Minnesota SPJ

2009 Midwest Journalism Conference this Friday and Saturday

Posted on 25. Mar, 2009 by sarah.bauer.

March 27 & 28, 2009
Holiday Inn Select, Bloomington

Mark your calendars for the 2009 Midwest Journalism Conference! Join journalists from the Midwest for two days of professional development, networking and skills training.

DOWNLOAD A FULL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE AND REGISTRATION FORM HERE

Some highlights:

Forgive Us Our Debts —Today’s news is heavy on the economy, and the news is not good. Reporters are finding themselves covering all kinds of things they may not have been really prepared for. Join our expert panel and learn more about how we got ourselves into the economic mess we’re in, what it’s going to take to get us out of the mess, and how reporters can make sense of it for the audience. Panelists will include a representative of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve, Rick Beeson, President of Park Midway Bank, a St. Paul based community bank, Nicole Midedendorf, owner of Strategic Financial and host of “More than Money” every Saturday on a Twin Cities radio station, and Darryl Dahlheimer, program manager for LSS Financial Counseling.
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Press conference and conversation with Abdi Aynte this Friday

Posted on 25. Mar, 2009 by scott.theisen.

The Somali community and the media: A press conference and conversation with Abdi Aynte

Come join us for a press conference and coffee hour at 3:30 p.m. this Friday, March 27 at the Bedlam Theatre, 1501 S. 6th St., Minneapolis, with Abdi Aynte, who will discuss the nuances and the intricacies of covering the Somali community in Minnesota and elsewhere. From clan rivalry to regional and class differences, the Somali community is diverse, though it can sometimes be perceived as homogeneous from the outside. Abdi will help sort through fact and fiction, perception, and media myths and truths. Come with questions about media coverage of the Somali community in Minnesota.

Abdi Aynte is a Washington correspondent for the BBC World Service, where he covers topics ranging from the elections and the economy, to the so-called ‘missing Somali men.’ Prior to that, Abdi was a senior fellow at the Center for Independent media, writing for the Minnesota Monitor (now Minnesota Independent). Abdi was also the former board chair of the Twin Cities Media Alliance. Born in Somalia and raised in Egypt, Abdi has a BA in Professional Writing and Political Science, and is finishing his MA in Government at Johns Hopkins University.

Where: Bedlam Theatre, 1501 S. 6th St., Minneapolis
When: March 27, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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2009 Page One Awards: Contest Update

Posted on 23. Mar, 2009 by sarah.bauer.

Thank you to all of the entrants of the 2009 Page One Awards. This year, we received more than 420 entries this year in Newspaper, Magazine, Television, Radio and Online Categories.

Entries are currently being judged by partner SPJ chapters in comparable markets throughout the U.S. Contest results will be returned to MN SPJ by mid-April when results will be verified and tabulated.

Contest winners will be contacted by mail or email when all results have been returned and verified. Specific “winner” information, including award place (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.) will be announced for the first time at the 2009 Page One Awards banquet.

Banquet date and location will be announced soon.

Please check back for updates!

-MN SPJ

If you have any questions, please contact:
Nicole Garrison-Sprenger ngarrisonsprenger@pioneerpress.com, office: 651-228-5580
Sarah Bauer, sarah.bauer@news-council.org, office: 612-341-9357

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