Society of Professional Journalists

The Society of Professional Journalists today appointed veteran nonprofit leader John Shertzer is its new executive director. “SPJ is excited to welcome John and looks forward to introducing him to our members,” said SPJ National President Patricia Gallagher Newberry. “His stated goal is to establish SPJ as the ‘preeminent and most influential journalism organization in […]

The Society of Professional Journalists has retained Talbott Talent to assist with the search for SPJ’s next executive director and an on-site organizational assessment. The Indianapolis firm works exclusively with nonprofit organizations to increase their effectiveness through executive searches, people management and organizational assessments. “I am excited to be taking this next step in the plan that was […]

In an effort to address the issue of dwindling trust in the media, the Society of Professional Journalists has named veteran journalist Rod Hicks as its first Journalist on Call. SPJ’s Journalist on Call is a unique, three-year position, developed and funded by the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation, which supports the educational mission of SPJ. Hicks, a native […]

Alison Bethel McKenzie has been a reporter and editor for big-city papers like the Boston Globe and the Detroit News, has directed Legal Times and the Nassau Guardian, and, for five years, was executive director of the Vienna-based International Press Institute. On Monday, she was named executive director of the Society of Professional Journalists. She talks about the evolving mission of the association.

The Society of Professional Journalists today announced that veteran journalist and association leader Alison Bethel McKenzie will become its 20th executive director. “Alison is a game changer for SPJ,” said SPJ National President Rebecca Baker. “Her track record of successes, both as a working journalist and a tireless advocate for press rights and the practice of […]

The Society of Professional Journalists announced the recipients of its 2016 Sigma Delta Chi Awards for excellence in journalism. TV stations honored were WJZY Charlotte, N.C.; KGAN-KFXA Cedar Rapids, Iowa; KMGH Denver; WHP Harrisburg, Pa.; KTUU Anchorage, Alaska; WCAU Philadelphia; and KPIX San Francisco.

The Society of Professional Journalists has joined an amicus brief with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press in a case involving a defamation lawsuit in California that concerns the “actual malice” standard. The court’s ruling, according to the brief, would severely constrain the ability of the press to “effectively expose deception in the government” and “preserve the even greater values of freedom of expression and the right of the people to know.”

An NAB session outlines how to apply traditional journalistic ethics to the use of social media in both collecting and distributing information. The discussion focused on best practices for using social media as part of the profession, even if there is no way of formally encoding them. “We are not giving you all the answers,” says SPJ’s Andrew Seaman, who recently participated in updating SPJ’s Code of Ethic to extend to social media. “The only absolute we have in the code is do not plagiarize.”

In a new report, The Society of Professional Journalists and the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, find science and environmental reporters struggle to obtain information from government agencies for their stories and often must go through a public information office (PIO) to contact subject matter experts within agencies to […]

The Society of Professional Journalists is reiterating its call to the Environmental Protection Agency to stop banning leading national scientists from communicating with the press and the public. In recent days the EPA has reaffirmed in great part its policy released earlier this year restricting the communications of independent scientists who advise the agency, according to a memorandum from the EPA’s chief of staff. In response, SPJ sent another letter to the EPA on Monday decrying its decision.

The journalism profession is trying to reduce speeding on the information superhighway. The Society of Professional Journalists adopted a new code of ethics this month and the main difference between the revamped code and and the one that had been in place since 1996 is that the new version addresses the alarming tendency to rush stuff onto the Web as soon as we hear about it, without taking the time to make sure it’s true.

The Society of Professional Journalists today announced the recipients of its annual Sigma Delta Chi Awards, which recognize exceptional professional journalism produced in 2013. Judges selected 85 honorees from nearly 1,800 submissions. The TV station winners are KNTV San Francisco; KWTX Waco, Texas; WFTS Tampa, Fla.; WVUE New Orleans; KBMT-KJAC Beaumont, Texas; KUSA Denver, KHQ Spokane, Wash; and WKBT La Crosse, Wis.

The Society of Professional Journalists has written a letter to Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy opposing the state’s efforts to pass legislation that would withhold public information about the Newtown school shootings.

For the second year, RTDNA and SPJ will jointly hold a journalism conference for all media. Slated for Sept. 20-22 in Fort Lauderdale, this year’s Excellence in Journalism gathering is expected to draw up to 1,500 attendees. CBS News’ Jeff Fager is expected to speak upon receiving RTDNA’s prestigious Paul White Award. Former CBS newsman Marvin Kalb will lead a panel on the Murrow legacy. Hearst, Young and Scripps are planning meetings of news managers at the conference.

The TV station winners of the annual Sigma Delta Chi accolades for excellence in journalism from the Society of Professional Journalists are WISH Indianapolis; WGXA Atlanta; KLAS Las Vegas; KOMU Columbia, Mo.; KCRG Cedar Rapids, Iowa; KPHO Phoenix; WVUE New Orleans; WIVB Buffalo, N.Y.; and WTWO Terra Haute, Ind.