Blackout Ripples Reach AAJA in San Diego
“While the editors of The New York Times were scrambling to get the paper out during a severe power outage yesterday, the publisher stood before hundreds of journalists at a San Diego convention,” reports Kristen Green in California’s San Diego Union-Tribune.
“‘It’s a tough time to be here,’ said Arthur Sulzberger Jr., apologizing in advance for leaving his cell phone on during his scheduled talk.
“‘If I get a call,’ he said, ‘I’m answering it.’
“When a cell phone rang in the audience, Sulzberger joked, ‘If that’s for me, I’m here.’
“Sulzberger addressed the Asian American Journalists Association annual convention to answer questions about the Jayson Blair scandal that rocked the Times in May,” her story continued.
Asians Underreported in Polling, Study Finds
“In terms of political polling, the problem of underreporting Asian Americans is two-fold: one, there’s the challenge of sampling Asian Americans in national polls; and two, pollsters often don’t seek to report Asian American opinions in political polling because they feel that Asian Americans haven’t proven themselves in the political arena as they have in, for example, the consumer markets,” according to Jennifer Greer, Ph.D., director of graduate studies at the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada at Reno.
Greer conducted a study, “Surveying Asian-Americans: Challenges, Current Practice, Solutions,” commissioned by the Asian American Journalists Association and released at the AAJA convention in San Diego.
“Dr. Greer’s report clearly shows that it’s important to break out Asian Americans as a separate group in polls, and also that it is critical to poll in other languages to best represent the opinions of the broadest spectrum of Americans,” said Mae Cheng, AAJA president, in a news release.
“Improvements in polling will help ensure fair and accurate coverage of the Asian American community, a key issue as we head into an important presidential election,” Cheng added.
“The study provides systematic evidence that the problem of polling is more extreme with Asian Americans than with other minorities,” said Greer, “because you have the compounded problems of a minority group that is relatively small in numbers and one with language issues. Compare that to minority groups that have only one polling disadvantage, such as Native Americans, who are also a small group, but one that doesn’t have language issues — or Hispanics, a group with some language barriers, but a demographic of such size that they can’t be ignored.”
The study, which was commissioned by AAJA for under $1,000, analyzed 170 polls done in the last decade with at least one question containing the words “Asian” or “Asian American,” the student AAJA Link reported.
Read the report (PDF)
News media urged to seek out causes of violence (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Norment, Leavy to Succeed Lerone Bennett at Ebony
Ebony magazine managing editors Walter Leavy and Lynn A. Norment will share the duties of retiring executive editor Lerone Bennett Jr., who is stepping down this fall after 50 years with Johnson Publishing Co., the magazine announces.
Bennett, who turns 75 on Oct. 17, “plans to continue to write books and he will maintain his association with Ebony as a member of the Ebony Editorial Board,” a news release says.
Leavy and Norment will have the titles of co-managing editors. Leavy, 49, has been at the publication since 1980 and writes a column for the magazine, “For Brothers Only,” which he has described as “an avenue of expression for things that are uniquely male. It highlights the hopes and dreams of black men, and it also lets the world know that black men have issues too, especially when it comes to relationships.”
Norment has been active in the National Association of Black Journalists and its local affiliate, chairing NABJ’s 1997 national convention in Chicago. She is a longtime writer for the magazine who is known for her celebrity profiles. ?My transition to the job world was very smooth. The Commercial Appeal newspaper offered me an internship and hired me ? and then I went straight to Ebony,? she told the University of Memphis, where she graduated in 1973.
It is Bennett, however, who has been the magazine’s intellectual backbone. He is the author of the classic study of African American history, “Before The Mayflower,” as well as “Forced Into Glory,” on Abraham Lincoln’s racial views, among other books. He began his career with Johnson Publishing Co. in 1953 as an associate editor for Jet magazine, continuing a journalism career that began in 1949 with the Atlanta Daily World.
Bennett told National Public Radio’s “The Tavis Smiley Show” in June:
“I think what makes us unique is that we are the only major black magazine that speaks to the whole black family. We speak to men, we speak to women, we speak to preachers, we speak to basketball players, we speak to young people, we speak to old. We speak to everybody, and we’re going to continue to do that. At the same time, I believe, we believe, that all Americans would be enormously better off if they regularly read African-American media, because I don’t think Americans can understand themselves.
“They can’t understand Los Angeles, they can’t understand Chicago, they can’t understand New York unless they read these publications, and understand the depth of leadership in our community, to understand that we’re more than basketball stars, that we don’t get arrested every day. There’s no way–and I say it with as much feeling and passion as I can — there’s no way for any American to understand the South Side of Chicago or Harlem or Los Angeles without regularly reading African-American media.”
Dallas Publisher Sorry for Downplaying “Gay” Story
Dallas Morning News Publisher Jim Moroney apologized to the staff this week for ordering the downplaying of a story on the controversy over the Rev. Gene Robinson, a gay Episcopalian bishop seeking official church approval — a move that involved shredding and reprinting the paper’s first edition, according to the weekly Dallas Observer.
The move came after the Bible Belt paper began running same-sex commitment ceremony announcements on July 6 and subsequently received 800 subscription cancellations, according to the Observer.
“Moroney, Editor Bob Mong and other bigwigs met with the Arts and Religion staffs to explain why Moroney ordered the changes. Then Moroney apologized, saying he had made a serious mistake, sent the wrong message to the staff and that there would be no second-guessing of story placement on his part,” the Observer reported.
The Observer reported last week that “Editor Bob Mong, who was on vacation last week, had told his managers and Moroney that he was fearful of overplaying gay-themed issues, and he wanted editors to discuss placement of such stories to make sure they weren’t making a bigger deal out of an issue than should be made. According to Mong, once Moroney found out no such editorial discussion took place on [reporter Jeffrey] Weiss’ story, he ordered the first run shredded and reprinted — hello, not cheap! — which is why last weekend’s Religion section was not in color, and why the centerpiece story was a wire-service story from Newsday.”
NABJ Members Voted to Streamline Board
Members of the National Association of Black Journalists actually voted to streamline its 19-member board of directors, but the organization’s parliamentarian ruled that the board will remain the same size because none of the proposed alternatives also received a two-thirds majority vote.
Newly elected parliamentarian Melanie Burney of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that 381 members, or 73.84 percent, voted yes to the question, “Should the NABJ Board of Directors be streamlined from 19 to a lesser number? Yes or No.”
The proposal for a 13-member board received 107 votes or 28.23 percent; a 14-member board received 103 votes or 27.18 percent; and a proposal for an 11-member board received 169 votes or 44.59 percent. “So since none of the three proposals specifying the makeup of the new board received a two-thirds or 66% vote, then none can be adopted,” wrote outgoing parliamentarian Sharyn L. Flanagan of USA Today. Underlying questions of board makeup were a debate over whether public-relations people, students and journalism educators should have a vote on the board. Text of the message from Flanagan is at the end of today’s posting.
Native Journalists to Help Gaming Association
“Battered by hostile mainstream media reporting, Indian gaming leaders have turned to [the Native American Gaming Association] for a public relations response,” reports Indian Country Today. “The mid-year meeting will feature one aspect of the campaign, helping tribal leaders develop skills in dealing with reporters and television interviewers.
“NIGA will offer sessions with professional media trainers who have worked with it since the campaign began early this year. In addition, the Native American Journalist[s] Association (NAJA) will present its own panel, giving the perspective of working reporters. The two efforts aim to give tribal officers confidence in presenting their case to the media.
“‘There?s still such a gap in communications,’ said Elizabeth Hill, Ojibway, a public relations professional based in the Washington, D.C. area. ‘They?re reticent, suspicious, even in talking to their own people,” Indian Country Today reported.
Black Network Reported Stiffing Freelancers
MBC (Major Broadcasting Cable Network), the five-year old Atlanta-based project started by African-American entrepreneur Willie Gary, boxer Evander Holyfield, retired Detroit Tiger slugger Cecil Fielder, entertainer Marlon Jackson and others, is suffering a financial crisis,” reports the News Blues Web site.
“MBC launched a nightly newscast on April 4th, using freelancers to keep costs down.
“Problem is, MBC isn’t paying. . . . and some freelancers are now demanding to be paid up front, or refusing to work for the network at all. “I want to help them, but I have to be paid,” said one of many who have flooded MBC’s Atlanta office with calls and personal visits, demanding payment.
“‘I can’t tell you when you will be paid,’ MBC Comptroller Twuanna Munroe has repeatedly told freelancers,” News Blues continued.
Network CEO Gary did not return a call from Journal-isms seeking comment.
Minneapolis Anchor Describes Being Stalked
Harris Faulkner, an anchor at KSTP-TV in Minneapolis, described being stalked by a former boyfriend this week on the syndicated “Montel Williams Show.”
The stalking began when Faulkner was an anchor in Greenville, N.C., and continued even at the National Association of Black Journalists convention in Chicago in 1997, Faulkner said.
“In fact, he moved to stalk me. So he moved across the country. I met him in my newsroom in Greenville, North Carolina. We worked together. He was a producer. We dated a short period of time. . . . I was in Chicago, and the National Association of Black Journalists convention was at this hotel, so there were thousands of other journalists there. My voicemail was full. It was him. ‘I saw you tonight. It’s your old nemesis, and I am back,'” she told the nationwide audience on Tuesday.
Faulkner described how the stalker would break into her apartment, get arrested on minor charges, and be released after a short time, when he would continue harassing her. The experiences are detailed in her book, “Breaking News: God Has a Plan: An Anchorwoman’s Journey Through Faith.”
More on Newsday’s Diversity Accomplishment
Monday’s Journal-isms asked, “Is Newsday Growing Diversity Leaders?” citing the number of presidents of journalist associations of color employed by the Long Island newspaper.
One of those leaders, Ernest Sotomayor, president of Unity: Journalists of Color and Long Island editor of Newsday.com, tells Journal-isms that he agrees with the comments of Editor Tony Marro and reporter Mae Cheng. But, he adds:
“Newsday, like many other news media organizations, needs to place the same emphasis in diversifying the management and staffing in all other departments — sports, features, graphics, photography, editorial pages — as it has in its metro/news departments.
“The [American Society of Newspaper Editors] numbers are only a very broad, and sometimes misleading measurement of what is happening in the newsrooms, and I hope that as we go forward, we can get even more information from the news industries that will allow us to better assess each market more thoroughly and see where progress is really being made.”
Sotomayor notes that he discusses this issue in ASNE’s The American Editor.
Meanwhile, Nathaniel Moore, public relations manager for Newsday New York City, who is also African American, lists additional journalists of color in Newsday’s Kew Gardens, Queens, newsroom, which is headed by Les Payne, deputy managing editor and a former president of the National Association of Black Journalists:
Reggie Thomas, deputy city editor; Regina Holmes, assistant city editor; Merle English, general assignment; Ron Howell, special writer; Calvin Lawrence, Viewpoints section; Sheryl McCarthy, columnist; Ray Sanchez, subway columnist; Curtis Taylor, City Hall reporter; Bryan Virasami, general assignment; Amanda Barrett, Newsday.com.
Memo on NABJ Vote on Constitutional Amendments
BOTTOM LINE: Neither proposed constitutional amendment passed.
REASONING: According to the NABJ Constitution, Chapter 6, Article 1, Section 2, subsection (a) “The Constitution can be amended by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the voting membership. Changes to this Constitution must be submitted in writing to the Parliamentarian at least six (6) months prior to an annual National Convention. At that time, the Parliamentarian will convene and chair the Constitutional Committee to discuss the proposed change. The Committee, through the National Office, will circulate the proposed amendment, with a recommendation, to all affiliate Chapters and the Board of Directors at least sixty (60) days prior to the annual National Convention. At the next annual National Convention, the membership can approve said amendment with an affirmative two-thirds vote and said amendment shall be considered adopted immediately.”
ISSUE 1
381 or 73.84% voted yes to streamlining: Should the NABJ Board of Directors be streamlined from 19 to a lesser number? This successfully meets the two-thirds (66%) requirement. The next portion of the question specifying how the governance structure would change within NABJ’s Constitution is a secondary amendment, which must also receive a two-thirds vote to change a constitution or bylaws, according to Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (10th edition, 2000). (In less important instances, secondary amendments or those that further refine the primary amendment only require a majority vote.) Proposal 1 (Glover, Black/13-member board) received 107 votes or 28.23%; Proposal 2 (Pressley/14-member board) received 103 votes or 27.18%; and Proposal 3 (Williams/11-member board) received 169 votes or 44.59%. So since none of the three proposals specifying the makeup of the new board received a two-thirds or 66% vote, then none can be adopted. So the NABJ Board of Directors’ structure stays the same.
ISSUE 2
272 or 61.96% voted yes to amend Chapter 5, Article II, Section (b) striking the language “. . .eligible for NABJ status as . . .” and adding the word “NABJ” between “student” and “members.” If it had passed, it would have required that two-thirds of local affiliate chapter members also be national members.
Current wording: Chapter 5, Article II, Section (b) The Chapter, at the time of its application for affiliate status, and at the time of the annual renewal of that status, submits to NABJ a membership list showing that two-thirds of the affiliate members are eligible for NABJ status as full, associate or student members.
This took me awhile because even though I am a certified parliamentarian, I felt that this was important enough to consult my Virginia representative of the National Association of Parliamentarians last week. There was a dispute about the passage of the governance structure amendment. She was accepting the basic principle that secondary amendments only require a majority vote, but I found out that when applied to a constitution or bylaws, it requires the same vote (two-thirds) for amendments as set forth in NABJ’s Constitution.
If anyone has any questions, concerns or comments, please don’t hesitate to call me. Have a good weekend.
Sharyn L. Flanagan
Former NABJ Parliamentarian, 2001-03
Former chairwoman, NABJ Constitution/Board Operating Procedures Committee
USA TODAY/News
sharynf@mindspring.com
