Scripps Deepens Its Commitment to Investigative Journalism

By Mike Cavender, RTDNA/F Executive Director

The announcement recently by Scripps that its 96-year old DC bureau, home of the Scripps Howard News Service, will be increasing its investigative reporting efforts to benefit all its platforms—TV, digital and newspapers—is good news, indeed.

In these days of doing more and more, often with less and less, it’s refreshing to see a major group like Scripps ramp up efforts like these.  The company understands by deepening its commitment to this important kind of reporting, the efforts will pay dividends for both its audiences and, ultimately, for Scripps itself...

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Tickets Are Still Available! Join Us At the 2012 First Amendment Awards Dinner in Washington!

Every year RTDNF honors individuals in the field of broadcast journalism for their work on behalf of press freedom.

The 22st Annual RTDNF First Amendment Awards Dinner, a black-tie event, will be held March 15, 2012, at the Ritz-Carlton, 1150 22nd Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception followed by a 7:00 p.m. dinner. For table and ticket information, contact Jen Wafalosky at 216.409.8314 or jenwafalosky@sbcglobal.net.

Click here for the sponsorship information sheet and to purchase tickets.

Click here to view the honorees, the award presenters and the emcee!

'Look, Up In The Sky - It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…No, It’s a Drone!'

By Mike Cavender, RTDNA/F Executive Director

That opening line from the old Superman TV show is about to take on new meaning as the FAA is set to propose rules this spring that would allow limited, non-military use of small drones here in the U.S.

And that may well open the way for TV and other journalistic organizations to equip such unmanned aircraft with cameras and microphones to, (stealing a phrase from another famous program) go where no man has gone before!

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Join RTDNA@NAB in Las Vegas on Tuesday April 17!

On Tuesday, April 17, RTDNA will be presenting a day of programming at the 2012 NAB Show in Las Vegas!

Click here to view the schedule for the day!

Money Matters Story Idea: More Americans Plan to Save Their Tax Refunds

From CNN Money: "Americans are going to be a lot more tightfisted with their tax refunds this year, with more people planning to save the cash they get back from Uncle Sam instead of spending it."



According to the article from CNN Money, of those expecting a refund, 44% said they plan to stash some of it in savings, up from 42% last year, according to a survey of more than 8,700 consumers by the National Retail Federation. That marks the highest percentage in the survey's nine-year history.

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Chardon, Columbine Shootings Offer Perspective on Why Good Journalism Matters

Editor’s Note: RTDNF Treasurer Ed Esposito, also the Vice President of Rubber City Radio Group in Akron, Ohio and RTDNA Region 1 & 3 Director, Kathy Walker, the News Director of KOA-AM in Denver offer their first-hand experiences of dealing with tragic school shootings in their markets. Esposito writes about the recent Chardon High School shootings and Walker of Columbine in 1999.

Esposito: A bright, sunny day to start the workweek. Shattered by tragedy, young lives lost and young lives forever changed in the time it took to fire shots inside a school. A community dealing with the pain and the shock, looking for answers. Parents watching from afar hold their own children a little closer and tell them they love them; teenagers maybe taking a moment from the insular view of their own lives that comes with adolescence to reflect on their own sense of loss of innocence, knowing there may not be a wall of security protecting them after all.

From the viewpoint of what we do as journalists...

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Deadline Extended: Submit Your RTDNA / UNITY Awards by April 1!

RTDNA honors outstanding achievements in the coverage of diversity with the RTDNA/UNITY Award. The award is part of the covenant the association has adopted with UNITY: Journalists of Color, to achieve diversity in the newsroom through developing news content and editorial staffs that reflect the changing face of communities. The purpose of the award is to encourage and showcase journalistic excellence in covering issues of race and ethnicity. It is presented annually to news organizations that show an ongoing commitment to covering the diversity of the communities they serve.

Enter your radio, television or online news organization in the RTDNA/UNITY Awards and showcase your ongoing commitment to covering diversity issues. This prestigious award will bring recognition to your news team and increased respect from your audience.

Click here to read more and to submit your entry

RTDNF Announces Presenters and Emcee for 22nd Annual First Amendment Awards Dinner

The Radio Television Digital News Foundation will honor news leaders for their commitment to the First Amendment and excellence in journalism at the 22nd Annual First Amendment Awards Dinner on Thursday, March 15, 2012 in Washington.

The presenters, honorees and emcee are...

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From Newsroom to Classroom: Energized for Spring!

By Dr. Lydia Reeves Timmins, University of Delaware

Spring is in the air—both the weather and my attitude. This spring I am finally teaching classes I’ve taught before, which means I feel MUCH more in control. Each class is all new, because the students change—but at least I have a firmer grasp on my class structure. I know where I want the class to go and I have a feel for how to get there, so I can concentrate more on the details.

Case in point—the Intro to Journalism course. We are in the third week of class and I feel so much more confidence that I am helping students learn, not just talking facts at them...

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'Stand By Your Ad' Helps Fight Deception in Super PAC Political Advertising

By Mike Cavender, RTDNA Executive Director

The Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania is a great resource for journalists.  The originators of FactCheck.org and FlackCheck.org, websites which enable reporters and producers to check the validity of political ad