Call for Nominations: ASBPE Journalism That Matters Award

ASBPE has introduced a new honor to its Azbee Awards program: the Journalism That Matters Award.

This award was inspired by the reporting featured in the ASBPE book Journalism That Matters: How Business to Business Editors Change the Industries They Cover (Marion Street Press, 2006), which showcases changes in government policy or industry practices that resulted from articles written by B2B, association, and trade journalists. The award will recognize similar work in our field.

If you or a colleague produced journalism that matters in 2008, consider entering. All forms of media — print, online, video, and audio — are eligible. The entry deadline is March 2, 2009.* The winner will be recognized at the 2009 National Azbee Awards of Excellence banquet in Washington, D.C., on July 16.

Download an entry form for the Journalism That Matters award (456K PDF).

Learn more about the Journalism That Matters Award.

* Note: This is later than the deadline for regular print Azbee Awards entries, which are due Jan. 30.

Labels: , , ,

Posted by Martha Spizziri on Monday, December 22, 2008 @ 3:44 PM
Permanent link to this post  •
 

June 26 Webinar: The Disruptive Power of Green

Chances are your readers are rethinking how they do business to minimize their industry’s environmental impact. Companies have become more aware of environmental issues — especially climate change — and that's impacting editorial coverage and priorities, including the allocation of staff resources.

You'll get some good ideas about how to cover these issues by attending ASBPE's next webinar, The Disruptive Power of Green. Among the topics covered:
  • how other B2B reporters are creatively seeking out stories on the environment, sometimes producing reforms that make business more environmentally friendly.

  • how to help your audience navigate new environmental laws.

  • how to help them respond to demand from consumers and business partners for green initiatives.
The discussion will be led by ChemicalWeek’s Robert Westervelt and Ward’s David Zoia, both of whom are breaking new ground in this area.

Webinar Details

Date: Thursday, June 26, 2008

Time: 2:00-3:00 p.m. Eastern time

Where: Your computer. You will need a dial-in number and access code to participate. You will receive the dial-in number and access code in a subsequent e-mail message after you register for this Webinar.

How to register: You can register online for this Webinar at eventcallregistration.com/reg?cid=2927t11. Shortly after you register, you will receive a confirmation of your registration by e-mail that will include the dial-in number and access code.

Charge: $15.00 for all ASBPE members; $35.00 for nonmembers.

Labels: , , ,

Posted by Martha Spizziri on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 @ 3:59 PM
Permanent link to this post  •
 

March 26: Pulitzer's Gold Book Discussion

Tomorrow, March 26, join former ASBPE national (and New England) president Roy Harris and other Boston-area journalists for a discussion of Roy's new book Pulitzer's Gold — a history of the public service awards of print journalism's biggest prize. You'll also get a preview of the next round of Pulitzer awards, to be announced in early April.

A preview of the book on Poynter Online reports on the selection of The Boston Globe for the prize in 2003 for its coverage of the Catholic church's sexual abuse scandal, which was "anything but automatic" — despite the fact that Father Andrew M. Greeley wrote that without the Globe accounts "the abuse would have gone right on." Although the importance and scale of the story made it an obvious contender, the Globe still had to prove that the quality of its reporting matched that of previous recipients like The New York Times and The Washington Post. Meanwhile, at The New York Times, whose parent company also owns the Globe, then-executive editor Howell Raines reportedly was miffed by the Globe's scoop and made every effort to outdo the Boston paper's coverage.

This casual book-club style event is cosponsored by ASBPE and the Medill Journalism School alumni group, of which Roy is a member.

Date: Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Time: 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Location:
Borders - Braintree store
255 Grossman Drive
Braintree, MA
driving directions
map
If possible, please RSVP to David Wallace at dwallace@deadlines.net. Walk-ins are welcome.

Labels: , , ,

Posted by ASBPE on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 @ 1:28 PM
Permanent link to this post  •
 

Upcoming MediaBistro Courses and Videos

MediaBistro has some great educational offerings coming up, both here in Boston and online. The site also offers short educational videos that you can pay for and watch online. Some are one-offs and some that are part of series on a particular topic.

Here are two online classes of interest--but both start today, so you'll have to sign up ASAP:

Boot Camp for Magazine Editors
Designed for assigning editors.
4 weeks, $350. Starts Sept. 11, 2007

Intermediate Copy Editing
6 weeks, $425. Starts Sept. 11, 2007

And these also start this week:

Writing and Editing for the Web
4 weeks, $350. Starts Sept. 12, 2007

Advanced Copy Editing
4 weeks, $350. Starts Sept. 13, 2007.
Cheryl Della Pietra

Intro to Copy Editing
6 weeks, $425. Starts Sept. 13, 2007.

Other online classes:

Grammar, Punctuation, and Meaning
4 weeks, $350. Starts Sept. 17, 2007.

Online News Writing
4 weeks, $350. Starts Sept. 17, 2007.

Create and Launch a Website
8 weeks, $599. Starts Sept. 18, 2007.

Writing Scripts for Online Video
4 weeks, $350. Starts Sept. 25, 2007.

Feature Writing
Researching, writing and selling narrative-driven features
4 weeks, $350. Starts Oct. 2, 2007

Classes taking place in Boston include:

Writing and Editing for the Web Essentials
3 hours, $65. Starts Oct. 9, 2007.

Breaking into Financial Writing
3 hours, $65. Starts Oct. 9, 2007.

Copy Editing Essentials
3 hours, $65. Starts Oct. 30, 2007.

And some videos you can pay for and watch online:

Blogs Every Media Professional Should Know
Course description from Media Bistro:
Find what you need on the Web without drowning in too much info
2.5 hours, $29

From MediaBistro course synposis:
For those struggling to keep pace with the blogosphere, tech expert Sree Sreenivasan gives a thorough introduction to the key players of the online world, delving into the present and future of the web as a media outlet.

It covers all the blog basics but focuses on the best blogs for and by media professionals. Topics include:
1) blogs that are changing America and the world,
2) how to read blogs without drowning in too much information,
3) how to create a blog and raise your Google rankings,
4) why journalists should and should not be blogging, and
5) what to expect next: photoblogging, videoblogging, tagging, podcasting, wikis, RSS, and XML.
His presentation is a fun, informative, fast-paced survey of the blog world.

Get Noticed on Wikipedia
Course description from Media Bistro:
Increase and influence your web presence on the world's largest encyclopedia

How Online Video Is Changing the Internet, Part 1: Overview
Course description from Media Bistro:
Understand how online video works, where and how it's being used on the web, what makes it effective, and what the future most likely holds
21 mins., $15

How Online Video Is Changing the Internet, Part 2: Making Your Mark -- and a Healthy Profit
Course description from Media Bistro:
How amateurs, corporations, and mainstream media are making money with online video, plus tips for creating compelling content
15 mins., $15

Web 101: Understanding Blogs, Wikis, Social Networking, and Mobile Internet
Course description from Media Bistro:
Make sense of the internet today and get ready for the future
15 mins., $15

Writing for the Web: Guidelines for Writing Online
Course description from Media Bistro:
A 15-minute crash course on understanding your online audience and writing copy that's searchable and user-oriented
15 mins., $15

Writing for the Web: Is Writing for the Web Different from Print?
Course description from Media Bistro:
A crash course for editors and writers making the switch from print to online
15 mins., $15

Writing for the Web: Understanding How Readers Use the Web
Course description from Media Bistro:
A crash course for editors and writers to master site usability and drive traffic
15 mins., $15

See a full list of MediaBistro's upcoming Boston and online classes and training videos.

Labels: , , , , , , ,

Posted by Martha Spizziri on Tuesday, September 11, 2007 @ 12:29 PM
Permanent link to this post  •
 

Public Records Workshop This Weekend at Globe

The New England chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists is holding a seminar on investigative reporting techniques. Sean Murphy of the Boston Globe will lead a two-hour workshop on Saturday, May 19, from 10:00 a.m. to noon.

The workshop takes place at The Boston Globe, 135 Morrissey Blvd. Admission is free, but RSVPs are required. To reserve your spot, email SPJ New England chapter president Emily Sweeney at emily dot sweeney at yahoo dot com.

Labels: ,

Posted by Martha Spizziri on Monday, May 14, 2007 @ 12:58 PM
Permanent link to this post  •
 

"Uncovering Scoops" Financial Analysis Webinar Is May 10

On Thursday, May 10, ASBPE will present a webinar titled "Uncovering Scoops With Basic Financial Analysis Techniques."

The webinar will cover topics such as:
  • why a company's stock price does not tell the whole story,
  • factors to consider when writing about the financial viability or competence of a particular company,
  • a simple formula for calculating whether a company is likely to remain as a going concern in the short term, and
  • how to spot signs of financial foul play.
The webinar takes place Thursday, May 10, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. EDT. The audio portion of the program will be done via phone. When you register, an audio conference dial-in number and access code will be provided.

The cost for the webinar is $25.00. To reserve your place, e-mail DC ASBPE President Steve Roll at b2beditor@gmail.com.

Details about the May 10 webinar and past ASBPE webinars.

Labels: , , , ,

Posted by Martha Spizziri on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 @ 11:15 AM
Permanent link to this post  •
 

March 2 Webinar: Investigating a Company

For ASBPE's second webinar, editor and teacher Steve Ross will explain how to interpret a balance sheet and other crucial company reports. He'll be showing attendees
  • How to find out crucial corporate information when on deadline, and methods to use when you have more time to dedicate to story development.
  • How to obtain and understand corporate statements, reports and balance sheets.
  • How to convey the significance of the numbers to your audience as you report on financial issues.
If you register and pay by February 22, you get a discount. The discounted price is $25 for ASBPE members and journalism students with a photocopy of current ID; $30 for nonmembers. If you register after February 22, the cost is $30 for ASBPE members and journalism students and $35 for nonmembers.

“Investigating a Company” webinar details.

In ASBPE's first webinar, Ross taught attendees ways to use Excel to do financial analysis when reporting on a company. A recap of that session is here. A DVD of the session can be purchased by contacting ASBPE at info@asbpe.org or (630) 510-4588.

Labels: , , ,

Posted by Martha Spizziri on Monday, February 19, 2007 @ 1:02 PM
Permanent link to this post  •
 

ASBPE to Offer Financial Reporting Webinars, DVD

On Dec. 14, ASBPE's Washington, D.C., and New York City chapters jointly sponsored a web seminar on using Excel as a reporting tool to analyze corporate finances -- the first webinar ever presented by ASBPE

The presenter was Steve Ross, editor-in-chief of Broadband Properties and a teacher of business writing at the Harvard Extension School. Ross walked participants through exercises in calculating key business indicators such as profit margin, earnings per share, price-earnings ratio, and return on investment. He also pointed out a few possible errors in analysis that might easily trip up a novice financial reporter. You can read a recap of the session here.

If you missed the webinar, don't worry -- there's still an opportunity to participate. Two more financial-reporting webinars will be offered n March 2 and in early May. You can always find out the latest about ASBPE webinars here.

Update, 2/12/07: You can order a DVD of the seminar by contacting ASBPE at info@asbpe.org or (630) 510-4588.

This post has been changed to show the latest dates for our next webinars. The webinars will deal with financial reporting, but will not cover the same material as the December webinar described above. In addition, this post has been changed to reflect the fact that the seminars offered have a web component. (They were previously referred to as "teleseminars.")

Labels: , ,

Posted by Martha Spizziri on Thursday, December 28, 2006 @ 10:37 AM
Permanent link to this post  •
 

Airing Problems in Science, Industry, and Reporting

The PBS show AIR: America's Investigative Reports is always fascinating viewing. Each episode looks at the reporting behind a specific investigative story. Last week's episode, "Science Fiction," was of particular interest for professional, industry, and association publications, though. It centered on reporting done by Environmental Science & Technology, which is published by the American Chemical Society.

Paul D. Thacker, who was a reporter at ES&T, starting finding evidence of deliberate attempts to slant science news to benefit certain industries. Among Thacker 's findings:
  • Steven J. Milloy, the publisher of JunkScience.com, which criticizes scientific research findings on topics like global climate change and health issues, was a science consultant for Philip Morris at the same time he was debunking the risks of second-hand smoke on Fox New's web site. (At this writing, JunkScience.com has posted no statement about the AIR episode.)

  • A purportedly grassroots activist group in Oregon called Project Protect was connected to the timber industry. The group advocated for cutting down trees as means of preventing forest fires, a position also espoused by the industry.

  • The consulting firm The Weinberg Group submitted a proposal to DuPont detailing ways to defend an allegedly carcinogenic chemical used in Teflon.
Thacker reported on these issues in ES&T (see Related Links, below, for stories accessible to non-ES&T subscribers). He received acclaim for his work -- including an award from the Society of Environmental Journalists -- and got positive feedback from readers.

Thacker's story especially resonated because of the recent publication of ASBPE's book Journalism That Matters, which tells how B2B writers reported articles that brought about positive change in their industries. But Thacker's reporting didn't result in quite such a happy outcome as those in the book.

An American Chemical Society board member questioned the value of Thacker's reporting on the Weinberg group, and Thacker says he was soon asked to stop doing investigative pieces. When he found evidence that the Bush administration had tried to stop scientists from discussing connections between climate change and hurricanes, ES&T wasn't interested in publishing the story, he says; in September his climate change story was published on Salon.com. Thacker says he was later fired by ES&T. (The magazine has released a statement about the AIR report and Thacker's departure from the magazine, saying among other things that American Chemical Society rules prohibit board members from interfering with publication editors' activities. Thacker now works for the web site Inside Higher Ed.)

If you get a chance to catch a repeat of the episode, or any installation of AIR, I highly recommend it. And for a look at techniques business press reporters used to get key information for controversial articles, see this report from the ASBPE Washington, D.C., blog.

Related links:

Labels: ,

Posted by Martha Spizziri on Tuesday, November 14, 2006 @ 10:18 PM
Permanent link to this post  •