform. plethora of learning opportunities for participants at every stage of their careers. The tracks are titled accordingly for various levels of experience, Google Guest from “The Lobby” for beginners to “The Executive Suite” for those at the Another highlight will be the W.E.B. DuBois Lecture given by top, and places in between like “The Elevator,” “The Training Room,” Google’s chief legal officer and senior vice president of corporate “The Conference Room” and “The Business Center.” And for everyone, development, David Drummond. “What is most interesting is that as regardless of experience level, there is “The Water Cooler,” where Google continues to transform, it’s this man who leads the charge as they attendees can debate and discuss breaking news and hot topics affecting launch into new platforms, not just in journalism, but in information the industry. distribution,” said Durham. “For journalists looking at an ever-changing “What is most important to me and valuable is not only the landscape, it will be fascinating to hear how he envisions the future and

16 | NewsPro | June 2010 how that will impact freedom of speech.” In the past, workshops have fit into tracks of broadcast, print or online. Diversity’s Star But now that the lines have blurred, many of them focus on hands-on training for digital skills, including a multimedia workshop where a project CNN’s O’Brien a Vet of the Cause will be taken from inception to completion over the course of two days. “As our industry has imploded and changed, it has turned into By Allison J. Waldman something very different,” noted Durham. “Change can be intimidating In the highly competitive, rapidly but can also be empowering — if you know how to embrace it.” changing world of television news, Soledad O’Brien is a prime example Dealing With the New Reality of an award-winning journalist Along with empowering participants with new skills, the sessions will who’s succeeded in a variety of ways. explore new career opportunities. O’Brien, anchor and special “We’re shaking it up,” Durham said. “Reality shows — is that where correspondent for CNN/U.S., who jobs are, to produce or star in them? For older journalists, it’s not even has been chosen the National a consideration. Now it’s a new avenue of employment. In other sessions, Association of Black Journalists’ we’ll look at topics like navigating the matrix from producing to Journalist of the Year, will join manager, the power of contract negotiation and skills needed to other honorees at the association’s transition to other careers.” July 31 Salute to Excellence Gala Soledad O’Brien th All in all, there are 54 workshops. New this year are four “lunch and during the NABJ’s 35 Annual JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR learn” sessions, looking at subjects including digital distribution, health Convention in San Diego July 28 care reform and genealogy. There is also an all-day learning lab entitled to Aug. 1. She praises the organization for its programs and its purpose. “It’s all About Business: The Journey From Journalism to “NABJ contributed to my education,” said O’Brien, who has been a Entrepreneurship,” run by Sheila Brooks. member for two decades. “I took seminars on how to write a good story. The “Our Hollywood” panel features creative talent including Lee NABJ also has the ability to bring people together to network. It’s always Daniel, Jennifer Hudson and Bill Duke in a session moderated by been in the forefront of conversations about where journalism is going, Gayle Hurd. what’s the status of minority journalists in the country.”

NPR’S MICHELE Long a Proponent of Diversity NORRIS, The diversity cause has long been important to O’Brien, whose mother BELOW RIGHT, is of black and Hispanic extraction. “Diversity is one of those things RECEIVED NABJ that we’ve been pushing for in television newsrooms across the country, HONORS IN 2009. everywhere I’ve worked, for 22 years. The audience is changing, and if you want to be able to connect with a diverse audience, you certainly better have access to the kinds of stories that the audience is interested in. That’s the biggest change that I’ve seen.” O’Brien’s seven years at CNN have included her co-anchoring “American Morning” from 2003 to 2007. Today, her beat is CNN’s acclaimed “In America” franchise, a series of documentaries behind which she has been the driving force. “In America” began in 2008 with Conference participants CNN’s “Black in America,” a groundbreaking documentary that took will get their own mini- an in-depth look at the challenges confronting African-Americans. upfront, with NBC O’Brien also has been responsible for the creation of CNN’s Universal President and recently created “In America” news documentary unit. “Our first piece CEO Jeff Zucker pre- was the Haiti documentary.” she said. “We’ve done ‘Gary & Tony Have a Baby,’ which [is airing] under the umbrella ‘Gay in America.’ senting the new action ‘Black in America’ will air in October, and then we have another drama “Undercovers.” Katrina documentary.” The Salute to Excell ence Gala will award dis tinction in categories of O’Brien, the fifth of six children, credits her parents, who were both new media, radio, newspapers, magazines and television. NABJ will immigrants — her mother was from Cuba, and her father from Australia bestow its Journalist of the Year Award to CNN anchor and special — with giving her the words of wisdom she applies to her profession. correspondent Soledad O’Brien, and will award NBC News and its local “You should never settle. Don’t be satisfied or think you’ve gone far TV stations with the organization’s annual Best Practices Award. NBC enough when you get to whatever. Think in terms of striving to take Universal Executive VP Paula Madison will receive its Legacy Award. the next step up. … If you look at it like that, you don’t ever get Ending on a high note, the conference concludes with a gospel brunch frustrated. If you’re really fighting for equality and opportunity, the featuring gospel artist CeCe Winans. “We’re going to start and end with fight never ends, so stop looking for a day when you won’t have to do inspiration,” Durham said. K it. The good news is that we’re making progress.” K

June 2010 | NewsPro | 17 DIVERSITY IN JOURNALISM An NBC Legend

The National Association of Black Journalists is presidents, more executive producers, more general presenting Paula Madison, NBC Universal executive managers, more producers and managers who are vice president of diversity, with its Legacy Award at its African-American then any other network division or annual Salute to Excellence Gala during the NABJ’s owned station group. That for me was huge. I take 35th Annual Convention, being held in San Diego July particular pride in that. We’re not only focused on 28 to Aug. 1. diversity, we’re getting our jobs done. NBC News and its local TV stations will also be presented with the NABJ Best Practices Award during NewsPro: Is promoting diversity an imperative for the event. NBC Universal? In official NABJ terms, the Legacy Award recognizes “a pioneering black print, broadcast or Madison: We all would welcome the day when that photojournalist of extraordinary accomplishment who filter of making sure that there is representation in the has broken barriers and blazed trails.” product and in the room doesn’t have to be applied. Madison, a 34-year NABJ member and former The fact is that history has shown that unless there is Q&A: board secretary, has been an NBC Universal executive attention paid and an effort made to have diverse voices NBC for 18 years. She began her career as a print journalist and diverse offices inside your businesses, that it doesn’t and after becoming a television news manager, worked really happen organically. Universal’s her way up to become the first African-American Paula woman to be general manager of a top five network- NewsPro: How are things now since committing to owned television station, KNBC-TV in Los Angeles. more diversity? Madison, Madison recently spoke with NewsPro NABJ correspondent Allison J. Waldman about the NABJ Madison: What we’re seeing today is more of a honors and her role promoting programs that mirror multicultural approach, although we have a program Legacy the diversity of NBC’s customers, clients and audiences. launching in the fall, J.J. Abrams’ new show Award “Undercovers,” which is the only show, I think, where the two leads are diverse in network prime time. Both Winner NewsPro: What’s your reaction to receiving the Boris Kodjoe and Gugu Mbatha-Raw are African- Legacy Award from the National Association of American. It’s fiction, but it’s a reflection of reality, Black Journalists, and NBC News and its local too. It’s not easy to produce a hit show. What we do TV stations being recognized with the Best know is that this is a society that’s becoming more Practices award? multicultural by the moment. Since 2000, when we created our diverse writers program, we have launched Paula Madison: The personal award, the Legacy the careers of 115 racially diverse writers. The point is Award, I’m very honored to receive. I’m grateful, but to make the writers room look as diverse as society. like most people, I’m a little embarrassed because I feel like I’m just doing my job. I’m much more NewsPro: How important is NABJ to a media thrilled and excited about the Best Practices company like NBC Universal? recognition that NBC News and our local media division are getting. That made my heart sing. There Madison: Well, you’re asking someone who’s very are literally hundreds of people who are involved in biased. I’ve been to every NABJ conference except the processes that brought about that recognition. We the first, only because I didn’t know it had been seek diverse talent, we groom and grow diverse talent, founded. NABJ puts you in contact with journalists and then we promote diverse talent. who share your culture and in some instances your experiences. It also provides a training ground for NewsPro: This wasn’t a competition. You didn’t people interested in moving up the ladder. We have have to fill out an entry form or present numbers, had workshops at NABJ bringing in people to talk right? to journalists about how to write for television, including people who had made the transition, like Madison: Yes, NABJ recognized us independently. the late David Mills of HBO’s “Treme.” He was a They told me we had more presidents, more vice writer for the Washington Post. K

18 | NewsPro | June 2010

PROMAXBDA 2010

OFF THE AIR Stations t the group and local TV station level, branding cable industry and Fortune 500 companies, President and imaging was a casualty of the dramatic Graeme Newell said that TV stations are again Turn to New Adownturn in the industry. While stations spending money, “and we’re seeing a tremendous struggled to stay afloat amid layoffs and plunging ad amount of it going towards marketing.” But, like Block- Platforms dollars, everything from outside media buys to new sets Verk, he’s seeing the stress of previous layoffs as an for Branding for the local news broadcast went on the back burner. obstacle to innovative marketing. Jonathan Block-Verk, president-CEO of “All these marketing people are much busier and PromaxBDA, is just one person who thinks that’s been doing jobs they never had to do before,” he said. “That By Debra Kaufman a bad idea. “One of the critical mistakes that a lot of means they’re feeding the beast as fast as they can. The these local stations and affiliates have made is cutting manager who wrote the branding plan and did the back in the very place they should have been critiques is often gone. What that means is that the expanding,” he said. “They should have been investing.” branding of TV stations has stayed like it was. There He is particularly concerned that some stations isn’t a lot of evolution.” replaced the marketing director with the already over- burdened news director. For that reason, he urged both Research Curtailed marketing executives and news directors with marketing Innovation in marketing comes from research that responsibilities to attend the 2010 Promax/BDA gives insights into new directions, said Newell. “But conference, which takes place in Los Angeles from June those research budgets have been cut, so stations are 22 through 24. “We’re trying to give them the skills and marketing blind,” he said. “When you don’t have insight and tools into the new marketing paradigms,” the research to base your work on, you have to take said Block-Verk. small steps. You can’t take bold steps or you’ll There’s plentiful evidence that both TV station probably be wrong.” groups and local stations need all the help they can get. Just as several TV station groups streamlined budgets At 602 Communications, a marketing, consulting and by centralizing broadcast operations, some have research company that works with broadcast TV, the centralized marketing. Cox Media Group’s senior

20 | NewsPro | June 2010 THE MIGRATION TO HD IS INSTIGATING SOME STATIONS TO ALLOT MORE RESOURCES TO MARKETING.

director of marketing, Winston Warrior, noted that company’s history. “Everything we’re doing right CMG was officially formed in August 2009 to do just now has HD in mind,” said Devlin, who named that: consolidate operations of all of the company’s KVAL-TV (Eugene, Ore.), KTVK-TV (Phoenix), businesses, at the same time that “individual properties and KTVX (Salt Lake City) as three May ratings still take responsibility of marketing.” A core projects. “Some people are now just making the switch. marketing team in Atlanta supports the local brands. Some are replacing one HD set with another. It’s all “My goal now is to provide our local brands with HD.” Devlin Design Group currently has four call- a centralized resource for creative, strategy and letter stations and one new cable network launch on the marketing solutions, so we leverage the power of books for summer/fall 2010. those brands nationwide,” he said. “We are still discovering ways to maximize efficiencies. Given that Meredith and Twitter one size doesn’t fit all, my team and I are providing For Meredith stations, nontraditional media is also a local brands with marketing materials with a common big play, said Cox, with efforts occurring on a station- look and feel that they can customize.” by-station level. At Cox’s WGCL-TV, a CBS Newell said he’s seeing the trend of regional affiliate in Atlanta, the news department has had great marketing directors, but he’s less than enthusiastic. success with Twitter, becoming the most retweeted “That will save a lot of money,” he said. “But how station in the area. WSMV-TV, an NBC affiliate in effective can you be if you live in Kansas City and are Nashville, also has 5,757 Twitter follows and 8,470 doing the marketing for Des Moines? Local news fans on Facebook (the investigative news team has and local marketing go hand in hand.” over 1,000 fans). At the Meredith Corp. station group, Tom Cox, Cox noted that, although “the overall station brand VP of marketing, said the marketing dollars are extends into whatever the platform is,” new media such increasing. Outside media spending will increase by as online offers more flexibility. “You can have 25 percent in 2011. “It’s pretty much going to conversations with people as opposed to the traditional traditional places,” he said, further noting, “the monies broadcast TV model,” he said. that we are budgeting don’t necessarily include the That’s a big step in the right direction, said Newell. dollars that we might have from a syndicator or a “It’s not my Doppler can beat up your Doppler, or I network or a retransmission consent deal.” have more breaking news than you do,” he said. “A The migration to HD is also instigating some relationship with local viewers is not defined by products MEREDITH’S TOM COX, ABOVE; 602 COMMUNICATIONS’ GRAEME NEWELL, spending on marketing. Dan Devlin, creative but by how the customers see themselves. We have to BELOW. director of Devlin Design Group, a set design be more responsive to the emotional needs of the company for broadcast, cable and the Internet, says audience and match the product to where it helps them the past two years have been the best in the achieve their own goals.” K

June 2010 | NewsPro | 21 PROMAXBDA 2010

PROMAXBDA2009: JOURNALIST STUART ELLIOT INTERVIEWS CANOE VENTURES’ DAVID VERKLIN, LEFT; MARKETING CONSULTANT LEE HUNT. DirectingTraffic NewsMarketersStill FindValueinTransformedPromaxBDA

By Jon Lafayette going to have to create something else.” If you’re out to learn about how to write a topical spot that will attract more Promax President-CEO Jonathan Block-Verk acknowledges that the people to tonight’s 11 p.m. newscast, at first glance, today’s PromaxBDA focus of the conference has changed. may not seem to be exactly what you’re looking for. Not that long ago, the annual gathering of promotion executives featured Station Attendance Plunged in a Decade the promo professionals from hundreds of network-affiliated stations. “Ten or 11 years ago, Promax was 6,000 promo people from the affiliate But in recent years, revenues at local stations have dropped through the stations. Now it’s like a couple hundred, so it’s not comparable. We have floor, leaving little cash for promotion departments, let alone trips to more local station attendance this year than last, but that’s not saying promotion conventions. That means the convention now has more anything. That’s the sad fact.” attendees who promote entertainment programming. Block-Verk said Promax now takes “a much broader look at marketing, At the same time, there’s less on the agenda about cutting news spots of which promotion is a major component. It’s about television marketing.” because in a digital age, relying solely on 30-second spots to sell television But he added that Promax is still valuable for people in news promotion. content simply won’t cut it. In fact, he said it’s more valuable that it’s ever been. “Yes, we’ll have the sessions about doing a better promo,” he said, “but ‘Ask the Right Questions’ getting a bigger, more robust context to the business and understanding “It’s going to take a little more work on the part of the news attendee to get where promo fits into the context of the entire business, that’s critical. It’s out of Promax what they need to get out of it,” said Frank Radice, former far more critical than making a more effective 30-second spot.” executive VP of advertising and promotion for the NBC Agency, who now What else is valuable about Promax? is the expert in residence for digital ad agency and post production company “I’ve always found the most valuable thing has just been the ability Definition 6. “It’s not going to be fed to them on a silver platter like it used to spend a couple of days in the presence of other marketing and to be. But I think the same amount of stuff is available if you know what promotion people from many different disciplines just talking about the you’re looking for and you recognize it and you ask the right questions.” subjects that are keeping them awake at night or hearing them talk about Given the state of the industry, a move away from concentrating on the stuff that excites them and the stuff that really worked for them in promoting news was inevitable for Promax. the past year,” said CNN’s Safon. “They’ve made a smart evolution so that it’s not really just the 400 people And news people also can learn in a certain profession sharing the same tricks that they all use, but reaching “Everyone’s from professionals who promote out to people that are successful and finding the smart duplication of one entertainment content. person’s world to another,” said Alan Ives, ABC executive producer and dealing with “If they don’t they shouldn’t creative director of ABC News. thesame exact work for me,” said ABC’s Ives. “If So instead of learning how to make promos, Scot Safon, CNN executive my business is telling people what’s VP and chief marketing officer, will go to Promax to hear about how challenges and on at 10 o’clock tonight and that’s marketing pros across the TV business are working with social media. it, then we’re out of business. It’s “Everyone’s dealing with the same exact challenges and opportunities opportunities multimedia and it’s different ways in that space,” Safon said. “We’re all pretty confident that those to reach targeted and niche groups conversations that go on in social media do help build interest in your in that space.” to actually convert who you need television product. So how do you play in that area? It’s not like making a to convert and reach out and grow spot; it’s not like making a print ad or an outdoor billboard. You’re actually -Scot Safon, CNN an audience.” K

22 | NewsPro | June 2010 NewsMustKeepUp

The annual PromaxBDA conference originated 54 with ‘Glee.’ If KCRW or whoever can repurpose or years ago as an association for promotion and translate the strategic execution of that marketing marketing professionals working in broadcast media, initiative to news, they’re going to win big as well. and for decades was a must-attend gathering for promotion executives from television stations across NewsPro: Is social media going to be a big chunk of the country. what’s going to be discussed? But the economic turmoil and resultant bud- getary restraints of recent years have cut severely into Block-Verk: A huge part of what we’re talking about. station promotion departments, which have also And again, we have one session that we’re doing for the been affected by the sea change in promotion first time that I could absolutely see becoming an options and techniques wrought by the Internet. As annual session, which is it’s basically the best of apps, a result, the complexion of the crowd attending the social and augmented reality and all of the very cool annual event has shifted toward entertainment stuff that’s going on and the innovative social program promotion professionals. marketing-driven initiatives that are going on in the PromaxBDA President-CEO Jonathan Block- international television industry. Verk recently discussed his organization’s changing Q&A: focus and its enduring value to television promotion NewsPro: Should promo people be attuned to professionals with NewsPro correspondent Jon business models to successfully do their job? Promax Lafayette. President Block-Verk: Ones who want to be successful and have a future in the business, yeah. There’s always going to Jonathan NewsPro: What’s new at this year’s Promax be room for the people churning out promos. But the Block-Verk convention? fact of the matter is if they want to develop and evolve in their careers, yes, they absolutely have to have a Jonathan Block-Verk: We have lots and lots of much wider context to the overall industry and their forward-looking innovation sessions about the new role within it to be successful promotion executives. models of promotion and how content providers and That’s absolutely what they need. producers are marketing and promoting those programs and that content across every conceivable NewsPro: At this point are the news promo people emerging platform and media outlet. ahead of or behind the curve? And we have an amazing session that Ed Wilson, former chief revenue officer of Tribune, is putting Block-Verk: Way, way behind the curve. I’m painting together. It’s called ‘Changed Media: How Traditional with a very broad brush. There are people out there Media Is Changing the Face of Traditional Media.’ who are doing amazing things, but I assume we’re And we have Clear Channel, the L.A. Times and talking about local news. Take a look at the [profit and Tribune Television talking about what they’re doing loss] of the local market. It’s not a pretty picture internally and externally to adapt to the new media because you have in general terms an industry resistant reality and how they’re adapting to the ways that people to change. They’ve done what they’ve done for so long are consuming and will pay for content. So we’re going and made a colossal amount of money from it that to be talking newspapers, we’re going to be talking they would rather try to figure out how to squeeze radio, we’re going to be talking television; not what has margins by doing the same thing rather than been done, but what’s being done and what will be innovating and experimenting with new business done in the next 18 to 24 months. models to adapt to the very real here and now of the way people consume media. The idea is, do the news NewsPro: Do these lessons apply equally to news organizations see Twitter as an ally or as an enemy? content as they do to entertainment content? The ones who see it as an enemy are going to pooh- pooh it and dismiss it, but the people who see it as an Block-Verk: Absolutely. Of course there are differences ally and figure out how to integrate these technologies between marketing ‘Glee’ and marketing the 6 o’clock into their business models are the ones who are going news. But the fundamentals of marketing remain to succeed. They’re the ones who are reaching a far absolutely the same. For example, what Fox has done larger audience, a new audience. K

June 2010 | NewsPro | 23 Technology

operations might follow that up by centralizing graphics. Spending to Cut Costs With capital spending centered on affordable Stations Are Making Equipment Expenditures solutions and workflows that do an end run around traditional, more expensive ways of Again, but With Very Specific Goals in Mind operating, it’s no surprise then that systems integrators are not seeing their business come By Debra Kaufman The migration to HD isn’t the only place from call-letter stations. Last year, despite being in the midst of the that stations are spending money. Centralizing “I’ve never seen the business like this,” says industry’s epic layoffs, the 12-station Meredith operations is a trend directly related to the recent veteran systems integrator Marc Bressack, group bought gear. But that sizable purchase, layoffs. “There’s no question that [local stations] executive VP of Azzurro Systems Integration mostly equipment from Harris Broadcast, had are retooling,” VIZRT Americas president Isaac (ASI). “When I was with my former company, a cost-saving goal: By centralizing accounting, master control and traffic, Meredith planned to reduce expenses associated with operations at local stations. “In the past, our capital expenditure was more day-to-day investment in the TV station,” said Larry Oaks, Meredith Corp. VP of technology. “Where we’re putting the dollars has changed. Now it’s focused on improving efficiencies and costs. And I see that trend continuing.”

Staff Stabilization According to the latest annual RTNDA/Hofs- tra Survey, the draconian layoffs of the past cou- ple of years seem to have tapered off. The per- centage of TV news directors saying they expect to increase staff in 2010 shot up by 145 percent, and over 60 percent of TV news directors say they expect staffing levels to remain the same. And stations are beginning to spend money STATIONS IN ALL SIZE MARKETS ARE INVESTING IN HD EQUIPMENT AS PURSE STRINGS LOOSEN. again on their news operations, but for very specific goals. Hersley, who noted a bump in purchases just a good 20 to 30 percent of our business was call- One of those goals is to push the migration before NAB. “There are usually one or two letter stations. We are not currently bidding any of local news to HD. Although the penetration reasons: They’re continuing their HD call-letter station projects.” of HD sets into U.S. households has soared, the migration as well as putting in systems that That doesn’t mean that systems integrators majority of local stations are still broadcasting bring them more efficiencies. That way they get are out of work — far from it. In addition to local news in standard definition. HD local high-quality product to air as well as minimize jobs for Scripps Network’s DIY and Fine Living news is a competitive edge, and people like JVC head count in the process of delivering it.” Networks, ASI has been very busy building assistant VP of marketing Dave Walton say the Al Tompkins, group leader for broadcasting news bureaus for Time Warner Cable purse strings are loosening. “We have seen in and online at the Poynter Institute, corroborated throughout the country. “It’s a good business markets of all sizes there has been a freeing up that spending is tied to smaller staff levels at model for them,” said Bressack. “Cable of resources in order to proceed with the capital local stations. “A fair number of stations are companies need something that sets them apart, migration to HD,” he said. working up plans to equip one-man-band and local news does that.” Walton pointed to recent purchases to prove videojournalists with ‘prosumer‘ gear,” he said. With relentless competition from cable as his point. In the past three months, JVC has “I don’t hear anybody other than networks folks well as new media, that’s another good reason sold ProHD cameras to London Broadcasting’s talking about buying high-end camera gear at that call-letter stations can’t afford not to spend KBMT-TV, an ABC affiliate in Beaumont, this moment.” money. How strategically they spend in 2010 Texas, eight stations in the Nexstar Broadcasting Tompkins reported that broadcast groups and beyond will determine how well they’ll be Group and Hearst Television. that have already centralized master control able to compete in the future. K

24 | NewsPro | June 2010

Business

So how do bloggers, freelancers and publishers protect themselves from similar Weaving a Web of Liability lawsuits? The easiest answer is liability insurance. Bloggers, Freelancers and Publishers Increasingly “Big publishers all consider media liability an Face Legal Responsibilities of Internet Journalism absolute necessity and have done so for years and years,” Fenstermacher said. “Smaller publishers, book authors, freelancers — in many cases they look at online insurance as a luxury.” David Ardia, director of the Online Media Legal Network and a fellow at Harvard University’s Berkman Center for Internet & Society, said it was “very advisable” for freelance journalists who can afford liability insurance to purchase it, but added that carriers that provide coverage for individuals or small companies “tend to be fairly expensive. “There are other ways for smaller entities and individuals to protect themselves,” Ardia said, noting that insurance coverage is “a backstop, A 2009 BLOG REPORT THAT RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL’S CHRISTMAS SHOW MIGHT BE CANCELED RESULTED IN A DEFAMATION SUIT. and doesn’t protect you from making mistakes in the first place.” Ardia said both journalists and publishers By Jarre Fees Cablevision’s success in that suit might have need to use a combination of education and On July 24, 2009, the blog Cityfile: New York surprised content carriers and providers who self-policing to help protect themselves. (now part of gawker.com) published a story thought the First Amendment protected them One of the cheapest ways of doing that is quoting an anonymous Rockette and on the Internet. simply to pay attention. speculating that Radio City Music Hall’s “With cutbacks in the newsroom,” Hart annual Christmas show might be canceled by Traditional Liability said, “you have to learn to self-edit. It’s more James Dolan, CEO of Cablevision, which Attorney Jon Hart, of the Media and likely that errors will creep into publications owns Madison Square Garden and Radio Information Technologies Practice at Dow when we remove traditional layers of editing. City Entertainment, which in turn operates Lohnes and author of “Internet Law: A Field “There is a very important role that editors the Rockettes. Guide,” said ordinarily “a publisher is liable, play,” he added. “Their job is to ask lots of under traditional notions of agency liability, for

Three days later, Dolan, Cablevision and questions, and when you remove them from S E

a libelous statement made by one of its G Madison Square Garden filed a defamation the process more errors occur.” A M I

employees or freelancers.”

lawsuit against Cityfile, its publisher and the Ardia also acknowledged the “editorial strata Y T T

reporter who wrote the piece. As part of the is getting thinner,” and that means writers and E G

,

publishers alike have to take due precaution. R settlement, Cityfile agreed to a retraction and E “Investigative D D

purged the item from its website. “We live in a world where most journalists E B

now have to have some expertise in all the areas: N

“That had a huge, chilling effect on Internet reporters need to be A Y R

journalism,” said media insurance consultant headline writer, copy editor, fact checker,” B

especially cognitive Y B Rick Fenstermacher. “Here’s a blogger just Ardia said. H P

publishing an item from his reporter, and of risks they take.” Certain types of journalism pose greater A R G

liability risks, Ardia said, and publishers and O Cablevision sics the seventh largest law firm in -DAVID ARDIA, ONLINE MEDIA LEGAL NETWORK T O H

the world on him.” journalists “need to be familiar with the laws P

26 | NewsPro | June 2010 that pertain to the work they’re doing. legal expenses in a defamation or similar suit. RICK FENSTERMACHER, LEFT; JON HART, “Investigative reporters need to be especially If a journalist is blogging and “not making BELOW LEFT; DAVID ARDIA, BELOW. cognitive of risks they take,” he said. A few any money at it,” she might be covered under areas are especially high-risk; developers, Ardia her homeowner’s insurance, Ardia said. “If you pointed out, “historically have been very quick own a trucking company and do a little to file defamation suits.” blogging on the side, you might be covered When you’re writing or publishing under your business insurance” if a lawsuit is investigative or critical pieces about large filed against you. corporations, Ardia said, “Remember they view “When [blogging] changes from hobby to legal expenses as a small part of their costs. You profession, some insurance companies might have to step back and be extra careful.” draw the line,” he said. “And if you have a full-time, salaried position, the question of Business vs. Personal Assets liability insurance is almost always handled Ardia also recommended that individual blog- by the employer.” gers and freelancers “create a business entity Ardia, whose legal network (www.omln.org) around themselves,” a limited liability company, helps journalists find free or affordable legal or LLC, to separate business assets from per- representation, said that journalists need to counterweight and level the playing field. sonal assets. educate themselves on copyright and Even someone who is perfect can face a Most state government websites have LLC defamation laws. lawsuit, and it’s important for folks to be forms available online, Ardia said, and “most “As news organizations get smaller and aware of what resources are available. There individuals can [form a company] by themselves. smaller,” he said, “they won’t be able to speak are lawyers out there who are willing to help.” That limits their liability to whatever assets are truth to power, because those large To help educate journalists, Citizen Media owned by the business — even if their business organizations can make it expensive to Law Project offers Online Media Law: The assets might just be a computer.” defend yourself.” Basics for Bloggers and Other Publishers, a And there might be insurance coverage But Ardia said there are people and free course at www.poynter.org/column. - already in place that could cover some of the organizations that are “trying to provide a asp?id= 01&aid=150968. ❑

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June 2010 | NewsPro | 27 MARIA SIMBRA, M.D. Health Beat Looking Back at Eight Years on the Air ay 14, 2010, marked my eight-year the day after that, and then maybe something medical. The trend is anniversary working in TV news. doing more with less. But it elevates utility at the expense of mastery. At the beginning of my eight years I Luckily, the nature of Pittsburgh lends itself to what I do. The city was a neurologist in private practice, has a hardy medical infrastructure with major academic medical going back to school to earn a master’s centers and strong community hospitals. There are lots of patients degree in journalism. The news director getting care, lots of research being done and an older population with at Pittsburgh’s KDKA-TV (CBS, an above-average interest in health and medical news. I help to deliver Channel 2) offered me an internship that content. M and kept me on as the medical reporter. With contemporary newsroom pressures I’m not sure that would Interpreting Medical Issues happen as readily today. I feel fortunate to work in a specialty My background has been useful in my reporting. Some of the big hard newsroom, where, in addition to anchors, sports and weather, we have news stories I’ve covered include the Sago Mine disaster (carbon a political reporter, three investigative reporters, a consumer reporter monoxide poisoning), the death of the city’s mayor (primary CNS and (gasp) even a features reporter. I cover the health and medical lymphoma) and Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (concussions). news of the day. This level of specialization and proficiency is rare in the industry. The trend these days in most newsrooms is toward generalism. A When I teach medical journalism reporter might cover crime one day, politics the next, entertainment to medical students, I’ve noticed that writing quickly, Want to STAND OUT succinctly and conversationally (broadcast style) is not intuitive to from the crowd? most doctors-to-be. Turn your NewsPro coverage into a Reprint

Ironically, all of these involved the brain — my organ of expertise. I could interpret what the doctors were saying at the press conferences. I knew what resources would help explain the events better to the public. Having the formal training in journalism is a plus, too. When I teach medical journalism to medical students, I’ve noticed that writing quickly, succinctly and conversationally (broadcast style) is not intuitive to most doctors-to-be. Also J-school teaches the fundamentals of the craft (process, principles, ethics, etc.) that a newsroom will not — the stuff that has to be automatic in the rough and tumble of the news day.

Ranks Shrinking Ask about our custom Reprint Products: I hope I’ll be around for another eight years, though patterns across “the biz” portend a poor prognosis for specialty reporting. I predict Hard Copy Reprints • Eprints • Plaques smaller newsgathering and news producing staffs, more web personnel Web Banners & Buttons • Newsletters and fewer medical reporters like me. But I hope, for the sake of Trade Show Collateral • Postcards conveying health and medical information to the public in a thoughtful, analytical, credible and insightful way, that there will always be a place in TV news for the specialty medical reporter. ❑ Contact Lauren Melesio at 212.210.0707 or [email protected] for information on how to turn Dr. Maria Simbra is an Emmy Award-winning medical journalist at your Crain’s press coverage into great marketing. KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh. She is vice president of the National Association of Medical Communicators. 28 | NewsPro | June 2010 Newsmakers

Walter Allen has joined WSYX-TV in Phoenix as a reporter from WREG-TV in Jonathan Myers has been renewed as noon Columbus, Ohio, as reporter and fill-in anchor Memphis, Tenn. and 5 p.m. meteorologist for WWL-TV in from KCWY-TV in Casper, Wyo., where he New Orleans. was main anchor-reporter. Andrew Humphrey has been promoted to weekday morning meteorologist from Rob Piercy was promoted to anchor at Sonia Baghdady was promoted to 5 p.m. and weekend meteorologist at WDIV-TV Northwest Cable News in addition to his 11 p.m. anchor at WTNH-TV in in Detroit. reporting duties at KING-TV in Seattle. Hartford/New Haven, Conn., from her morning anchor position. Kelly Jones has joined KCTV in Kansas City, Ted Scouten has been renewed as reporter with Mo. as weekday morning anchor from at WFOR-TV in Miami. Kevin Benz, news director at News 8 Austin KFMB-TV in San Diego, where she was (Texas), has been elected chair-elect of the a reporter. Ron Smiley has joined WXIN-TV in Radio Television Digital News Association. Indianapolis as weekend meteorologist from Benz will coordinate the 2011 RTDNA Kirsten Joyce has joined the weekend evening WDSU-TV in New Orleans. convention, to be held September 2011 in news team at KCPQ-TV in Seattle as co- New Orleans. anchor/reporter from KTVK-TV in Phoenix, Don Teague has been renewed as freelance where she was weekend anchor and reporter. network correspondent with CBS News. Jaime Chambers has been renewed as reporter with KTLA-TV in Los Angeles. Shauna Khorrami has joined KSTU-TV in Jackie Tranchida has joined KMAX- Salt Lake City, as a weekday morning anchor TV/KOVR-TV in Sacramento, Calif., as a Vince Dementri has joined WPIX-TV in New from KMIR-TV in Palm Springs, Calif. reporter-anchor. York as nightside reporter from WPRI- TV/WNAC-TV in Providence, R.I., where he Antwan Lewis has joined WNYW-TV Jamison Uhler has joined WFTS-TV in was morning and noon anchor. in New York as a reporter from WGN-TV Tampa, Fla., as evening anchor from WCAU- in Chicago. TV in Philadelphia, where he has been a Hakem Dermish has added weekend sports general assignment reporter and fill-in anchor. anchor duties to his producing and Melissa Mack has been promoted to reporting responsibilities at WRC-TV in weekday morning weathercaster at WBZ-TV Jonathan Vigliotti has been renewed as digital Washington. in Boston. reporter with WPLG-TV in Miami.

Kalee Dionne has joined WIAT-TV in Kera Mashek has joined KWWL-TV in Jason Wheeler has been renewed as co-anchor Birmingham, Ala., as weekday morning Waterloo, Iowa, as a reporter from KSN-TV of “We Are Austin Live” at KEYE-TV in weathercaster from WICA-TV in Champaign, in Great Bend, Kan. Austin, Texas. Ill., where she was weekend weather reporter.

Michael Dupre has joined WTXL-TV in Career Coaching Tallahassee, Fla., as anchor of the 6 p.m. and Do you have... & 11 p.m. newscasts from KNBN-TV in Rapid City, S.D., where he was an anchor. ...a product or service to sell? Talent ...to the news business? Representation Mae Fesai has been promoted to weekend www.NoWhiningTalent.com morning anchor at KCRA-TV in Sacramento. Advertise in 817-987-3600 Julie Fine has joined WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh, Pa., as a reporter from WKBW- TV in Buffalo, N.Y.

Ellen Goldberg has been renewed as lead reporter for KXAS-TV in Dallas. Contact Danny Schreiber BUILDING RESUME TAPES & CAREERS 503-723-9688 www.talentapes.com Kelly Hessedal has joined KSAZ-TV in (706) 364-7564

June 2010 | NewsPro | 29 BY TOM PETNER Sign Off Check the Facts, Then Check ’em Again The Importance of Verification Reinforced After ‘Yo-Yo Master’ Punks Stations

ou’ve likely heard the newsroom axiom, “If I thought this was a sit-down interview. I don’t have a string in my yo- your mother says she loves you, check it out.” yo because I just had it waxed.’ Well, I’m no yo-yo champion, so it The principle behind that piece of familial sounded reasonable to me and the crew in the studio, that he wouldn’t advice is pretty clear: Assume nothing; verify bring a working yo-yo if it was a sit-down, and not a demonstration.” everything. A healthy dose of skepticism is The success of the K-Strauss charade brings to mind a few questions: good for your journalistic soul and could prevent you from making embarrassing Is there some lesson from this hoax about how stations check out guests? mistakes — or then again, judging from the Ysuccess of a recent hoax, maybe not. “I always remind my staff about attribution before assertion,” said In May, lots of newsroom staffers in the Midwest learned some hard said Mark Kraham, news director at WHAG-TV in Hagerstown, lessons about the “maybe not” side of checking things out when they Md., and new chairman of the RTDNA. “Don’t take this as criticism fell victim to a hoaxter who goes by the name Kenny “K-Strauss” [of the hoaxed stations], but who says this guy is the world champion Strasser. Borat has nothing on Kenny, who managed to fool more than yo-yo king, not just him or some Zim Zam website. It occurred to me, a half-dozen TV news operations into believing he’s a yo-yo master. if this guy is on live, he could have said anything or done anything. So Supposedly, Kenny’s real passion was saving the Earth. He told the it reminds you of what you’re buying into. But it’s always easier to look stations’ producers and editors that he travels to schools teaching back and say what we should have done” children the joys of protecting the planet. Along the way, he raps and shows off his yo-yo skills. The combination of children and Earth- Is K-Strauss’ success representative of today’s new reality of doing more friendly hype helped him maneuver his way into live interviews on news with less staff? Is process getting lost along the way? several morning TV newscasts on such stations as KQTV and KODE- TV in Missouri and WFRV-TV, WISC-TV and WMTV in “I don’t think it has gotten lost in the dust,” said Kraham. “But you Wisconsin. During the awkward live interviews he rambled on about sure are working on less of a margin. Every one of us has said we wish a bizarre mix of topics, including his school appearances, failed we had more human resources to throw at any given story we’re relationships and struggles with drugs and alcohol. investigating or following.” Of course it was all bogus. The video of the live interviews, which quickly went viral, is jaw-dropping — stupid and funny at The video of the live interviews, which quickly once. His attempts to demonstrate elaborate yo-yo went viral, is stupid and funny at once. tricks are pathetic; during one demonstration he accidentally hits himself in the head. So how did Strasser manage to string all these stations along? It took Yet WSAW’s Ramsett said this wasn’t an issue about staffing, and, an elaborate ruse of news releases, e-mails and the creation of a Zim like so many other stations, the morning newscasts at WSAW are a Zam Yo-Yo website, and included a promotional piece and follow-up priority where they’ve put more resources. calls from a PR person. The news staff working “Sunrise 7,” the morning newscast on What’s the fallout from the staff? Do you laugh about it now? WSAW-TV in Wausau, Wis., was another victim of the hoax. “After it, we met as a staff to see what we could have done differently,” said “I think the staff members who worked on the shift, where he Susan Ramsett, WSAW news director and evening anchor. “We appeared, think it a whole lot less funny than everyone else,” said checked him out online and did the typical emails back and forth with Ramsett. “They feel taken advantage of. It was best expressed by Amy his PR rep and asked all the questions. We did a background check on [Pflugshaupt], who did the interview with him. ‘I’m suddenly viral him, like we do anytime someone says they’re working with children, video and I have friends from college, who’ve never seen my work. Why and we used CCAP [the Wisconsin Consolidated Court Automation didn’t they see the nights that I had to wake up in the middle of the Program]. We put him in and there was nothing.” night and go cover that fire? Instead they’re seeing me get punked by Added Lisa Malak, who anchors the “Sunday Morning” newscast this yo-yo guy.’ So no, it’s not harmless.” on WFRV-TV in Green Bay, Wis.: “We scheduled with him thinking So what’s the lesson in all this? If you’re mother says she loves you, yo-yo tricks would be fun. Just before we were set to go on, he said, ‘Oh, check it out. But first make sure that she’s really your mother. K

30 | NewsPro | June 2010 /ZT`SR7Rc>]\b 1]Zc[PWOC\WdS`aWbg/eO`Ra 6=<=@7<5B6303AB7<0@=/21/AB<3EA>@=5@/;;7<5

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23/2:7<3(8C:G    3ZWUWPWZWbg>S`W]R(8cZg  '8c\S!   eeeRc^]\bOeO`Ra]`U CNN SUPPORTS DIVERSITY IN JOURNALISM AND PROUDLY SALUTES SOLEDAD O’BRIEN RECIPIENT OF THE NABJ JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR AWARD

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