Partnership Formed to Train Underrepresented Journalists

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and The Poynter Institute have announced a partnership designed to provide professional development to journalists and media leaders from underrepresented demographic groups in an effort to increase their effectiveness and presence in newsrooms. The partnership calls for Knight to provide a grant of $50,000 to Poynter and individual grants of $20,000 to each of six journalism organizations to help fund scholarships to Poynter programs for more than 100 journalists.

"I see this grant as a stimulus to keep good journalists in the news business," said Karen Dunlap, president of The Poynter Insitute. "To survive and thrive, these journalists and media leaders need continued grounding in journalistic craft and values and new multimedia and entrepreneurial skills. This funding compliments Poynter's ongoing scholarship campaign and its intent to provide access to training for as wide a range of journalists and media leaders as possible."

Dunlap noted that the current downsizing of America's newsrooms has been particularly hard on journalists from underrepresented demographic groups -- the same people that news organizations had been slow to hire and promote when economic times were much better.

The grants are intended to provide the journalists who are selected for the program -- they will be known as Knight-Poynter Fellows -- with training in one of Poynter's broad range of training venues, including News University; Poynter Online; Webinars; online chats; on-site seminars and regional workshops.

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'State of NABJ' Teleconference Town Hall

Please join NABJ President Kathy Times and Treasurer Gregory Lee for an NABJ Town Hall Teleconference Meeting to discuss the "State of NABJ." This teleconference is scheduled for Wednesday, January 13, 11 a.m.-noon (Eastern time), and is for National Association of Black Journalists members only. Use of a computer is required to participate in the visual component of this teleconference and to submit questions. Members may also dial-in to participate in listen-only mode. Questions may be submitted in advance at nabjtownhall@gmail.com. To register, click here.

Observer Seeks Freelance Science Writers

The Charlotte Observer is looking for freelance science writers. This is what it posted on its Facebook page today:

Are you a freelance science writer or know somebody who is? The Observer is looking for NC-based freelancers interested in writing science stories for the paper. Particularly looking for people with a background in journalism; who have existing contacts at NC universities and colleges and who have strong clips. For details, email sgunn@charlotteobserver.com.

Opportunities for Freelance Movie Critics

Hollywood has found an inventive use for all those unemployed movie critics out there: focus groups.

The online research company OTX and public relations group mPRm have joined forces to create Critical Focus Exchange, a service in which critics and film reporters offer their expertise to producers and studios looking for feedback on niche and arthouse movies.


The service uses the statistics-based methodology that Hollywood has relied on for more than two decades to test movies, trailers and posters in order to predict consumer choices.

Now the idea is to provide independent producers and niche moviemakers with a similar research tool. It will also provide a small income for a number of out of work, or freelance, critics. (They’ll get $100 per screening.)

Mark Pogachefsky, a veteran indie film publicist, came up with the concept a year ago, when many critics he knew were being laid off. “I thought, ‘How can we take advantage of all that expertise and create a business around it?” he said.

Above is an excerpt of an article from TheWrap. Click here to read the full article.

Free Event Focuses on Social Media

One of the nation's experts on social media is speaking at a free event on Monday, December 7, 7 p.m. at Queens University of Charlotte.

Joshua Benton, director of the Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard University, will give insights into the state of social media, including Facebook and Twitter, and what direction it's going.

His appearance is sponsored by the School of Communication at Queens University and The Charlotte Observer. He'll speak at Sykes Auditorium on the Queens campus.

Attendees are asked to pre-register at www2.queens.edu/socialmedia.