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SPJ Leads | 2/6/2013
Job application tips and Desk Love

By Christine DiGangi, SPJ Communications Department

DEADLINES, DEADLINES, DEADLINES!

Sigma Delta Chi Awards entries must be submitted to awards.spj.org by midnight EST tomorrow, Feb. 7.

Tomorrow is the postmark deadline for the New America Award.

TODAY is the deadline for this round of chapter grants.

If you have any questions, call headquarters at 317.927.8000.

SAVE THE DATE FOR EIJ13

Excellence in Journalism 2013 is Aug. 24 to 26 in Southern California. Join SPJ, the Radio Television Digital News Association and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists at EIJ13 for the opportunity to expand your skills and connections as a contemporary journalist.

No matter the length of your career, taking the time to learn more and invest in your professional development will help you pursue journalistic excellence. EIJ13 gives you that opportunity.

Explore the early details on excellenceinjournalism.org, look at the schedule and mark Aug. 24 to 26 on your calendar.

CAREER ADVICE

Here are some helpful posts recently added to the SPJ Blog Network:

Five things to add to your news website [Lynn Walsh, First Draft]

Applying for a journalism or communications position? (Don't) do this. [Christine DiGangi, SPJ Works]

NOMINATIONS FOR AN FOI 'AWARD'

SPJ's Freedom of Information Committee is accepting nominations for its annual Black Hole Award, which highlights heinous violations of the public's right to know.

The deadline for nominations is Monday, Feb. 18. The committee welcomes nominations from local SPJ chapters, SPJ members, other journalists and private citizens, and the recipient(s) will be announced during Sunshine Week, March 10 to 16. Nomination criteria are available online, and nominations should be emailed to Mike Farrell of the FOI Committee.

#SPJDESKLOVE

We want to see where you make the journalism magic happen. It doesn't have to be a desk, exactly -- great journalism happens everywhere.

Tweet a picture of your work space with the hashtag #spjdesklove and we'll add it to the Desk Love tumblr. It's fun to see how others work -- maybe you'll feel inspired! Visit spjdesklove.tumblr.com to see the blog updates.

JOURNALISM TRAINING IN CLEVELAND

Join SPJ's Cleveland Pro Chapter for journalism training on Saturday, Feb. 23 at the DoubleTree Cleveland Downtown.

Improve your journalism skills and meet members of the Cleveland Pro Chapter. Members and non-members are welcome to attend. Jeff Cutler will present two sessions, the first session on online writing and the second on becoming a better listener. The cost to attend is $15 for SPJ members and $25 for non-members. The deadline to register is February 19.

SPJ HONORS  

SPJ is accepting nominations for the SPJ Honors. Each award highlights attributes valuable to the journalism community, and we know many journalists and organizations deserve such recognition.

We need you to tell us about them. Take a look at the honors and think of whom you want to acknowledge:

SPJ members-only awards | Deadline April 17

Dubin Pro Member

Eshelman Campus Adviser

Galvan Graduate

Regional Director

Wells Memorial Key

Public honors | Deadline March 20

Distinguished Teaching in Journalism

Ethics in Journalism

Fellows of the Society

First Amendment Award

Historic Sites in Journalism

Sunshine Award

Lewis First Amendment

HIGH SCHOOL ESSAY CONTEST  

The deadline for the SPJ High School Essay Contest is next month. Encourage high school students to submit a 500-word essay for a chance at a $1,000 scholarship.

The topic is "Why is it important that we have news media that are independent of the government?" and submissions are due March 7.

NYT REPORTER AT OHIO STATE    

The Society of Professional Journalists at the Ohio State University is excited to host David Carr of the New York Times on Feb. 15 as part of the School of Communication's William D. Stewart Lecture Series. There will be a student-led discussion session from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., in the Round Meeting Room at the Ohio Union. Please RSVP and direct questions to Nicole Kraft, kraft.42@osu.edu

SUNSHINE WEEK NEXT MONTH

Show your love for transparency during Sunshine Week, March 10 to 16!

The Sunshine Week website (www.sunshineweek.org) has been revamped to streamline access to the materials participants may need during the weeklong look at the importance of government transparency. The toolkit will be continually updated as Sunshine Week nears, and will include a selection of opinion columns, cartoons, house and public-service ads, and event logos, all of which are offered free to participants.

PLAGIARISM SUMMIT IN APRIL  

On April 5, several representatives of prominent journalism organizations, including SPJ, will meet in St. Louis for the National Summit on Plagiarism and Fabrication.

The summit will feature a panelist discussion on the common causes of plagiarism, steps to prevent it and how to handle incidents.  The summit is free of charge and open to journalists, members of the media and others working in the communications industry.  Following the summit, training sessions will be held on topics including aggregation versus plagiarism, social media plagiarism and plagiarism in the classroom.  Registration for the afternoon sessions is $50.

NEWSICAL THE MUSICAL DISCOUNT  

Attention SPJ members in the NYC area: A discount has been made available to you for "NEWSical the Musical" tickets! The show is at The Kirk Theatre at Theatre Row (410 West 42 Street, New York City), and Emmy Award winner Carson Kressley will join the cast for four weeks only, Feb. 6 to March 3.

Tickets are $51.25 (except Saturday) and $55.25 on Saturdays. Tickets are regularly $86.25.

How to order:

Online: Visit BroadwayOffers.com and use code TRNRRM

Phone: Call 212.947.8844 and mention code TRNRRM

In person: Bring this offer to Theatre Row Box Office (open Monday through Sunday, noon to 8 p.m.)

LAST WEEK'S QUIZ 

What was the first year SPJ admitted women?

Answer: 1969. It's all there on the history page of spj.org.

And the winner is ... Kristen Skladd! Kristen is a reporter in Michigan. Congrats!

THIS WEEK'S QUIZ

When did SPJ start giving awards for professional journalism? (The awards were later named the Sigma Delta Chi Awards, which are due tomorrow.)

Submit your answer to Christine DiGangi.