CONTACT:
Heather Porter, assistant director of programs, 317/927-8000 ext. 204 or hporter@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Society of Professional Journalists has extended the entry deadline for the New America Award to March 15, 2005. All entries must be postmarked by that date.

The New America Award is designed to honor collaborative public service journalism by ethnic and mainstream media working together to explore and expose an issue of importance to immigrant or ethnic communities in the United States.

Nominations for the award are being sought from eligible news organizations and journalists themselves as well as community organizations and interested individuals.

Nominations must specify at least two nominees, at least one from the mainstream media and at least one from the ethnic or immigrant media. Nominees can be either journalism organizations – including newspapers, magazines, television stations, radio station, news services or online media – or individual journalists.

To obtain detailed information and an entry form, please go online to www.spj.org, phone the Society of Professional Journalists at 317/927-8000 or send an e-mail to awards@spj.org.

The SPJ New America Award winner will be announced on June 9 at the First National Expo of Ethnic Media being held in New York City at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Formal presentation of the award will take place on July 8, 2005, at SPJ’s annual Sigma Delta Chi Awards Banquet at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. 

For more information on the New America Award, please contact:

Guy T. Baehr, chair, Awards & Honors Committee, 732/932-7500 ext. 8024 or gbaehr@scils.rutgers.edu

Heather Porter, Assistant Director of Programs, 317/927-8000 ext. 204 or hporter@spj.org

The Society of Professional Journalists works to improve and protect journalism. SPJ is dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior. Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, and based in Indianapolis, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed public, works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists, and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press.

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