On Saturday, Jan. 28, at least six journalists covering Occupy Oakland protests were arrested. Despite identifying themselves as reporters and displaying their press credentials, two were jailed.

In a letter to the Oakland mayor and police chief, SPJ NorCal and partner organizations call on the OPD to follow its own guidelines, which instruct police to permit media to carry out their professional duties even after police have issued a dispersal order, as long as ” their presence would unduly interfere with the enforcement action.”

Why is this important?

Freedom of the press is key to our democracy and must be vigorously defended. Arrests of journalists and other police interference with reporters and photographers cannot be tolerated.

This is the second time SPJ NorCal has protested the OPD’s failure to follow its own guidelines on non-interference with journalists doing their jobs.

We once again invite Mayor Quan and Police Chief Jordan to the table to discuss ways to ensure that Oakland police no longer detain, harass, or otherwise block journalists from doing their jobs reporting breaking news.

The James Madison Freedom of Information Awards recognize Northern California organizations and individuals who have made significant contributions to the advancement of freedom of information and expression in the spirit of James Madison, the creative force behind the First Amendment. The awards are presented by the Freedom of Information Committee of the Northern California Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. There is no fee for submitting an entry. An awards ceremony and dinner will be held in March, during National Freedom of Information Week, near the anniversary of Madison’s birth.

Eligible for nomination are Northern California journalists, citizens, media organizations, or community groups who, during 2011, have defended public access to meetings, public records, or court proceedings or otherwise promoted the public’s right to know, publish and speak freely about issues of public concern.

Award Categories (awards may not be given in every category): Professional Journalist, Nonprofit Organization, Source/Whistle Blower, Career Achievement, Citizen, Public Official, Educator, Cartoonist, Legal Counsel, Student Journalist, Electronic Access, News Media.

* The Professional Journalist and Student Journalist awards recognize journalists who have been involved in fights for access to records, meetings or court proceedings, who have made exceptional use of public records in their reporting or who have promoted education on FOI issues through stories, editorials or other advocacy.

* The Public Official award is given to a governmental official who has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to keeping public records or meetings public, or otherwise has taken exemplary leadership on FOI or First Amendment issues.

* The Beverly Kees Educator Award recognizes extraordinary efforts by educators to cultivate a devotion to the values of freedom of information.

The Norwin S. Yoffie Career Achievement Award is named in honor of a stalwart supporter of the chapter’s Freedom of Information Committee, who died in November 2000 after many years of distinguished service to SPJ and the cause of freedom of information.

Submit a nomination online. Entries must be submitted not later than Friday, January 6, 2012.

Questions: Please contact Geoff King or Rebecca Bowe at spjnorcalfoi@gmail.com. Please include “James Madison Awards Question” in the subject line.

The action is part of a disturbing trend of police officers at Occupy protests nationwide arresting journalists covering the events.

SPJ President John Ensslin last week issued a statement urging mayors across the country to drop charges against these journalists and calling on police to exercise greater care to avoid arresting journalists who are simply doing their jobs.

“We know that as protests escalate it may be difficult for police to distinguish bystanders from participants, but it is clear now that many journalists have been erroneously arrested without cause,” Ensslin said. “These errors must be rectified immediately.”

LIVE AUCTION ITEMS:

Mexican Dinner Party for 6 ($180 min): You and up to five friends can savor an authentic Mexican dinner, prepared by Simona Padilla, for decades one of the Mission District’s standout chefs. She was an early pioneer in The City’s taqueria movement; she co-owned the York Meat Market on 24th and York for many years; she caters the Mexican consulate’s annual Independence Day dinner; and over the years has won awards for her tamales in San Francisco cookoffs. She’ll serve the meal, and discuss the art of Mexican cuisine with the assistance of NorCal SPJ’s Ricardo Sandoval — her volunteer prep chef, wannabe foodie and chief bottle washer.

“The Vanishing Newsroom” ($120): Framed original editorial cartoon of “The Vanishing Newsroom” by East Coast cartoonist Peaco Todd, commissioned exclusively for SPJ NorCal. A wry take-off of Edvard Munch’s “The Scream.” This donation is for Peter’s part of the auction. The amusing back story is that the husband of board member Linda Jue, who commissioned the artwork three years ago, tried to “help” the bidding process along by raising his hand during a lull, and he ended up buying the print. They are now donating the art back to the chapter for this year’s EIJ. Artist Info: Peaco Todd is a syndicated cartoonist, author, and the publisher of Porkbarrel Comix. Her weekly column, “Notes from the Perimeter,” appears in several regional Northeast newspapers. She also teaches for Lesley University and the Union Institute and University. Her work can be seen at www.porkbarrelcomix.com and www.peacotoons.com.

SILENT AUCTION ITEMS:
Tahoe Ski Trip Card: SnowBomb ($150, Qty 2): This is no ordinary Tahoe discount card. It’s the best Tahoe ski/snowboarding card period. You basically get a Tahoe ski trip for less than 1 night’s stay! Every card gets you 4 — yes, 4 — FREE LIFT TICKETS to the resorts you want to go to Kirkwood ($70), Alpine Meadows or Homewood ($80), Dodge Ridge ($59) and China Peak ($60) — AND a FREE 2 NIGHT STAY at Grand Sierra Resort-Reno ($118). But wait — there’s more! You also get an adult Royal Gorge all-day trail pass; an adult Tahoe XC all-day trail pass; 1 year subscription to either Ski or Transworld Snowboarding Magazine; 1 day gear rental from the Back Country Store; 1 day ski or snowboard rental package from Demo Sport; 1 day ski or snowboard rental package form Bobo’s Mogul Mouse; 1 day ski or snowboard rental package from Lombardi Sports; ski or snowboard tune-up form Mel Cotton’s Sporting Goods; 1 day basic ski, nordic or snowboard rental package from Sports Basement. But once you enjoy all your freebies, you still get year-round discounts on lift tickets to practically every ski resort, lodging — Tahoe Beach & Ski Club, Tahoe Seasons Resort, the Hyatt, to name a few — and dining, such as the Blue Agave and Rover Ranch. That’s over $500 worth of stuff! The Tahoe Gold Card — the top of the line card of its kind — retails for $150.

Lunch with literary agent Penny Nelson of Manus and Associates in Palo Alto ($100): Everything you ever wanted to ask about getting your book published over lunch at Straits Cafe in Palo Alto or the Liberty Cafe in SF. From Manus and Associates’ website: a bicoastal literary agency representing writers for over twenty years. The broad scope of our project list includes fiction ranging from commercial to literary, as well as nonfiction ranging from prescriptive to narrative. Our books are New York Times Bestsellers, New York Times Notable Books of the Year, and Oprah Book Club selections, and our clients have won numerous awards including the Whiting Award, the Kiriyama Prize, the Edgar Award, Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Award and the Lambda Award. We are always on the lookout for new projects that empower, enchant, enthrall, and entertain. A famous titles: “One Minute Millionaire” by Robert G. Allen and Mark Victor Hansen (Random House), “Cane River” by Lalita Tademy (Warner Books), “Geisha: A Life” by Mineko Iwasake and Rande Brown (Atria Books), “Catfish and Mandala” by Andrew Pham (FSG), “The World of Normal Boys” by K.M. Soehnlein (Kensington) (Expires June 10, 2012)

Heavenly Ski Day for 2: Resort Lift Tickets & Lunch ($165): The slopes of the world-renown Heavenly Ski Resort at Lake Tahoe beckon with the opening of ski season this Friday! Just a few hours’ drive from the Bay Area, you can ski, snowboard, ice-skate, snowmobile and snowtube at one the region’s most breath-taking resorts. Take that special someone, have a BFF day, bond with your kid or give the best Christmas present ever.

Sierra-at-Tahoe Lift Tickets for 2 ($148): Why wait until you get all the way to South Lake Tahoe to ride? Get your ski on early! Sierra-at-Tahoe is the first ski resort along Highway 50 on the drive up from the Bay Area. TransWorld Snowboarding puts Sierra-at-Tahoe in the top 10 for Overall Resort, Best Pipes and Best Parks. Plus, with 8 great places to eat over the resort’s 2,000 acres, the resort is also Snow Country Magazine’s top pick for on-mountain food.

Sephora Makeup & Accessories ($300): Various makeup items and accessories that need to be grouped into gift baskets or maybe we just label them for individual sale? Haven’t decided yet.

Original 1969 People’s Park newspaper: Original 1969 Daily Californian commemorative edition of their People’s Park coverage, entitled “Days of Blood — Nights of Terror.” It’s printed on newsprint, yellow with age but not falling apart. The stapled packet consists, according to the cover, of “8 issues published during the ‘People’s Park’ conflict” that were “Compiled by the staff of the Daily Californian.”

Cal Academy of Sciences Family Four-Pack ($120): Family four-pack of tickets. From Academy website: The California Academy of Sciences is a world-class scientific and cultural institution based in San Francisco. The Academy recently opened a new facility in Golden Gate Park, a 400,000 square foot structure that houses an aquarium, a planetarium a natural history museum and a 4-story rainforest all under one roof. The new facility is also home to the Academy’s staff of world-class scientists, an education department that provides a wide range of student and teacher services, and an extensive science library with over 26 million specimens and artifacts.

S.F. Zoo tickets ($30): 2 tickets to the S.F. Zoo. From SF Zoo website: The San Francisco Zoo is Northern California’s oldest and largest zoological park and an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).  It has an annual attendance of 925,000 people per year, making it one of the most visited recreational and cultural attractions in the Bay Area. Since its founding in 1929, the Zoo has served as an enduring tradition for Bay Area families for generations. Located adjacent to the Pacific Ocean along the Great Highway, the 100-acre facility is managed and operated by the private, non-profit San Francisco Zoological Society in a unique partnership with the City and County of San Francisco. The Zoo is funded through gate admission fees, retail sales, membership dues, contributions, and support from the city. Under the leadership of a 60-member board of directors and an executive director, the Zoo has an annual budget of $20 million and approximately 220 employees. The San Francisco Zoological Society has more than 25,000 household members, making it one of the top ten zoological societies in the United States.

Jillian’s VIP Billiards or Wii Package ($100): This exclusive VIP package will treat you and your guests to your choice of either a two-hour billiards party on two world-class Brunswick Gold Crown Billiards tables OR a Wii party at the private Martini Bar. With a some light snacks to get you started, you can enjoy Jillian’s fun, casual atmosphere where you and your guests can dine, shoot pool or play Wii, and root for your favorite team surrounding by Jillian’s large, flat-screen TVs. Whether you’re a sports fanatic or a sophisticated billiards expert, this VIP Jillian’s Biliiards package is sure to be a good time with friends.

Argentine Tango Class Series ($60): True, it takes 2 to tango … but it starts with 1 — YOU! Learn how to tango from a master, Carolina Rozensztroch, over 4 classes in a group setting (Monday or Wednesday nights in the same month). From Carolina’s website: Carolina Rozensztroch brings sixteen years of experience as a professional dancer and teacher to her gift for sharing the essence and beauty of tango. In her country, Argentina, she began her career as a modern dancer and later devoted herself to study Tango with the great masters. Before moving to San Francisco in 2006, Carolina lived in New York City for eight years. There she implemented the Tango classes at Fashion Institute of Technology¹s Recreation Department (State University of New York). Also, Carolina created a highly successful Tango School at the Aurora Studios where she taught students from around the world. Following Carolina’s move to San Francisco, she has developed a comprehensive Argentine Tango class series at both Barrio Tango Studio and The Slovenian Hall, and has been a special guest teacher at The Metronome Dance Center, as well as other tango venues throughout the bay area. She performed in the Leading Ladies of Tango production at the Herbst Theater last December and is now a member of the company Tango Con* Fusion. Carolina teaches, performs, and hosts a weekly Milonga with her dance partner Roberto Riobo. Also, every year Carolina and Roberto lead a ³Cultural Tango Tour² to Buenos Aires.

Adult Fencing Class ($147): EN GARDE! Learn the basics of swordfighting so you can say with authority whether the pen really is mightier! During this 8-week course in either foil or epee fencing (your choice), you’ll be introduced to all of the equipment, crucial fencing footwork and bladework, basic offensive and defensive moves like direct attacks and parry-ripostes, and the strategic mindset you need to defeat any opponent. Classes are held Wednesdays, 7-8 p.m. at Halberstadt Fencing Club, 621 S. Van Ness Ave. All equipment provided; just show up wearing loose-fitting clothing, long pants or sweats, and sneakers. 1 adult fencing class at Halberstadt Fencing Club in San Francisco.

“Good Night and Good Luck” DVD ($19.98): 2005 film dramatizing (1) the 1950s confrontation between CBS News reporter Edward R. Murrow and Communist witch-hunt leader Sen. Joseph McCarthy, and (2) the start of the dumbing-down of TV programming. Should be “must” viewing for every high school and college student.

Wine:

REDS:
Pinot Noir:  Fort Ross, 2009 / Robert Thomas, 2006 / Yorkville Highlands (Toulouse Vineyards), 2009 / Twomey, 2009 / Joseph Jewell, 2008
Landmark, 2009 / Breggo, 2009

Cabernet Sauvignon: Paul Dolan, 2007 / Bardessono, 2009 / Damian Rae, 2008 / Hughes Wellman, 2007 / Meyer Family Cellars, 2008 / Chateau St. John, 2006

Zinfandel: Bella, 2008 / Sextant, 2009 / Bradford Mountain, 2007 / Benessere, 2008

Petite Sirah: Clayhouse, 2007 / Cupa Grandis, 2004

Syrah: August West, 2007

Barbera D’Asti: Vietti (Italy) 2008

Blends: Paraduxx, 2008 / Cass, 2008 / Donelan, 2009 / Girard, 2008

WHITES:
Chardonnay: White Rock, 2009 / Stuhlmuller Vineyards, 2008 / Athair, 2008 / Patz&Hall, 2009 / Testa Rossa, 2008 / Morgan (Highland Vineyard), 2008

Pinot Blanc: Etude, 2009 / Dutton-Goldfield, 2010

Blends: Terre Rouge, 2008

CHAMPAGNE: Taittinger, Brut / Duval-Leroy, Brut

Van Derbeken spent hundreds of hours combing through tens of thousands of pages of documents to prove that the explosion could have been prevented and that PG&E has consistently failed to protect customers in San Bruno and elsewhere in California. In the process of turning out dozens of stories, Van Derbeken, the Chronicle’s longtime criminal justice reporter, was forced to learn a whole new field. This past August, the National Transportation Safety Board essentially rubberstamped his efforts, concluding that PG&E’s cozy relationship with state regulators and a culture of shoddy safety practices caused the deadly explosion.

“Judges were impressed by the depth of reporting and the variety of story presentation Northern California journalists provided their audiences this year,” said Liz Enochs, SPJ NorCal chapter president. “The work of this year’s winners shows Northern California journalists are setting the pace for using all manner of media tools to dig for hidden facts and tell the stories that best serve Northern California’s citizens.”

Van Derbeken is the recipient of one of seven special awards chosen directly by the SPJ NorCal board of directors.

Entrepreneurial journalist Burt Herman, co-founder and chief executive officer of Storify, which builds social media tools for journalists and bloggers, receives the SPJ-NorCal Board of Directors’ Distinguished Service award. Herman also founded an international grassroots organization, Hacks/Hackers, which brings together journalists and technologists and has thousands of members across four continents. As a bureau chief and correspondent for The Associated Press for 12 years, he covered politics, war, culture and business around the world.

The Beat Within, a magazine incorporating the stories and art of incarcerated youth, receives the Silver Heart award, which was established in 2009 to honor those whose careers reflect an extraordinary dedication to giving voice to the voiceless. The Beat, a division of the Pacific News Service/New American Media, was founded in San Francisco in 1996 and is directed by David Inocencio.

The SPJ-NorCal board also honors the Career Achievements of two Bay Area journalists, Kai-ping Liu, city editor for the Chinese-language daily World Journal, for his work in print, and Pam Moore, an award-winning news anchor at KRON 4 News for two decades, for her work as a broadcast journalist.

Since arriving in the U.S. in 1982 with $40 in his pocket, the Shanghai-native Liu has covered political upheavals and natural disasters from the massacre in Tiananmen Square to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, winning numerous New America Media awards. As an editor, he writes editorials on topics from racial tensions and San Francisco’s Chinese-American mayoral candidates to immigration issues.

Moore anchors KRON 4’s evening newscasts and has reported extensively on health and race issues, winning a prestigious George Foster Peabody award, among many other honors. She is also active in numerous community organizations that focus on such programs as advocating for low-income youth and providing assistance to underinsured women with breast cancer. Last year, Moore was inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Silver Circle.

Oakland Tribune librarian Veronica Martinez receives the SPJ NorCal Board of Directors’ Unsung Hero award for her tireless service to both readers and newsroom employees. She not only is dedicated to helping Bay Area News Group reporters and editors find information and provide resource material, but also she regularly goes beyond the call of duty to protect the Tribune’s legacy of news clips going back to the 1800s and to cheerfully help families who are looking for their bit of reported history from decades ago.

Ricardo Sandoval-Palos, immediate past president of SPJ Northern California, is honored with the board’s John Gothberg/Distinguished Service award for his contributions to the health and leadership of the Northern California chapter.

The 2011 winners will be honored at SPJ-NorCal’s 26th annual awards dinner on November 15 at Jillian’s restaurant in San Francisco.

2011 AWARD WINNERS

JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR: Jaxon Van Derbeken of the San Francisco Chronicle

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD: Burt Herman, co-founder and CEO of Storify and founder of Hacks/Hackers.

CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Kai-ping Liu, editor of World Journal (print), and Pam Moore, evening news anchor for KRON 4 News (broadcast)

SILVER HEART AWARD: The Beat Within, a magazine by incarcerated youth published by New America Media in San Francisco.

UNSUNG HERO AWARD: Veronica Martinez, librarian for the Oakland Tribune

JOHN GOTHBERG/DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO SPJ: Ricardo Sandoval of the Center for Public Integrity

ARTS & CULTURE: (print/text daily): Joshua Kosman of the San Francisco Chronicle for reviews and criticism about classical music performances.

ARTS & CULTURE (print/text non-daily): Ian S. Port of SF Weekly for “Pomplamoose Calls the Tune.”

ARTS & CULTURE (radio/audio): Martina Castro of KALW-FM for “The Audiophiles,” a series about sound.

ARTS & CULTURE (TV/video): Jobin Panicker and Cody Gless of KSEE 24 News in Fresno for “Technology Turns the Page on How We Read.”

ARTS & CULTURE (multimedia): Eric Arnold, Stephan Allen, Susan Mernit and Kwan Booth of Oakland Local for coverage of the city’s hip-hop scene.

BREAKING NEWS (print/text): San Francisco Chronicle for coverage of PG&E’s natural-gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno.

BREAKING NEWS (radio/audio): KCBS News Team for coverage of PG&E’s natural-gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno.

COMMENTARY: Daniel Borenstein of the Contra Costa Times for “Oakland’s Fiscal Train Wreck.”

COMMUNITY JOURNALISM (radio): Holly Kernan, Ben Trefny, Martina Castro and the KALW-FM staff for “Crosscurrents,” a daily news program.

COMMUNITY JOURNALISM (print/text): the staff of Central City Extra for coverage of San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood.

EMERGING JOURNALIST: Lisa Morehouse, an independent radio reporter, for an audio series about the future of small-town California.

EXPLANATORY JOURNALISM (print/text daily): Peter Hecht of The Sacramento Bee for a series that explored California’s marijuana industry and clash between state and federal laws.

EXPLANATORY JOURNALISM (print/text non-daily): Ted Genoways, Andrew Marantz, Clara Jeffery and Monika Bauerlein of Mother Jones for “The Speedup,” which looks at America’s squeezed workforce, working harder for less and less.

EXPLANATORY JOURNALISM (radio/audio daily): Scott Shafer of KQED-FM’s California Report for his coverage of the controversy over the videotapes of the Proposition 8 trial.

EXPLANATORY JOURNALISM (radio/audio non-daily): Brian Edwards-Tiekert of the National Radio Project for “Climate Change Gridlock: Where Do We Go from Here?”

EXPLANATORY JOURNALISM (TV/video daily): Thuy Vu, Vince Garrido, and Greg Marasso of KPIX/CBS 5 for “Vietnam Revisited,”

EXPLANATORY JOURNALISM (TV/video non-daily): The staff of KQED Quest and Climate Watch for “Going Up: Sea Level Rise in the San Francisco Bay.”

EXPLANATORY JOURNALISM (multimedia daily): Sarah Terry-Cobo, Carrie Ching and Arthur Jones of the Center for Investigative Reporting’s California Watch for “The Price of Gas.”

FEATURE STORYTELLING (print/text daily): Kim Zetter of Wired.com for “How Digital Detectives Deciphered Stuxnet.”

FEATURE STORYTELLING (print/text non-daily): Charlie LeDuff of Mother Jones for “What Killed Aiyana Stanley-Jones?”

FEATURE STORYTELLING (radio/audio daily): Sarah Varney of KQED-FM for “Private ‘Safe Houses’ Returning Due to State Budget Cuts.”

FEATURE STORYTELLING (radio/audio non-daily): Amy Standen and Andrea Kissack of KQED for the QUEST program “Chemistry by Smell.”

FEATURE STORYTELLING (TV/video daily): Jobin Panicker and Cody Gless of KSEE-44 in Clovis for “Cobbler Takes Pride in Saving Soles,” a story about how the craft of shoe repair is disregarded in our throwaway culture.

FEATURE STORYTELLING (TV/video non-daily): Gabriela Quirós, Joshua Cassidy, Linda Peckham, Amy Miller, Paul Rogers of KQED Quest for “Bats in Our Midst.”

FEATURE STORYTELLING (multimedia daily): Matt O’Brien and Jane Tyska of The Contra Costa Times for “Bhutan: A Journey from Conflict.”

INVESTIGATIVE (print/text daily): San Francisco Chronicle and reporters Jaxon Van Derbeken and Eric Nalder for digging through tens of thousands of pages of public records to reveal the laissez-faire oversight by PG&E and utility regulators before the San Bruno natural-gas pipeline explosion.

INVESTIGATIVE (radio/audio non-daily): Pauline Bartolone, Momo Chang, Andrew Stelzer, Kyung Jin Lee and Khanh Pham for the National Radio Project’s “The Toxic Truth About Nail Salons.”

INVESTIGATIVE (TV/video daily): Ben Deci and Tom Long of Fox 40-Sacramento for “Free Parking: DMV Employees Roll the Dice.”

JOURNALISM INNOVATION: California Watch for deftly combining traditional journalism with new ways to connect to communities, from coloring books that teach children earthquake safety to iPhone animations that explain why gas prices rise and fall.

PHOTOJOURNALISM (newspapers): The photography staff of San Francisco Chronicle for coverage of the San Bruno pipeline explosion.

PHOTOJOURNALISM (magazines): Danny Wilcox-Frazier of Mother Jones for “What Killed Aiyana Stanley-Jones?”

PUBLIC SERVICE: Tom Lochner and Daniel Borenstein of the Contra Costa Times for “Cleaning up Hercules City Hall,” a series of reports and editorials about corruption and conflict of interest in city government.

STUDENT PROJECT: Staff of the San Matean, of The College of San Mateo, for “The San Bruno Pipeline Fire.”

The online system for submitting your work is: Awards.SPJNorCal.org

Complete details about the awards are at: 26th ANNUAL EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM AWARDS: CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

The site is at: Awards.SPJNorCal.org

Deadline for submitting entries: Aug. 19 Aug. 30. Winners will be announced in October.

For complete details see: 26th ANNUAL EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM AWARDS: CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

Good luck!

We are using a new system this year to allow you to submit your entries for the 26th Annual Excellence in Journalism Awards online. The site will go live on Wednesday, August 10. We will post the link here once it is live.

Reminder: The deadline for submitting entries is August 19 August 30.

More information on the awards, including categories and entry requirements, is here: 26th Annual Excellence in Journalism Awards: Call for Nominations. Winners will be announced in October.

This year marks two significant changes to the awards: categories and entries. The board voted to realign the categories to reflect changes in journalism: Print/Text, Radio/Audio, TV/Video and Multimedia. Some categories will also be subdivided into daily and non-daily. The six special Board of Directors Awards will remain the same: Journalist of the Year, Career Achievement, Distinguished Service, Unsung Hero, Meritorious SPJ Service and the Silver Heart.

The change to an online-only format, a first for this chapter, is one that we hope will make the contest process easier and faster. We will no longer accept mailed entries. The contest entry site will feature a one-stop shop for all your contest needs, including a short video with detailed, step-by-step instructions. All entrants need to do is create an account, and the site will walk you through the rest. As with all product launches, however, we anticipate a few kinks along the way. We thank you in advance for your patience as we make this important transition and would appreciate your feedback. The site — awards.spjnorcal.org — is set to go live by Aug. 6.

Details and rules below. Deadline Aug. 19 Aug. 30. Best of luck!

Instructions:

Stories must have been published between July 1, 2010, and June 30, 2011, by a news outlet or individuals based in Northern California.

DEADLINE: Aug. 19. Entries must be time-stamped by Aug. 19, 2011 Aug. 30, 2011.

QUESTIONS: Call chapter President Liz Enochs at (415) 323-0220.

CONTEST CATEGORIES

BREAKING NEWS

Honors individuals, teams or news organizations whose work demonstrates clear and accurate reporting and graceful writing on deadline. Judges will consider deadline pressure and complexity of subject.

Entry specifications: Submit up to three stories.

Categories: Print/Text, Radio/Audio, TV/Video and Multimedia.

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING

Honors individuals or teams that identify important issues and demonstrate initiative, persistence and resourcefulness pursuing information that is restricted or not easily available.

Entry specifications: Submit one story or series of related stories.

Categories: Daily and non-daily in Print/Text, Radio/Audio, TV/Video and Multimedia.

EXPLANATORY JOURNALISM

Honors journalists who increase readers’ and/or viewers’ understanding of significant or complex issues. Entries may add understanding to issues in the news or may focus on issues largely uncovered by the media.

Entry specifications: Submit one story or series of related stories.

Categories: Daily and non-daily in Print/Text, Radio/Audio, TV/Video and Multimedia.

COMMUNITY JOURNALISM

Honoring journalists and organizations whose primary focus is coverage of a well-defined small community or neighborhood. Entries may include print publications, news broadcasts or news sites. University-supported projects are not eligible. Entry specifications: This is for community-based outlets. Submit no more than five news stories or packages demonstrating the range and depth of local news coverage.

Categories: Print/Text, Radio/Audio, TV/Video and Multimedia.

FEATURE STORYTELLING

Honors journalists for exceptional writing that demonstrates originality of approach. Judges will consider humor or drama evoked, style, clarity of writing and suitability of the writing to the subject.

Entry specifications: Submit story or series.

Categories: Daily and non-daily in Print/Text, Radio/Audio, TV/Video and Multimedia.

COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS

Honors individuals for exceptional writing of commentary, analysis and editorials. Print entries may include bylined or unsigned editorials and columns. Online entries may include news-related blogs. Judges will consider quality of writing, clarity of analysis and originality of approach.

Entry specifications: Submit up to three samples

Categories: Print/Text, Radio/Audio, TV/Video and Multimedia.

ARTS & CULTURE REPORTING

Honors journalists for incisive reporting about art, music, movies, theater, dance, books, restaurants, architecture or other public performance. May also include reviews. Judges will consider quality of analysis and persuasiveness of arguments.

Entry specifications: Submit up to three samples

Categories: Daily and non-daily in Print/Text, Radio/Audio, TV/Video and Multimedia.

JOURNALISM INNOVATION

Honors individuals or organizations that have demonstrated innovative ways to further the goals of journalism, using online tools, new funding strategies and/or other approaches; entrants should demonstrate how innovation has led to unique coverage.

Entry specifications: Submit up to three samples showing how this innovation works.

Categories: All media.

PHOTOJOURNALISM

Limited to 3 separate submissions of not more than 15 images each. Include the written story or explanation:

1) Newspaper stories/essays/features (for stories published either in print or on a paper’s website)

2) Magazine stories/essays/features (for stories published in print or on the magazine’s website)

3) Audio slideshow: Limited to 1 audio slideshow up to 3 minutes in length.

Limited to 1 submission not to exceed 10 images:

4) Newspaper single image/portfolio

OUTSTANDING EMERGING JOURNALIST

Honors a journalist with less than five years of professional experience whose work shows great promise. Entry specifications: Submit resume and three samples of work.

Categories: All media

STUDENT SPECIAL PROJECT

Honors individuals or classes of college-level students for exemplary reporting, writing, and/or photography produced by all forms of student media, including special projects that report local news. These should be student-generated and not part of an ongoing university-sponsored project. Entry specifications: Submit up to three samples.

Categories: All media

PUBLIC SERVICE

Honors individuals, teams, or news organizations that try to improve conditions for the benefit of society. Entries will be judged on the significance of the issues, evidence of initiative, effectiveness of presentation and results obtained or pledged.

Entry specifications: May include project articles, editorials, public service announcements, cartoons, photos, graphics and online material.

Categories: All media

NORCAL SPJ BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ AWARDS CATEGORIES:

(A nomination letter is required; also see online instructions)

Journalist of the Year: For extraordinary journalistic contributions in the past year.

Career Achievement: For extraordinary achievements exemplifying the highest standards of the profession.

Unsung Hero: A person whose contribution to journalism is often overlooked (e.g., copy editor, librarian, web producer).

Meritorious SPJ Service/The John Gothberg Award: For outstanding contributions to the NorCal Chapter of SPJ.

Distinguished Service: For distinguished service to journalism by a journalist or non-journalist.

The Silver Heart: Awarded to a journalist whose career reflects an extraordinary dedication to giving voice to the voiceless.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Stories must have been published between July 1, 2010, and June 30, 2011, by a news outlet or individuals based in Northern California.

Deadline: Entries must be time-stamped by Aug. 19, 2011 Aug. 30, 2011.

Multiple entries: Only stories or projects entered in the Public Service category may also be entered in one other category.

Fee: $30 per entry for SPJ members*; $40 per entry for non-members.

*To be eligible for the $30 member entry fee, you must be a member of both the SPJ national organization (current price $72) AND the SPJ Northern California chapter ($20) at the time-stamp of entry. Membership is good for 12 months, based on the date you joined. Chapter membership entitles you to free or reduced member admission to NorCal chapter activities, including the Excellence in Journalism Awards dinner. See www.spj.org/join.asp to join SPJ and the NorCal chapter.

Submission website: awards.spjnorcal.org (will go live by Aug. 6)

Is there life after journalism? Former journalists now working in the public, private and nonprofit sectors talk about their experiences transitioning to new fields. How did their journalism training aid them in their next career? What other careers are good fits for journalists? What are the advantages and disadvantages of exiting journalism? And is the move permanent?

Featuring:

Linda Strean, Associate Director of Communications at the nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank Public Policy Institute of California, who was metro editor and deputy managing editor at the San Francisco Chronicle, managing editor at the Santa Barbara News-Press and managing editor of nonprofit website GreatSchools.net.

Lisa Bowman, a civil rights plaintiff lawyer at Schneider Wallace Cottrell Brayton Konecky LLP in San Francisco, who worked for nearly 10 years as a reporter for news outlets including CNET News, the Los Angeles Times, Bloomberg and KQED Public Radio.

Joshua Peck, Senior Media Relations Manager at 700-attorney international law firm Duane Morris LLP, who reported for newspapers in Michigan and New York before working as press secretary for a Congressional campaign, press assistant in the New York State Senate and a lobbyist for the Jewish philanthropic organization UJA-Federation of New York.

Becky Bowman, Display Network specialist at Google Inc., who was a newspaper reporter at the Hearst Corporation, a fact-checker at Women’s Health magazine and a freelance writer for three years prior to joining the search giant as an optimizer in advertising sales.

Moderated by Jill Redhage, Staff Writer at the San Francisco Daily Journal and program committee member for the Society of Professional Journalists – Northern California Chapter.

Direct questions to jredhage(at)gmail.com.