CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, 317-920-4786, lharry@spj.org
Zoë Berg, SPJ Communications Specialist, 317-920-4785, zberg@spj.orgINDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists has recognized a select group of chapters in its annual Circle of Excellence Awards.
These awards honor contributions to the Society’s missions, including First Amendment and Freedom of Information activity, campus relations and scholarship activities, chapter communications and activities promoting diversity among journalists, professional development and continuing education programs.
Chapters with 75 or more members are eligible for Large Circle of Excellence Awards, while chapters with fewer than 75 members are eligible for Small Circle of Excellence Awards.
SPJ is delighted to announce the following winners:
Large Chapter Circle of Excellence Awards
Professional Development: New York Deadline Club
Diversity: San Diego Pro Chapter
First Amendment and FOI: San Diego Pro Chapter
Campus Relations: Press Club of Long Island
Small Chapter Circle of Excellence Awards
Professional Development: SPJ Georgia
Diversity: SPJ Georgia
First Amendment and FOI: Utah Headliners Chapter
Campus Relations: Greater Cincinnati Pro Chapter
The New York Deadline Club won for hosting five professional development programs:
— “Google Tools for Journalists”
— iMovie video editing workshop at the New York Public Library
— “5 Hacks to Save Time and Money,” a skill-share workshop
— “Unleash Your Inner Broadcaster,” a radio and podcast workshop
— “The On Deadline Series for Students,” featuring one-on-one talks with working media professionals about how to get an internship or a first job
The San Diego Pro Chapter was recognized for their work which included:
— A survey of newsrooms in San Diego to capture the demographic makeup
— Hosting a public outreach panel titled “How the Media Covers Race”
— Meetings with the San Diego Mayor’s Office on revising the city email retention policy
— Meetings with the San Diego Police Department to advise them on implementing CA SB 98, which guarantees journalists access to protests even when police order their dispersal
— Continued advocacy for transparency within San Diego County
— The completion of 13 programs and projects including a media literacy series on watchdog journalism and a discussion on identifying and combatting disinformation
The Press Club of Long Island won for the work its members did in fostering journalism programming at the high school and college levels. This included:
— Volunteering as editors for the Robert Greene Summer Institute for High School Journalists at Stony Brook University
— Hosting a weeklong High School Journalism Institute at Hofstra University
— Appearances by PCLI board members at multiple universities
— Giving three $1,000 scholarships to college journalists
SPJ Georgia was recognized for work including:
— Hosting two events to educate people about the Sources of Color platform
— Hosting the “Multimedia Journalists Safety First” program
— Collaboration with SPJ nationally to build a national task force to lead to a newsroom Code of Safety
— Hosting “Finding Your Niche and The Newsroom in the COVID Era” professional development programs
— Partnering with the Georgia Public Safety Training Center to develop an online course for law enforcement interacting with news media during times of civil unrest
— Hosting an event and connecting journalists and organizers involved with the war in Ukraine
— Hosting three sessions on covering extremism, with an emphasis on the ethics of reporting on domestic extremist groups
The Greater Cincinnati Pro Chapter was recognized for its work in the following areas:
— Launching a new Storytelling of Journalism project, which paired students with award-winning journalists in the area
— Hosting two internship/interview days with the University of Cincinnati
— Adaptation of the With the Pros series of events, sponsored with the University of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky University, where professionals speak to students about their work
— Holding its annual High School Journalism Boot Camp
The Utah Headliners Pro Chapter was recognized for its FOI work including:
— Advocacy against legislation restricting journalists’ access to the state House and Senate chambers and other areas in the Capitol
— Advocacy against “Garrity statements” – police internal review documents – being made private
The chapters will be recognized during the Opening Business Meeting at MediaFest22, SPJ’s annual convention, in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 27.
SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.
