| Feb. 19, 2008 | |
 | |
LESSONS IN LITTLE ROCK: LOOK AT RACE AND GENDER IN PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN The presidential contest challenges American journalists to set aside stereotypes and worn story frames to report with insight on issues of race and gender, Keith Woods told participants at the APME NewsTrain at the Clinton Presidential Center and Park in Little Rock earlier this month. Woods is dean of faculty at The Poynter Institute and co-editor of The Authentic Voice: The Best Reporting on Race and Ethnicity. He was keynote speaker for the workshop, held in collaboration with Mid-America Press Institute and hosted locally by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Woods criticized much reporting on the Iowa Democratic caucuses, saying it began with a premise that stereotyped white Iowa voters as unwilling to support a black candidate. The public's understanding of the realities of American race relations may be better informed than that of the press, Woods suggested. Reporting from the extremes misses an accurate picture of what is happening in the broader middle ground of the country's life, he said. The NewsTrain workshop, which drew more than 90 editors from community and campus newsrooms, set two milestones: It was the 50th workshop since the program was launched in 2004, and the large attendance pushed total enrollment past the 4,000 mark. Other presenters at Little Rock NewsTrain offered these tips for editors: On filing quickly for the Web: Kelly Kissel, Arkansas news editor for the Associated Press, shared AP guidelines for filing fast and getting it right. • Go with what you know. When in doubt, leave it out. • Keep it simple. You're not trying to win a writing prize. Massaging can come later. • Build in blocks. Send one to three paragraphs at a time. On giving effective feedback: Praise should be specific, detailed and undiluted. Stop with what's good. If you introduce a negative, that's all the recipient will hear, says Kristin Gilger, assistant dean, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Arizona State University. On skeptical editing: Make your own list of questions that editors should ask of every story. Here are ones on a list compiled writing and editing coach Rosalie Stemer: • How do you know that? How else do you know that? • Is the main point of the story supported? • Did the reporter ask to see the original data? • Did I do the math? Where do the numbers come from? For more information about the APME NewsTrain, including the 2008 schedule, go to www.newstrain.org. WEBINAR ON RACE FACTOR IN POLITICS If you missed the Little Rock NewsTrain, but are interested in learning more about covering race in this year's presidential campaign, APME can help. The Poynter Institute is offering APME members a $10 discount to participate in a Web seminar on Feb. 28 by Keith Woods. The Webinar is 2-3 p.m. EST, Thursday, Feb. 28. The cost $19.95, $9.95 for APME members (use promo code PAPMERPR08 in payment window). For more details and to register: www.newsu.org/CoveringRace. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT AT AN APME CONFERENCE? If have not taken APME's short survey about the shape of future APME conferences, we would appreciate if you would do so today. As plans are laid or annual conferences in these tight budget times, the association's leadership wants to make sure these high-impact professional experiences meet he needs of our members. We'd appreciate your quick feedback on three questions posted here. BEST BET: APME's 2008 CONFERENCE IN VEGAS It's never too early to register for the APME Conference Sept. 8-11 in Las Vegas. The APME, the Associated Press Photo Managers and the Society for News Design join forces to offer three conventions for the price of one. Join more than 1,000 journalists under one roof in the world's top meeting city for a hands-on, forward-looking program and come home with hundreds of ideas about how to do it better. APME registration fees: Early Bird (Dec. 28, 2007-June 1, 2008) – dues-paying member, $345; non-member, $420; Online Editor (accompanying a dues-paying member), $175; Online Editor (accompanying non-member), $210.00. Regular (June 2, 2008-Sept. 11, 2008) – dues-paying member, $395; non-member, $470; online editor (accompanying a dues-paying member), $200; online editor (accompanying non-member) $235. To register, go here. While you're at it, click here to book your room at the conference hotel, the beautiful Red Rock Resort, Casino and Spa. Use the password PRESS (all caps) to get the APME/APPM/SND rate of $179 a night. INSTANT CITATIONS AFFIRM NEWS COOPERATIVE APME President David Ledford has recognized these newspapers with APME Instant Citations to acknowledge their extraordinary efforts to contribute local news to the AP report: • Albany (Ore.) Democrat-Herald – Photo coverage of a plane crash outside Albany on Feb. 8, 2008. • Beaver Dam (Wis.) Daily Citizen – Photo coverage of a woman being released from prison after her conviction was overturned on Feb. 6, 2008. • Eau Claire (Wis.) Leader-Telegram – Photo coverage of a winter storm on January 29, 2008. • Idaho Statesman of Boise, Idaho – Photo coverage on Super Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008. • Lubbock (Texas) Avalanche-Journal – Text and photo coverage of the unexpected resignation of Texas Tech basketball coach Bob Knight. • LaFayette (Ind.) Journal & Courier – Photo coverage of flooding in north-central Indiana in early January. • The Marshall (Minn.) Independent – Text and photo coverage of a Granite Falls, Minn., soldier killed in Afghanistan. Papers receiving an APME Instant Citation are nominated by their state's AP bureau chief or news editor. • John Brennan has been named editor of the Fort Morgan (Colo.) Times. • Celeste Cornish has been named editor of the North Kitsap Herald in Poulsbo, Wash. • Laurena Mayne Davis has been named managing editor of Grand Junction (Colo.) Sentinel. • Peter Mattiace has been named editor of the Findlay (Ohio) Courier. • Robin McCormick has been named managing editor of the Daily Press in Hampton Roads, Va. • Kris Worrell has been named managing editor of the Beaumont (Texas) Enterprise. • Jim Zebora has been named managing editor of Greenwich (Conn.) Time. Editors looking for the latest industry news should bookmark the APME forum and find the AP Industry News RSS feed in the lower left hand corner. To receive e-mail notification of new APME Updates, write to APME@ap.org Previous issues: Feb. 4 | Jan. 18 | Oct. 12, 2007 | July 16, 2007 | June 25, 2007 | Archive |
|
| APME Home |
| ABOUT US: APME Update is published regularly by the Associated Press Managing Editors Association. APME Update is edited by Mark Mittelstadt.
Send submissions by e-mail to apme@ap.org or call Mark at (212) 621-1838. |
• • • To receive APME Update by e-mail notify apme@ap.org. APME is a newspaper editors association founded in 1933 to provide input on the services of The Associated Press and to help newsroom managers become better leaders. A business league under section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code, APME is funded through registrations and sponsorships at the annual conference, APME Supporting Memberships and in-kind support. The Associated Press Managing Editors Association Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, supports educational programming. Membership in APME is open to senior print and online editors at AP member newspapers in the United States and Canadian Press publications in Canada. APME Supporting Memberships are $100 a year. Mailing address: Associated Press Managing Editors Association, The Associated Press, 19 Commerce Court West, Cranbury, N.J. 08512-2416. Phone: (609) 860-7384. Fax: (212) 506-6102. E-mail: apme@ap.org. Web: www.apme.com. |
• • • Please help us keep your contact information up-to-date. To change your profile, please click here. |
| Top |