- "I have high blood pressure and other health problems. I spend a lot of time talking to young people and I also teach at a local college. I just want everyone to know there's a cost for being that kind of reporter. I just got married but I was also divorced for 20 years. Jumping on airplanes and trying to be the first reporter on the scene wasn't very conducive to a good family life. I was always gone. ... I look at my career and I have a lot of satisfaction, but I missed my daughter's 5-year-old birthday party. I can never get that back ... It took me a long time to realize that family life is more important.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Breaking news takes toll on Lloyd LaCuesta
The Chron's Peter Hartlaub says KTVU veteran Lloyd LaCuesta is one of the Bay Area's most under-appreciated TV reporters. In his nearly 35 years at Channel 2, LaCuesta has covered more than his share of thunderstorms, fires, homicides and other breaking stories. LaCuesta says he likes his job but has paid the price. He tells Hartlaub:
Unpaid furloughs continue at KQED
For the second year in a row, KQED is requiring most of its 250 employees to take a week long furlough, the Chron's Andrew S. Ross reports. He notes that 80 members of NABET decided not to "share the pain" and will remain at work. All 30 members of AFTRA, primarily on-air radio and TV staff, will spread the furlough throughout the year. The other 140 non-represented staff are all taking the week-long unpaid break.
Labels:
KQED
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Examiner Editor James Pimentel resigns
James Pimentel (pictured) has resigned as executive editor of the San Francisco Examiner after nearly four years in the job and nine years at the paper.The SF Appeal, an online newspaper, reports that Pimentel left on Friday, June 18, and that Publisher James Wilcox informed the staff of his departure on Tuesday, June 22. The Appeal says Wilcox told the staff that "several factors" led to Pimentel's departure, but he didn't elaborate.
No successor has been named. Managing editor Deirdre Hussey is currently running the newsroom.
Pimentel began his newspaper career at the Oakland Tribune in 1984. He joined the Examiner in 2001 as sports editor before becoming managing editor in 2003. Pimentel led the paper's transition from broadsheet to tabloid in 2003 and its launch of zoned editions in San Mateo County in 2004.
Labels:
Deirdre Hussey,
Examiner,
James Wilcox
KRON owner sheds $800 million in debt
Young Broadcasting, which paid a record $823 million for KRON only to see the station's value drop like a rock after it lost its NBC affiliation, announced Friday that it has wiped $800 million in debt off its books in bankruptcy proceedings.
"Having shed nearly $800 million in debt and millions of dollars of burdensome contracts through the bankruptcy process, New Young Broadcasting is emerging from bankruptcy as the most financially sound company in television broadcasting," Young said in a statement.
The company's Chapter 11 reorganization had been stalled in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York for more than a year because of squabbling between secured creditors and unsecured creditors. An auction last summer was cancelled when it became obvious that nobody was going to bid more than the $220 million creditors had been seeking.
Young Broadcasting owns KRON and nine stations in the Midwest. Young previously announced that seven of the Midwest stations will be operated by Grey Television for a fee of $2.2 million annually. KRON and two other stations will be run by a new company with a board of directors that includes Vince Young but also more representatives of the creditors.
"Having shed nearly $800 million in debt and millions of dollars of burdensome contracts through the bankruptcy process, New Young Broadcasting is emerging from bankruptcy as the most financially sound company in television broadcasting," Young said in a statement.The company's Chapter 11 reorganization had been stalled in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York for more than a year because of squabbling between secured creditors and unsecured creditors. An auction last summer was cancelled when it became obvious that nobody was going to bid more than the $220 million creditors had been seeking.
Young Broadcasting owns KRON and nine stations in the Midwest. Young previously announced that seven of the Midwest stations will be operated by Grey Television for a fee of $2.2 million annually. KRON and two other stations will be run by a new company with a board of directors that includes Vince Young but also more representatives of the creditors.
Labels:
Young Broadcasting
New nonprofit paper tested in SF; no ads but $2
The nonprofit San Francisco Public Press has printed its first edition — 28 broadsheet pages and 50 articles which hawkers are selling on the streets for $2 a copy.
“We don’t know what the consumer demand is for a product like this, because there has never been a product like this,” Michael Stoll, executive director of the San Francisco Public Press, told Bay Citizen. “That’s one of the reasons we’re calling this a prototype, and part of what we’re prototyping is the business model.”
The Public Press already has a website, but it wanted to see how a printed paper would be received by readers. Another goal is to bridge the digital divide.
Copies can be purchased at sfpublicpress.org. (Photo credit: SF Public Press website)
“We don’t know what the consumer demand is for a product like this, because there has never been a product like this,” Michael Stoll, executive director of the San Francisco Public Press, told Bay Citizen. “That’s one of the reasons we’re calling this a prototype, and part of what we’re prototyping is the business model.”
The Public Press already has a website, but it wanted to see how a printed paper would be received by readers. Another goal is to bridge the digital divide.
Copies can be purchased at sfpublicpress.org. (Photo credit: SF Public Press website)
Labels:
San Francisco Public Press
Friday, June 25, 2010
Some Fox affiliates distance themselves from FNC
"We have to remind a viewer that calls that we are not owned by Fox, they do not control our news and judgment," KTVU Channel 2 news director Ed Chapuis tells Joe Strupp, writing for the left leaning MediaMatters for America site.
According to Strupp, Chapuis and the news directors of other Fox affiliates are concerned that the top-rated Fox News Channel's conservative bent misleads viewers into thinking their local news reports take the same approach.
"We play up the fact that we are an independent news operation," Chapuis says. "We have found that the KTVU Channel 2 news brand is very strong and has a stronger impression with our viewers."
According to Strupp, Chapuis and the news directors of other Fox affiliates are concerned that the top-rated Fox News Channel's conservative bent misleads viewers into thinking their local news reports take the same approach.
"We play up the fact that we are an independent news operation," Chapuis says. "We have found that the KTVU Channel 2 news brand is very strong and has a stronger impression with our viewers."
Merc publisher's father, also a publisher, dies
The father of Mercury News publisher Mac Tully, former Arizona Republic publisher Darrow "Duke" Tully, has died from complications of a stroke in Tampa at age 78, according to the Republic's website. From that website:
- [Darrow] Tully was publisher of The Republic and Gazette until December 1985, when he resigned after learning that his political enemies were investigating his war record.
- Tom Collins, Maricopa County attorney at the time, planned to have a news conference to expose Tully, who claimed to have been an Air Force combat pilot in the Korean and Vietnam wars.
- As publisher of the state's largest newspaper, Tully is credited with launching the political career of Sen. John McCain. He and McCain, a Navy pilot, swapped war stories and even flew planes over the desert.
- In reality, Tully, although a skilled pilot, had never served in the Air Force.
- "Duke was a smart, smart guy and a very smart businessman, but he was consumed with his need to be something that he wasn't," said Pat Murphy, who succeeded Tully as publisher.
- Longtime friend and employee Bill Shover said Tully's dual existence was driven by his need to win his father's approval.
- "He was rejected by the Air Force because he had bad vision and flat feet," said Shover, former director of public affairs for Phoenix Newspapers Inc., which owned The Republic and The Gazette during Tully's tenure.
- Tully's brother was killed in World War II during a training mission and his father criticized him for not becoming a war hero, Shover recalled.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Printer moving from Redwood City to San Jose
Southwest Offset Printing — which has a plant in Redwood City that prints the Palo Alto Weekly, Palo Alto Daily Post, Financial Times West Coast edition and many other newspapers — has signed a new 10-year lease with AMB Property Corp. to move its presses to San Jose, the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal reports.
The company is moving to a 68,502-square-foot facility at 587 Charcot in North San Jose. The deal was worked out through the San Jose Redevelopment Agency, the City of San Jose, AMB and Cornish and Carey Commercial, according to the Business Journal.
The company said it chose the site because of the city's Enterprise Zone program, which allows Southwest to take advantage of various tax credits and deductions.
The company has about 100 employees, most living in San Jose. Southwest Offset Printing also said it plans to expand and hire at least 15 new staff members.
The company is moving to a 68,502-square-foot facility at 587 Charcot in North San Jose. The deal was worked out through the San Jose Redevelopment Agency, the City of San Jose, AMB and Cornish and Carey Commercial, according to the Business Journal.
The company said it chose the site because of the city's Enterprise Zone program, which allows Southwest to take advantage of various tax credits and deductions.
The company has about 100 employees, most living in San Jose. Southwest Offset Printing also said it plans to expand and hire at least 15 new staff members.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
MNG to start pay wall experiments next month
MediaNews Group, which publishes most of the daily newspapers in the Bay Area, plans to test a system that will charge for access to news stories online, according to NewsAndTech.com. The trials will take place at Chico's Enterprise Record and the York (Pa.) Daily Record and York Dispatch. Consumers will be able to read up to 10 stories for free each month before they are asked to begin paying for access.
"A lot of experimentation is still going on -- the dialogue is rich; the revenues aren't rich yet, but the dialogue is," said MediaNews Group Interactive IT director David Bessen.
"A lot of experimentation is still going on -- the dialogue is rich; the revenues aren't rich yet, but the dialogue is," said MediaNews Group Interactive IT director David Bessen.
Labels:
Charging for online news,
MediaNews
Monday, June 21, 2010
Judge: UC wrongly searched news camera
A judge ruled June 18 that UC-Berkeley police improperly searched a journalist's camera after a protest in December at Chancellor Robert Birgeneau's campus home, the Contra Costa Times reports.
Alameda County Superior Court Judge Yolanda Northridge ordered UC police to return all copies of photographs taken from David Morse's camera, said Morse's attorney, Geoffrey King.
Morse was taking pictures of the Dec. 11 demonstration for the San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center, or Indybay. Morse said he identified himself as a journalist to police at least six times. The state's shield law is supposed to protect reporters and photographers from having their work seized by police.
Alameda County Superior Court Judge Yolanda Northridge ordered UC police to return all copies of photographs taken from David Morse's camera, said Morse's attorney, Geoffrey King.
Morse was taking pictures of the Dec. 11 demonstration for the San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center, or Indybay. Morse said he identified himself as a journalist to police at least six times. The state's shield law is supposed to protect reporters and photographers from having their work seized by police.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
2010 Greater Bay Area Journalism Award winners
Bay Area print and online journalists, photographers, radio and television personnel and public relations professionals were presented with 167 awards of excellence in nine divisions and 36 categories at the San Francisco Peninsula Press Club's 33rd annual Greater Bay Area Journalism Awards dinner tonight.
The San Francisco Peninsula Press Club's annual Professional Journalism Awards Competition dinner was held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Foster City.
The winners were selected from 394 entries from media professionals in the 11 Greater Bay Area counties. Awards honored work done in 2009 Entries were judged by the Bakersfield Press Club, Milwaukee Press Club, the Press Club of New Orleans, and the Press Club of Southeast Texas. The Print Photography division was judged by press photographers outside of the Bay Area and was coordinated by Paul Sakuma of The Associated Press.
The San Jose Mercury News received 19 plaques followed by The Daily News with 18 and the Community Newspaper Group with 14. Tied with 13 each were the San Mateo Daily Journal and the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal.
The guest speaker for the event was Jeanne Carstensen, managing editor of The Bay Citizen.
Four $1,500 scholarships in the name of the late San Francisco Chronicle columnist Herb Caen were awarded.
The high school recipients were Maritza Martin, Jefferson High School, Daly City, and Anca Ulea, California High School, San Ramon.
The collegiate scholarships were presented to Margaret Baum, College of San Mateo, and Richard Parks, University of California, Berkeley
Special recognition was given to the General Excellence winner of the Press Club’s High School Journalism Contest, The Colt Quarterly from El Camino High School in South San Francisco. Lauren Eberle, editor-in-chief, and Adam McLearan, adviser, accepted a plaque.
The complete list of journalism award winners follows:
Daily Newspapers
General Excellence
Editorial
Columns — News/Political
Columns — Feature
Columns — Sports
Breaking News
News Story
Continuing Coverage
Series
Feature Story of Light Nature
Feature Story of Serious Nature
Analysis
Technology Story
Business Story
Entertainment Review
Specialty Story
Sports Story
Sports Game Story
Page Design
Headline
Non-Daily Newspapers
General Excellence
Editorial
Columns — News/Political
Columns — Feature
Columns — Sports
Breaking News
News Story
Continuing Coverage
Series
Feature Story of Light Nature
Feature Story of Serious Nature
Analysis
Technology Story
Business Story
Entertainment Review
Specialty Story
Sports Story
Sports Game Story
Page Design
Headline
Magazines/Trade Publications
News Story
Feature Story of Serious Nature
Editorial Cartoons
Print Photography
Spot News Photography
General News Photography
Feature Photography
Sports Action Photography
Sports Feature Photography
Photo Series or Picture Story
Radio
General Excellence
Breaking News
Feature Story of Light Nature
Feature Story of Serious Nature
Public Affairs Program
Special Program
Documentary
Use of Sound
Television
Breaking News
Feature Story of Light Nature
Feature Story of Serious Nature
Public Affairs Program
Documentary
Sports Story
Videography
Public Relations
General Excellence
Newsletter
Press Kit
Broadband/Web
General Excellence-Media Groups
General Excellence-Independent
Breaking News
Multimedia
Blogs
Photos: Top, Belva Davis of KQED and Bill. Middle, the crew from College of San Mateo. Bottom, Peter Cleaveland, Mike Venturino and Micki Carter. Photos by Paul Sakuma.
The San Francisco Peninsula Press Club's annual Professional Journalism Awards Competition dinner was held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Foster City.
The winners were selected from 394 entries from media professionals in the 11 Greater Bay Area counties. Awards honored work done in 2009 Entries were judged by the Bakersfield Press Club, Milwaukee Press Club, the Press Club of New Orleans, and the Press Club of Southeast Texas. The Print Photography division was judged by press photographers outside of the Bay Area and was coordinated by Paul Sakuma of The Associated Press.
The San Jose Mercury News received 19 plaques followed by The Daily News with 18 and the Community Newspaper Group with 14. Tied with 13 each were the San Mateo Daily Journal and the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal.
The guest speaker for the event was Jeanne Carstensen, managing editor of The Bay Citizen.
Four $1,500 scholarships in the name of the late San Francisco Chronicle columnist Herb Caen were awarded.
The high school recipients were Maritza Martin, Jefferson High School, Daly City, and Anca Ulea, California High School, San Ramon.
The collegiate scholarships were presented to Margaret Baum, College of San Mateo, and Richard Parks, University of California, Berkeley
Special recognition was given to the General Excellence winner of the Press Club’s High School Journalism Contest, The Colt Quarterly from El Camino High School in South San Francisco. Lauren Eberle, editor-in-chief, and Adam McLearan, adviser, accepted a plaque.
The complete list of journalism award winners follows:
General Excellence
- FIRST PLACE: San Jose Mercury News, “San Jose Mercury News,” San Jose Mercury News
- SECOND PLACE: The Press Democrat, “The Press Democrat,” Press Democrat Staff
- THIRD PLACE: San Mateo Daily Journal, “San Mateo Daily Journal,” San Mateo Daily Journal
Editorial
- FIRST PLACE: The Daily Post, “Cut off the spend-a-holics,” Dave Price
- SECOND PLACE: The Daily News, “Balance the budget. Now,” Mario Dianda
- THIRD PLACE: The Press Democrat, “Secret deals: University foundations should be subject to public records laws,” The Press Democrat
Columns — News/Political
- FIRST PLACE: San Mateo Daily Journal, “Off the Beat Michelle Durand,” Michelle Durand
- SECOND PLACE: The Daily Post, “Opinion Diana Diamond,” Diana Diamond
- THIRD PLACE: The Press Democrat, “Columns by Paul Gullixson,” Paul Gullixson
Columns — Feature
- FIRST PLACE: The Daily Post, “Columns of Diana Diamond,” Diana Diamond
- SECOND PLACE: San Mateo Daily Journal, “Opinion Sue Lempert,” Sue Lempert
Columns — Sports
- FIRST PLACE: The Press Democrat, “Columns by Lowell Cohn,” Lowell Cohn
- SECOND PLACE: The Press Democrat, “Columns by Bob Padecky,” Bob Padecky
- THIRD PLACE: San Jose Mercury News, “Purdy Columns,” Mark Purdy
Breaking News
- FIRST PLACE: San Mateo Daily Journal, “Tragedy Averted,” Heather Murtagh
- SECOND PLACE: The Daily News, “Landlord vanishes,” Will Oremus
- THIRD PLACE: San Mateo Daily Journal, “Student shot, college cleared,” Bill Silverfarb
News Story
- FIRST PLACE: Sacramento Bee, “20 years later, opponents still battling the Oakland Airport Connector,” Jeff Mitchell
- SECOND PLACE: San Mateo Daily Journal, “Measure money in question,” Heather Murtagh
- THIRD PLACE: The Daily News, “Traveling on your dime,” Shaun Bishop
Continuing Coverage
- FIRST PLACE: San Jose Mercury News, “Spotlight on San Jose Police,” Sean Webby
- SECOND PLACE: The Press Democrat, “Clem Carinalli: Reversal of Fortune,” Nathan Halverson, Kevin McCallum
- THIRD PLACE: The Daily Post, “Red-light cameras,” Josh Wolf, Dave Price, David DeBolt
Series
- FIRST PLACE: San Jose Mercury News, “Life in a Year,” Bruce Newman
- SECOND PLACE: The Daily Post, “Red-light Camera Controversy,” Josh Wolf, Dave Price, David DeBolt
- THIRD PLACE: San Mateo Daily Journal, “Policing in the 21st Century,” Bill Silverfarb
Feature Story of Light Nature
- FIRST PLACE: San Jose Mercury News, “Of course, Mr. S: Nothing but the best for high-rolling former Fry's exec charged with fraud,” Lisa Fernandez
- SECOND PLACE: The Daily News, “From crib to compost,” Diana Samuels
- THIRD PLACE: San Mateo County Times, “Wave hunters,” Julia Scott
Feature Story of Serious Nature
- FIRST PLACE: San Jose Mercury News, “On Tracks: Lives Are Lost But Also Saved,” Lisa M. Krieger
- SECOND PLACE: The Daily News, “Evicted resident returns,” Jessica Bernstein-Wax
- THIRD PLACE: The Daily News, “Disabled Menlo Park man helps police patrol city,” Diana Samuels
Analysis
- FIRST PLACE: San Mateo County Times, “District seeks space to grow,” Neil Gonzales
- SECOND PLACE: San Jose Mercury News, “State Budget 101,” Andrea Maschietto, Doug Griswold, Leigh Poitinger, Mike Zapler
- THIRD PLACE: The Daily News, “Inside track on high-speed rail,” Daily News Staff
Technology Story
- FIRST PLACE: San Mateo Daily Journal, “Tweeting: a business necessity,” Heather Murtagh
- SECOND PLACE: San Jose Mercury News, “New generation of online games attracts millions,” Scott Duke Harris
- THIRD PLACE: San Jose Mercury News, “Hacker Heaven,” Mike Swift
Business Story
- FIRST PLACE: San Jose Mercury News, “10 Silicon Valley Superstars,” Chris O'Brien
- SECOND PLACE: The Press Democrat, “SSU foundation's private land loans,” Nathan Halverson
- THIRD PLACE: The Daily News, “Empty storefronts multiply,” Jessica Bernstein-Wax
Entertainment Review
- FIRST PLACE: San Jose Mercury News, “Netrebko's 'La Traviata' feels genuine,” Richard Scheinin
- SECOND PLACE: San Mateo Daily Journal, “Book Beat: The Ramen King and I,” Cheri Lucas
- THIRD PLACE: The Daily News, “Colorblind in love,” Kevin Kelly
Specialty Story
- FIRST PLACE: The Daily News, “Where to go when money is tight,” Jessica Bernstein-Wax
- SECOND PLACE: Bay Area News Group, “Breaking Wine's Glass Ceiling,” Jessica Yadegaran
- THIRD PLACE: The Daily News, “Economy claims galleries,” Will Oremus
Sports Story
- FIRST PLACE: The Daily News, “Larrieu no longer running from self,” Vytas Mazeika
- SECOND PLACE: San Mateo Daily Journal, “Bielagus on track,” Nathan Mollat
- THIRD PLACE: San Jose Mercury News, “Touching Moment,” Daniel Brown
Sports Game Story
- FIRST PLACE: San Mateo Daily Journal, “Champions at last,” Nathan Mollat
- SECOND PLACE: San Jose Mercury News, “Giant Surprise,” Andrew Baggarly
- THIRD PLACE: The Daily News, “Press propels Cardinal,” John Reid
Page Design
- FIRST PLACE: San Jose Mercury News, “Road to the Presidency,” Tiffany Pease
- SECOND PLACE: The Daily News, “The Daily News Weekend,” Daily News Staff
- THIRD PLACE: The Daily News, “SPORTS,” Greg Frazier
Headline
- FIRST PLACE: The Daily Post, “Cal Ave wiped off the map,” Dave Price
- SECOND PLACE: The Daily Post, “Stink rises over poop; Once endangered species producing too much feces,” Dave Price
- THIRD PLACE: The Daily News, “Reality check for Fantasyland: Hotels struggle as Disney, Universal ramp up,” Kevin Kelly
General Excellence
- FIRST PLACE: Palo Alto Weekly, “Palo Alto Weekly,” Palo Alto Weekly Staff
- SECOND PLACE: Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, “Silicon Valley/ San Jose Business Journal,” Moryt Milo
- THIRD PLACE: Los Gatos Weekly-Times, “Los Gatos Weekly-Times,” Dick Sparrer, Judy Peterson, George Sakkestad, Shannon Burkey
Editorial
- FIRST PLACE: San Francisco Bay Guardian, “Time for some serious budget reform,” Tim Redmond
- SECOND PLACE: Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, “It's a slow road through Palo Alto to get to progress,” Cromwell Schubarth
- THIRD PLACE: Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, “3 simple steps to a stadium in San Jose,” Cromwell Schubarth
Columns — News/Political
- FIRST PLACE: San Francisco Bay Guardian, “Editor's Notes,” Tim Redmond
Columns — Feature
- FIRST PLACE: San Francisco Business Times, “Editor's Notebook Steve Symanovich (1),” Steve Symanovich
- SECOND PLACE: Central City Extra, “Multiple Obituary Columns,” Marjorie Beggs, Tom Carter
- THIRD PLACE: Los Gatos Weekly-Times, “Columns by Marianne L. Hamilton,” Marianne L. Hamilton
Columns — Sports
- FIRST PLACE: Pacifica Tribune, “From water boy to 49er VP,” Horace Hinshaw
- SECOND PLACE: Los Gatos Weekly-Times, “Columns by Dick Sparrer,” Dick Sparrer
Breaking News
- FIRST PLACE: Berkeley Daily Planet, “Investigation Continues into Kindergartner's Death,” Riya Bhattacharjee
- SECOND PLACE: Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, “Campus @ North First project in trouble,” Katherine Conrad
- THIRD PLACE: Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, “Solyndra eyes expansion of $2B backlog,” Mary Duan
News Story
- FIRST PLACE: Central City Extra, “Information Gap,” Heidi Swillinger
- SECOND PLACE: Sunnyvale Sun, “Sunnyvale custodian who worked at local schools pleads no contest in child porn case,” Tiffany Carney
- THIRD PLACE: San Francisco Bay Guardian, “Uncivil Unions,” Steven T. Jones
Continuing Coverage
- FIRST PLACE: Sunnyvale Sun, “Church is looking to sell longtime preschool...,” Tiffany Carney
- SECOND PLACE: Berkeley Daily Planet, “The Death of Berkeley Kindergartner Zachary Michael Cruz,” Riya Bhattacharjee
- THIRD PLACE: Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, “Sunnyvale town center liens...,” Katherine Conrad
Series
- FIRST PLACE: Willow Glen Resident, “High Speed Rail in San Jose,” Stephen Baxter, Tiffany Carney
- SECOND PLACE: Central City Extra, “Robbery Roulette and 64 Robberies,” Tom Carter
Feature Story of Light Nature
- FIRST PLACE: SF Weekly, “Service with a Snarl,” Joe Eskanazi
- SECOND PLACE: Palo Alto Weekly, “From There to Hair: Immigrant Tales from Hair International,” Chris Kenrick
- THIRD PLACE: Willow Glen Resident, “Key Decision: Talking to Seniors about quitting driving,” Stephen Baxter
Feature Story of Serious Nature
- FIRST PLACE: SF Weekly, “Time Bomb,” Peter Jamison
- SECOND PLACE: Palo Alto Weekly, “No way out?,” Jocelyn Dong, Carol Blitzer
- THIRD PLACE: Palo Alto Weekly, “Preventing Teen Suicide: Community Gropes for Answers,” Chris Kenrick
Analysis
- FIRST PLACE: Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, “The Big Fix,” Moryt Milo, Katherine Conrad, Mary Duan, David Goll
- SECOND PLACE: Palo Alto Weekly, “Bridging Troubled Waters,” Gennady Sheyner
- THIRD PLACE: San Francisco Bay Guardian, “The two Newsoms,” Steven T. Jones
Technology Story
- FIRST PLACE: Palo Alto Weekly, “Charging Forward,” Gennady Sheyner
- SECOND PLACE: San Francisco Business Times, “Mother of Invention,” Patrick Hoge
- THIRD PLACE: San Francisco Business Times, “Apple's game changer Bonanza for Bay Area 'virtual goods,' game sellers,” Patrick Hoge
Business Story
- FIRST PLACE: San Francisco Business Times, “Mega-project makeovers,” J.K. Dineen, Blanca Torres
- SECOND PLACE: Central City Extra, “TL landmark McDonald's Bookstore evicted,” Tom Carter
- THIRD PLACE: San Francisco Business Times, “Bay Area seeks stimulus,” Staff
Entertainment Review
- FIRST PLACE: Palo Alto Weekly, “When Wives Collide,” Karla Kane
- SECOND PLACE: Palo Alto Weekly, “Capitalism; A Love Story,” Karla Kane
- THIRD PLACE: Palo Alto Weekly, “The Class,” Susan Tavernetti
Specialty Story
- FIRST PLACE: Central City Extra, “S.F. vs. Tobacco,” Marjorie Beggs
- SECOND PLACE: Willow Glen Resident, “Know-How,” Mayra Flores, De Marcotte
- THIRD PLACE: Los Gatos Weekly-Times, “Off and running,” Marianne L. Hamilton
Sports Story
- FIRST PLACE: Los Gatos Weekly-Times, “Super finish to Ferguson's...,” Dick Sparrer
- SECOND PLACE: Pacifica Tribune, “Loving Baseball for 81 years,” Horace Hinshaw
- THIRD PLACE: Los Gatos Weekly-Times, “Tri Tips,” Marianne L. Hamilton
Sports Game Story
- FIRST PLACE: Los Gatos Weekly-Times, “Cats top Wilcox in OT to take CCS title,” Dick Sparrer
Page Design
- FIRST PLACE: San Francisco Business Times, “Green Giant,” Mitch Green
- SECOND PLACE: Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, “Mastering the 'Elevator Pitch',” Barry Baldi
- THIRD PLACE: Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, “Why now is a great time to start up,” Barry Baldi
Headline
- FIRST PLACE: Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, “Sun may shine in Big Blue sky,” Cromwell Schubarth
- SECOND PLACE: Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, “A.P. Stump's Chop House pulls up steaks, moves on,” Cromwell Schubarth
- THIRD PLACE: Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, “Everything's coming up Rosewood,” Moryt Milo
News Story
- FIRST PLACE: The Spectrum Magazine, “Police Shut Down DUI Checkpoint,” Steve Penna
Feature Story of Serious Nature
- FIRST PLACE: Traditions Magazine, “Summer Immersion Program Has Heart,” Antonia Ehlers, Michelle Wilkinson
- FIRST PLACE: Berkeley Daily Planet, “Daily Planet Cartoons,” Justin DeFreitas
- SECOND PLACE: here magazine, “here Magazine Cartoons,” Justin DeFreitas
Spot News Photography
- FIRST PLACE: San Mateo County Times, “Listen to me,” John Green
- SECOND PLACE: Associated Press, “House Fire,” Paul Sakuma
- THIRD PLACE: Associated Press, “Fight @ UCB,” Paul Sakuma
General News Photography
- FIRST PLACE: The Press Democrat, “Bird's Eye View,” John Burgess
- SECOND PLACE: The Daily News, “Magical Bridge,” Kat Wade
- THIRD PLACE: The Daily News, “Lost Friend,” Kat Wade
Feature Photography
- FIRST PLACE: San Mateo County Times, “A Dog Gone Licking,” John Green
- SECOND PLACE: The Press Democrat, “Moon Reach,” Kent Porter
- THIRD PLACE: San Mateo County Times, “Veterans' Day,” John Green
Sports Action Photography
- FIRST PLACE: The Press Democrat, “Touchdown,” Kent Porter
- SECOND PLACE: Associated Press, “Out of Bounds,” Paul Sakuma
- THIRD PLACE: San Mateo Daily Journal, “A Championship Rally,” Nathan Mollat
Sports Feature Photography
- FIRST PLACE: San Jose Mercury News, “Birdies Mixed with Rain,” Patrick Tehan
- SECOND PLACE: San Mateo County Times, “Victory,” John Green
- THIRD PLACE: San Mateo Daily Journal, “Snapshot - Losing His Head,” Nathan Mollat
Photo Series or Picture Story
- FIRST PLACE: San Jose Mercury News, “Safe but not Secure,” Pauline Lubens
- SECOND PLACE: San Jose Mercury News, “Bursting Point,” Patrick Tehan
- THIRD PLACE: San Mateo County Times, “Same Sex Marriage Protest,” John Green
General Excellence
- FIRST PLACE: KCBS Radio, “KCBS News Radio,” KCBS News Team
Breaking News
- FIRST PLACE: KCBS Radio, “BART Riots,” Margie Shafer
Feature Story of Light Nature
- FIRST PLACE: KCBS Radio, “Hula Hoop,” Mike Sugerman
Feature Story of Serious Nature
- FIRST PLACE: KCBS Radio, “Day Music Died,” Doug Sovern
- SECOND PLACE: KALW 91.7 FM, “Seagull Explosion Threatens Bay Area Waterbird Species,” Julia Scott
Public Affairs Program
- FIRST PLACE: KQED Public Radio, “Domestic Violence Funding,” Michael Krasny, Judy Campbell, Keven Guillory, Dan Zoll
Special Program
- FIRST PLACE: KCBS Radio, “Hard Times,” Doug Sovern
Documentary
- FIRST PLACE: KCBS Radio, “AIDS in Africa: Faces of Hope,” Doug Sovern
Use of Sound
- FIRST PLACE: KCBS Radio, “Underground Music,” Mike Sugerman
Breaking News
- FIRST PLACE: KRON 4, “The Sandra Cantu Arrest,” Da Lin
Feature Story of Light Nature
- FIRST PLACE: KRON 4, “Pride Parade,” Da Lin
Feature Story of Serious Nature
- FIRST PLACE: KRON 4, “Did Officer Punch Oscar Grant?,” Da Lin
Public Affairs Program
- FIRST PLACE: KQED 9, “This Week in Northern California,” Belva Davis, Robin Epstein, Jon Fromer, Katherine Russell
Documentary
- FIRST PLACE: OnTopix Productions / KQED 9, “$100 a Day,” Gwen Essegian, Mark Ligon
Sports Story
- FIRST PLACE: Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, “Will Rudolph Story,” Andrew F. Johnston
Videography
- FIRST PLACE: Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, “Johnston Composite,” Andrew F. Johnston
General Excellence
- FIRST PLACE: Sequoia Union High School District, “Middle School Parents Campaign,” Bettylu Smith
Newsletter
- FIRST PLACE: National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, “Off Camera,” Keith Sanders, Linda Giannecchini, Darryl Compton, Kevin Wing
- SECOND PLACE: San Mateo County Office of Education, “News And Views,” Lisa Rosenthal, Jean Holbrook
- THIRD PLACE: Broadcast Legends, “Broadcast Legends,” Jim Schock, Ed Vasgergian, Peter Cleaveland, Darryl Compton
Press Kit
- FIRST PLACE: National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, “Emmy 2009,” Deanne Moenster-Poitras, Cassandra Chavez, Darryl Compton
General Excellence-Media Groups
- FIRST PLACE: The Press Democrat, “www.pressdemocrat.com,” Press Democrat Staff
- SECOND PLACE: KCBS Radio, “www.kcbs.com,” KCBS News and Web Team
- THIRD PLACE: Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, “www.SanJose.BizJournals.com,” Cromwell Schubarth
General Excellence-Independent
- FIRST PLACE: The Island, “The Island,” Michele Ellson
Breaking News
- FIRST PLACE: Cleantech Group, “Fire Sale: Imara's battery patents and trade secrets,” Lisa Sibley
Multimedia
- FIRST PLACE: San Jose Mercury News, “Obama Inauguration,” Andrea Maschietto, Pai
- SECOND PLACE: San Mateo County Times, “A commitment to service, times two,” Neil Gonzales, David Cenzer
- THIRD PLACE: San Mateo County Times, “Boxer Fatima Alcantar,” John Green
Blogs
- FIRST PLACE: SFGate.com, “Say Hey: Mays, Radnich and the linoleum salesman,” Duffy Jennings
- SECOND PLACE: San Jose Mercury News, “Good Morning Silicon Valley,” John Murrell
- THIRD PLACE: Cleantech Group, “Former CEO goes after Tesla, Musk,” Lisa Sibley
Photos: Top, Belva Davis of KQED and Bill. Middle, the crew from College of San Mateo. Bottom, Peter Cleaveland, Mike Venturino and Micki Carter. Photos by Paul Sakuma.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
KQED restructures management
John Boland (pictured), who became president and chief executive of KQED parent Northern California Public Broadcasting (NCPB), has announced a management restructuring that puts more people under his direct control.
The press release didn't suggest anybody was sacked or demoted. Instead, the heads of the radio, TV and educational operations will become "senior content managers" who will now report directly to Boland.
The three senior content managers are Jo Anne Wallace, vice president and general manager, KQED Public Radio; Michael Isip, vice president, television; and Tim Olson, vice president, digital media and education.
From now on, chief financial officer Mitzie Kelley and chief development officer Traci Eckels will also report to Boland, the statement said. Kelley, who had been serving as interim CFO since September, will hold the position permanently.
Marketing chief Don Derheim has been promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer, and will also report directly to Boland. Derheim, a 19-year veteran at KQED, will oversee membership, marketing, communications, technology, HR and legal.
William Lowery has been promoted to general counsel and corporate secretary. Lowery has served in this role on an interim basis since March.
Steve Welch, currently vice president, engineering and technology, becomes chief technology officer, reflecting the expanding importance technology plays in public media.
Boland, who returned to NCPB after a stint as PBS's first chief content officer, said he was asked by the board of directors to "focus particular attention on content and related services, community engagement, and fundraising."
No word in the press release about what the nonprofit NCPB will pay these people, but the organization's most recent IRS 990 available (for the year 2007) showed that Durheim, then vp of marketing, was paid $261,147 plus $27,795 in benefits for a total of $288,942. He was the second highest paid NCPB employee that year. Nonprofits are required to list the salaries of their top five paid employees in Form 990, which is a public document.
The highest-paid employee that year, then-chief content officer Linda O'Bryon, received $282,360 in compensation and $28,942 in benefits for a total of $311,302.
Traci Eckels, vp of development, received a total of $198,417 in salary and benefits; Steve Welch, vp of operations and engineering, got $177,663, and KQED-FM general manager Jo Anne Wallace got $190,125.
The 2007 IRS report said NCPB had 232 employees who made over $50,000 a year.
NCPB listed $64.5 million in revenue and $62.0 million in expenses in the 2007 report.
The press release didn't suggest anybody was sacked or demoted. Instead, the heads of the radio, TV and educational operations will become "senior content managers" who will now report directly to Boland.
The three senior content managers are Jo Anne Wallace, vice president and general manager, KQED Public Radio; Michael Isip, vice president, television; and Tim Olson, vice president, digital media and education.
From now on, chief financial officer Mitzie Kelley and chief development officer Traci Eckels will also report to Boland, the statement said. Kelley, who had been serving as interim CFO since September, will hold the position permanently.
Marketing chief Don Derheim has been promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer, and will also report directly to Boland. Derheim, a 19-year veteran at KQED, will oversee membership, marketing, communications, technology, HR and legal.
William Lowery has been promoted to general counsel and corporate secretary. Lowery has served in this role on an interim basis since March.
Steve Welch, currently vice president, engineering and technology, becomes chief technology officer, reflecting the expanding importance technology plays in public media.
Boland, who returned to NCPB after a stint as PBS's first chief content officer, said he was asked by the board of directors to "focus particular attention on content and related services, community engagement, and fundraising."
No word in the press release about what the nonprofit NCPB will pay these people, but the organization's most recent IRS 990 available (for the year 2007) showed that Durheim, then vp of marketing, was paid $261,147 plus $27,795 in benefits for a total of $288,942. He was the second highest paid NCPB employee that year. Nonprofits are required to list the salaries of their top five paid employees in Form 990, which is a public document.
The highest-paid employee that year, then-chief content officer Linda O'Bryon, received $282,360 in compensation and $28,942 in benefits for a total of $311,302.
Traci Eckels, vp of development, received a total of $198,417 in salary and benefits; Steve Welch, vp of operations and engineering, got $177,663, and KQED-FM general manager Jo Anne Wallace got $190,125.
The 2007 IRS report said NCPB had 232 employees who made over $50,000 a year.
NCPB listed $64.5 million in revenue and $62.0 million in expenses in the 2007 report.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
How does a mistake like that happen?
The note on top of the Bay City News Service dispatch on Tuesday would make any editor cringe:
Mike Rosenberg of the San Mateo County Times got to the accident scene and interviewed an eyewitness, Donald Graham, who said he tried to stop the victim from jumping in front of the train. But it was clear that the eyewitnesses' quotes were changed — with the addition of words in parenthesis to fit the incorrect information provided by Caltrain's Dunn. Rosenberg's story said:
- EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: Caltrain officials said Monday that the person hit [by a Caltrain in San Mateo on Monday] was female, but the coroner's office today confirmed the victim was a man.
- At approximately 5:15 p.m. this evening southbound train #266 struck and killed a female trespasser on the southbound tracks north of the Hayward Park Caltrain Station in San Mateo. No additional information about the victim is available.
Mike Rosenberg of the San Mateo County Times got to the accident scene and interviewed an eyewitness, Donald Graham, who said he tried to stop the victim from jumping in front of the train. But it was clear that the eyewitnesses' quotes were changed — with the addition of words in parenthesis to fit the incorrect information provided by Caltrain's Dunn. Rosenberg's story said:
- At that moment, Graham said he had a choice: Run and try to push the person off the tracks, or flag down the police officer. He made what authorities say is the right decision — he sprinted toward the cruiser and waved his arms, and he got the attention of the San Mateo SWAT officer inside.
- He quickly explained the situation to the cop, and the two ran toward the tracks. "Before we could get there, the (person on the track) got hit, and it was right in front of us," Graham said. "It was like it was in slow motion."
- "I could have stopped it," said Graham, who stands 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 250 pounds. "If I hadn't stopped the cop I would have pulled (her) off the tracks."
- He said there was no doubt in his mind that it was a suicide. He said the person who was struck looked intoxicated and did not say anything while walking on the tracks.
- "(She) just kind of looked at me," he said.
Release of officer's name in shooting at issue
One of the most frustrating things for reporters covering an "officer involved shooting" is the refusal of law enforcement agencies to name the officer who pulled the trigger.
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat's Randi Rossman reports that the ACLU is attempting to get Sonoma County sheriff's officials to release the name of a deputy who shot and killed an apparently unarmed man following a chase.
Terry Francke, general counsel of the open government group Californians Aware, told Rossman that law enforcement agencies may be legally justified in withholding the name if there's a “clear and direct threat” to the officer's safety. But Francke said there's no legal basis to withhold that information indefinitely.
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat's Randi Rossman reports that the ACLU is attempting to get Sonoma County sheriff's officials to release the name of a deputy who shot and killed an apparently unarmed man following a chase.
Terry Francke, general counsel of the open government group Californians Aware, told Rossman that law enforcement agencies may be legally justified in withholding the name if there's a “clear and direct threat” to the officer's safety. But Francke said there's no legal basis to withhold that information indefinitely.
Murdoch buys Skiff from Hearst Corp.
One day you might be asked a trivia question that goes like this — before the iPad, there were other products designed to help people read paperless books and newspapers. Name two of them. The answer would be Kindle (a device that was really "in" before the iPad) and Skiff (a platform for delivering content that still has potential).
For what it's worth, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. (as in Fox News, Fox Broadcasting, Wall Street Journal, New York Post) has acquired Skiff from Hearst Corp., owner of the Chronicle. "It’s unclear what News Corp. will do with Skiff — either as a platform or device — but it’s clear that the media company’s interest these days is finding ways to monetize its news content," writes Sam Diaz of ZDNet.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Former San Mateo Times building to be demolished
The wrecking ball will soon level the San Mateo County Times building, a 45,000-square-foot structure that housed the newspaper for 43 years. On nearby Highway 101, you may have seen the Times' orange sign that also gave the time of day and temperature.
The San Mateo City Council on Monday approved the redevelopment of the 3½-acre Times site at 1080 S. Amphlett Blvd. The plan calls for 60 three-story townhouses, 14 two-story single-family houses and a 30,000-square-foot, three-story self-storage building, according to a story by Mike Rosenberg of the San Mateo County Times.
In June 2007, the Times moved to an office park at 477 Ninth Ave. in San Mateo because its staff of about a dozen employees is only a fraction of what it was in the paper's heyday, when it had 300 employees, Rosenberg reported.
The San Mateo City Council on Monday approved the redevelopment of the 3½-acre Times site at 1080 S. Amphlett Blvd. The plan calls for 60 three-story townhouses, 14 two-story single-family houses and a 30,000-square-foot, three-story self-storage building, according to a story by Mike Rosenberg of the San Mateo County Times.
In June 2007, the Times moved to an office park at 477 Ninth Ave. in San Mateo because its staff of about a dozen employees is only a fraction of what it was in the paper's heyday, when it had 300 employees, Rosenberg reported.
Appeals court hears SF Weekly's case
The SF Weekly and its owner, Village Voice Media, got its day in court on Friday (June 11). The alt-weekly chain is trying to get the California Court of Appeals to overturn a $21 million verdict in favor of the Bay Guardian. The Guardian argued that the chain sold ads at below the cost of production in an attempt to run it out of business. A jury agreed.
News coverage of the case has mainly come from the two papers involved in it -- and neither has even pretended to cover the proceedings objectively. Here's the SF Weekly's coverage of Friday's hearing, written by Andy Van De Voorde, an editor from the chain's home office in Arizona.
Reading between the lines, it seems as if the SF Weekly's lawyer, Dennis P. Maio, was forced to play defense during Friday's hearing with judges interrupting him as he tried to make his case. It's also interesting to note how the story makes no mention of the SF Weekly's owner, Village Voice Media (formerly New Times), and how the story uses a $16 million figure rather than the current number of $21 million (which includes interest).
Whatever the number, the SF Weekly and its owner hasn't paid, and the Weekly has had to obtain court orders to take the paper's vans and collect its incoming checks from advertisers.
News coverage of the case has mainly come from the two papers involved in it -- and neither has even pretended to cover the proceedings objectively. Here's the SF Weekly's coverage of Friday's hearing, written by Andy Van De Voorde, an editor from the chain's home office in Arizona.
Reading between the lines, it seems as if the SF Weekly's lawyer, Dennis P. Maio, was forced to play defense during Friday's hearing with judges interrupting him as he tried to make his case. It's also interesting to note how the story makes no mention of the SF Weekly's owner, Village Voice Media (formerly New Times), and how the story uses a $16 million figure rather than the current number of $21 million (which includes interest).
Whatever the number, the SF Weekly and its owner hasn't paid, and the Weekly has had to obtain court orders to take the paper's vans and collect its incoming checks from advertisers.
Labels:
Bay Guardian,
SF Weekly
No TV coverage for Prop. 8 closing arguments
Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker issued a brief order Thursday (June 10) denying a request by media organizations to televise the arguments in the trial over gay marriage, scheduled to last all day Wednesday in San Francisco, according to the Chronicle. Walker did not spell out his reasons for denying the media request. The arguments will still be shown on closed-circuit TV, but only in an overflow courtroom at the San Francisco courthouse at 450 Golden Gate Ave.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
A farewell song to the Merc's Kim Vo
Here's an Election Night farewell to Mercury News assistant metro editor Kim Vo. The singer/songwriter is Merc wire editor Karl Kahler on the left. The Karletts (from left to right) are metro editors Peter Delevett, Mike Frankel and David Early. It helps a lot if you wear headphones. (Thanks to Bruce Newman for sending us this link!)
Guest speaker for Press Club banquet announced
The guest speaker at this year's Press Club awards banquet will be Jeanne Carstensen, managing editor of The Bay Citizen, the nonprofit Bay Area news organization that launched last month.
She'll provide an insiders view of The Bay Citizen, which has 24 paid staffers including a newsroom of 16 journalists. The nonprofit plans to go beyond a website and eventually offer news through podcasts, radio and TV.
Carstensen came to The Bay Citizen from Salon, where she also held the title of M.E. Previously, as senior arts and features editor at SFGate.com, she wrote about the first cellphone photography show and the artist who genetically engineered God.
She was awarded a National Arts Journalism Fellowship at Columbia University in 2001. Jeanne lived in Costa Rica for six years, where she covered human rights and feminism for the shortwave station Radio for Peace International and worked as a translator.
She covered digital culture at the Whole Earth Review magazine under Kevin Kelly and was the managing editor of the Essential Whole Earth Catalog. Jeanne lives in Bernal Heights in San Francisco.
The Press Club awards banquet is scheduled for Saturday, June 19, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 1221 Chess Drive, Foster City. Cocktails begin at 6 p.m. and the program starts at 7. More than 100 Greater Bay Area Journalism Awards will be presented at the banquet. For more information or tickets, e-mail Press Club Executive Director Darryl Compton.
She'll provide an insiders view of The Bay Citizen, which has 24 paid staffers including a newsroom of 16 journalists. The nonprofit plans to go beyond a website and eventually offer news through podcasts, radio and TV.
Carstensen came to The Bay Citizen from Salon, where she also held the title of M.E. Previously, as senior arts and features editor at SFGate.com, she wrote about the first cellphone photography show and the artist who genetically engineered God.
She was awarded a National Arts Journalism Fellowship at Columbia University in 2001. Jeanne lived in Costa Rica for six years, where she covered human rights and feminism for the shortwave station Radio for Peace International and worked as a translator.
She covered digital culture at the Whole Earth Review magazine under Kevin Kelly and was the managing editor of the Essential Whole Earth Catalog. Jeanne lives in Bernal Heights in San Francisco.
The Press Club awards banquet is scheduled for Saturday, June 19, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 1221 Chess Drive, Foster City. Cocktails begin at 6 p.m. and the program starts at 7. More than 100 Greater Bay Area Journalism Awards will be presented at the banquet. For more information or tickets, e-mail Press Club Executive Director Darryl Compton.
Labels:
Bay Citizen
A new meetup for SF reporters and journalists
Nine organizations involved in journalism are sponsoring a Unity Mixer on Wednesday, June 23, at 5:30 p.m. at the Press Club, 757 Market St., 20 Yerba Buena Lane, San Francisco.
Free admission. Complimentary appetizers. Raffle prizes and more. Reconnect with former colleagues and network with new contacts.
Questions? E-mail: sfbaymedia@yahoo.com or join the "San Francisco Bay Media Professionals" Facebook page. Learn more at http://www.meetup.com/SF-Journalists/calendar/13718469/
Sponsors include:
Free admission. Complimentary appetizers. Raffle prizes and more. Reconnect with former colleagues and network with new contacts.
Questions? E-mail: sfbaymedia@yahoo.com or join the "San Francisco Bay Media Professionals" Facebook page. Learn more at http://www.meetup.com/SF-Journalists/calendar/13718469/
Sponsors include:
- Asian American Journalists Association/SF Bay Area Chapter
- Bay Area Black Journalists Association
- East Bay Press Club
- California Media Workers Guild/Freelance Unit
- National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association/ NorCal Chapter
- Public Relations Society of America, San Francisco Chapter
- Public Relations Society of America, Silicon Valley Chapter
- New America Media Society of Professional Journalists/Northern CA Chapter
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Gizmodo banned from Apple event
The Merc's Patrick May reports that Apple has banned Gizmodo, the site that first posted photos of the newest version of the iPhone, from its Worldwide Developers Conference that opened in San Francisco on Monday.
"We're banned for life, I think," said Gizmodo editorial director Brian Lam.
Lam said he got no response to Gizmodo's request to attend the show.
"I've worked with these people for seven or eight years, and they never failed to write me back. This tells me they're probably not allowed to talk to me anymore. It's not personal. But Steve is very angry at Gizmodo."
So angry that Jobs, through his staff, asked a special law enforcement strike force to retrieve the phone that an Apple engineer lost at a Redwood City bar. Jobs' request resulted in cops breaking open the door of Gizmodo editor Jason Chin and confiscating his computers and cameras. The FBI is now analyzing items taken from Chin's home.
No word yet on whether Gizmodo will pursue charges against the strike force for possibly violating the state's shield law or the federal law protecting newsrooms from police searches.
"We're banned for life, I think," said Gizmodo editorial director Brian Lam.
Lam said he got no response to Gizmodo's request to attend the show.
"I've worked with these people for seven or eight years, and they never failed to write me back. This tells me they're probably not allowed to talk to me anymore. It's not personal. But Steve is very angry at Gizmodo."
So angry that Jobs, through his staff, asked a special law enforcement strike force to retrieve the phone that an Apple engineer lost at a Redwood City bar. Jobs' request resulted in cops breaking open the door of Gizmodo editor Jason Chin and confiscating his computers and cameras. The FBI is now analyzing items taken from Chin's home.
No word yet on whether Gizmodo will pursue charges against the strike force for possibly violating the state's shield law or the federal law protecting newsrooms from police searches.
Labels:
Gizmodo
Press Club board meets Wednesday night
Board meetings of the San Francisco Peninsula Press Club are open to all members.
Meeting Notice
San Francisco Peninsula Press Club Board of Directors
Wednesday, June 9, 2010, 6:30 p.m.
San Mateo Daily Journal
800 S. Claremont St., Ste. 210, San Mateo
AGENDA
1. Approval of Minutes
2. Finance and Membership Reports
3. Annual awards contest: Guest speaker, additional details
4. High school journalism: Awards update, assistance efforts
5. Plans for upcoming workshops
6. Other business as needed
Meeting Notice
San Francisco Peninsula Press Club Board of Directors
Wednesday, June 9, 2010, 6:30 p.m.
San Mateo Daily Journal
800 S. Claremont St., Ste. 210, San Mateo
AGENDA
1. Approval of Minutes
2. Finance and Membership Reports
3. Annual awards contest: Guest speaker, additional details
4. High school journalism: Awards update, assistance efforts
5. Plans for upcoming workshops
6. Other business as needed
Chron printer adds Metro Newspapers as customer
Transcontinental, which opened a $230 million plant in Fremont last year to print the Chronicle, now has a second customer — Metro Newspapers, which has alt-weeklies in San Jose, Santa Cruz and the North Bay. That's according to News & Tech, a Web site focusing on pre-press and printing technologies.
Labels:
San Jose Metro,
Transcontinental
Outgoing county official to head TV station
Michelle Durand of the Daily Journal in San Mateo reports that San Mateo County's assessor and elections chief, Warren Slocum, has become the de facto CEO and president of public access television Peninsula TV.
The station is funded mainly by city governments and it airs on Cable 26 in central and northern San Mateo County.
Slocum began as a board member of the nonprofit formed by station founder Bob Marks and moved to vice president and president as Marks and then interim director Liz LaPorte left. Slocum now handles the business end of Pen TV in an unpaid position.
“Being in the elections business is all about civic engagement and voting. The last nine months or so at Pen TV has re-ignited that passion,” Slocum said.
The station is funded mainly by city governments and it airs on Cable 26 in central and northern San Mateo County.
Slocum began as a board member of the nonprofit formed by station founder Bob Marks and moved to vice president and president as Marks and then interim director Liz LaPorte left. Slocum now handles the business end of Pen TV in an unpaid position.
“Being in the elections business is all about civic engagement and voting. The last nine months or so at Pen TV has re-ignited that passion,” Slocum said.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
An obstacle to reporting on union contracts
When a city council, county board of supervisors or school board votes on a contract, that contract is usually available to the public in advance of the meeting where the vote will take place. But when a contract with a government employee union is up for approval, the details are kept secret until after the contract is approved, stopping any meaningful public comment. Why? Peter Scheer of the First Amendment Coalition explains:
- In the mid-1990s [government employee] unions backed improvements to the Brown Act, California’s open meeting law, but also inserted a provision assuring that the public would have no access to collective bargaining agreements negotiated by cities and counties -- often representing 70% or more of their total operating budgets -- until after the agreements are signed.
- What happens when voters and the press have no opportunity to question elected officials about how they propose to pay for a lower retirement age, health care for retirees’ dependents, richer pension formulas and the like?
- The officials make contractual promises that are unaffordable, unsustainable (and, in general, don’t come due until after those elected officials have left office).
- In the case of Vallejo, in northern California, this veil of secrecy, and the symbiotic relationship it fosters, has led to municipal bankruptcy.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Cathie Calvert, former Merc reporter, dead at 74
Cathie Calvert, a reporter in the South Bay for nearly 40 years, died May 17 of lung cancer at age 74. A memorial service is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday, June 5, at Oak Hill Cemetery's Chapel of the Roses, 300 Curtner Ave., San Jose.
Here's a link to the Merc's obit. Calvert was at the Sunnyvale Daily Standard from 1957 to 1970, working there as a reporter and society editor. She was with the Mercury News from 1970 to 1996.
The obit notes that breaking news was her forte. She logged thousands of bylines covering fires, toxic spills, elections and earthquakes, including the Loma Prieta quake of 1989, for which the Mercury News staff won a Pulitzer Prize.
Here's a link to the Merc's obit. Calvert was at the Sunnyvale Daily Standard from 1957 to 1970, working there as a reporter and society editor. She was with the Mercury News from 1970 to 1996.
The obit notes that breaking news was her forte. She logged thousands of bylines covering fires, toxic spills, elections and earthquakes, including the Loma Prieta quake of 1989, for which the Mercury News staff won a Pulitzer Prize.
Labels:
Obits
CBS 5's "Good Question" ends up on NBC 11's Web site
The staff at NBC Bay Area must like CBS 5 anchor Ken Bastida's "Good Question" segment a lot. How much? They re-wrote his script for a segment on Lake Merritt and posted it on the NBC11 website under the byline of Sajid Farooq.
However, NBC Bay Area gave the competition full credit, even calling Bastida a "veteran reporter."
Here's the second paragraph of NBC's story:
- CBS 5 reporter Ken Bastida wondered just that and set out to dig up the dirt. Dr. Richard Bailey of the Lake Merritt Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the lake, had some interesting answers for the veteran reporter.
Labels:
Ken Bastida,
NBC
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Dan Gillmor joins Salon.com
Dan Gillmor, a former Merc columnist and proponent of citizen journalism, has joined Salon.com as a reporter and columnist, according to a news release.
Gillmor left the Merc in 2005 to start a citizen journalism site called Bayosphere, which didn't work out because of a lack of interest by readers and would-be contributors.
But he has used his experiences to set up a foundation for citizen journalism. While writing for Salon.com, Gillmor will remain as director of the Knight Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship at Arizona State University.
Gillmor left the Merc in 2005 to start a citizen journalism site called Bayosphere, which didn't work out because of a lack of interest by readers and would-be contributors.
But he has used his experiences to set up a foundation for citizen journalism. While writing for Salon.com, Gillmor will remain as director of the Knight Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship at Arizona State University.
Labels:
Dan Gillmor
Former Palo Alto mayor joins Knight Foundation
Judy Kleinberg, an attorney and former Palo Alto mayor, has joined the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation as program director for San Jose and Silicon Valley, the organization said in a news release.
Kleinberg who started her career as a private attorney and reporter at Channel 2, "will work with local leaders to identify and invest in opportunities for fostering an informed and engaged San Jose and Silicon Valley region," the release said.
“Judy brings an entrepreneurial vision and deep networks to Knight Foundation – both of which will be critical to helping create transformational change,” said Trabian Shorters, the foundation’s vice president for communities.
Journalists might be familiar with Kleinberg's husband, James, a superior court judge in Santa Clara County who ruled in 2005 that California's shield law did not apply to bloggers, and that Apple could subpoena the files of online journalists who revealed information about the company's new products. An appeals court reversed the ruling.
Kleinberg who started her career as a private attorney and reporter at Channel 2, "will work with local leaders to identify and invest in opportunities for fostering an informed and engaged San Jose and Silicon Valley region," the release said.
“Judy brings an entrepreneurial vision and deep networks to Knight Foundation – both of which will be critical to helping create transformational change,” said Trabian Shorters, the foundation’s vice president for communities.
Journalists might be familiar with Kleinberg's husband, James, a superior court judge in Santa Clara County who ruled in 2005 that California's shield law did not apply to bloggers, and that Apple could subpoena the files of online journalists who revealed information about the company's new products. An appeals court reversed the ruling.
Labels:
Knight Foundation
MSM steals story from blogger without credit
Remember how Dean Singleton was complaining last year that Internet news organizations were stealing the news his papers and the AP were producing? Well, blogger Danny Sullivan shows how a story he broke on Friday (about a Utah woman suing Google for bad map directions) was ripped off without attribution by various media outlets, including AP (which is headed by Singleton) and Singleton's Salt Lake City paper. Seems those who stole the story left some telltale traces that showed they had stolen Sullivan's original work, but they didn't have the courtesy to attribute it to his blog.
Labels:
Associated Press,
MediaNews
Monterey social columnist Joe Fitzpatrick dies
The Herald in Monterey reports that Joe Fitzpatrick, who for three decades wrote a column titled "My Bag" on the local social scene, died Saturday, May 29, of heart failure. The obit includes an anecdote about how one column that criticized the singing of Frank Sinatra Jr. provoked the ire of the singer's famous father:
- "He was less than complimentary about Junior's singing, as I recall," former Herald editor Tom Walton said from his home in Ohio.
- Walton said the older Sinatra wrote a letter to Fitzpatrick in defense of his son. Playing on the name of Fitzpatrick's column, Sinatra concluded his reprimand with "Your bag is empty."
- "I remember it like it was yesterday," Walton said. "If you get the attention of someone like Sinatra, I guess you're doing something right."
Labels:
Obits
Tracy Press, once a daily, now a weekly
The Tracy Press announced Monday that it is changing its publishing schedule from twice a week (Wednesdays and Saturdays) to once a week (Fridays) due to financial pressures.
“We’re just responding to economic realities,” Publisher Bob Matthews said. “We’re not immune to current economic challenges, but we don’t plan on going anywhere.”
The family-owned paper said in its announcement that its mission of reporting local news will not change. Last year, the Tracy Press broke the story revealing the killer of 8-year-oldl Sandra Cantu. The paper's 22-year-old reporter who wrote the story, Jennifer Wadsworth, appeared on national TV shows including Larry King, Geraldo Rivera and Dr. Phil.
The Tracy area was hit hard by the mortgage crisis. Thousands of homes built earlier in the decade are in foreclosure or with resale values far below their mortgage amounts.
The Tracy Press was a daily until August 2007 when it went to three days a week. Then in March 2008 it cut back to two days a week.
In September, the Matthews family closed the Sun Post, a 20,000-circulation weekly serving Lathrop and Manteca.
“We’re just responding to economic realities,” Publisher Bob Matthews said. “We’re not immune to current economic challenges, but we don’t plan on going anywhere.”
The family-owned paper said in its announcement that its mission of reporting local news will not change. Last year, the Tracy Press broke the story revealing the killer of 8-year-oldl Sandra Cantu. The paper's 22-year-old reporter who wrote the story, Jennifer Wadsworth, appeared on national TV shows including Larry King, Geraldo Rivera and Dr. Phil.
The Tracy area was hit hard by the mortgage crisis. Thousands of homes built earlier in the decade are in foreclosure or with resale values far below their mortgage amounts.
The Tracy Press was a daily until August 2007 when it went to three days a week. Then in March 2008 it cut back to two days a week.
In September, the Matthews family closed the Sun Post, a 20,000-circulation weekly serving Lathrop and Manteca.
Labels:
Tracy Press
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Gizmodo editor's computers taken to FBI crime lab
The Daily Post reported today that the computers seized by police during the night raid of Gizmodo editor Jason Chen’s home have been turned over to an FBI computer forensics laboratory in Menlo Park.
The FBI will go through the computers to look for evidence of the theft of a next-generation iPhone, said San Mateo County Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe. A court-appointed special master will review the data from the computers and determine what is pertinent to the case, then bring that information back to court, according to Wagstaffe.
The Menlo Park FBI lab is officially called the Silicon Valley Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory. The lab opened in Jan. 7, 2005.
The seizure of his computers and other possessions alarmed journalists across the country, who fear officials may learn who his confidential sources are despite a state shield law protecting journalists and a federal law prohibiting the search of newsrooms.
Chen, an editor at the technology website Gizmodo, got the scoop on a prototype of the next-generation iPhone after an Apple employee left it at a Redwood City bar.
The FBI will go through the computers to look for evidence of the theft of a next-generation iPhone, said San Mateo County Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe. A court-appointed special master will review the data from the computers and determine what is pertinent to the case, then bring that information back to court, according to Wagstaffe.
The Menlo Park FBI lab is officially called the Silicon Valley Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory. The lab opened in Jan. 7, 2005.
The seizure of his computers and other possessions alarmed journalists across the country, who fear officials may learn who his confidential sources are despite a state shield law protecting journalists and a federal law prohibiting the search of newsrooms.
Chen, an editor at the technology website Gizmodo, got the scoop on a prototype of the next-generation iPhone after an Apple employee left it at a Redwood City bar.
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