Full Slate and Online Voting in Annual Election by Azmat Khan Have 10 Candidates Running for Five the OPC Office at 212-626-9220
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THE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF THE OVERSEAS PRESS CLUB OF AMERICA, NEW YORK, NY • July/August 2013 Full Slate and Online Voting in Annual Election by Azmat Khan have 10 candidates running for five the OPC office at 212-626-9220. In leading this year’s election positions as Active board members The OPC is using the online vot- committee, Bill Holstein and I made and four others running as Associ- ing website balloteer.com to host its it our mission to seek out as diverse ate board members. It’s a competi- secure election. You will receive an a group of talented, motivated can- tive election and we’re grateful to so e-mail in early July with a link to the didates as possible, whose values many candidates who are enthusias- election at the e-mail address where and ideas for contributions embody tic about shaping the organization. you receive OPC electronic corre- the OPC’s mission. In particular, Whatever the outcome of the spondence. If you have not received we sought to encourage a new gen- election, we’re hopeful the com- this link by the end of July e-mail eration of journalists to take more ing two-year term will bring more [email protected] to obtain responsibility within the OPC, and growth, action and an OPC that the link. we’re thrilled about this year’s elec- keeps pace with the digital age. Each ballot requires a log-in, tion slate. which is your e-mail address where Candidates include journalists For the first time the OPC will you received the ballot link. The from television, print, radio and pho- hold its election online. For those system allows one voting ballot and tojournalism who draw from vary- averse to the Web, fear not: you may delineates between Active and Asso- ing demographics, ages and media still cast a paper ballot by e-mailing ciate members. organizations. As you can read from [email protected] or calling (Election Slate Begins on Page 2) their campaign statements, they bring ambitious agendas to enhance OPC to Screen “The Patience Stone” in August the OPC ranging from addressing whistleblower protections to pro- EVENT PREVIEW: AUGUST 6 moting the use of innovative tech- by Sonya K. Fry nologies in storytelling to drawing The OPC offers members the more under-represented individuals chance to see the film “The Pa- into international reporting. tience Stone” on Tuesday August 6. This year’s OPC Board election The film is about a young Afghani is also different than in years past be- woman who tends to her comatose cause it’s a very competitive one. At older husband. The war swirls out- Sorbonne. The Patience Stone, the last year’s annual meeting, several side their window and tanks roll in first novel written by Rahimi, won OPC members called for the club to the streets. Fearing for the lives of the 2008 Prix Goncourt, France’s have more of a competition to the her two young daughters she takes most renowned literary award. He annual election, and this year we them to the safety of a relative’s was wary of turning it into a film, but home while she returns daily to care did so when he met Golshifteh Fara- Inside. for the unresponsive man. As weeks hani, a superstar Iranian actress who go by, she begins to give voice to her is also in exile in Paris. 2013 OPC Election Slate.............2-4 previously private thoughts, memo- The film will be shown at 6 ries and grievances. Her husband be- p.m. at the SONY Screening Room People..........................................5-9 comes her “patience stone”or syngue 550 Madison (between 55 and 56th People Remembered......................9 sabour in Persian lore, absorbing Streets). Check in at the Sky Lobby one’s suffering and secrets until it fi- where you will receive a ticket and Poland Press Club Recap........10-11 nally shatters. then proceed to the 7th floor screen- ing room. RSVP by calling the OPC OPC Profile: George Burns...........11 The filmmaker Atiq Rahimi was born in Afghanistan but became a office 212-626-9220 or email so- New Books....................................12 refugee living in Paris attending the [email protected]. September 2012. ducer with CNN in Election Slate As a former Africa Beijing, I helped ACTIVE Editor of the FT, I to organize events know first-hand the and forums that JANE CIABATTARI difficulties of re- addressed a spike I would like to return and help the porting from tough, in censorship and OPC move forward in its 75th year developing world material challenges with my previous OPC board experi- countries. In my previous job, as faced by journalists covering China, ence. I have organized the showing Deputy Editor of the FT in London, I politics and human rights. I’ve also of films and programs, headed the worked closely with our global team organized an annual International committee that revised the club’s of correspondents on stories of acute Women’s Day event in Beijing, Lon- Constitution and By-laws, served sensitivity, liable to political, legal or don and Houston since 2006 that as an OPC officer (VP and Secre- censorship challenges. links underprivileged girls to com- tary), co-chaired I believe strongly in the causes munity mentors in public schools in the awards judging championed by the OPC: freedom China. process and acted of the press, the safety of journal- My hope is to help foster in- several times as ists and the importance of powerful terest in international journalism nominating com- international reporting in explaining among young journalists, promote mittee chair, most the complexities of the world. All are the use of technologies for storytell- recently in 2012. under threat, be it from governments ing in emerging markets, and pro- My goal was recruiting new board or a lack of public engagement in mote more international journalism members with multi-platform expe- international affairs and shrinking in the U.S. I’m currently a business rience as well as stellar traditional editorial budgets. The OPC performs reporter covering international mar- credentials. I am a regular contribu- a vital role countering these forces, kets at Fox Business Network and tor to NPR.org and The Daily Beast. but it could be even more effective if Fox News. Previously, I was an in- I spent three years as president of the it dynamically harnessed the power vestigative reporter with NBC Con- nonprofit National Book Critics Cir- and reach of social media. necticut and a campaign embed re- cle and am now online VP, in charge porter with NBC News covering the of website/blog and social network- JO LING KENT 2012 presidential election. I’m fluent ing. I am interested in bring a fresh in Mandarin and continue to cover perspective to an organization I re- China for Fox. MARTIN DICKSON spect and admire. As a member of I have been the U.S. Managing the Foreign Correspondents Club of Editor of the Financial Times since China for two years while a field pro- OVERSEAS PRESS CLUB OF AMERICA • BOARD OF GOVERNORS PRESIDENT SECRETARY Deidre Depke Santiago Lyon ASSOCIATE BOARD PAST PRESIDENTS Michael Serrill Jonathan Dahl Executive Editor VP and Director of MEMBERS EX-OFFICIO Assistant Managing Senior Editor The Daily Beast Photography Brian Byrd David A. Andelman Editor The Wall Street Journal Associated Press Program Officer John Corporon Bloomberg Markets Adam B. Ellick NYS Health Allan Dodds Frank ACTIVE BOARD *Video and Print Marcus Mabry Foundation Alexis Gelber FIRST VICE PRESIDENT Jacqueline Albert- Journalist Editor at Large William J. Holstein Tim Ferguson Simon The New York Times International Herald Emma Daly Marshall Loeb Editor U.S. Bureau Chief * on leave attending Tribune Communications Larry Martz Forbes Asia Politique Internationale Harvard Kennedy School Director Roy Rowan John Martin Human Rights Watch Leonard Saffir SECOND VICE PRESIDENT Amar C. Bakshi Arlene Getz Writer/Editor Larry Smith Abigail Pesta JD/MBA student Editor-in-Charge, Media Sarah Lubman Richard B. Stolley Freelance Journalist Yale University Thomson Reuters Romesh Ratnesar Partner Deputy Editor Brunswick Group EXECUTIVE THIRD VICE PRESIDENT Rebecca Azmat Khan Bloomberg DIRECTOR Toni Reinhold Blumenstein Senior Digital Producer Businessweek Minky Worden Sonya K. Fry Editor in Charge, Deputy Editor in Chief Al Jazeera Director of Global New York Desk The Wall Street Journal Tom Squitieri Initiatives EDITOR Reuters Evelyn Leopold Freelance Journalist Human Rights Watch Aimee Vitrak Paul Brandus Independent Journalist TREASURER West Wing Report United Nations Seymour Topping Abi Wright OPC Dorinda Elliott Emeritus Director ISSN-0738-7202 Global Affairs Editor Howard Chua-Eoan Dafna Linzer Professor of Alfred I. duPont – Copyright © 2002 Conde Nast Traveler Former News Director Managing Editor International Columbia University Over seas Press Club of Time MSNBC.com Journalism Awards America Columbia University 40 West 45 Street, New York, NY 10036 USA • Phone: (212) 626-9220 • Fax: (212) 626-9210 • Website: opcofamerica.org OPC Bulletin • July/August 2013 • Page 2 EVELYN LEOPOLD the vital role played by governments When I re- I am an independent journal- and journalism organizations in se- turned to the U.S., I ist based at the United Nations and curing freedom and legal protections tracked Texas poli- contribute to the Huffington Post for reporters. I support the initia- tics at the AP, cov- and other publica- tives to use social media to reinforce ered regional busi- tions. I was Reuters OPC’s reputation as a dedicated de- ness at the Seattle bureau chief at the fender of press freedom. As the club Times and followed U.N. for 17 years. approaches its 75th year, our mission the oil and gas markets at TheStreet.