SPJ national update IV: Lies that hurt the planet; Big 3 letting FOI go by; and reporter groups lose appeal in whistleblower case. The Bush administration skewed its analysis of pending legislation on air pollution to favor its bill over two competing proposals, according to a report by the Congressional Research Service. The EPA's Oct. 27 analysis of its plan, along with those of Sens. Thomas Carper, D-Del., and James Jeffords, I-Vt., exaggerated the costs and underestimated the benefits of imposing more stringent pollution curbs, the independent, nonpartisan congressional researchers wrote in a Nov. 23 report. More here. ... A listing of all requests made of the Pentagon under the Freedom of Information Act since 2000 reveals that the law is broadly used -- more than 10,000 requests since 2000 -- but not by the nation's three largest papers. USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, all with daily circulations exceeding one million, made just 36 requests of the Pentagon between 2000 and February 2005. The AP, the nation's most widely used wire service, made 73 requests. More here. ... The U.S. Supreme Court on Nov. 28 declined to review a federal appeals court's dismissal of a whistleblower case on national security grounds, and whether the appellate court improperly closed oral arguments to the public when it reviewed that dismissal. A media coalition led by The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press had filed a friend-of-the-court brief asking that closure be permitted only when it protects a compelling government interest. More here.
SPJ national update V: Broad optimism in Iraq, but also deep divisions; someone got it wrong on how Marines died; and Al Gore just keeps inventing stuff. A wide-ranging poll finds optimism in Iraq, with living conditions improved, security more a national worry than a local one, and expectations high. But other views are less positive, and vast differences exist between disaffected Sunni areas and the Shiite and Kurdish provinces. More here. ... CNN reported Dec. 3 that, based on military reports, 10 Marines on a nighttime foot patrol near Falluja had been killed when a roadside bomb detonated. Three days later, the military said the deaths occurred in a disused flour mill following a promotion ceremony. As the ceremony ended, the military said, a Marine may have stepped on a buried pressure plate linked to explosives. The military blamed the confusion on misreporting up the chain of command. The death toll was the largest suffered by U.S. soldiers in Iraq in a single incident since August. More here. ... Smirks were evident when former Vice President Al Gore stood in front of a small crowd at the National Cable and Telecommunications Association conference in 2004 and announced he was launching a news network that would target viewers ages 18-34. Those smirks morphed into raised eyebrows this year when he and his business partner said they would program their new channel, Current, with viewer-produced content. Current has progressed further than many observers expected. More here.
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PEOPLE & PLACES
The Balcom Agency won second place in the Best Product Launch Advertisement in Business Press category of the 2005 Medical Marketing & Media (MM&M) Awards. Judges said the use of lizards in Balcom's "Salex: Before, After" ad for Salex skin cream was "a simple, effective visual metaphor." One judge added, "It's better than another gorgeous face or hand shot." The campaign helped the brand exceed sales goals by more than 50 percent in less than a year. Balcom also was a finalist in the same category for "The Evolution of Easy," an ad launching Accuzyme Spray. MM&M received more than 500 entries in 23 categories from such national ad agencies as BBDO, Corbett Accel Healthcare Group, Euro RSCG, Grey Healthcare Group and Saatchi & Saatchi Consumer Healthcare, promoting such brands as Botox, Crestor, Imitrex and Lunesta. The awards ceremony was held Nov. 9 at the Tavern on the Green in New York City. The Balcom Agency was founded in 1993; its roster includes local, regional and national clients such as Justin Boots, Justin Original Workboots, Tony Lama, Texas Health Resources, Harris Methodist Hospitals, Alcon Laboratories and Colonial Savings. ...
The American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors rates the Star-Telegram features section among the 10 best in North America in 2005. The judges called the Fort Worth features section "fun, witty, creative and beautifully presented, and yet deep and poignant, when it [had] to be." The judging was done by the Media Management Center at Northwestern University, the Poynter Institute and readers. ...
Writers Gary Cartwright and Bud Shrake and actor/singer Betty Buckley, all alumni of TCU's Schieffer School of Journalism, were inducted in October into the school's Hall of Excellence.
Baby daze! Felicia Pinkney and husband Matt are the proud new parents of Regan Gabrielle, born Dec. 8. Rumor has it she looks just like her older sister, Sierra.
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GET A JOB
AmeriCredit Corp., a Fortune 500 company headquartered in downtown Fort Worth, seeks a communication specialist. Requirements include newspaper or corporate communications experience, including internships, and a bachelor's degree in journalism, mass communications, PR, English or related discipline. Submit résumé through the Career Seekers section of the AmeriCredit web site, americredit.com. ...
The Texas Daily Newspaper Association web site, tdna.org, has a new job bank where job seekers can post their name, contact information and a brief summary of their experience and educaton. There's no charge. E-mail résumé or job search particulars to Darla Thompson at dthompson@tdna.org. ...
The Lewiston Tribune, a 20,000-circulation daily in beautiful north central Idaho, seeks an assistant city editor. Contact managing editor Paul Emerson at pemerson@lmtribune.com. ... Black Enterprise magazine's 2006 summer internship program begins June 5 and continues through Aug. 11. Send résumé, cover letter and writing samples to Natalie M. Hibbert, Director of Human Resources, Black Enterprise Magazine, 130 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10011. Apply by Jan. 31. More at blackenterprise.com.
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NEW MEMBERS
IABC ... Deena Graves, bottomLINE Communications ... Andrea Scott, Brinker ... Jocelyn Janota, United Cooperative Services
PRSA ... Charity Aughinbaugh, Plaza Medical Center of Fort Worth ... Jennifer Hutcherson, CashAmerica ... Lauren Kwedar, Paige Hendricks Public Relations ... David Magana, DFW International Airport ... Liz Scott, Mansfield ISD
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COMINGS & GOINGS
Exits ... at the S-T: former copy editor/page designer/news editor/Hometown Star editor and, most recently, assistant metro editor Kristi Payne, leaving the Arlington newsroom after almost 10 years to spend more time with her kindergartener and to help her husband start a kayak rental business ... Bobby White, after covering telecommunications in business for two years, to The Wall Street Journal's San Francisco bureau ... blogger extraordinaire Avery Holton, after a few months on the online desk, returning to his first love, Austin
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PRESIDENT'S CORNER
Holly Ellman, Greater Fort Worth PRSA
Here we are with another brand new year in front of us, full of possibilities. As I take the president's reigns from Heather Senter, I realize how much she has done to advance our chapter. We shared many successes in 2005, and the new board is determined to continue the trend.
The 2006 board of directors will hold a half-day retreat in early January to chart a strategic plan, something the chapter hasn't done in a while. We will work from this plan throughout the year and bring you the results in December.
One of my goals is to increase involvement in chapter activities. Several years ago, our then-VP of programs asked me to meet with the committee and brainstorm ideas. Now numerous committees and board positions later, I am proud to serve as the chapter's president. Make 2006 the year you get involved in PRSA. Note the list of outstanding board chairs on our web site, fortworthprsa.org. If you're interested in working on one of these committees, please contact the person in charge. There's plenty of work (and fun) to go around!
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