Welcome to SPJ Leading Edge, a blog built just for chapter leaders. You’ll find tools and information to help build, grow and sustain active and successful chapters, the very backbone of SPJ. We’ll highlight programs, provide “best practices” for things like finance and governance and answer some of the most popular leadership questions. Contact Tara Puckey, SPJ Chapter Coordinator, for anything and everything chapter related.
Posts Tagged ‘reporting’
Rio Grande chapter talks science
By Tara Puckey, SPJ Chapter Coordinator | October 5th, 2012
More than 40 attendees packed the TVC McCorkle Center at the University of New Mexico on Sept. 26 for an eight person panel discussion on covering science.
Here’s a portion of the recap posted to the chapter’s blog:
There were a lot of thought-provoking questions for our 8 panelists and great responses from them. Perhaps the finest journalist idea came from Albuquerque Journal science reporter John Fleck who suggested what is needed is a “slow journalism” movement (ala the slow food movement). Take a step back, he said, and remember it took years for a scientific breakthrough, six months more for the research paper to be peer reviewed and published. Don’t be in a rush to publish a news story about the research paper because the story is more likely to be wrong, Fleck suggested. “Breaking news” in science is different from other types of breaking news. Scientists seemed to agree with him on the point.
Attendees received tip sheets full of information about accurate reporting on science issues along with some great refreshments. The program was so popular that the chapter plans to hold another similar event in a different city.
This program was funded in part by SPJ’s Chapter Grants. Your chapter can apply for one of eight remaining cycles to receive a programming grant of up to $500. But hurry, because the next deadline is Oct. 10.
Connecticut hosts Google research executive
By Tara Puckey, SPJ Chapter Coordinator | September 26th, 2012
Congratulations to the Connecticut Pro chapter for receiving a chapter grant this month! Here’s the chapter’s recap of the events:
Connecticut SPJ hosted a presentation by Daniel Russell, a research executive with Google, on strategies for using Google faster, more efficiently and more comprehensively. The event took place Sept. 10, 2012.
His one-and-a-half-hour presentation was free for everyone, with space provided by Southern Connecticut State University and its student SPJ chapter.
It drew approximately 25 attendees: a mix of college journalism students (mostly SCSU and Quinnipiac University), faculty and working professionals.
Russell didn’t provide handouts or worksheets for his session, but instead referred attendees to information from a reasonably similar session he presented at the 2012 conference of Investigative Reporters and Editors in Boston.
Congratulations on a successful program, Connecticut!