The SPJ Convention and National Journalism Conference will be here before we know it! The event is Oct. 3-5 in Las Vegas, but early registration ends Sept. 8. We hope you can all attend.

We also hope you will help us spread the word to other SPJ members you know. The convention is a fantastic opportunity for all journalists – veteran or newbie – to learn and stay ahead of the game in this ever-changing climate. We’ve crafted our event to be a place for journalists to learn new skills that will make them competitive, meet inspiring professionals in the field and just have a good time with colleagues and old friends.

A few of the programs planned for this year’s convention:

What Does the Future Have in Store? Mark Briggs, co-founder and CEO of Serra Media and author of “Journalism Next,” takes you on an exploration of some of the more promising journalism ventures currently finding success.

Secrets to Personal Branding. Let the experts show you how to build your own brand by building your own website, video, blog and podcast. Personal branding is very important to know in today’s fast-changing media landscape.

Site Roulette: 60 Sites in 60 Minutes. Return to the newsroom or station armed with the tools journalists are using daily – and they’re right at your fingertips! SPJ’s Ron Sylvester and Jeff Cutler share their online media expertise and give you resources you won’t want to report without!

What Non-Business Journalists Need to Know to Cover the New Decade’s Growing Number of Business Stories. As business staffs shrink or are merged into other news departments, more and more general assignment reporters are being asked to do stories for which they are very ill-prepared. Quarterly earnings, annual reports, 10Ks, SEC filings – all of these can be foreign terms to many journalists outside the financial field, but when studied properly by a trained reporter they can yield many, many juicy and amazing stories.

And there’s much more! Click here for a larger list of the programs and sessions at convention, with more sessions added in the coming weeks.

REMEMBER: Early registration for professional members is $185. That deal ends Sept. 8!

Hotel information is online and the rates run $129 for a single/double and $144 for a triple/quad. If members are interested in finding a roommate, they can post their information on our site here.

If you have more questions about the convention and how it can benefit SPJ members, please contact Scott Leadingham at sleadingham@spj.org or at 317-927-8000 ext. 211.

We hope to see you in Vegas!

Walnut-finish certificate frames ($40) and duplicate award certificates ($10) are available for purchase. Prices include shipping. To order, send an e-mail to tim@timdodson.com and you will receive payment instructions. Order deadline has been extended to Friday, July 9.

(Download the complete winners list here.)

In their series “Public Piggy Banks,” The Herald’s Matthew Haggman, Charles Rabin, Jack Dolan, Larry Lebowitz and other staffers traced every dollar flowing through the county’s two most significant agencies—Miami-Dade county hall and the city of Miami. The investigation revealed how county politicians used personal chauffeurs and took first-class junkets across the globe and exposed how city leaders concealed critical financial breakdowns. The stories prompted citizen protests, a recall campaign of the county’s strong mayor, pay cuts and other reforms—including a federal securities investigation that could impact Miami’s public works projects for years to come.

The Miami Herald team was honored by the contest presenter, the South Florida chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, with both the James K. Batten Award for Distinguished Public Service and the Gene Miller Award for Investigative Reporting. The Batten Award, named for the late Knight Ridder chairman, recognizes reporting that corrects a wrong, brings an issue to light or adds significantly to the public debate. One of the Batten Award judges, XM/Sirius Radio host Bob Edwards, said of the work: “This is journalism with consequences. Holding public officials to account is exactly what readers expect of a newspaper. It’s the kind of investigative reporting only a large daily with good resources can perform.”

Among smaller publications, the Gene Miller Award was also awarded to Ron Hurtibise of The Daytona Beach News-Journal for “Beating the DUI Rap,” an analysis revealing that nearly half of all DUI cases in Volusia County are dropped or reduced to reckless driving, and two-thirds of defendants who hire private attorneys are given this second chance.

In this year’s competition, 700 entries – from print, television, radio and online –were evaluated by news professionals in other states. The Orlando Sentinel and the Miami Herald tied for the most first-place honors, each claiming nine of the 73 awards. The Naples Daily News (seven first-place awards), Miami New Times (six) and The Daytona Beach News-Journal (five) rounded out the top five finishers. The complete list of competition results is available at www.spjsofla.net.

“This has been a challenging year for our profession, but in spite of that, Florida journalists rose above it to deliver the kind of top-notch journalism our communities need,” said Darcie Lunsford, president of SPJ South Florida. “The kind of stories that the Sunshine State Awards recognize exemplify the important role that the news media play in our democracy.”

The event sponsors of the 2010 Sunshine State Awards are Shutts & Bowen LLP and the Palm Beach Post.

The Society of Professional Journalists, the oldest and largest professional journalism organization in the country, celebrated its 100th anniversary last year. SPJ’s South Florida Pro Chapter serves journalists in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe Counties.

The cocktail reception (with heavy hors d’oeuvres and cash bar) begins at 6:30 p.m. and the seated awards presentation is at 7:30 p.m. Afterwards, explore the shops and nightlife of Seminole Paradise or try your luck at the Hard Rock Casino.

Tickets are $29 for SPJ members, $39 for non-members and $19 for students.

Submit your RSVP by Tuesday, June 1. Payment (check only) must be received by Thursday, June 3.

To see if you made the cut download this pdf: 2010 Sunshine State Awards Finalists List.

One award will go to a high school student, one to a four-year college student, and one to a community college student.

So, if you are a student aspiring to be a journalist, visit the SCHOLARSHIPS section of our website or visit this site for more details.

The application deadline is April 15, 2010, so get your materials in order and submit now. Don’t procrastinate!

The competition recognizes quality journalism in the best tradition of our profession. Out-of-state journalists will judge all entries and may award first-, second- and third-place honors in each category. Finalists will be notified in late April and winners will be announced at the Sunshine State Awards ceremony in late spring.

DEADLINE

All entries for the 2010 competition must be received (not postmarked) by 7 p.m., Friday, March 5, 2010.

FEES

We have worked hard to keep the competition affordable. We’ve kept our standard entry fee at $28, and this year all SPJ members are allowed one (1) FREE ENTRY. The entry fee for the James Batten Public Service Award is $45. There is no fee for student entries in the College Journalist of the Year category.

GUIDELINES & ENTRY FORM

Visit this page our chapter’s website to download entry materials.

If you have questions, contact Chapter Administrator Tim Dodson.

I’m beyond excited about the programming and events that our chapter is putting on this year. On Thursday, Jan. 28, we’re having a South Florida SPJ Coming Out party where you are invited to hear what we have in store for 2010.

From 7-9 p.m. at the Porterhouse in Boca Raton, you’ll get to chow on some free food while hearing about all the great events we are putting on this year, from our upcoming Parachute Training in February to our Project Invictus in March to our annual Ethics Hold ‘Em in April, and that’s only to name a few. Most, if not all of the events will be discounted for SPJ members. For more information about the party, click here. Door prizes, giveaways, and raffles will also take place.

If you are unable to come to the party but still want information about upcoming events, please feel free to contact me at dzinn3@gmail.com

I look forward to seeing you there!

Dori Zinn
VP of Membership, South Florida Pro Chapter

This is an update on the results of SPJ South Florida Pro Chapter’s Nov. 19 board of directors election.

As I informed all chapter members in my Nov. 25 note, several members and candidates who participated in the election raised questions about voting qualifications, related bylaws, and the necessary qualifications to hold seats on the board. Much of the discontent over the election process stemmed from antiquated and ambiguous bylaws that allowed for a confusing process and no clear way to resolve disputes.

I have worked with SPJ’s national office, the current chapter board, and the board-elect to address all concerns. The following 11 board members are eligible to serve and will take office on Jan. 1. This determination was based on the candidates’ member class at the time of the election and their employment as a writer or editor for a news, trade, specialty or online publication/web site, freelance writer or university faculty.

The lineup for the 2010 board is as follows:

* Darcie Lunsford – President
* [OPEN] – Executive Vice President
* Julie Kay – Immediate Past President
* Sergy Odiduro – VP, Programs
* Dori Zinn – VP, Membership
* [OPEN] – Treasurer
* Rachael Joyner – Secretary
* Jake Cline – Director
* Paola Iuspa-Abbott – Director
* Lisa Lucas – Director
* Jason Parsley – Director
* Lucy Reed – Director
* Sam Terilli – Director

The board has two open seats because 1) the newly elected President-elect resigned, and 2) the Treasurer-elect held a student membership and was therefore determined to be ineligible to hold office in a pro chapter. Consistent with our bylaws, as Executive Vice President I will assume the position of President effective Jan. 1 and the EVP position becomes vacant.

Over the next several months my objective as President will be to clean up and strengthen our bylaws to ensure a fair and open election process that engages and is accessible to all chapter members, which is the intent and spirit of the Society of Professional Journalists.

Once our bylaws are updated to reflect our organization and our profession’s core values then I believe that we should hold a special election to fill those two open seats to serve out the remainder of the term. Although our bylaws allow for appointments, I believe firmly that returning this decision of who is best to lead to chapter members — the ultimate ruling body of the South Florida Pro Chapter for which I am elected to represent and serve — is the only true way to restore credibility and openness to the election process.

Like Congress, SPJ is structured and intended to be a representative Democracy carrying out the will of our members while championing the broader agenda of professional journalism and a free press. Filling these seats will also require that we amend the bylaws to add a 13th member to the board, another legislative oversight that needs to be addressed. And I am sure as we go through this bylaw revision, we will find many areas that need reworking and updating. The bylaws are the operating framework for our chapter and give us, as elected leaders, guidance as we carry out our duties.

Thank you all for your continued commitment to SPJ. We will grow stronger as a chapter from the lessons learned in this election. I welcome your comments, questions, and — most important — your active involvement in 2010.

Happy Holidays!

Darcie Lunsford
2010 President, SPJ South Florida Pro Chapter

Michael Koretzky has resigned from the board in an effort to help move this matter toward a conclusion. Consistent with our bylaws, as Executive Vice President I will assume the position of President effective Jan. 1, 2010.

Several members have raised questions about voting qualifications, related bylaws, and the necessary qualifications to hold seats on the board. Over the next few weeks, I will be working to examine those issues in consultation with board members — the current board and the board members-elect — and with the national SPJ organization. I expect that some of these questions may require amendments to our bylaws or at least some form of board action.

While there are some hard feelings on both sides of these issues, I hope we can all move forward for the good of the organization and journalists in South Florida. I welcome your comments and suggestions. As always, I encourage your participation in the affairs of SPJ. Happy Thanksgiving.

Darcie Lunsford