Minnesota Journalism Center
Annual Report 2012-2013
Minnesota Journalism Center
Annual Report 2012 - 2013
director
Table of Contents
Nora Paul EDITOR
Sue Couling ASSISTANT EDITOR
Sarah Howard
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DESIGN
Nicholas Khow CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Sue Couling, Sarah Howard, Nora Paul COPY EDITOR
Letta Page PHOTOGRAPHY
Sue Couling, Sarah Howard, Bill Kelley, Mark Vancleave
04 Looking Ahead
Note: Some articles were previously published in the Murphy Reporter, the alumni magazine of the University of Minnesota School of Journalism & Mass Communication.
Exciting new research and partnerships highlight the plans for 2013-2014.
06 History of the MJC 06 Meet the Staff 07 Careers in Data Journalism
Students learn about the growing field of data-driven journalism.
Different perspectives on journalismrelated topics provide interesting insights.
14 See Change 2013 16 Spring Showcase
Send questions or comments to Minnesota Journalism Center 115 Murphy Hall 206 SE Church St. Minneapolis, MN 55455 mnjrnctr@umn.edu The University of Minnesota shall provide equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. This publication is available in alternative formats upon request. Direct requests to Sue Couling at 612-6261723 or scouling@umn.edu.
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European journalists get a glimpse of the United States’ 2012 presidential election.
11 From Fact to Fiction
Mystery author and former journalist Brad Parks talks about the connection between fiction and reporting.
11 Iraq War: 10 Years Later
Ten years after the start of the Middle East conflict, journalists share personal stories and reflections.
MJC joins in to celebrate a year of excellence with students, donors and alumni from the School of Journalism & Mass Communication.
18 IRE Watchdog Workshop
Journalists hone their investigative skills at a two-day workshop.
10 Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists
Exploring the Premack legacy and future of public affairs reporting in Minnesota.
Visual professionals meet for creative discovery and innovation.
08 Conversation Among Crafts
12 Restructuring Premack
18 ONACamp
The Online News Association’s ONACamp takes place at Murphy Hall.
19 MNA Annual Convention
MJC meets with newspaper editors and writers from around the state.
19 NSPA Summer Workshops
Murphy Hall hosts high school and collegiate journalists from around the country.
It is no news flash that the work of journalists has changed dramatically over the past decade. There is no “single channel” newsroom anymore. Competition for the audience’s time and attention has never been more challenging. The complexity of issues and the plethora of sources for information about those issues make the work of informing and engaging citizens critically important. In this era of news apps, “big data” and other technology-driven changes, journalists need to keep up with a constantly changing media landscape while continuing to hone their reporting and storytelling skills. And while understanding technology is important, it is relationships, conversations and community that are still at the heart of a journalist’s work. The Minnesota Journalism Center (MJC) was busy in 2012 offering a variety of programming to help journalists and other communications professionals. We started Conversation Among Crafts, a series of events that each focus on a skill important to journalistic work and takes a look at how people in other fields are using this skill. The result was
packed houses and intriguing dialogue on everything from interviewing to crowdsourcing. We brought together local leaders in the practice of data journalism to talk with SJMC students about new professional opportunities. We collaborated with national professional organizations to make their high-level training available to regional journalists. And, in 2012, after careful consideration and much discussion with the Premack Board and the MJC Advisory Board, we decided to sunset a longtime initiative, the Premack Awards. For more on this decision and the legacy of the Awards, see page 12. While we have continued to offer a variety of collaborations and conversations over the past year, 20122013 has also been a time of regrouping and information gathering to help inform our future initiatives. The survey we’ve launched to hear from Minnesota journalists (you’ll read more about on page 4) will inspire new connections and focused training opportunities. Look for big changes in 20132014. We are in the process of creating new ways to support, encourage and celebrate the vital work of public
service journalism in order to carry on the tradition of the Premack Awards program. We are working to create stronger connections between regional chapters and national headquarters of journalism organizations to support their excellent training programs. And we will continue to leverage the tremendous intellectual assets of being located within a research university. I hope you enjoy reviewing the Minnesota Journalism Center’s 2012-2013 activities in this annual report. Your ideas and comments about how we can build on the strong programs and connections with Minnesota journalists and media professionals developed over the MJC’s 35 years are welcomed.
Nora Paul Director, Minnesota Journalism Center
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Looking Ahead
Partnerships are key to adding impact and expanding reach of the MJC In 2012-2013, we started to set the stage for new programs and initiatives at the Minnesota Journalism Center. When thinking about the role of the Premack Awards in the environment of Minnesota journalism, it was decided that sunsetting the Premack Awards will make time and resources available for new ways to support public affairs reporting. This decision was supported by the Minnesota Journalism Center Advisory Board. In April 2013, we convened local professional journalism organizations to start the conversation about how we could collaborate and support their training efforts. Thanks to connections like these, MJC is partnering with many of these organizations to bring new and collaborative programming to Minnesota. This type of co-creation is vital to the journalism community. But beyond simply working together, we need to hear from Minnesota journalists to fully understand how the MJC can properly serve the community. Any good project starts with good research. To that end we have launched a survey for journalists in any size or type of newsroom in Minnesota to share information about their communities’ most pressing issues, the reporting issues on which they most wish they could spend more time reporting, the resources or skill sets about which they would most like to learn more and the ways the Minnesota Journalism Center could best help them do the important work of public affairs reporting. If you are a journalist covering a topic that an informed community needs to better understand, we hope you’ll take a few minutes to fill out the survey. And if you know a journalist, please send the link along to them to fill out: z.umn.edu/mjcsurvey.
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We are excited about reenergizing the work of the Minnesota Journalism Center in the coming year and are eager to hear your ideas for programming. Thus far, our 2013-2014 plans include sponsoring events and creating training opportunities in the following ways: Collaborating with Professional Organizations: In 2012-2013 we had the Online News Association and Investigative Reporters & Editors bring their popular training efforts to the University of Minnesota. In July, we launched the 2013-2014 year with a twoday mobile design workshop provided by the Society of News Design. This fall, we will host the Society for Professional Journalists’ JournCamp and a student career workshop sponsored by the National Association of Television Program Executives in conjunction with the Minnesota Broadcasters Association Job Fair. We are actively seeking opportunities to collaborate with and support regional programming from national organizations. Supporting Topical Reporting Interests: With the Premack Awards program on hiatus, we are shifting our efforts and funding to other ways to support public affairs reporting. Our survey will allow us to understand statewide journalist reporting interests and needs. With this information, we will create programming to bring together reporters and those with knowledge or experience that can help them more deeply and confidently report on complex issues. Leveraging University Expertise: Pick a topic — any topic — and there is
someone at the University of Minnesota who is deeply knowledgeable about it. We at the Minnesota Journalism Center know that the most valuable asset available to us is the network of experts and researchers available to us across the University. We will be working with other University centers on programming that brings together the academy and the industry in ways that will inform both in the service of our communities. As you can see from the list of already scheduled events on the back cover, 2013-2014 promises to be filled with chances to hear from interesting people, engage in national organizations’ training and sit in on conversations with experts from a variety of disciplines. We’ve just started envisioning new ways to work with the professional journalism community and connect them with the rich and varied academic resources at the University. We look forward to the future! -Minnesota Journalism Center Staff
Take Our Survey Tell us what you are interested in. Take the survey now and then share the link with your colleagues.
z.umn.edu/mjcsurvey We will be providing a report about the responses to this survey in Fall 2013 and announcing our line-up of programming in early 2014.
Some of the professional organizations we’ve hosted or will be working with in the coming year...
The Minnesota Journalism Center continues to work with a diverse group of University colleges, departments and centers including: College of Design Department of Anthropology Department of Communication Studies Department of English Heller-Hurwicz Economics Institute Institute for Advanced Study
Soci al Media and Business Analytics Collaborative (SOBACO) University Bookstores Women’s Law Student Association
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History of the Minnesota Journalism Center The Minnesota Journalism Center was established in 1979 through a gift to the University of Minnesota from the late John Cowles, Sr., chairman of the Minneapolis Star and Tribune Company, and his wife, the late Elizabeth Bates Cowles. The center is housed in Murphy Hall, home to the University of Minnesota’s School of Journalism & Mass Communication. In January 2011, the Institute for New Media Studies (INMS) merged with the Minnesota Journalism Center. The combined center is now directed by former INMS director Nora Paul, who took over the position from faculty member Kathleen A. Hansen in 2010.
The center’s purpose is to improve the practice of journalism, promote interaction between media professionals and the academy and serve as the outreach arm of the School of Journalism & Mass Communication. To this end, the center organizes, sponsors or co-sponsors more than 30 events each year. The Minnesota Journalism Center also manages the SJMC Conference Center, including all reservations for seminars or workshops and collaborates with other centers at the SJMC and across the University campus to provide a wide range of events to our community.
Advisory Board Members • Nancy Barnes, Editor, Star Tribune • John Bodette, Executive Editor, St. Cloud Times • Mike Burbach, Editor, St. Paul Pioneer Press • Steve Hedlund, Principal, The Hedlund Group • Lisa Hills, Executive Director, Minnesota Newspaper Association • Joel Kramer, Publisher, MinnPost • Jim Pagliarini, President and CEO, TPT Twin Cities Public Television From the School of Journalism & Mass Communication: • Kathleen A. Hansen, Director of Undergraduate Studies • Albert Tims, Director, SJMC • Keith Moyer, Senior Fellow
Meet the Staff
Staffers share their favorite memories of 2012-2013
Sue Couling
Sarah Howard
Events Manager
Communication Manager
“My highlight is the Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists. I love learning from the visitors as they examine local issues from so many different cultural perspectives.”
“Hearing from author and former journalist Brad Parks was really memorable. He offered inspiration for the writers in the room and gave us an inside peek at book publishing.”
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Nick Khow
Programs Assistant
“My favorite event was See Change. As a journalism and graphic design major, it is really invaluable to hear speakers from such impressive and diverse backgrounds discuss creativity and design.
Alex Eastman Programs Assistant
“As a graduating journalism major, Spring Showcase was a great chance to celebrate the year and have fun with my classmates.”
Nora Paul Director of MJC
“Connecting with local journalists keeps me informed about what’s going on in the industry and is invaluable to my work as an SJMC instructor teaching the next generation.”
Panel Explores Careers in Data Journalism Students learn about the growing field of data-driven journalism
On September 28, 2012, more than 40 students gathered in Murphy Hall to hear about data journalism and to learn how to become engaged with this burgeoning field. The event featured a panel of Twin Cities journalists on the cutting-edge of data journalism: SJMC student and AP-Google Scholar Kevin Schaul; computer-assisted data reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press MaryJo Webster; director of news technology at MinnPost Kaeti Hinck; and senior reporter for the Public Insight Network at American Public Media Jeff Severns Guntzel. The panel was moderated by SJMC assistant professor Seth Lewis. The panel emphasized innovation and cutting-edge technology when using data to tell stories, and they stressed the importance of journalists’ understanding of the numbers they use in storytelling. As a direct outcome of this gathering, students interested in data journalism created the student group “jCode.”
Moderated by
Seth Lewis
SJMC Assistant Professor
Jeff Severns Guntzel
Senior Reporter Public Insight Network American Public Media
Kaeti Hinck
Director of News Technology MinnPost
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MaryJo Webster Computer-Assisted Reporting Editor St. Paul Pioneer Press
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1: Data Journalism panelists Kevin Schaul, MaryJo Webster, Kaeti Hinck and Jeff Severns Guntzel. 2: SJMC student Schaul with moderator and SJMC assistant professor Seth Lewis. 3: Audience members listen to the panelists. 4: Webster and Hinck.
Kevin Schaul
SJMC Undergraduate, AP-Google Scholar Winner, Intern with MinnPost Data Team
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Conversation Among Crafts The Conversation Among Crafts series was born in 2012 from the idea that a particular craft, trend or process is usually not unique to a single industry, only to its application in industry practice. When we examine that idea from many different perspectives, we gain insight into new approaches and previously unexplored ways of operating. Patterns emerge and cross-industry similarities are identified.
Over the past year, the conversations have included traditional journalists as well as computer scientists, historians, government officials, lawyers, geologists, corporate strategists and library scientists. What we’ve learned is this: anyone, regardless of job title or industry, can offer a new perspective on an old topic. Learning comes from unexpected places.
Conversation Among Crafts
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Interviewing
Data Visualization
The Conversation series started with a simple topic. Interviewing techniques are among the most important skills a journalist must hone. But journalists are not the only professionals who rely on skillful interviewing. On April 10, 2012, attendees heard about interviewing skills as practiced by an oral historian, a social security fraud investigator, an executive headhunter and a labor law specialist. Panelists included T.J. Conley, labor and employment lawyer; Jay Brunn, fraud investigator for the Social Security Administration; Lars Leafblad, principal, KeyStone Search; and Deborah Locke from the Minnesota History Center, who has been conducting oral history interviews in Minnesota and Canada with members of the Dakota Nation.
The December Conversation Among Crafts inspired attendees as they learned about unique and cutting-edge ways of using data to tell a story or display information. Panelists shared visualizations ranging from virtual sculpture to a product life cycle to a ‘day-in-the life’ of a Nice Ride bicycle. The expert panel included Daniel Keefe, McKnight-Land Grant Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota and director of Interactive Visualization Lab (IV/LAB); Jennifer Jevnisek, environmental scientist, Braun Intertec Corp.; Alan Palazzolo, interactive news developer at MinnPost; and Jason Voiovich, Director of corporate marketing, Logic PD.
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1: Attendees Wendy Lee, Katherine Glover and Joel Hoekstra. 2: Nora Paul welcomes guests. 3: Attendees Gayle “G.G.” Golden, Jenna Ross and Jim Mesick. 4: Jason Voiovich. 5: Alan Palazzolo.
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Conversation Among Crafts In 2013-2014, we’ll continue the series while refining the structure to help facilitate more in-depth conversations. We want to provide actionable insights that participants can apply to their own work. Ideas for upcoming topics include managing digital assets, public records access and the Freedom of Information Act, trend spotting via social media and fast cycle information checking.
If you would like to suggest a topic, participate as a Conversation panelist or recommend an expert on one of these topics, please send an email to mnjrnctr@umn.edu. See mjc.umn.edu for dates, times and speaker details.
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May 2013
Web Analytics
Crowdsourcing
The Conversation continued in February with a diverse crowd gathering to discuss web analytics, which involves the collection and analysis of Internet data to provide insight into a site’s readers, customers, prospects and utility. In this Conversation Among Crafts however, the professional panelists went far beyond the simple “how many hits did I get?” to share their work with public opinion mining, affinity strings and audience analysis as a basis for developing new editorial products and search-informed content creation. The expert panel included Ravi Bapna, Board of Overseers Professor of Information and Decision Sciences, Carlson School of Management and Academic Director, Social Media and Business Analytics Collaborative (SOBACO), University of Minnesota; Chris Cook, mobile planning and strategy, Target Corporation; Kristi Jensen, program development lead, eLearning Support Initiative; and Denise Olszewski, digital project manager, Star Tribune.
The final event in the 2012-2013 series convened on May 14 with a discussion on crowdsourcing. Crowdsourcing allows reporters to gather sources, ideas and content from a large group of people, whether it be the general public or fellow reporters. Crowdsourcing uses the power of many to solve a problem. In this event, Michael Caputo talked about how the Public Insight Network at American Public Media allows reporters to solicit the general public to gather sources and story ideas. Philip Sellew, associate professor of Classical and Near Eastern Studies at the University of Minnesota described his project, Ancient Lives, which translates papyrus scrolls with the help of people around the globe. He even had the group doing some live updating during the event. Noah Skogorboe of the Minnesota Historical Society followed suit, showing the attendees how to participate in a crowdsourced project in Australia that is similar to MNHS’s plans to digitize Minnesota’s newspaper archives.
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6: Denise Olszewski of the Star Tribune. 7: MJC director Nora Paul talks with Chris Cook of Target. 8: Ravi Bapna of SOBACO, Carlson School of Management.
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Edward R. Murrow Fellows Visit Minnesota Minnesota Journalism Center hosts international journalists for eighth year
In November, during the 2012 Presidential Election, 19 international journalists from 16 European countries visited the University of Minnesota as part of the Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists. Made possible through a partnership with the Minnesota International Center and the U.S. Department of State, the trip allows journalists to explore the United States and learn about our politics, culture and international relations. The Murrow Fellows, who hailed from such countries as Russia, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey, started their trip with informational panels about the two proposed Constitutional Amendments on Minnesota’s ballot: the marriage amendment and the Voter ID amendment. “I finally understand the Voter ID amendment!” said Alina Anghel, a television reporter from Romania. “It was great to hear both sides and learn more about this issue.” Following the panel, journalists were paired with a Twin Cities media professional with similar reporting interests. Editors, writers and producers from such entities as the Star Tribune and KSTP-TV participated. “The job shadowing was so interesting and I learned so much,” said Uros Urbas, a business reporter in Slovenia, who was matched with John Vomhof Jr. of the Mpls./ St. Paul Business Journal. On Election Day, the Fellows visited a polling place to observe voting processes and then visited the St. Paul campaign office of President Barack Obama. Then they toured Minnesota Public Radio to learn about how the station was covering the election. On the following day, the Fellows heard from SJMC faculty members Heather LaMarre, Amy Kristin Sanders and Brendan Watson about the impact of the election and a debrief of political communication practices. The program finished with a panel discussion about the Affordable Care Act (commonly referred to as Obamacare) and its impact on business and American health.
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1: The Murrow Fellows with staff from SJMC and the Minnesota Journalism Center. 2: Mike Tegeder of the Church of Gichitwaa Kateri and St. Francis Cabrini Church and Kevin Petersen, co-founder of the Pro-Marriage Amendment Forum. 3: Uros Urbas interviews a voter on Election Day. 4: MPR News Director Chris Worthington speaks to the Fellows. 5: Barack Obama communications staffer Preston Maddock is interviewed by Mary Elizabeth Regan of Ireland. 6: Astrid Meland of Norway speaks with a Barack Obama campaign volunteer. 7: The Fellows gather outside of Barack Obama’s St. Paul campaign office. 8: Jackie Crosby of the Star Tribune and Vidya Venkataraman speak about healthcare. 9: John Rash speaks about media and politics.
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From Fact to Fiction
Mystery author and former journalist Brad Parks talks about the connection between fiction and reporting On April 18, 2013, former journalist and award-winning crime author Brad Parks visited MJC to explore the connection between journalistic reporting and fictional writing. “The ability to tell stories sets the human species apart,” Parks said. “I spent my life developing a sense of what a good story is, and that translates to journalistic writing or fictional writing.” Parks admits many of his fictional ideas stem from the world around him. “Many of my characters and storylines aren’t far from real-life,” he said. He also spoke about how a reporter’s insistence on the truth can help when creating fiction. “When you’re telling a story, ‘something’ happened. Your job is to
find the truth about the ‘something.’” But, for Parks, the transition into fiction wasn’t easy. “It took me a while to learn that it was OK to make stuff up,” he said. “I was definitely worried about angry letters,” he admitted. Parks talked about how freeing fictional writing can be and how having time to investigate a story is liberating if you’re used to the “grind” of daily journalism. “Telling the truth takes time, which you don’t always have with daily journalism,” he said. “When you’re writing a book, you have the time to investigate details and places that you might not have as a journalist at a newspaper.” Parks started his journalistic career at age 14 and founded a weekly sports newspaper he ran out of his dorm room at Dartmouth College. After graduating, he began a 20-year career in journalism before turning to fiction writing in 2008. He held reporting roles at The Washington Post and The Star-Ledger in Newark, N.J. Parks’ most recent novel, “The Good Cop,” follows his perennial protagonist, investigative journalist Carter Ross, through
the world of gun smuggling. His previous novels are “Faces of the Gone,” “Eyes of the Innocent,” and “The Girl Next Door.” He is currently at work on his fifth Carter Ross mystery.
Journalists Cover Conflict
Ten years after the start of the Middle East conflict, journalists share first-hand stories and reflections
On Feb. 26, 2013 — nearly 10 years after the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom — the MJC welcomed a group of journalists who have covered the conflict to explore the effect of media coverage on the entire region. The talk was moderated by Professor William Beeman, chair of the University of Minnesota Department of Anthropology. Beeman helped set the stage by giving an overview of the state of affairs in the Middle East today. Following Beeman’s introduction, Reese Erlich, freelance journalist and author of “Target Iraq: What the News Media Didn’t Tell You” and “Conversations with Terrorists: Middle East Leaders on Politics, Violence and Empire,” spoke about the effect that American media coverage had during the tense era. Erlich was followed by local journalists who worked on the ground in the Middle East in the decade after 9/11: Jeff Severns Guntzel, who reported for media website Electronic Iraq and Paul McEnroe, investigative reporter at the Star Tribune.
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1: Author Reese Erlich. 2: Paul McEnroe of the Star Tribune. 3: Professor William Beeman, chair of the University of Minnesota Department of Anthropology. 4: Jeff Severns Guntzel of American Public Media
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Restructuring Premack
Building new initiatives that support great public affairs reporting Throughout its 35 years, the Premack Awards came to be known as the Midwest’s Pulitzer Prize. Named for Frank Premack, the hard-driving projects editor at the Minneapolis Tribune who died at age 42 in 1975, the prize was given annually for Minnesotabased public affairs reporting excellence. Originally created to last just a few years, the Premack Awards funding was picked up in 1979 by the Minnesota Journalism Center and the University of Minnesota School of Journalism & Mass Communication. The award was unique in that its board not only consisted of members of the media, but of activists, politicians and engaged citizens who all shared the belief that strong public affairs reporting leads to an informed citizenry. Their efforts over the years made the Premack awards program possible. Another unique aspect of this award program was its judging. Entries were not judged by a “jury of peers” as with other journalism awards, but by a panel of citizens, activists and lawmakers who determined which
reporting was most impactful. Over the years, the environment of local journalism awards changed as other organizations began to recognize quality reporting and writing. The competition for entries rose and the prestige of the Premack Awards diminished beyond regional interest. In 2012, the Premack Board realized this and saw that it was time to rethink the effort and expense of holding the Premack Awards program. We wondered: Is there a better way to serve the needs of the journalists doing the important work of public affairs reporting in Minnesota? After brainstorming ideas and potential programming, the Premack Board voted to put the Premack Awards on hiatus to see what other opportunities could be developed.
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Frank Premack
While the granting of awards to journalists doing great public affairs reporting may be on hold, the mission of the Minnesota Journalism Center to support and celebrate this work is clear. We are exploring new opportunities and new ways to support outstanding public affairs reporting. For more on future plans, see the “Looking Ahead” section on page 4.
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1: Nora Paul, director of the Minnesota Journalism Center, brandishes Frank Premack’s legendary bull whip at the 2012 Premack Award ceremony. 2: Dan Balz, Washington Post policital correspondent, former vice president Walter Mondale and former Minnesota NAACP president Matthew Little at the 2004 Premack Awards Ceremony. 3: Joel Kramer speaks at the 2009 Premack Awards ceremony after he and MinnPost were honored with the George A. Farr Award. 4: A Premack Award winner from 1983. The article was published in the St. Paul Pioneer Press and written by Allen Short and Jeffrey Kummer. Over the 35 year history, 130 articles were recognized for their impact. 5: Laura Waterman Wittstock, who received the George A. Farr Award in 2011, was honored with a drumming circle.
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The following people have served on the Premack Board and have been critical to the success of the Premack Awards. Affiliation listed is current at the time of service. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Nancy Alfton, Arts activist Brian Anderson, MSP Communications G. Barry Anderson, MN Supreme Court Kelly Boldan, West Central Tribune Karen Boros, WCCO Darin Broton, Tunheim Partners Mike Burbach, St. Paul Pioneer Press Barry Casselman, The Preludium Nancy Conner, MNSCU Art Coulson, Redbird Media Craig Cox, Minneapolis Observer Gary Eichten, Minnesota Public Radio Tim Engstrom, Albert Lea Tribune George Farr, Minnesota DFL Party Chairman John Finnegan, Sr., St. Paul Pioneer Press Gayle “G.G.” Golden, University of Minnesota Sally Graven, Honorary board member Kathleen A. Hansen, University of Minnesota Noelle Hawton, Tunheim Partners John Holmes, Holmes & Associates Tom Horner, Himle Horner Seitu Jones, Artist Sean Kershaw, Citizens League
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Mary Lahammer, tpt Twin Cities Public Television DJ Leary, Political analyst and raconteur Matt Little, Minnesota NAACP Deb Locke, Minnesota Historical Society Rose McGee, Artist and entrepreneur Amy Nelson, St. Paul Pioneer Press Nora Paul, University of Minnesota Wayne Popham, Lawyer Rohan Preston, Star Tribune Jim Pumarlo, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Heidi Raschke, Mpls.St.Paul Magazine Jim Rosenbaum, District Court Judge Tom Scott, Center for Urban and Regional Affairs Chuck Slocum, Republican Party of Minnesota Warren Spannaus, Minnesota Attorney General Joe Spear, Mankato Free Press John Stanoch, Qwest Lori Sturdevant, Star Tribune John Sundvor, Fargo Forum George Thiss, Republican State Chairman Peter Vanderpoel, Minneapolis Tribune Frank Wright, Star Tribune
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Do You See Change?
Conference allows for creative discovery and innovation What do you see when you mix designers, photographers, inventors and visualists for two days? Well, you see change. And that’s exactly the goal of See Change: The Power of Visual Communication, which gathers luminaries from across the visual spectrum to innovate and explore. The fourth annual conference opened the evening of May 21, 2013, with a keynote from Brian Collins, chief creative officer of New York City-based COLLINS, whose clients include CocaCola, BP, Microsoft and Hershey’s. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Fortune and Fast Company, which named him one of five American Masters of Design. “As designers we need to move from communicating content to creating it,” he said. “We need to move from designing objects to designing systems.”
Day two of the conference began with a warm-up from Marcela Lorca, movement director of Minneapolis’ Guthrie Theater. Throughout the day, leaders in the fields of design, photography, creativity and videography took to the stage at the theater in Coffman Memorial Union to share, collaborate and teach. Featured speakers included Carl DeTorres, founder of multidisciplinary design studio Carl DeTorres Graphic Design; Sven Seger, chief creative officer of FutureBrand; Guillermo Nagore, managing creative director at SY Partners; Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton, food publication gurus at Canal House Cooking; photographer Jim Fiscus; Jorg Pierach, president and creative director at Fast Horse; Aaron Doering and Charles Miller from the Learning Technologies Media Lab at the University of Minnesota; Geoff
Warner, founder of architecture firm Alchemy and creator of weeHouse; and Jason Sondhi and Ivan Kander of Short of the Week. See Change was started with an endowment from former SJMC faculty member R. Smith “Smitty” Schuneman and his wife, Pat. SJMC alumna and former Schuneman student Mary K. Baumann and AIGA Minnesota’s Brent Stickels were recruited to act as program directors, along with steering committee members Steve Bickel, Joe Duffy, Michael Hart, Will Hopkins, Daniel Jasper and Steve Niendorf. Support for the event is provided by SJMC adjunct instructor Jerry Broeckert, as well as SJMC, the Minnesota Journalism Center, AIGA Minnesota and the University of Minnesota College of Design.
Partners University of Minnesota School of Journalism & Mass Communication The School of Journalism & Mass Communication (SJMC) at the University of Minnesota is part of the College of Liberal Arts and is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Journalism and Mass Communication.
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AIGA Minnesota AIGA Minnesota is the first place to turn for inspiration, professional development, and excellence in design in Minnesota. Our mission is to advance designing as a professional craft, strategic tool and vital cultural force.
University of Minnesota College of Design The College of Design at the University of Minnesota is a national leader in the full range of design fields, with an emphasis on sustainable, socially responsible, civically engaged, user-sensitive, critical and collaborative design work.
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5 6 1: More than 250 people fill Coffman Theater for the fourth annual See Change Conference. 2: Keynote speaker Brian Collins. 3. Beth Mallow and Sven Seger. 4: Conference attendees discuss new ideas during the networking reception at the Weisman Art Museum. 5: Conference attendees at the welcoming reception at Coffman Memorial Union. 6: Carl DeTorres. 7: Marcela Lorca. 8: Ivan Kander and Jason Sondhi.
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Celebrating Excellence
Annual event honors alumni achievements and student accomplishments On April 24, 2013, nearly 275 guests gathered at TCF Bank Stadium’s DQ Clubroom for Spring Showcase: A Celebration of Excellence, which celebrates student and alumni achievements and honors the generosity of donors and is coordinated by MJC staff. The event began with a cocktail hour and student showcase. Nearly 50 students were on-hand to discuss 20 projects created throughout the 20122013 school year. From magazines to iPad apps and strategic communication campaigns, every aspect of SJMC’s curriculum was represented. “It’s so much fun to be part of the showcase,” said broadcast student Arthur Nienhuis. “Getting to talk to people about the work you’ve created makes it that much more fulfilling.” The program continued with SJMC director Albert Tims announcing highlights from the past year, including two students winning Hearst Awards and SJMC’s NSAC team winning its district competition, plus students participating in News21 and the Dow Jones News Fund Internship. Tims also recognized SJMC graduate student Holly Miller as the first student to complete the school’s M.A./J.D. joint degree. SJMC student Drew Coveyou spoke about the importance of undergraduate scholarships. Coveyou, who is the 20132014 recipient of the Dave and Linda Mona Scholarship, spoke about his roles in the University, including his service on a search committee for the Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students and his role as treasurer for the University’s American Indian Student Cultural Center. “All of these roles are ways in which I serve the University community, and all are unpaid,” he said. “Receiving this scholarship will enable me to continue devoting my time to causes such as these and continue to be an active member of this community.” SJMC Ph.D. candidates and recipients of the 2012 Ralph D. Casey Disserta16 MJC Annual Report 2012 - 2013
tion Award Elizabeth Housholder and Soyoon Kim spoke about the importance of graduate funding. “Being able to receive financial support as you complete research can be directly linked to the quality of the dissertation,” said Kim. “These financial awards help students devote themselves to their research and academic pursuits,” said Housholder. The event also honored alumni achievements. The SJMC Alumni Society Board announced the recipients of its Above the Fold Award, which honors alumni under the age of 40 who have shown exemplary accomplishments in their careers. The award went to Tim Blevins, senior writer at OLSON; Jessica Fleming, head of the food and restaurant beat at the St. Paul Pioneer Press; Vadim Lavrusik, journalist program manager at Facebook; and Gabby Nelson, director of internal and external relations at Select Comfort. The evening closed with a keynote from National Geographic photographer Annie Griffiths, who received the SJMC Alumni Society Board’s Award for Excellence. Griffiths, who shared her remarkable photography with the audience, spoke about her experiences as a woman photographing around the world and her multicultural encounters. Griffiths is the executive director of Ripple Effect Images, a collective of photographers working to tell the stories of women and girls in developing countries. She spoke about her global interactions with women through this organization and the deep obligation she feels to help them tell their stories. “I have learned incredible things from these women,” she said. Griffiths closed by sharing an anecdote about an experience on a cattle farm. She awoke to a beautiful morning and ran outside to take photos only to discover she was missing a crucial piece of clothing — “Find a career that makes you forget your pants!” she exclaimed.
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1: Annie Griffiths. 2: Members of the 2012-2013 NSAC team in the photobooth. From left: Michelle Hum, Tanner Uselmann, Anastacia Economou, Aaron Thelen, Kelly Starkey, James Lager and Craig Nelson. 3: SJMC student Devan Grimsrud and SJMC alumni mentor Genevieve Courteau in the photobooth. 4: Ph.D. candidates Soyoon Kim and Elizabeth Housholder. 5: Griffiths with SJMC Alumni Society Board president Sarah Bauer. 6: SJMC students Bridget Bennett, Ichigo Takikawa, Emily Dunker and Amanda Snyder with Griffiths. 7: SJMC student Drew Coveyou. 8: SJMC mentor Trout Lowen speaks with Leah Smith of the Murphy News Service. 9: SJMC Alumni Society Board vice president Chad Haldeman with Above the Fold recipients Jessica Fleming, Tim Blevins and Gabby Nelson, and SJMC director Albert Tims. 10: Janice Bitters, recipient of the 2013-2014 Beverly Kees Scholarship, with Kate Parry of the Star Tribune. 11: Silha Professor Jane Kirtley, dual-degree graduate student Holly Miller, Helen Silha and SJMC assistant professor Amy Kristin Sanders. Photos by Mark Vancleave.
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Journalists Hone Skills at IRE Workshop
Minnesota Journalism Center co-sponsors two-day Investigative Reporters & Editors Watchdog Workshop More than 55 journalists and journalism students from around the Midwest attended the Investigative Reports & Editors Watchdog Workshop, held September 29-30, 2012, at Murphy Hall. On Saturday, both print and TV journalists gathered in sessions to hear from a variety of speakers who covered topics such as data journalism, open records, election reporting, the art of interviewing and effective Internet use. On Sunday, workshop attendees gained hands-on computer experience in analyzing datasets to identify trends, spot inconsistencies and gain other insight.
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1: Jaimi Dowell of IRE and NICAR leads a hands-on workshop in Computer-Assisted Reporting Training. 2: MaryJo Webster, computer-assisted data reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, spoke about digging deeper with data and documents. 3: Guests gather on a Saturday morning to learn more about investigative reporting. 4: Ron Nixon of The New York Times led a session about kickstarting election coverage in time for the 2012 Presidential Election.
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ONA’s Daylong Camp Comes to Minnesota
Minnesota Journalism Center co-sponsors free, daylong workshop about online strategy and reporting Since 2009, the Online News Association, funded by grants from the Gannett Foundation, has been holding ONACamp sessions around the country. On December 1, 2012, more than 80 journalists, educators and students set up “camp” in Murphy Hall to hear sessions about a wide variety of topics from both local and national experts. MIT Lab fellow Lisa Williams presented about e-books; Doug Mitchell from National Public Radio and Laura Yuen from Minnesota Public Radio explored telling stories with sound; Dan Petty, regional engagement editor of the Denver Post, 18 MJC Annual Report 2012 - 2013
gave information about SEO, digital storytelling and social networks; Silha Professor Jane Kirtley informed the crowd about Internet law; Yuri Victor of The Washington Post explored mobile reporting tools and strategy; Kevin Quealy of The New York Times led a three-hour session about data visualization; digital media strategist Kevin Sands looked at business strategies for the web; and magazine writer and editor Amanda Hess spoke about creative digital content and branding yourself as a writer. For a complete summary of the event, including links and presentations, see z.umn.edu/onacamp.
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2 1: Jeanne Brooks, ONA’s Digital Director, kicked off the ONACamp. 2: MJC Direction Nora Paul welcomes attendees.
Meeting the State
Journalists from across Minnesota gather for Minnesota Newspaper Association’s annual convention The maroon and gold booth of the School of Journalism & Mass Communication was a popular stop for attendees of the Minnesota Newspaper Association’s annual convention in Bloomington, Minn. in Jaunary 2013. The convention features a wide range of training and educational opportunities for journalists, MNA’s Better Newspaper Contest Awards Banquet, a lively trade show and silent auction and MNA’s annual meeting. Through the trade show, the SJMC and MJC have an opportunity to meet with journalists and newspaper professionals from all around the state. Attendees stop by to grab a copy of the University of Minnesota’s student-run newspaper, the Minnesota Daily, explore graduate programs available at SJMC, learn about upcoming MJC events and pick up brochures on the School’s undergraduate program to bring home to college-bound children.
One of the highlights is the chance for newspapers to learn more about the Murphy News Service, a “mini-AP” where SJMC students are given stories by editors and sent on assignment. Traditionally, the convention also sees a networking reception hosted by SJMC and MJC that gathers alumni, supporters of SJMC’s newspapers
practicum classes, Murphy News Service subscribers and other advocates of the SJMC. More than 600 publishers, editors, reporters, photographers, designers, circulation managers, advertising professionals and journalism students attend the convention each year.
Sue Couling, MJC events manager, ready to welcome visitors to the SJMC booth.
SJMC Hosts High School and Collegiate Journalists Annual summer workshops attract students from around the country
Each summer, the University of Minnesota School of Journalism & Mass Communication and Minnesota Journalism Center hosts two multi-day workshops for student journalists. In late July 2012, SJMC welcomed more than 50 high school student journalists and their advisers for the National Scholastic Press Association Summer Workshop. Students attended workshops and sessions at Murphy Hall to learn more about such topics as using InDesign, managing websites, journalistic writing and editorial leadership. These working sessions were created to prepare students with essential skills for the upcoming school year at their high school publication. The following weekend, in August 2012, SJMC welcomed nearly 60 collegiate journalists as part of the Associated
Collegiate Press’s Summer Workshop, which featured intense, hands-on training that sent teams out in the field to work on stories and then get feedback from advisers and professionals. While attending the workshops, the students stayed in on-campus housing, toured the school’s studentrun newspaper the Minnesota Daily and enjoyed popular tourist destinations, such as the Mall of America. The Associated Collegiate Press is a sister organization of the National Scholastic Press Association, which is headquartered at the University of Minnesota. For more information about NSPA, ACP or upcoming sessions visit studentpress.org.
ACP Summer Workshop instructor Chuck Baldwin from the University of South Dakota (right) works with workshop participant David Ryou of Calvin College on a story draft.
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Upcoming Events A sampling of some of the many events hosted or co-sponsored by the Minnesota Journalism Center for Fall 2013. Visit mjc.umn.edu for information on all MJC programs, news and events.
September 2013 6th - 8th
APhotoADay.org Geekfest 2013
Murphy Hall 130
13th
J-School Engagement Fair
Murphy Hall 100
17th
Conversation Among Crafts: Accessing Public Records
Murphy Hall 100
october 2013
Calling All
Minnesota Journalists! The Minnesota Journalism Center at the University of Minnesota School of Journalism & Mass Communication is conducting a survey to determine key topics of reporting interest in communities across the state and reporters’ interest in training. Please take a few minutes to answer our questions.
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Investigative journalism: A conversation with Washington Post associate editor Steve Luxenberg
Murphy Hall 130
8th
Minnesota High School Press Association Convention
Coffman Memorial Union
10th
Careers in Event Planning
Murphy Hall 100
12th
National Association of Television Program Executives Student Career Workshop / Minnesota Broadcasters Association Job Fair
Coffman Memorial Union
For more information about the Minnesota Journalism Center visit mjc.umn.edu.
16th
Silha Lecture: The Lessons of the Pentagon Papers: Has Obama Learned Them?
Cowles Auditorium, Humphrey School of Public Affairs
18th
Immigration and the Eurozone Crisis with John Hooper, The Guardian and The Observer’s Southern European editor
Murphy Hall 130
We will be providing a report about the responses to this survey in Fall 2013 and announcing our line-up of programming in early 2014.
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Making the World Suck Less with reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian
Bell Museum of Natural History
z.umn.edu/mjcsurvey
november 2013 2nd
Society of Professional Journalists’ JournCamp
Blegen Hall
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Thomas Mallon, author of Watergate
Weisman Art Museum
december 2013 10th
Conversation Among Crafts: Managing Digital Assets
Murphy Hall 100
More information on the web: Minnesota Journalism Center: mjc.umn.edu School of Journalism & Mass Communication: sjmc.umn.edu Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics & Law: silha.umn.edu
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115 Murphy Hall 206 SE Church St. Minneapolis, MN 55455 612-626-1723 mnjrnctr@umn.edu mjc.umn.edu