Newspaper editorial boards are speaking out against a bill that would ban cameras in courtrooms.  “Let courts decide on rules on cameras in Minnesota courtrooms,” the Star Tribune’s editorial board argued this week. While the bill’s author touted the legislation as necessary to spare the victims of crimes, the board pointed out that “Minnesota’s rules governing use of cameras in the courtroom already…

In recognition of national Sunshine Week, the Minnesota Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists declares its support for the open-government tenets behind several transparency initiatives at the Minnesota Legislature.   We support these efforts to ensure continued public access to government records in light of threats, to thwart efforts to keep secret public employee performance information and to shine…

Alex Friedrich worked for Minnesota Public Radio News, the Pioneer Press and other newspapers during a 25-year career. He wrote the following for MNSPJ’s ongoing series, Tell us Your Story, a salute to former journalists who have moved on to new adventures.   The morning I was laid off from MPR News two years ago, I was stunned. Me? I thought. You’ve…

We’ve heard that you could use a bit more time to get those last Page One Award entries in. So we are extending the deadline to March 2 at 5 p.m. Any entries submitted between now and then will be judged against the full set of entries.  Did you know your Twitter account is eligible for an award? Under “Online,” categories include…

  Twin Cities Black Journalists, along with the Minnesota chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota, hosted a panel on “Where Race and Sports Intersect” on Jan. 23. Turnout was great with about 80 people in attendance. The panel focused on how race, culture and sports…

A seminar on covering hate groups and bias crimes that included prosecutors, victims, researchers and the FBI drew a capacity crowd Jan. 19 at the University of Minnesota Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The seminar was sponsored by the Minnesota Journalism Center, the Hubbard School and the Minnesota Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. Participants heard…

GENERAL GUIDELINES The fee is $22 per entry. Entries must be submitted no later than Friday, February 23, 2018. All work published or broadcast during the 2017 calendar year is eligible. Journalists (including freelancers and contract employees) working for all print, broadcast and online news outlets in Minnesota (or news outlets in neighboring states that cover Minnesota) are eligible to…