Society of Professional Journalists
Improving and protecting journalism since 1909

With only a few days left until the Aug. 1 deadline, we hope you will consider making a contribution to the Legal Defense Fund Auction.

As a support system for journalists who find themselves in trouble while defending press freedoms, we want to keep you covered. Read a story about one news organization who has been helped this year by the LDF.

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In an attempt to fight against journalists being detained without cause, SPJ wrote a press release Friday. In the press release, SPJ called for the release of a Washington Post journalist and other journalists in Iran without an explanation from the government. Continue reading LDF Auction deadline approaching + interim positions filled

You don’t want to miss the opportunity to see the fabulous items available for bid and to network with hundreds of journalists — all for a great cause! Proceeds from this event will go to SPJ’s Legal Defense Fund, a unique account that financially supports journalists waging legal battles to defend the freedom of speech and the press.

Both the live and silent auctions will take place during the Excellence in Journalism 2014 conference.

You can help fight important legal battles that protect the First Amendment by contributing to SPJ's annual LDF auction. For more details and to see a list of ideas we're soliciting, follow this link.

Learn the ins and outs of better photography with this seven-part series. On Demand sessions are available to all SPJ members at any time and are included as part of your SPJ membership.

– Part 1: 5 Tips for Better Photos
– Part 2: Understanding Exposure
– Part 3: Understanding Color and White Balance
– Part 4: Focus Control
– Part 5: Your Camera’s Metering System
– Part 6: Understanding Flash
– Part 7: Shutter Release Modes

Follow this link to see all available sessions, which touch on data visualization, video editing, social media tools, Freedom of Information Act assistance, freelancing and more.

EIJ14 is now open for business, and the early bird deadline is approaching fast! You now can register online for the conference, as well as reserve tickets to special events, right here.

See you in Nashville on September 4!

Additional details
— Register online
— EIJ14 website
— Registration Rates
— Schedule at a Glance
— Announced Breakout Sessions
— Conference Highlights
— Hotel and Travel Information
— Exhibitors and Recruiters in the Journalism Expo
— Making the most of your stay in Nashville

The work of revising SPJ's Code of Ethics began in earnest following the 2013 Excellence in Journalism conference in August 2013. The 18-member committee wasted little time getting philosophically engaged. How much should we change, if we change it at all? Shorter? Longer? More specific? More general? The third draft of the revised code is available now, and you can review it here.

Jump to:
– Read the third draft
– Mark-through third draft [PDF]
– What's changed? Third draft guidelines
– Code Revision Q&A
– Watch the third draft come together
– Ethics Committee Blog: Unveiling a New Code
– Tell us what you think
– Thoughts on the Code
– Code revision timeline
– Articles, related documents, blog posts and more

On July 8, SPJ, along with 38 other journalism and open government groups, called on President Obama to stop practices in federal agencies that prevent important information from getting to the public. The national organizations sent a letter to Obama urging changes to policies that constrict information flow to the public, including prohibiting journalists from communicating with staff without going through public information offices, requiring government PIOs to vet interview questions and monitoring interviews between journalists and sources.

Since then, more groups have signed on — and the press, both in America and around the world, has picked up the story.

– Coverage roundup
– Read the letter
– Read the complete press release
– Freedom of the Prez blog: A voice in the wilderness finally heard

You’re taking a bold step along with SPJ. The Freelance Community is a virtual chapter that meets online, linking SPJ members who are freelancers, no matter their locale. We want this to be the most useful place for freelance journalists on the web. To get there, we want your help.

The most powerful thing about SPJ is its breadth. No other organization takes on the biggest issues facing journalism. Now we can more easily put SPJ’s power to bear on the things we care about as individuals who make a living creating great journalism. Continue reading

– Visit the Freelance Community page
– More information/FAQ

Region 11 Director Elizabeth Smith resigned her seat on the national SPJ Board of Directors on Tuesday. As a result, we are seeking a volunteer to immediately fill the vacancy. The selected candidate will serve until Sept. 6, 2014. A new regional director will then be elected on Sept. 6 to fill the one year remaining on the term. Find out more — including how you can apply for the position — here.

Interested candidates must live in Arizona, California, Hawaii or Nevada. They cannot be a student member or an associate.

The volunteer selected for the temporary role will be expected to fulfill the duties of the position, such as participate in the board meeting on Sept. 4 during EIJ14 conference in Nashville. He or she will also enjoy the benefits of the position, such as a $1,000 stipend that can be used for travel expenses to EIJ14.

Find out more — including how you can apply for the position — here.

Harper Memorial Scholarship, Diversity Leadership Grant recipients announced

Diversity Leadership Fellows Program: Meet the Recipients
The goal of the Diversity Leadership Fellows program, ultimately, is to increase the diversity participation of SPJ members within national committees and on the national board of directors. The following people were selected to receive Diversity Leadership Grants to attend the Excellence in Journalism 2014 Conference in Nashville.

Harper Memorial Scholarship: Meet the Recipients
This year, SPJ awarded four convention scholarships in memory of Terry Harper, SPJ’s executive director from 2002 to 2009. The following people were selected to receive Harper Memorial Scholarships to attend the Excellence in Journalism 2014 Conference in Nashville.

Forty-nine states and the District of Columbia provide journalists with a “reporter’s privilege,” protecting them if a state government seeks to make him or her reveal confidential information, including the identity of a source. Some states have statutes, known as “shield laws,” and some provide the protection through case law.

But, there is no federal law to protect journalists from revealing their confidential sources, as exemplified in the recent case of James Risen, a New York Times journalist.

Half of the Senate — a group including both Democrats and Republicans — is ready to debate the measure. The Senate leadership says it needs to see 10 more senators in favor. Let’s show them it’s time to rise up and raise the shield in order to protect reporters and their sources and to defend the American public and democracy.

Learn the issue inside out and find out how you can help by visiting our shield law page.