Seven seats on IRE's 13-member Board of Directors will be up for election in 2008. Candidates who wish to appear on both the election day and absentee ballots must file by April 18.
All candidates who file by May 21 will have their statements posted on the IRE Web site. The final day to declare candidacy and be listed on the election day ballot is June 6 at noon. Filing instructions are online here.
The election will be held at the annual membership meeting June 7 at the 2008 IRE Conference in Miami. Members who will not be attending the conference may request an absentee ballot from April 18 to May 19. E-mail .
Spread the word about IRE's new freelance fellowships. April 30 is the application deadline for the first round of fellowships, which will provide $1,000 or more to support investigative projects.
Proposals will be judged by an independent panel of three freelance journalists. At the request of the anonymous donor who provided $55,000 to create these fellowships, proposals dealing with whistleblowers, business ethics and/or privacy issues will receive priority; projects involving other topics will be given serious consideration by the committee as well. The freelance projects must be published or aired primarily in U.S. outlets. Applications are available at www.ire.org/training/fellowships.html.
Business News Data Specialist
The Associated Press
New York, N.Y.
Special Projects Consumer Producer
CBS5
Los Angeles, Calif.
WTVJ Investigative Reporter/Producer
NBC 6, Miramar/Miami
Miami, Fla.
Freelance Writer
High Country News
1 Web innovator/2 programming jobs
Asbury Park Press
Neptune, N.J.
Investigative producer
WSB-TV
Atlanta, Ga.
Keynote speaker Dave Barry, humor writer and former Miami Herald columnist, is one highlight of a rapidly growing list of speakers for the 2008 IRE Conference in Miami.
Barry will speak at the awards luncheon on Saturday, June 7, honoring the winners of the 2007 IRE Awards announced this week. Many award winners and finalists also will share insights from their stories in panel discussions throughout the conference. For the latest details on who's coming, please visit www.ire.org/training/miami08/speakers.html.
The final schedule is in the works; watch for additions and details at www.ire.org/training/miami08/schedule.html. Showcase panels, including "New models for investigative journalism," will feature leading voices from nonprofits, blogs, citizen journalism and other online innovators, both in independent outfits and mainstream news organizations. Another showcase will examine issues surrounding journalists in dangerous situations.
Topics such as the war and veterans' issues, mortgage foreclosures, campaign finance, drug testing in college and professional sports, immigration, consumer products and food safety will be covered from multiple angles.
Fundamentals for every beat will be on the agenda, too. Education panels will range from "Covering teachers: Cheaters, abusers and victims" to "Higher education: Holding administrators accountable."The Criminal Justice Journalists will sponsor a series of panels related to cops and courts. A track of business reporting panels will be presented.
Special tracks for editors and producers will provide seasoned advice on "How to kick up your broadcast production a notch" or "How top editors see their role in shaping projects." Other panels include "Investigative reporting: Doing more with less" and "Managing the investigation."
Sign up by March 31 to receive the super early-bird rate of $165. From April 1 to May 19, early-bird registration is $175. (Student registration for $100 will not change.) See details at www.ire.org/training/miami08/registration.html
Don't forget that May 19 is the last day to register online or by faxing a form to IRE. Registration closes at noon, (CDT). After that, you must register on site for $200.
Another reason to plan now: May 9 is the last day to get the discounted price of $175 plus tax (13%) per night at the InterContinental Miami. The conference room block often sells out before this deadline.
April 5-6, 2008 - Urbana-Champaign, Ill.
Better Watchdog & Unleashing the Watchdogs
April 11-12, 2008 - Los Angeles, Calif.
Better Watchdogs Workshop
April 12-13, 2008 - Minneapolis, MN
Ethnic Media Training.
This workshop for journalists working for ethnic news organizations will cover how to do investigative and enterprise journalism quickly and effectively.
April 19-20, 2008 - St. Paul, Minnesota
Money in Politics Workshop.
This workshop for reporters, editors and producers covers the latest in campaign finance regulations and shows how to use federal and state data to dig deeper into the influence of money before and after elections.
Journalists helping other journalists. It is one of IRE's core values.
And nowhere is that more on display than at IRE's conference mentorship program. Hundreds of IRE members have participated in the program during the past few years.
The program pairs experienced investigative reporters and editors with young journalists for one-on-one conversations. They typically spend about an hour talking about ideas, strategies and stories at the annual IRE Conference. In just two years, participation has doubled. In Phoenix last June, more than 120 journalists were involved as mentors or mentees.
"It helps connect young reporters like me to the most experienced folks in the field," said Will Evans, a staff reporter for the Center for Investigative Reporting. "Especially now, with the industry struggling, younger journalists need this kind of nurturing and guidance."
Elite journalists who volunteer as mentors say they find the program rewarding.
"Being an IRE mentor gives me a chance to return the favor for all those who mentored me throughout my career. It's a great opportunity to share insights and skills I've gained over the years. But it's an equally great opportunity to recharge," said Maud Beelman, deputy managing editor for Projects at the Dallas Morning News.
Mentors are being recruited now. Young journalists and students who plan to attend the conference are urged to register and request a mentor by May 10 ensure a spot. Details at http://www.ire.org/training/mentoring.html.
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