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Welcome to SPJ Leading Edge, a monthly e-newsletter designed to provide chapter leaders and officers with the tools and information to help you lead a chapter, grow and retain membership and improve and protect journalism in your communities. Remember, membership is local. How can we help? Communication is a two-way street. Please send your responses, ideas, questions or problems to .
June 2007
LEADERSHIP
Changing of the Guard?
June is a popular month for chapter elections, but we won’t know if there’s a change unless you tell us. Please make sure to update your chapter leadership with SPJ Headquarters. You can do it simply by logging in and visiting the New Leader Information Page. Questions? Contact Linda Hall via e-mail or at 317/927-8000 ext. 203.
MEMBERSHIP
Online reports (Part 546): The genius of Google
Did you know that SPJ online reports are updated constantly? That’s right, the latest membership info for your chapter is at your fingertips 24/7. Once we’ve processed payment, those rosters are updated. Download your chapter roster and geographic roster monthly to stay abreast of membership. Then follow the three-month and six-month member engagement plan to keep your members. Check on the new member, non-renewal and (coming soon) renewing member lists to keep up with member changes. If you don’t have Microsoft Excel, you can download SPJ member rosters into Google spreadsheets. Learn how here.
Get your membership plan in place today. Remember, the top three reasons for non-renewals are:
1) Lack of communication and outreach from local chapter
2) No longer working in the industry
3) “I forgot to send in my renewal.”
AWARDS/HONORS
Diversity Fellows deadline is June 29
Looking for a way to get to DC for convention? SPJ Diversity Leadership Grants are currently available to journalists and journalism educators of color. Grantees receive leadership training, mentoring by SPJ leaders, and travel, hotel & registration for the convention. Candidates are selected on the basis of leadership potential and current activities with SPJ. Follow this link for details and to get an application. Applications are due June 29.
PROGRAMMING
Ideas from the 2007 Ted Scripps Leadership Institute
These ideas came out of our brainstorming session for professional programs. Some have been tested, others have not. Contact the pro chapter next to the idea for more information.
— Tour of local military bases — Detroit Pro
— Nitty Gritty Bus Tour/Famous Murders — Chicago and LA
— Session with PIOs of ATF, FBI, Treasury, etc. on how to work with them during crisis, disaster, etc.
— Ethnic media programs with ethnic journalists in their communities and at their restaurants — Minnesota Pro
— Book sale with Marion Street Press (Contact Ed Avis / marionstreetpress.com)
— Reverse press conference with city leaders — St. Louis Pro / Valley of the Sun
— Anonymous Sources — LA
— Immigration (and covering other complex issues) — Fort Worth Pro
— After HIPAA
— GMs, Publishers, Financial Analysts discussion of media trends
WRITERS NEEDED
We’re updating the Leadership Guides
I’m looking for pros and campus leaders who can help to update the content of our Leadership Guides, the binder for the Ted Scripps Leadership Institute. If you’re interested in helping with this assignment, please contact Linda Hall via e-mail or at 317/927-8000 ext. 203 by June 29.
For more information about how to build membership, find resources or share ideas, contact Linda Hall via e-mail or at 317/927-8000 ext. 203.
April 2007
MEMBERSHIP
April is National Membership Outreach Month
All chapters are encouraged to work on membership recruitment this month. Attached is a template letter that can be used and customized to suit your chapter need. We also have a limited supply of Quill magazines available. The goal of this effort is to try to engage one to five new members throughout the year. The emphasis of this campaign is on quality, not quantity.
If you’d like your receive Quill magazines or other membership resources, please contact Linda Hall via e-mail or at 317/927-8000 ext. 203.
MEMBERSHIP
Why retention matters
SPJ headquarters closely monitors the membership numbers on a weekly basis. At the end of every month we see a significant drop-off of people who have chosen NOT to renew their memberships. Just how many members you ask? At the end of March our non-renewals were well over 600! Of those, about 400 were professional members and 200 were student members. Many of the larger chapters lost 10 or more members. That’s in one month! The top three reasons for non-renewal:
1) Lack of communication and outreach from local chapter
2) No longer working in the industry
3) “I forgot to send in my renewal.”
If you’re looking for strategies to retain members, please visit our Membership Maintenance page under Tools for Leaders. If you want to learn more about your specific chapter, contact Linda Hall via e-mail or at 317/927-8000 ext. 203.
OPERATIONS
Annual reports — simplified!
By now you should have received e-mail about the new online annual reports. Check out the online form for annual reports.
Why do we need annual reports? The annual report is the key to securing votes at the national convention.
— The chapter delegate count will be based on the number of national members in the chapter as of June 1, 2007; each qualified chapter is granted one delegate for every 50 active members.
— It provides a picture of the chapter’s overall health.
— Reports must be received by their deadline to be considered eligible for Chapter Program and Ethics Week grants.
— Reports must be received by their deadline in order to be considered for four-star ranking
— Reports must be received by their deadline to be considered for annual chapter awards. Chapters may be asked to submit supporting materials for chapter award review. Click here to learn more about chapter awards.
Campus chapter reports are due May 1 and pro chapter reports are due June 1. All reports are to be sent to SPJ Headquarters. If you have programs happening after the deadline, just make reference to those in the appropriate categories. Please do not wait to submit your report until they are finished.
AWARDS/HONORS
And the winner is...
Every year at convention, SPJ honors a number of individuals and chapters for their achievements. Click here for complete information on deadlines and eligibility for the following National SPJ Honors. But check soon because some deadlines are fast approaching.
Wells Memorial Key
Fellows of the Society
Helen Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award
Historic Sites in Journalism
Distinguished Teaching in Journalism Award
First Amendment Awards
Sunshine Awards
Ethics in Journalism Awards
David L. Eshelman Outstanding Campus Adviser Award*
Howard S. Dubin Outstanding Pro Member Award
Julie Galvan Outstanding Graduate in Journalism Award
Robert D.G. Lewis First Amendment Award
Regional Director of the Year Award
Circle of Excellence Awards
Outstanding Professional and Campus Chapter Awards
For more information about how to build membership, find resources or share ideas, contact Linda Hall via e-mail or at 317/927-8000 ext. 203.
February 2007
PROGRAMMING
Join in: Sunshine Week is March 11-17
Sunshine Week will be held March 11-17, 2007 and is intended to raise awareness of the importance of open government to everyone in the community, not just journalists. For more information, visit sunshineweek.org. Here’s a link to some “Bright Ideas” to help your chapter get involved.
This year’s event kicks off from 1-2:30 p.m. March 12 with a special event to be held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., and to be webcast around the country. "Closed Doors; Open Democracies?" will focus on access to government information, including the impact of government suppression and manipulation of scientific information on public health and safety - and accountability. The dialogue will start with a lively discussion of the issues and end with ideas for action. Ira Flatow of NPR’s “Science Friday” will moderate.
Event planners are seeking organizations to host the webcast and hold discussions in their communities. More information is available here.
The webcast will be archived, so if this is during your spring break, think about doing a local viewing and discussion when everyone is back. Organizers will determine if the panelists would be willing to receive e-mailed questions from sites that are not participating in the live event.
For more information, contact Emily Feldman at (202) 332-OPEN (6736) or e-mail efeldman@openthegovernment.org.
LEADERSHIP TRAINING
Apply now for 2007 Ted Scripps Leadership Institute
Applications for the 2007 Ted Scripps Leadership Institute, held June 1-3, 2007 in Indianapolis, are now being accepted and are due March 16, 2007. We strongly encourage those who will be serving as a chapter president during the 2007-08 year to apply.
— Explore your individual leadership style, its strengths, and how to better interact with others.
— Build a sense of community among chapter members.
— Understand the role of the leader in recruiting, developing, and rewarding talent.
— Discover the dynamics of group decision-making and how leaders can help groups make better choices.
— Find new insights on how to engage and motivate peers.
— Learn how to effectively manage responsibilities while remaining focused on important goals.
This is an invitation-only program. Applications will be reviewed and invitations will be extended to only 50 participants. A submitted application does not guarantee an invitation for this program.
Participants' travel, lodging, and meal costs are provided. Incidentals and spending money are the responsibility of the participant.
The Ted Scripps Leadership Institute honors the son of the founder of The E.W. Scripps Company. Ted’s sons, Edward W. Scripps Jr. and William H. Scripps, as a way to honor their father’s memory, provide funding through the Scripps Howard Foundation.
For more information about participating in this program, contact Chris Vachon at (317) 927-8000 ext. 207 or cvachon@spj.org.
OPERATIONS
Annual reports — simplified!
Good news, chapter leaders! Check out the online form for annual reports. This should make completing annual reports as simple as filling in a few lines, checking a few boxes and clicking “submit.”
Why do we need annual reports? The annual report is the key to securing votes at the national convention.
— The chapter delegate count will be based on the number of national members in the chapter as of June 1, 2007; each qualified chapter is granted one delegate for every 50 active members.
— It provides a picture of the chapter’s overall health.
— Reports must be received by their deadline to be considered eligible for Chapter Program and Ethics Week grants.
— Reports must be received by their deadline in order to be considered for four-star ranking. Click here to learn more about the chapter ranking system.
— Reports must be received by their deadline to be considered for annual chapter awards. Chapters may be asked to submit supporting materials for chapter award review. Click here to learn more about chapter awards.
Campus chapter reports are due May 1 and pro chapter reports are due June 1. All reports are to be sent to SPJ Headquarters.
MEMBERSHIP
SPJ National Membership Outreach Month
We’ve invited 17 professional chapters to participate in the April membership event. The goal of this campaign is to target a specific audience for membership (newsroom, age-range, type of journalist, etc.). Participating chapters will receive a template letter and overruns of the March Quill magazine to send to up to 50 prospects. We’d like to see each of these chapters bring in 1-5 new members that they can fully engage with during the first year. We’re striving for quality, not quantity.
If you’d like your chapter to be included, please contact Linda Hall via e-mail or at 317/927-8000 ext. 203 by Feb. 28. Resources are limited.
January 2007
Welcome to SPJ Leading Edge, a monthly e-newsletter designed to provide chapter leaders and officers with the tools and information to help you lead a chapter, grow and retain membership and improve and protect journalism in your communities. Remember, membership is local. How can we help? Communication is a two-way street.
LEADERSHIP TRAINING
Apply now for 2007 Ted Scripps Leadership Institute
Applications for the 2007 Ted Scripps Leadership Institute, held June 1-3, 2007 in Indianapolis, are now being accepted and are due March 16, 2007. We strongly encourage those who will be serving as chapter president during the 2007-08 year to apply.
— Explore your individual leadership style, its strengths, and how to better interact with others.
— Build a sense of community among chapter members.
— Understand the role of the leader in recruiting, developing and rewarding talent.
— Discover the dynamics of group decision-making and how leaders can help groups make better choices.
— Find new insights on how to engage and motivate peers.
— Learn how to effectively manage responsibilities while remaining focused on important goals.
This is an invitation-only program. Applications will be reviewed and invitations will be extended to only 50 participants. A submitted application does not guarantee an invitation for this program.
Participants' travel, lodging, and meal costs are provided. Incidentals and spending money are the responsibility of the participant.
The Ted Scripps Leadership Institute honors the son of the founder of The E.W. Scripps Company. Ted’s sons, Edward W. Scripps Jr. and William H. Scripps, as a way to honor their father’s memory, provide funding through the Scripps Howard Foundation.
For more information about participating in this program, contact Chris Vachon at (317) 927-8000 ext. 207 or cvachon@spj.org.
OPERATIONS
Annual reports — simplified!
Good news, chapter leaders! We’re creating an online form for annual reports that should make completing them as simple as filling in a few lines, checking a few boxes and clicking “submit.” Why do we need annual reports? The annual report is the key to securing votes at the national convention.
— The chapter delegate count will be based on the number of national members in the chapter as of June 1, 2007; each qualified chapter is granted one delegate for every 50 active members.
— It provides a picture of the chapter’s overall health.
— Reports must be received by their deadline to be considered eligible for Chapter Program and Ethics Week grants.
— Reports must be received by their deadline in order to be considered for four-star ranking. Click here to learn more about the chapter ranking system.
— Reports must be received by their deadline to be considered for annual chapter awards. Chapters may be asked to submit supporting materials for chapter award review. Click here to learn more about chapter awards.
Campus chapter reports are due May 1 and pro chapter reports are due June 1. All reports are to be sent to SPJ Headquarters.
RESOURCES
Newsroom Trainer kits are available now!
We’ve developed a new kit targeting newsroom trainers and managing editors in an effort to reach more newsrooms. This was developed in partnership with Region 3 Director Holly Fisher who is using them as a marketing tool to build a statewide chapter in South Carolina. If you’re interested in this newest resource, contact Linda Hall via e-mail or at 317/927-8000 ext. 203.
ONLINE
Why you need a chapter Web site
All chapters should be operating with regularly updated Web sites.
The Greater Philadelphia Pro is a great example of an SPJ Chapter Web site because it features the latest news on the home page, easy navigation and links to everything you need, including links back to spj.org pages.
No clue how to create a Web site? Take a friend who does know to lunch and ask if they will help. Visit the designers in your newsroom for help. Offer to pay their membership. They may like to network with your chapter members. This approach worked for the Cleveland Pro Chapter site. Their Web designer even threw in use of a great Cleveland skyline photo in exchange for a photo credit.
If you’re still not convinced your chapter needs a Web site then consider this:
— Headquarters staff sends all new and renewing members a link to your site for more local information.
— General inquiries are referred to your local sites for information.
— Staff visits them often to find ideas to share or for use in Quill and SPJ Leads.
Does your chapter have a Web site that isn’t included in our Chapter Web sites page? If so, please e-mail your URL to Billy O’Keefe to be added to that page.
Learn how SPJ can host your site by visiting this page.
MEMBERSHIP
SPJ National Membership Outreach Month
We’ve identified 20 professional chapters whose memberships are dropping, stagnating or who didn’t make membership a priority in 2005-06, according to their annual reports. Calls are being made to those we hope will participate in the April event.
The goal of this campaign is to target a specific audience for membership (newsroom, age-range, type of journalist, etc.). Participating chapters will receive a template letter and overruns of the March Quill magazine to send to up to 50 prospects. We’d like to see each of these chapters bring in 1-5 new members that they can fully engage with during the first year. We’re striving for quality, not quantity.
If you’d like your chapter to be included, please contact Linda Hall via e-mail or at 317/927-8000 ext. 203.
ONLINE
Please update your leader info
If your chapter recently held officer elections, please take a moment to update your chapter leadership information. We don’t know who the new people are unless you tell us. We need your president’s name and contact info, chapter mail contact and treasurer to keep your chapter records current. We don’t need board members or chairpersons. You can update this information one of three ways:
1) Online
2) E-mail Shaleen Hazelbaker shazelbaker@spj.org
3) Call Shaleen at (317) 927-8000, ext. 200
For more information about how to build membership, find resources or share ideas, contact Linda Hall via e-mail or at 317/927-8000 ext. 203.
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