Minnesota News Council

Election Reflections with the Society of Professional Journalists

mnc.staff — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:36:07 +0000

After more than 21 months of debating, campaigning and political posturing, it appears that the election is (kind of) finally over. Join the Minnesota Pro Chapter of SPJ at Sweeney’s on Thursday, November 20 to re-hash the election season, chat about political ads, and the effect of new technologies on the campaigns.

A few Twin Cities-based journalists will be on hand to tell participants their stories and answer burning election questions.

Where: Sweeney’s (upper level) - St. Paul
When: Thursday, November 20 | 6:30 p.m.

Light appetizers provided; cash bar.

Brown Bag Lunch with a Journalist to Feature Reporter Chris Ison

mnc.staff — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:26:13 +0000

The Twin Cities Media Alliance will host Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Chris Ison at this month’s Brown Bag Lunch With A Journalist, Wednesday, November 26. The event takes place at the East Lake Library at noon. It is free and open to the public — but you do have to bring your own lunch.

Chris was a reporter and editor at the Minneapolis Star Tribune from 1986 to 2004, and is now an associate professor of journalism in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Minnesota.

East Lake Library
2727 East Lake Street
Minneapolis

Celebration of local ethnic and community media hosted by TC Media Alliance

mnc.staff — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:32:31 +0000

The Twin Cities Media Alliance is hosting a celebration of local ethnic and community media Friday, December 5 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. It’s a chance to meet and network with local grassroots journalists and other local media folk, and sample the global flavors of Eat Street. There will be a brief program at 7 p.m. honoring the winners of the first Minneapolis Community and Ethnic Media Awards, sponsored by TCMA and New America Media.

An assortment of appetizers from Eat Street restaurants and markets will be served, with wine, beer and non-alcoholic beverages available.

A minimum donation of $15 is requested; donations for wine and beer will be collected separately. The event will be held in the Black Forest Inn’s banquet room, next door to the restaurant at 26th and Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis.

Space is limited; to reserve tickets, or to request further information, please contact TCMA operations manager Emily Pearson Ryan at 612-436-9188, or by email: emily@tcdailyplanet.net.

National Press Club Panel “The First Amendment, Freedom of the Press and the Future of Journalism”

mnc.staff — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 18:06:47 +0000

The National Press Club will host a discussion on the state of journalism in an era of media transition from a print, broadcast, online and academic perspective on Monday, November 17 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m in Coffman Union Theater. National Press Club treasurer, Bloomberg News reporter and SJMC M.A. alum Alan Bjerga will moderate the discussion as panelists present their own opinions and engage in a lively exchange of ideas.

Panelists include Star Tribune Editor Nancy Barnes, Pioneer Press Editor Thom Fladung, MinnPost Publisher Joel Kramer and the U of M Institute for New Media Studies Director Nora Paul. Additional information can be found at http://www.press.org/npc100/forumindex.cfm

Can one person make a difference? An evening with Paul Rusesabagina

mnc.staff — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:34:51 +0000

The Minnesota Journalism Center will host author Paul Rusesabagina, inspiration for the 2004 film Hotel Rwanda, as he recounts his inspiring story of courage and compassion in the opening days of the Rwandan genocide on Monday, November 3 at Northrop Memorial Auditorium. The event takes place at 7:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Newsworthy Online | October 2008

sarah.bauer — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:48:51 +0000

Volume 2: Issue 10

We are pleased to offer our monthly newsletter in an online format. If you have not signed up to receive this update regularly, sign up to join our mailing list on our homepage. You can view Newsworthy Online by clicking here.

Inside this issue:

- What do you think about election news coverage?

-The National Press Club Comes to Minneapolis

- Coming to a High School Near You

- Silha Lecture Recap

- From the Development Office

From the Development Office

sarah.bauer — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:47:24 +0000

October 2008

Watch your mailbox for the News Council’s 2007-2008 annual report. Due out in early November, the report recaps complaint activity and trends in 2007, includes updates on our activities, goals and members, as well as an outlook for our future.

Please also remember the News Council in your year-end gift planning. We cannot do our work without dedicated supporters like you!

-Erika Roland

Coming to a High School Near You

sarah.bauer — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:44:16 +0000

This month, the News Council is reaching out to Minnesota high schools, offering its free mock hearing program to English and journalism teachers across the state. Made possible in part by a generous grant from Target, the News Council has developed a curriculum that is currently being used in some high school and college classrooms throughout the state. The mock hearing project aims to introduce journalism students to the news council concept and to start them thinking about the real-life ethical dilemmas faced by working journalists.

Robbie Johnson, retired teacher from Mahtomedi High School, says “ the mock trial program helped my journalism students learn the value of fairness in reporting by being exposed to real claims which have been brought before the council.” Johnson currently serves on the Council and is working to revitalize the mock trial program for high school students.

A mock hearing proceeds much like an actual hearing. Students prepare for the hearing by reading the complaint’s background, the articles in question, the complaint, the news outlet’s response, and the questions upon which council members will vote. News Council volunteers, or the students, play the part of the complainant and news outlet. Student “council members” listen to the parties present the complaint and response, ask questions of the parties, and deliberate the complaint. The class then votes on the hearing question, and can compare their results to those of the actual News Council hearing.

If you are interested in learning more about the mock hearing project, or would like to bring it to a school in your area, please contact Sarah Bauer.

What do you think about election news coverage?

sarah.bauer — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:42:37 +0000

We want to know what you think about news coverage of the 2008 election cycle. How’s your local newspaper doing? The metro dailies? The nightly news? Where do you turn to for election news? Who do you trust?

Read a report from the Project for Excellence in Journalism: “How the Press Reported the General Election.”

Send us an email with your thoughts, and we’ll post some reader comments to our Web site.

-Sarah Bauer

Public Hearing: November 20, 2008

mnc.staff — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:00:40 +0000

UPDATE: The November 20th hearing has been canceled. Please stay tuned for more upcoming events.

Join us for our next ethical exercise with a panel of journalists and members of the public on November 20. All public hearings are free and open to the public, and held over the Thursday lunch hour.

More information and location TBA.