Media Exposure!

Rock out for open government March 18 at 9 p.m. at Berbati’s Pan, 231 SW Ankeny St., as SPJ and Willamette Week co-sponsor Swim Swam Swum and special guests for Sunshine Week. The $5 event is a fundraiser for SPJ’s advocacy work - in high gear this year as Oregon’s Attorney General John Kroger tours the state talking transparency. Money raised will also support training for journalists, bloggers and anyone else who wants to use Oregon Public Records Law to keep government honest. Come hang out, see some great local bands and get an eyeful of who shows to this pro-transparency benefit. We’ll be asking public officials who support open government to come out and support our efforts.

How open is Oregon government?

Join the Society of Professional Journalists to discuss the meaning of open, transparent government at a public forum titled “Sunshine Lessons: How Open is Oregon Government?”

It takes place Saturday, March 20, from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Central Library’s 120-capacity U.S. Bank Room, 801 SW 10th Ave. Space for this free event available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Panelists include Therese Bottomly, an Open Oregon board member and managing editor for The Oregonian; Tony Green, Oregon Department ofJustice communications and policy director; and Norman Turrill of Open Oregon and the League of Women’s Voters. The moderator will be Lee van der Voo, Sunshine Chair for the Society of Professional Journalists’Oregon and Southwest Washington Chapter.

The Oregon and Southwest Washington chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists has awarded its inaugural $500 college scholarship for 2010 to Cambria Roth, a senior at Silverton High School. An aspiring sports journalist, Roth is the editor in chief ofher school newspaper and she has published pieces in her community’s newspapers, the Silverton Appeal and Our Town. Applicants for the local SPJ scholarship must be high school seniors with a demonstrated interest in journalism heading into college.

Applications from high school seniors in the Class of 2011 for next year’s scholarship will be accepted beginning Sept. 1. Applications, which are due Dec. 1, must include a 500-word essay about the applicant’s interest in journalism as well as a resume, letter of recommendation and three samples of journalistic work that have been published in their school’s paper or elsewhere. Entries may be submitted via email to hstern@wweek.com or by regular mail to Henry Stern, Willamette Week, 2220 NW Quimby, Portland OR 97210.

Nominate First Amendment allies and great new journalists

SPJ is now taking applications for two special prizes awarded for work done in Oregon and Southwest Washington. The Bob Chandler Rookie of the Year award recognizes talented new journalists. The First Freedom Award goes to non-journalists who have worked on behalf of open government, public records and the principles of the First Amendment. The deadline to nominate people for either award is 5 p.m. March 31, 2010. More details here.

Contest deadlines near - enter now

Journalists working for non-daily news organizations can now submit their best work for the Non-daily Contest of the Oregon/SW Washington Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. For the first time, online-only news organizations can also enter. Materials must be postmarked by Tuesday, Feb. 16. Click here for more details.

Watch for more information about the five-state Northwest Excellence in Journalism competition soon for info on the contest recognizing the region’s best work by magazines, broadcasters and daily print publications.

SPJ Region 10 Conference

Plans are underway for SPJ’s spring regional conference. This year’s event will be held April 9 and 10 at the Bell Harbor Conference Center in downtown Seattle. It is open to SPJ members and nonmembers in Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana.
Friday, April 9 (evening): Informal SPJ Press Club (location TBD)
Saturday, April 10 (all day): Skills-based sessions (social media, freelancing, audio & video for the web, etc.), keynote speakers and workshops and journalism expo for our sponsors.

For more information visit www.spjwash.org

The state guide to meetings and records law, until Dec. 2 available only as a $25 print copy, is now online here.