Celebrate With Us at Our Holiday Party!

McCormick & Schmick’s is on Via Rodeo in Beverly Hills

You are invited to join the Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists for a festive holiday party in the heart of Beverly Hills. Enjoy the beautiful holiday season atmosphere of Via Rodeo, as we gather to celebrate the season at McCormick & Schmick’s, on the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive, across the street from the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. The party includes generously served hot and cold hors d’oeuvres, mini desserts and a no host cash bar. Space is limited.

RSVP now to join your friends, SPJ/LA members, print, online, and broadcast journalists on Thursday, December 5th, 2013 in Beverly Hills.

What
SPJ/LA Holiday Party

When
6:30 – 9:30 p.m., Thursday, December 5th, 2013

Where
McCormick & Schmick’s Pacific Seafood Grill
206 N. Rodeo Drive
On the Via Rodeo
Beverly Hills, CA  90210 (map)
Phone: 310-859-0434

Cost
$25 for SPJ/LA members
$40 for non-members
Non-members who join SPJ/LA the night of the event will enjoy the member price.
Give yourself the gift of SPJ/LA membership at www.spjla.org.
No host cash bar

Parking
$5 after 6 p.m. with a two-hour validation. Otherwise, $7 flat rate after 6 p.m. in the Via Rodeo parking structure with elevator to the party. Metered parking also available.

RSVP
Please RSVP at spjlosangeles@gmail.com

Contact
Navid Nonahal, SPJ/LA
818-317-2234
spjlosangeles@gmail.com

Photo: St Stev/Flickr/Creative Commons License

Share Your Thoughts About Whether the SPJ Code of Ethics Should Be Updated

SPJ is considering revising its Code of Ethics, and the national Ethics Committee is seeking feedback from members around the country as it discusses and evaluates possible options.

The current version of the code was adopted at the 1996 SPJ National Convention. SPJ will work over the next year to discuss and evaluate any ideas and will present any proposed changes during the 2014 Excellence in Journalism conference in Nashville, Tenn.

WHAT: Discussion about whether the Code of Ethics should be updated.

WHO: Lauren Bartlett, national Ethics Committee member, past president of SPJ/LA and past national board member, will lead the discussion.

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. light dinner, 7 p.m. panel discussion,Thursday, Nov. 21

WHERE: RAND Corp., 1776 Main Street
, Santa Monica, CA 90401

COST: Free.

PARKING: Available in RAND’s parking lot.

RSVP: E-mail spjlosangeles@gmail.com

Detail of SPJ’s Code of Ethics webpage. | Photo by Zach Behrens/SPJ-LA

Know a Journalist Deserving of Recognition? Nominate Them for the SPJ/LA Awards!

2014 Banquet Awardees (See awardee list here)

Do you know tough, hard-working reporters, writers, producers and editors who deserve to be recognized for their outstanding careers? Nominate them for the annual Distinguished Journalists Awards handed out by the Greater L.A. chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

We are looking for nominees in the categories of:

• Print
• Television
• Radio
• New Media

The chapter also hands out a Freedom of Information Award to a non-journalist who is fighting to shine a light on press access.

Nominations may be submitted by email to Julia Seifer at Julia.C.Seifer@abc.com no later than Friday, Oct. 18.

The awards will be presented at the SPJ/LA annual awards banquet in the spring of 2014.

The Society of Professional Journalists is the nation’s largest and most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to promoting high standards of ethical behavior and encouraging the free practice of journalism. Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists and protects the First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press.

Oct. 10 Panel: Beyond Snowden, When Free Press and National Security Clash

The Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists will sponsor a panel discussion the First Amendment and how it applies to journalists who report on issues of national security.  Should a reporter who obtains confidential information from a government official be forced to testify before prosecutors pursuing a case against that individual? How would a national shield law protect reporters in these situations? Truthdig editor Robert Scheer and attorney Elizabeth Martinez will be among the panelists at the Oct. 10 event, hosted at KPCC public radio’s Crawford Family Forum. SPJ/LA board memberJoel Bellman will moderate the discussion.

The event is free and open to the public.

… Continue Reading

Statement from SPJ/LA’s President

Dear fellow SPJ/LA members,

Eight months ago, I wrote to alert you that SPJ/LA had discovered unauthorized withdrawals on the chapter’s checking account. That resulted in the immediate removal of our longtime treasurer. I am now writing to give you an update on the chapter’s finances and let you know what we have done to protect SPJ/LA’s treasury.

We have spent the past eight months obtaining every document and bit of information that we believe the authorities may need as they review this case.  After exhaustively combing through our financial records, we determined there had been numerous unauthorized withdrawals between 2009 and 2011. The research also revealed most of the money had been repaid. Working with the chapter’s attorney, the remaining funds were recovered. We cannot determine if cash deposits that should have been made into the account are accounted for.

Today, I filed a report with the Los Angeles Police Department.

I want to let you know what we have done to protect the chapter’s finances going forward.

• As I said in January, our treasurer Sarah Baisley was immediately removed from her duties and SPJ/LA’s banking accounts when we learned of the unauthorized withdrawals.
• The chapter hired an attorney and accountant.
• This accountant helped the chapter officers review every single check and deposit that was made to the chapter from 2007 to 2012.
• SPJ/LA’s old checking account was closed and a fresh account was opened.
• Every check that is written on that account now requires two signatures.
• The entire board at each monthly board meeting reviews checking statements.
• We established a PayPal account, which allows the chapter to accept credit and debit cards at events. This makes it much easier to track the money coming into the account.
• SPJ/LA no longer accepts cash at any events.

This has been a difficult time for SPJ/LA but it has not stopped us from functioning as a chapter. During this time, we’ve held a successful banquet that honored five distinguished journalists. We organized discussions on digital ethics and covering the transgender community. The chapter has spoken in support of a federal shield law, and most recently, SPJ/LA awarded scholarships to six outstanding college students.

On behalf of the board, I’d like to thank our members for their patience and understanding in dealing with this painful and challenging issue. We’re looking forward to continuing to serve our members with relevant programming and involvement in core SPJ issues – FOI, ethics and diversity.

Sincerely,

Alice Walton

President, Greater Los Angeles chapter

Society of Professional Journalists

SPJLA Attends National Conference in Anaheim

SPJ-LA Board Members Richard Saxton, Alice Walton, Lauren Bartlett, Navid Nonahal

The Greater L.A. chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists was well represented at the Excellence in Journalism conference in Anaheim. Chapter board members Alice Walton, Lauren Bartlett and Richard Saxton served as the chapter’s delegates.

SPJ’s final business session included consideration of nine resolutions. The Society approved a resolution rejecting Congress’ efforts to define a journalist. Delegates also agreed to review SPJ’s Ethics Code. Finally, a resolution to rename SPJ as “Society for Professional Journalism” was rejected by the delegates. However, SPJ President Dave Cuillier will appoint a task force to look at the issue.

EIJ 2014 will be held in Nashville. Details are available here.

SPJ-LA Board Member Stephanie Bluestein with Kai Ryssdal of “Marketplace”

And the 2013 Scholarship Recipients Are…

• Ken Inouye Scholarship: Abraham Jauregi, CSU Fullerton
• Helen Johnson Memorial Scholarship: Alexander Campbell, CSU Long Beach and Ivana Nguyen, CSU Fullerton
• Carl Greenberg Memorial Scholarship: Sarah McClure, Chapman University
• Bill Farr Memorial Scholarship (shared): Jennifer Luxton, CSU Northridge and Arceli Gutierrez, Cleveland High School, Reseda

… Continue Reading

June 27 Panel: Media Coverage of the Transgender Community

The Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists invites you to join us for a discussion regarding media coverage of the transgender community on Thursday, June 27.

Panelists will discuss what reporters should be aware of when reporting on the transgender community. They will also give their insight into media coverage, tips for reporters, and potential story ideas. The event is co-sponsored by the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center and the L.A. chapters of the Asian American Journalist Association, National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association and National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

… Continue Reading

Our Statement: Urging Support for the Federal Shield Law

The Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists joins with the national organization in calling for the passage of a federal shield law to protect journalists.

We urge the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to open the way for serious consideration of the Free Flow of Information Act, H.R.1962 and S.987. The recent news that federal authorities monitored reporters at The Associated Press and FOX News underscores the urgent need for a federal shield law. … Continue Reading

SPJ/LA Announces 2013 Scholarship Opportunities

The Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists will award scholarships to students interested in pursuing careers in journalism.

Students from Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties who have completed at least their freshman year of college, as well as graduate students from those same counties, are eligible to apply for all scholarships. High School seniors from Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties are eligible to apply for the Bill Farr Memorial Scholarship.

The application deadline is June 10, 2013 and the awards will be announced in July 2013.

The financial awards range up to $1,000 for each of the following scholarships:

• Ken Inouye Memorial Scholarship – This scholarship is awarded to a college journalist of color and is aimed at increasing ethnic diversity in newsrooms. Ken Inouye was a 22-year-old cameraman for the International News Service, covering the Korean War, when he was killed aboard an Army aircraft. ($500-$1,000)
• Helen Johnson Memorial Scholarship – This scholarship is awarded to a college student pursuing broadcast journalism. This award honors the late Helen Johnson, a producer of “Channel 4 News Conference” and an associate producer of “Meet the Press.” ($500-$1,000).
• Carl Greenberg Memorial Scholarship – This scholarship is awarded to a college student pursuing investigative or political reporting. Carl Greenberg was a political reporter at the Los Angeles Times, famed for being singled out by Richard Nixon as the only reporter who covered him “fairly.” ($1,000).
• Bill Farr Memorial Scholarship – This scholarship is awarded to high school seniors or college students who demonstrate a strong intent to pursue a career in journalism. The award honors the late Bill Farr, a reporter for the Los Angeles Times who sat in county jail for 46 days for refusing to tell a judge which lawyers had violated a gag order during the Charles Manson murder trial. ($500-$1,000).

On recommendation of the judges, these awards may be divided among two or more equally promising applicants. Scholarship funding is renewable, but renewal is not automatic. Previous winners who continue to meet eligibility requirements may apply to renew their awards. Renewal requests are considered along with all other scholarship applications and given no preference.

Primarily, awards are based on applicants’ potential to succeed in news media careers. However, financial need is considered if all other qualifications of competing applicants are equal.

Applicants may apply for more than one scholarship by checking all of the appropriate boxes on the form, but no more than one scholarship will be awarded to any applicant. Multiple applications will be discarded.

The scholarship application is available here.

Questions? Please contact SPJ/LA Scholarship Chair Tammy Audi at auditammy@gmail.com