Human Rights Advocate Is Latest to Join (Notices 12-4-24)
D.C.’s WUSA Denies Bending to Pressure From Gas Company
Journal-isms Still Accepting ‘Giving Tuesday’ Support
Descendant of First Enslaved Is in Angola, Thanks to USA Today
Jim Trotter Also ‘Spoke Truth to Power’ as Hilltop Staffer
Jeff Ballou-Rasheeda Thomas Marriage Makes N.Y. Times
‘How to Buy a Commercial Broadcast Station’
Birthday Roast for David Honig, Ownership Advocate
From D.C. Public Library: Disability Summit
From SNCC Legacy Project (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee)
From New York — ‘All Holidays’ Party
. . . . New York Black Journalists Celebrate on Dec. 11
A Gilliam Is Cover Story in Boston
Jobs
From journalist organizations
From Society of Environmental Journalists
From Jane F. Levey, editor, Washington History
From the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education
From the Associated Press
Homepage photo by Don Baker/Don Baker Photography
At the Journal-isms Roundtable in February 2023, Rep. James Clyburn said he wanted Blacks in media to help him relaunch his campaign to make “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” “the national hymn of the United States.” (Credit: Deborah Berry)
Human Rights Advocate Is Latest to Join (Notices 12-4-24)
Our next Roundtable takes place Sunday, Dec. 8, at 1 p.m. Eastern via Zoom, on “what next?” after the election and Donald Trump’s selections for his Cabinet. Margaret Huang, president and CEO of the Southern Poverty Law Center and its lobbying arm, the SPLC Action Fund, “an experienced human rights and racial justice advocate”, is the latest to join the lineup.
4 p.m. update: Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., who was to return for his third visit to the Roundtable after being re-elected for his 16th term, some of it as a part of House leadership, has asked to postpone his appearance to another date in December. Thoughts?
The panelists are:
- Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., who is returning for his third visit to the Roundtable, re-elected for his 16th term, some of it as a part of House leadership.
Evlondo Cooper, senior researcher, Climate & Energy Program, Media Matters for America. Evlondo joined us for our 2021 discussion of environmental racism and environmental justice. (updated Nov. 25)
Margaret Huang, president and CEO of the Southern Poverty Law Center and its lobbying arm, the SPLC Action Fund. “An experienced human rights and racial justice advocate, Huang leads the SPLC in its mission to serve as a catalyst for racial justice in the South, dismantling white supremacy, strengthening intersectional movements and advancing the human rights of all.” < https://bit.ly/4eVwg0B >. On the “PBS News Hour,” she recently discussed whether the political climate was influencing a spike in racist incidents. < https://to.pbs.org/3ZyLft6 >
Linda Jones, writing and emotional wellness doula, who invited people to “Navigating Post-Election Grief”: “a Sunday healing circle for Black Women who showed up and are worn out.” Linda founded A Nappy Hair Affair as an effort to promote African American culture and identity, and earlier in her career, worked at AOL News, the Dallas Morning News, Detroit News, Miami News, Fayetteville (N.C.) Times and Sun Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Patrick Mason, chair, Economics Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst. The Washington Post noted that Patrick “has long been cited for his work on the experience of Black Americans in the labor market.”
Clayton Weimers, executive director, RSF (Reporters Without Borders) USA. The day after the election, the press freedom group issued “RSF urges Trump to cease attacks on the media and turn a new page for press freedom in his next administration.” Shortly before the election, he and RSF put forth “10 ideas from Reporters without Borders to restore America’s journalistic traditions.”
Also in the room:
Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, national higher education reporter for The Washington Post, who covers college affordability, accountability and state and federal financial aid policy. (Added Nov. 26)
See also:
- Deborah Barfield Berry, USA Today: Racial justice activists prepare for Trump budget cuts and policy changes (Nov. 23)
- Joseph A. Davis, Society of Environmental Journalists: Will Trump ‘Disappear’ Environment, Climate Data? (Nov. 27)
- Ariama C. Long, New York Amsterdam News: Post-election stress: Black women and their mental health
- Ian Kayanja, WCCIV, Charleston, S.C.: Rep. James Clyburn advocates for renewal of Civil Rights Network Act — You can watch here
- Kenya Hunter, Associated Press: Feeling betrayed by increased minority support for Trump, Black women say they’re stepping back (Nov. 24)
- News release: Clyburn, Pressley, Scanlon, Colleagues Urge Biden to Use Clemency Power to Address Mass Incarceration Before Leaving Office (Nov. 21)
Please check Journal-isms Roundtable page for updates.
D.C.’s WUSA Denies Bending to Pressure From Gas Company
The general manager of Tenga-owned WUSA, the CBS affiliate in Washington, is denying a story in the Washington City Paper, picked up Tuesday by the national media criticism group Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting, suggesting that the station pulled a story to please Washington Gas, one of its advertisers.
“It looks as if Washington Gas would very much prefer that people don’t read this new report from environmental advocates describing the health dangers of gas appliances they tested in the D.C. area.,” Alex Koma reported Nov. 27 for the Washington City Paper. “So much so that the company appears to have pressured local CBS affiliate WUSA9 into burying a story about the report that ran last week.”
“Activists at the Beyond Gas Coalition, which backed the study, say they were disturbed to discover that a story by environmental reporter Scott Broom disappeared off the station’s website and YouTube channel shortly after it hit the airwaves last Thursday.
“When they called up WUSA to inquire, they say the message they received from the producer who worked on the story was that the station made the decision at the behest of the utility company, choosing to pull the story down and hide the video from its YouTube channel until it could include a statement from Washington Gas. As of Wednesday morning, there’s been no sign of its reappearance. Broom didn’t immediately respond to an email. . . .”
There are two inaccuracies, Richard Dyer (pictured), WUSA senior vice president media operations/president and general manager, messaged Journal-isms Wednesday. “First, no one called us to ask for the story to be removed or modified nor do we believe that a producer stated that to the Beyond Gas Coalition. Second, at no point did any conversations take place regarding when or how the story should run with anyone.
“We felt the initial story needed to be modified to include additional research and therefore took those steps.”
The group Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting picked up the story on Tuesday, saying that the Black-owned Washington Informer was the only other news outlet to report on the study.
Journal-isms Still Accepting ‘Giving Tuesday’ Support
“Journal-isms” continues to accept donations to its “Giving Tuesday” campaign and thanks those who have given their support.
“Journalism is under attack. The need for diversity, equity and inclusion in the industry has never been greater. That’s the mission of Journal-isms™, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization,” board chair Neil Foote (pictured) wrote on Tuesday.
Deborah Barfield Berry in Angola for USA Today in 2019. While in Angola reporting on the family who believe they are descendants of the first Africans brought to the English colonies in 1619, she learned that she held roots there — and with the Tucker family (Credit: Jarrad Henderson/USA Today)
Descendant of First Enslaved Is in Angola, Thanks to USA Today
“Angola was barely mentioned in the history of the slave trade. USA TODAY invited Wanda Tucker there to search for her roots,” Jarrad Henderson wrote in 2019 for USA Today.
Today, Tucker is part of President Biden’s delegation to Angola. “Here with us today are three Americans who are direct descendants of Anthony and Isabella, those first enslaved Americans — Afri- — Africans in America,” Biden said Tuesday. “Wanda Tucker of [Hampton], Virginia. Wanda, are you there? There you are, Wanda. God love you. (Applause.) Her brother Vincent and Carolita as well. Thank you for being here. We’re going to write history, not erase history.
“The Tuckers learned their family history around the dinner table. That history led Wanda here in Angola a few years ago. She did not know how to speak the language, but that didn’t matter. When she arrived, Wanda said she felt something profound, like she’d come home. That was her comment to me. She called it the ‘connection without words.’ ”
“Without our work, it would not have happened,” says Roundtable regular Nichelle Smith, who went to Angola in 2019 as then-editor of USA Today’s Black History Month publication. She added that Berry, another Roundtable regular, has also returned to Angola with the Biden entourage to report for the news organization.
- Deborah Barfield Berry, Nieman Reports: How a Trip to Angola Helped One Reporter Tell the Story of Race in America (April 19, 2023)
(Credit: Jeanine L. Cummins)
Jim Trotter Also ‘Spoke Truth to Power’ as Hilltop Staffer
At our last Roundtable on Oct. 29, Jim Trotter (pictured), the former NFL writer who sued the football league, disclosed new details about his settlement with that organization and his disappointment that he didn’t receive more support.
Trotter, now with the Athletic, didn’t much get into his time at Howard University’s newspaper The Hilltop, but Ken Stone, in a Nov. 20 profile of Trotter for the Times of San Diego, did.
“But last month, he settled with the New York-based league, disclosing little about the deal except NFL funds would go to a foundation to help future journalists attending HBCUs — historically black colleges and universities.
“Trotter attended one himself — transferring to Howard University in Washington, D.C., after two years at Cal State Hayward (now CSU East Bay).
“James J. Trotter III rose to sports editor of Howard’s student weekly, The Hilltop. But even then his high standards led to his downfall.
“He spoke truth to power — The Hilltop’s editor in chief — and was sacked.
“Trotter, 61, told me he was among a group of staffers upset over an editorial cartoon that wasn’t allowed to be published.
“ ‘We felt we should run it and so we protested against it, and I ended up getting fired,’ he said in a recent phone interview from his home in Chula Vista.
“In The Hilltop’s telling, though, 14 staff members (with Trotter one of their leaders) lost their jobs after staging a ‘walkout’ and demanding that Carol Winn, the paper’s top student editor, be ousted for incompetence that included losing reporters’ copy and the paper losing money.
“A three-page list of staff grievances in October 1985 had only one demand: Winn’s resignation.
“But the faculty board in charge of The Hilltop backed Winn. She kept her job at the oldest black student newspaper in America (founded in 1924).
“Among many other things, Trotter in 1985 recounted an ’emotional blow-up’ between the editor and her editorial-page chief.
“ ‘During the argument, Trotter claims that Winn was heard to say “all editorials need not apply to Black people,” ‘ the paper said.
“Last week, Trotter was asked to reflect on The Hilltop firing. He replied: ‘No regrets. No hard feelings.’ . . . ” (Hat tip: Mike Cavna)
Jeff Ballou-Rasheeda Thomas Marriage Makes N.Y. Times
The courtship and wedding of longtime D.C. journalist Jeff Ballou, a producer at ABC News in the Washington bureau, and Rasheedah Thomas, founder of Emerald Digital Solutions, a strategic communications and digital marketing firm, made the society section of The New York Times. (Photo by Myron Fields.)
“He began preparations for the proposal by first asking Ms. Thomas’s parents for their blessing over the phone,” Ama Sarpomaa reported Nov. 29. “Her parents were ecstatic — her father, Dr. Benjamin Thomas, with the idea of adding another Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity brother to the family, and her mother, Sherry Thomas, at having a ‘son-in-love.’
“On Nov. 3, 2023, Mr. Ballou orchestrated what he calls ‘a three-act drama’ that began with champagne and a proposal on the outdoor balcony of the Kennedy Center terrace rooftop restaurant. The answer was an immediate ‘yes!’
“They then headed to the Capital Yacht Club to celebrate with their closest friends and family on the restaurant’s balcony. Ms. Thomas was surprised when her favorite musician, Stevie Wonder’s song ‘Isn’t She Lovely,’ played over the intercom. . . . “
(Credit: YouTube)
‘How to Buy a Commercial Broadcast Station’
The National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB) presents the “How to Buy a Commercial Broadcast Station” podcast series, hosted by NABOB President and CEO, Jim Winston. With over 40 years as a telecommunications attorney specializing in broadcast station acquisitions, Winston brings together a lineup of top industry professionals, including DuJuan McCoy (broadcast television station owner), Dan Kirkpatrick (policy and law expert), Ty Shea (finance), Larry Patrick (station brokerage), and John Matthews (engineering). . . . .
Birthday Roast for David Honig, Ownership Advocate
| Join the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC) for an unforgettable evening of laughs, food, and celebration as we honor the legendary David Honig with a lighthearted birthday roast! David has been an integral part of MMTC’s journey, and now it’s time to celebrate his contributions in the most fun and spirited way—by roasting him! Expect an evening filled with joy, camaraderie, and perhaps a few spicy jokes. Details Date: Friday, December 6, 2024 Time: 5:00 PM EST Location: 250 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC Virtual Option Available (event planners will share information at a later date) This event is free, but donations are encouraged to support MMTC’s mission of promoting diversity in media, telecommunications, and tech. Every contribution helps us continue our important work. Go here to make a donation. Food and Drinks: Enjoy complimentary refreshments and raise a glass to David! Donations: If you are unable to attend, consider making a donation to support MMTC. Donate here. Virtual Option Available: https://kara-solutions.zoom.us/j/85010860842?pwd=zyC9ybsNaXkBX6LJ3YUyOniIBimoKB.1 and Passcode: 295838 If you have questions or need additional Information, contact Danielle Adrianna Davis, ddavis1188@gmail.com, and Meagan Sunn, sunnmea5@gmail.com. Click the button to RSVP today. |
| About MMTC The Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC) is a non-partisan, national nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and preserving equal opportunity in the tech, media, and telecom (TMT) industries, and closing the digital divide on behalf of its members and constituents, including owners of radio and television broadcast stations, programmers, prospective station owners, and others involved in the TMT industries. MMTC is generally recognized as the nation’s leading advocate for multicultural advancement in communications. We strongly believe that the breathtaking changes in communications technology and the new global forms of media partnerships must enhance diversity in the 21st century |
Addendum: David Honig (pictured), who founded the organization to work for increased ownership of broadcast properties by people of color and later, to bridge the digital divide, is a member of the Journal-isms Inc. board of directors.
From D.C. Public Library: Disability Summit
From SNCC Legacy Project (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee)
December 9: Freedom Teaching Community Conversation
Online only
7:00-8:30pm ET
| Join us for this online conversation with SNCC veterans, Judy Richardson and Zoharah Simmons, and movement historian Emilye Crosby to learn more about SNCC and voting rights and talk about how those lessons might be relevant today. This conversation will be moderated by educator and PhD student, Jessica Rucker. This virtual event is geared toward anyone who wants to learn more, including educators, elders, civic organizations, community or activist groups, librarians, youth, and you! |
From New York — ‘All Holidays’ Party
Epicenter-NYC is a community journalism multiplatform initiative that launched as a newsletter in 2020 to help neighbors navigate the Covid pandemic .
“Epicenter’s model reframes newsgathering toward partnering with, rather than reporting on, people and places whose heritage and stories have not always been told on their own terms. To be in such deep alignment with a philanthropic partner who shares our vision to center communities is a delight,” said S. Mitra Kalita, co-founder and publisher of Epicenter-NYC.” Some may know Mitra from her public service media work, or from the Washington Post, CNN, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Quartz or other media outlets.
. . . . New York Black Journalists Celebrate on Dec. 11
 . . . We’re throwing a fabulous celebration for NYABJ, and trust us, you don’t want to miss out! We’ll be honoring our amazing past board members, plus there’s gonna be thrilling raffles and a hilarious ugly sweater contest that’ll have everyone laughing! If you’re not rocking an ugly sweater, why not come dressed in your best Winter Wonderland Chic!   And let’s not forget about the specialty cocktails and mouth-watering food that’ll be served! This is all about celebrating our community and empowering each other, so let’s come together and make this a night to remember! Embrace your creativity and show off your unique style—let’s make it a night full of joy and togetherness in the NYABJ family! |
A Gilliam Is Cover Story in Boston
Bostonia Magazine, alumni magazine at Boston University, covers the inauguration of the school’s new president, Melissa L. Gilliam, daughter of Washington Post pioneer Dorothy Butler Gilliam and the late Sam Gilliam, abstract painter, sculptor and arts educator. h/t Kevin B. Blackistone
JOBS
From journalist organizations
- National Association of Hispanic Journalists
- National Association of Black Journalists
- Asian American Journalists Association
- Poynter Institute
- Society of Professional Journalists
- PublicMediaJobs.
From Society of Environmental Journalists
| Job | Employer | Location | Date Posted |
| Research and Communications Manager (Jan. 3 deadline) | Energy and Policy Institute | Remote | Dec. 2, 2024 |
| Research Fellow (Jan. 3 deadline) | Energy and Policy Institute | Remote | Dec. 2, 2024 |
| Head of Strategic Communications and Marketing (Dec. 2 deadline) | Colorado State University Energy Institute | Fort Collins, Colo. | Nov. 18, 2024 |
| Climate and Environment Reporter | KTOO Public Media | Juneau, Alaska | Nov. 18, 2024 |
| Environment & Energy Reporter (Nov. 25 deadline) | The Connecticut Mirror | Hartford, Conn. | Nov. 8, 2024 |
| World Radio Producer | GBH | Boston, Mass. | Nov. 6, 2024 |
| Associate Science Communicator or Science Communicator | San Francisco Estuary Institute | Richmond, Calif. | Oct. 30, 2024 |
| Investigative Reporting Fellow | The O’Brien Fellowship In Public Service Journalism | Milwaukee, Wis. | Oct. 25, 2024 |
Job-hunters: Also see our listing of organizations posting job openings.
From Jane F. Levey, editor, Washington History
Washington History: Magazine of the DC History Center seeks an experienced managing editor (short-term, part-time) to take spring issue to print. Immediate start through April, average 10-15 hours/week. The magazine is a lively hybrid of scholarship and general interest. Copy edit, assign volunteer writers, write captions, proofread, coordinate graphic design, and more. Contact editor Jane F. Levey for details: jflevey (at) dchistory.org.
From the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education
Investigative Reporting Fellowship, Ida B. Wells Society – Atlanta, GA
Content Creator, KMPH FOX26/KFRE CW59 – Fresno, CA
Affordable Housing Reporter, Houston Landing – Houston, TX
Education Reporter, San José Spotlight – San José, CA
Health Reporter, Signal Cleveland – Cleveland, OH
Managing Editor, Spotlight PA, Berks County Bureau – Berks County, PA
Cultural Economy Reporter, Verite News – New Orleans, LA
Politics Editor, Texas Tribune – Austin, TX
Managing Editor, Underscore Native News – Portland, OR
News and Politics Writer, Texas Monthly – Texas
Media Specialist, Center for Biological Diversity – Remote, U.S.
Clean Energy Reporter, Inside Climate News – Remote, TX
Music Editor, Phoenix New Times – Phoenix, AZ
Jim Lowe Public Media Internship – Lewiston, Maine
From the Associated Press
AP seeks newsperson (engagement editor)
