After Tsunami, Freelance Service Swings Into Action
Dozens of news organizations seeking to cover this week’s earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean have turned to a free service of the South Asian Journalists Association that connects editors with freelancers in both South Asia and North America.
The catastrophe, in which the death toll now has hit 76,000, has also placed a spotlight on South Asian communities in the United States, as news organizations cover those reacting to the tragedy. It also is providing an opportunity for journalists of South Asian descent to help guide and provide coverage, according to SAJA officers.
“If you’re South Asian, we’re all connected,” Sreenath Sreenivasan, a founder of the 1,000-member journalists group, told Journal-isms. “It shows what a small world we are. Whatever divisions we had back home, they are irrelevant in the New World. When we started, we could have been the Indian Journalists Association,” but the organization now includes Pakistanis, Sri Lankans and Indo-Caribbeans.
South Asians are the largest Asian group in 19 U.S. states, he said.
Three years ago, SAJA launched its “freelance forum” for “editors and media outlets looking for freelancers/fixers/videojournalists/photographers located in both South Asia and in U.S. & Canada.”
Since Sunday’s earthquake, dozens of news organizations have used it, said Srennivasan, who is known as Sree. “We have folks on the ground in Sri Lanka and in Chennai,” the Indian city also known as Madras that was among the hardest hit locations, he said.
Likewise, South Asian news organizations use the service to locate journalists in this country. Editors can do their work electronically without contacting SAJA, Sree said. And in the three years of the forum, “I’ve not had a single complaint from an editor.”
Meanwhile, U.S. journalists of South Asian descent found opportunity. At the Star-Ledger in Newark, N.J., Suleman Din, a Pakistani-American, co-wrote a story today with Jeff Diamant, “Diverse groups, companies contribute to ease suffering.”
“Locally based aid groups go into action” was the headline on a story by Sumathi Reddy in the Baltimore Sun.
Madhulika Sikka, a senior producer at ABC-TV’s “Nightline,” helped guide the Sri Lanka coverage, and CNN sent its senior medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, to Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo.
“A bunch of us have been on the phone with our colleagues across the country to match them up with local angles so we don’t see papers just do one story and call it a day,” said S. Mitra Kalita, president of SAJA and a Washington Post reporter who is on maternity leave.
For some journalists, the tragedy was personal. The New India Press told the story of an off-duty reporter who lost seven relatives — his wife, year-old daughter and five of his in-laws — to tidal waves. The reporter managed to escape, reportedly, by holding on to a log.
For others, the crisis has been a learning experience, as it is for news consumers. “Did I know about the Sri Lankan community on Staten Island? No,” said Deepti Hajela, an Associated Press writer in New York who is vice president of SAJA.
Survivor tells of Sri Lanka tidal waves (Gemunu Amarasinghe, Associated Press)
L.A.’s Wave Papers File for Bankruptcy Protection
“The largest chain of community newspapers serving African American and Latino readers in Los Angeles County is seeking Bankruptcy Court protection from creditors,” Richard Verrier reported in the Los Angeles Times.
“Wave Community Newspapers Inc., which publishes seven weeklies with readers in nearly 40 cities and communities across the county, filed last week to reorganize its finances under Chapter 11 of federal bankruptcy laws. Court records list more than 17 creditors owed a total of as much as $10 million.
“Pluria Marshall Jr., the publisher and chief executive of the company, downplayed the filing, stressing that it wouldn’t affect the newspapers’ day-to-day operations or their commitment to the primarily Central and South Los Angeles communities they serve. Wave, some of whose newspapers date to the late 1800s, has 40 employees and a combined circulation of 150,000.
“. . . As the Latino population in the L.A. area has grown, so has competition from Spanish-only newspapers. Meanwhile, African Americans, once concentrated in Central Los Angeles, have dispersed to all parts of the region. Beyond that, Wave papers circulate mainly in low-income areas that often struggle to attract big advertisers.”
Wrong to Pose Reporter as Hooker, Editor Admits
The Corpus Christi Caller-Times was wrong in having reporter Venessa Santos-Garza pose as an undercover prostitute as police undertook a sting operation, editor Libby Averyt told readers of the Texas newspaper.
“Having a reporter become involved in law enforcement activities was a mistake and will not happen again,” Averyt said. “The thought was to try to give our readers an inside view of a new police initiative, and unfortunately we didn’t think through the situation as well as we should have.
“For us to maintain our watchdog role, we should not get involved in law enforcement activities and will not in the future.”
The Caller-Times story on the sequence of events began, “Corpus Christi police had its first sting of johns soliciting prostitutes Dec. 13 ahead of launching a Web site that will display the names and mug shots of those charged. The sting resulted in four arrests. A Caller-Times reporter who was participating in the police department’s ride-along program was present during the events that led to two of the arrests.
“Caller-Times Editor Libby Averyt said Wednesday the decision for the reporter to get involved in the activities by posing as a prostitute, which led to the arrests, was a mistake.”
Photog Sherman Williams Makes AME in Milwaukee
“ Sherman Williams has been promoted to assistant managing editor/photography at the Journal Sentinel,” the Milwaukee paper reported.
“Williams, 43, has managed the newspaper’s photography staff of 25 since joining the paper in 2000 and has received national recognition for his expertise.
“Williams has been a guest faculty member at the American Press Institute and The Maynard Institute, where he has taught sessions on covering diverse communities, picture editing and ethics. He is a founding and current board member of The Associated Press Photo Managers and served as president of the organization in 2004.
“He also is chairman of the National Association of Black Journalists’ Visual Task Force.”
Philly Reporter Leon “The Fly” Taylor Dies at 52
“Leon ‘The Fly’ Taylor, a retired Daily News reporter whose stories carried credibility and whose life centered on compassion, died Sunday of cancer. He was 52 and lived in Middleburg, Fla.,” the Philadelphia Daily News reported in a lively obituary.
“For much of the public, reporters are always around, like bad weather and bad news. But Leon Taylors come along only once in a while.
“In the 1970s, when the ‘Superfly’ movies hit, Taylor got his nickname. He fancied the leisure suits and bell-bottoms and broad-brimmed hats. In later years, all that in-the-groove, vogue gave way to the man who was growing inside. The 6-3, 200-pounder with the close-cropped gray hair and graying goatee wore perfectly tailored double-breasted, three-piece suits and color-coordinated tie and shirt, usually with cuff links.”
After retiring in 2001, the obit continued, “he started a Web site in hopes of building a business on what he loved to do — write obits. For those visiting his site and wondering what it was about, Taylor wrote:
“This one is for the bus drivers, firefighters, cashiers and school teachers who make our world go ’round. This one is for the barbers and barmaids, mentors and ministers, coaches and crossing guards who live in our neighborhood. This one is for the architects and electricians, the bank tellers and bookkeepers, the painters, plumbers and roofers who live on our block. The ones we wave to just about every day. They go to the same stores and houses of worship that we do. Their kids go to the same schools as ours.
“This one is for every decent human being who ever loved, laughed, cried, stumbled and struggled their way through this thing we call life. This one is for all the bumps, bruises, successes, failures and valiant efforts we all put out. This one is about tragedy and triumph. . . . “
In its recap, the paper reminded readers: “Who can forget the Viagra story?” and republished Taylor’s “first-person test of Viagra,” shortly after it was introduced. The piece originally ran May 1, 1998.
Services are scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday at Cinnamon Street Baptist Church, 20 Cinnamon St., Middleburg, Fla.
If More Whites Benefit, Is It “Minority” Program?
The publication of Seth Mnookin’s book “Hard News: The Scandals at The New York Times and Their Meaning for American Media” is providing an opportunity to revisit the Jayson Blair scandal and all its racial baggage.
Reviewing the book Sunday in the New York Times Book Review, Slate magazine columnist Timothy Noah wrote that Blair “entered The Times on a minority internship in 1998.”
However, then-managing editor Gerald M. Boyd told Editor & Publisher in May 2003 that the reporter recruitment program that Blair came through actually promoted more white reporters to staff positions, according to the E&P story. “Of the 37 participants who have become full-time staffers since the program began in 1995, he said only 16 were minority. Of seven who were not promoted, three were black,” the story said.
So was it a “minority internship” after all?
Journal-isms asked Times Public Editor Daniel Okrent. “I only wish I had a conclusive yes-or-no answer for you,” Okrent replied, noting that the writers of the in-house Siegal Committee report had said that “Blair came to The Times in a program that was then intended to increase newsroom diversity.”
“Had this been a news story I would probably react differently,” Okrent added. “But a signed book review does allow the writer a broader license for interpretation.”
Paper Critiques U.S. Policy After Islam Series
The Chicago Tribune this week wrapped up a 12-part series on Islam around the world and concluded, in a piece by managing editor James O’Shea, that:
- “The issues that most united radical and moderate Muslims were the war in Iraq and the plight of the Palestinians.”
- “Using America’s influence with the Israelis to play a constructive role to help settle the Palestinian conflict would be the single most effective step the U.S. could take to win the war on terrorism and to deter another attack in the U.S.”
- “America’s policy toward Israel and the Palestinians was not the only dark spot for reporters visiting the region. The same tensions are evident in Saudi Arabia. Saudis not only maintain pipelines that deliver oil to the world, they also sustain a financial pipeline that delivers money to militant mosques, the ones that preach a brand of Islam whose adherents often promote violence, including violence against America.”
- “In Egypt, U.S. policy helps perpetuate a government that is a democracy in name only. In Iran, U.S. opposition to the nation’s nuclear ambitions undermines the support of a growing moderate Islamic movement, a youthful faction that rejects the more conservative practices of the nation’s ruling imams.”
- “A possible effective countermeasure is American aid to promote education reform in Pakistan, a nation whose importance in the fight against Islamic extremism is hard to overstate. But precious little Pakistani or American money finds its way into education reform.”
- “The U.S. should adopt policies that make Muslims as comfortable here as Christians.”
Hi Sun Ko Dies, Helped Koreans in Northwest
“To make a living in a new country, Hi Sun Ko did a lot of different jobs. He ran a dry cleaners. He was a stock broker. He sold insurance,” Sandi Doughton wrote in the Seattle Times.
“. . . He wrote poetry and essays about nature and the immigrant experience. And his weekly travel columns in Korean-language newspapers helped introduce his countrymen to the Northwest’s natural splendors, while offering gentle life lessons.
“Mr. Ko died of a heart attack Monday at the age of 58. He was stricken after learning his wife had been injured in a car accident. Her injuries turned out to be minor, but Mr. Ko, who had long suffered from high blood pressure, collapsed in his car in the hospital parking lot.”
“. . . Mr. Ko’s writings were widely read, said Eun Hee Kim, a reporter for Korean Weekly and The Christian News, the two Federal Way-based newspapers that published his work.
“‘Most Korean people in this area know his name,’ she said. His weekly Northwest Explorer column was beloved for the way it helped acquaint Korean immigrants with the landscape and history of their new home.”
Filipinos Grapple With Unsolved Journo Killings
“In the Philippines, a free press often blurs imperceptibly with an unprincipled press. It is not unusual for journalists to be paid by the campaigns they cover, bribes are routine, and screaming headlines deliberately spark ‘cockfights’ among politicians. Under these conditions, the news media become more vulnerable to attack,” Stephanie Shapiro wrote in the Baltimore Sun.
She noted that the death toll among journalists is second in number in recent years to that for those killed in Iraq.
“Since 1986, when the Philippines became a democracy, at least 48 journalists have died violently, according to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, including eight this year.
“. . . Filipino journalists have launched an aggressive effort to bring their colleagues’ killers to justice and to change the practices that can lead to a journalist’s death,” the story continued.
“‘What we are trying to do now is to break the culture of impunity that surrounds these killings,’ said Carlos H. Conde, secretary general of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines. ‘The fact that no one has been convicted in any of these killings since 1986 is the main reason, I think, that the murders have continued.'”
Essence Gives Subscription Cash to AIDS Fight
Essence magazine says it is donating 100 percent of the net proceeds from new and gift subscriptions to the Black AIDS Institute, through Dec. 31.
“Your contribution will go towards developing prevention education programs and awareness outreach efforts for Black women,” the publication says.
Subscriptions are $20 for 12 issues.
CBS Chief Moonves Marries Anchor Julie Chen
“CBS honcho Leslie Moonves and his bride, ‘The Early Show’ anchor Julie Chen, are enjoying a Mexican honeymoon after getting married last week,” the Associated Press reported today.
“They were married at sunset Dec. 23 at a private home in Mexico, and honeymooned at the posh Las Ventanas resort in Cabo San Lucas.
“Moonves, 55, has guided CBS to the top of the ratings and was rewarded this year with the co-presidency of Viacom, the network’s corporate parent. He was divorced earlier this month from his first wife, Nancy, after 24 years of marriage.
“Chen, 34, has moonlighted as host of the CBS reality show ‘Big Brother.’ She wore an ivory gown designed by Reem Acra.”
Newfield’s “Genuine Respect” for Black Culture
“Jack Newfield, whose 700 Voice pieces between 1964 and 1989 chronicled the left in New York and across America, died last week at 66,” as Wayne Barrett wrote in the Village Voice.
On the Web site The Black World Today, Playthell Benjamin continued the tribute:
“Jack?s friend?s and admirers were legion and many of them gathered in the elegant rooms of the Riverside Memorial Chapel, on the upper west side of Manhattan, to say farewell and celebrate his life and work. Even a casual examination of the overflow crowd would reveal its unique diversity,” Benjamin wrote.
“There were Yarmulke wearing Jews in black suits, colorful characters from the sporting world — like former light/heavy weight champion and writer Jose Torres and New York Mets manager Omar Manaya — stylish Harlemites dressed to kill, and great musicians. Wynton Marsalis anointed us with a moving solo trumpet that beg[a]n with the solemnity of a funeral dirge and ended with the rambunctiousness of a second line march, and an unknown trumpeter who simply rose from the audience, announced that what he most admired about Jack was his broad interests in some many subjects, then gave a breathtaking performance of ‘All The Things You Are.’
“Finally, there was a glittering contingent from his beloved world of journalism -? Sid Zion, Juan Gonzale[z], Joe Conason, and Mal[a]chi McCord among them.
“. . . Ken Knuckles, a lawyer and CEO of the Harlem-based Uptown Empowerment Zone also noted Jack Newfield?s deep affection for Afro-American culture. In a eulogy of great eloquence he said ‘Jack Newfield emerged from the soil of New York and carried within him an uncommon appreciation of all that this city means, its nooks and crannies, and the things that distinguish us from one another. But more importantly, of those commonalities that bind us. Like music, food, religion, righteous anger and joy. I was inspired by Jack?s genuine respect for the cultural contributions of black Americans, and his participation at great personal risk in the Civil Rights Movement in the south; his reverence for Ralph Ellison, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Sugar Ray Robinson, Sam Cooke and others.’
“I was especially moved by the eloquence with which he described the impact of Jackie Robinson and Martin Luther King on his life. I therefore think it appropriate that when we left him at the hospital during his last moments Bob Marley was playing on his CD.?
Jack Newfield: His voice rang true (Les Payne, Newsday)
