6SRW1HZV

VoI. 14, No. 1 FEBRUARY 2008

A pubIication of the East Tennessee Chapter
of the Society of ProfessionaI JournaIists
www.etspj.org
1802 Pinoak Ct.
KnoxviIIe, TN 37923
The ETSPJ guy
BY JOHN HUOTARI
ETSPJ president
HUOTARI
SEE THE ETSPJ GUY, PAGE 2
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
March - ETSPJ High School Essay Con-
test judging under way (deadline is past)
March 2 - ETSPJ board meeting, 5:30
p.m., Mandarin House West, Knoxville
March 6 - Open meetings program, 7
p.m., Shiloh Room, UT Student Center,
Knoxville
March 25 - Alfred and Julia Hill Lecture,
8 p.m., UT. Alan Boyle, MSNBC science
correspondent, "Science Reporting in a
Tabloid Culture
March 28-30 - Regions 12 & 8 spring
conference, New Orleans, La.
May 9 - Golden Press Card banquet, The
Foundry, Knoxville
June 4-6 - Ted Scripps Leadership nsti-
tute, ndianapolis
JuIy 19 - Front Page Follies, Knoxville
Convention Center
Sept. 4-7 - SPJ National Convention &
Journalism Conference, Atlanta
4 - Spot News
SEE JOURNALISTS, PAGE 2
Keeping
the 'watchdog' aIive
ETSPJ sets FOI workshop
The East Tennessee Chapter of the
Society of Professional Journalists has
scheduled an open government workshop.
Journalists and other interested people who
want to attend public meetings and/or look
at public records are invited.
It will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 6, in
the Shiloh Room of the University Center
(UC) in Knoxville. ETSPJ John Huotari
is handling arrangements.
Co-sponsor is the Howard H. Baker Jr.
Center for Public Policy, Knoxville.
The workshop will teach people what
records and meetings are open to the
public under Tennessee law and what to
do if one is denied access.
Panelists will be Don Dare, WATE-TV,
Knoxville; Frank Gibson, executive direc-
tor of the Tennessee Coalition for Open
Government, Nashville; David Keim,
assistant managing editor, News Sentinel,
Knoxville; and state Sen. Randy McNally,
chairman of the legislature`s open govern-
ment committee, Oak Ridge.
Jamie Foster, news director, WATE-TV,
will serve as moderator.
Handouts on pertinent topics will be
provided.
Parking is available at the UC garage (for
a fee) and free at a surface lot (S9) just
south of the UC. To get to the UC from
Cumberland Ave., turn south onto Philip
Fulmer Way a block east of 16th St. The
UC is on the corner, and the garage is just
beyond the UC. A little farther south is
parking lot S-9 at the corner of Andy Holt
Ave. and Philip Fulmer Way. This is gen-
erally available in the evenings at no cost
unless there`s a sporting event or concert.
One can see the campus building locator
at www.utk.edu/maps/buildings/.
Local dues will be waived for non-mem-
bers attending this seminar and completing
membership applications and submitting
national dues.
Journalists to honor
McElroy and Hollow
The East Tennessee Chapter of the So-
ciety of Professional Journalists (ET-
SPJ) will honor Knoxville News Senti-
nel Editor Jack McElroy and Knoxville
Attorney Richard L. (Rick) Hollow for
defending the state`s Open Meetings Act
in a case that continues to reverberate in
Knox County government.
McElroy and Hollow will be recognized
for their contributions to open govern-
ment during the 2008 Front Page Follies
show the evening of Saturday, July 19, at
the Knoxville Convention Center.
In October, a jury agreed with a lawsuit
brought by McElroy that Knox County
commissioners violated the law during
closed-door sessions in January 2007.
(/,,/7
-C%,2/9
Georgiana Vines of ETSPJ was one of 12
fellows attending a Business Journalism
Professors Seminar in January at the Donald
W. Reynolds National Center for Business
Journalism at the Walter Cronkite School
of Journalism and Mass Communication,
Arizona State University, in Tempe.
The three and one-half-day day program
featured Chris Roush of the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill; James Gen-
try, professor and former dean at the William
Allen White School of Journalism and Mass
Communications, University of Kansas;
Josh Mills, professor of business journal-
ism at Baruch College/CUNY in New
York City; and Jodi Schneider, economics
and fnancial editor of the Congressional
Quarterly.
Vines, retired associate editor of the
Knoxville News Sentinel, teaches public
affairs reporting at the University of Ten-
nessee. UT is considering adding a business
journalism course as an elective in the fall
of 2008.
Vines attends
business seminar
The Society of Professional Journalists
wants to increase high school students`
knowledge and understanding of the impor-
tance of the free news media to our lives.
So, for the frst time this year, ETSPJ is
conducting a contest in some area schools.
Larry Van Guilder, editor of the Halls Shop-
per-News, is serving as chairman.
Make plans to attend the Regions 12 and
8 SPJ Spring Conference March 28 and 29
on the Loyola University campus. Meet
colleagues from Tennessee, Arkansas, Mis-
sissippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas for
professional development and fun.
Spring Conferences are professional devel-
opment meetings bringing area journalists,
students and journalism educators together
in one place to hear from industry experts
on topics ranging from improving writing
to leveraging technology in today`s new
media climate. Networking opportunities at
the conferences allow participants to build
relationships that can lead to the sharing of
best practices in newsrooms.
Regions 12 and 8 Spring Conference
Check for details on www.spj.org.
Sonny Albarado, projects editor at the
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, is Region 12
director. Earlier he was business editor of
The Commercial Appeal, Memphis.
ETSPJ has arranged a program that will
focus on the Jack McElroy (New Sentinel)
vs. Knox County Commission lawsuit.
Any SPJ member can attend.
To read more about it, go to the ETSPJ Web
site, http://etspj.org/nationalregional-spj/.
Contest under way
ETSPJ has contributed $100 to a UT
journalism scholarship bearing the name
of Ron McMahan, who died Feb. 19 in
Naples, Fla. He was a Front Page Follies
honoree a number of years ago.
The Knoxville native delivered The Knox-
ville Journal as a boy, became a reporter
while a student at UT and fulflled his dream
when he became Journal editor and owner.
He sold the paper in 1988.
ETSPJ gives to McMahan scholarship
In January, I wrote a
series for The Oak Ridger
on the compensations
earned by leaders of local
nonproft organizations.
I was surprised at how
many people told me
they enjoyed the series; I
probably got more feedback from that one
series than I had from my previous two
years worth of stories combined.
While the series itself might not have
been groundbreaking, I did learn a lesson
from talking to readers about it. The lesson
is: People have a hunger for investigative
reporting. They have ideas about issues
they think journalists ought to look into.
They want us to hold governments and
other groups accountable. And they want
reporters to dig deeper to fnd new infor-
mation, going beyond press conferences,
meetings and speeches.
Those of you who live in Knox County
already know this. Last year, residents in
your county overwhelmingly supported
the media`s efforts to expose government
wrongdoing.
Unfortunately, though, some people
think this kind of reporting will be harder
to do as industry layoffs and hiring freezes
continue, and staff sizes shrink. Less
reporting could mean that citizens would
know less about their governments, busi-
nesses and other organizations. That could
Johh HuoIari, presidehI
Jeah Ash, IrsI vice presidehI/FrohI Page Follies,
commuhicaIiohs coordihaIor
Mia Phodarmer, secohd vice presidehI/Goldeh
Press Card Awards
Elehora E. Edwards, secreIary
ahd SpoI News ediIor
DoroIhy Bowles, Ireasurer
Johh Becker, membership chairmah
Amahda Greever, program chairmah
Ed Hooper, immediaIe pasI presidehI ahd
program assisIahI
Kara CovihgIoh
ChrisIihe Jessel
J.J. SIambaugh
Georgiaha Vihes, program assisIahI
Adiha Chumley, e-oIIcio
ETSPJ Ofhcers and Board of Directors
ETSPJ pubIishes Spot News ih
paper ahd PDF ver si ohs. To
subscribe, ohe should cohIacI Jeah
Ash, commuhicaIiohs coordihaIor,
aI i eahash@comcasI . heI . The
PDF versioh is available aI www.
discoverET.org/eIspi, Ihe chapIer
Web siIe.
Letters to the Editor PoIicy:The board
ehcourages leIIers Io Ihe ediIor oI
SpoI News. Like leIIers policies aI
mosI hewspapers, we ask IhaI leIIers
be limiIed Io 200 words or less. They
will be subiecI Io ediIihg Ior space
ahd cohIehI. Sehd e-mail Io ETSP.
commuhicaIiohs@gmail.com.
6SRW1HZV
2007-0S editor
Elenora E. Edwards
eIeedwards@aoI.com
(865) 457-5459
The ETSPJ Guy
FROM PAGE ONE
If any member wants to contribute an item
to the March issue of Spot News or wants to
provide a tip on something we should cover.
please contact me at eleedwards@aol.com or
(865) 457-5459. The deadline is March 12.
The ETSPJ chapter welcomes the fol-
lowing folks who have recently joined
or renewed:
Amanda Womack
Sara Shoemaker
Jean Andrews
John Becker, WBIR-TV anchor, is mem-
bership chairman. If interested in joining
or rejoining ETSPJ, one can contact him
at jbecker@wbir.com.
Welcome, members
2 - Spot News Spot News - 3
JournaIists
ROM PAGE ONE
out the commission appointees.
'Jack McElroy and Rick Hollow know
that government offcials must not be al-
lowed to egregiously violate state law
by discussing public business in secret,
said ETSPJ President John Huotari, The
Oak Ridger, Oak Ridge. 'We also sa-
lute the nine citizen plaintiffs who par-
ticipated in the lawsuit as well as their
attorney, Herb Moncier. The public
overwhelmingly supported them and the
News Sentinel in the lawsuit.
McElroy, a member of ETSPJ, has
been editor of the Knoxville News Sen-
tinel since November 2001. 'I am very
fattered to have been chosen for this
honor, says McElroy. 'SPJ has long
been synonymous with high journal-
istic standards, and the East Tennessee
chapter has always held that banner
high. The Front Page Follies is one of
the premier events of the year, it`s for a
wonderful cause, and I truly appreciate
being picked as a co-honoree.
Prior to Knoxville, McElroy was
managing editor of The Rocky Moun-
tain News in Denver, Colo. when it was
awarded a Pulitzer Prize in photography
for its coverage of the Columbine High
School shootings.
Hollow is a Knoxville attorney who
specializes in constitutional law.
A 1964 graduate of the College of Law,
Hollow is listed in 'The Best Lawyers
of America, the '150 Best Lawyers in
Tennessee and the 'Mid South Super
Lawyers.
'Rick Hollow has graciously supported
reporters like me who have questions
about Tennessee`s open meetings and
open records laws, said Huotari. 'He is
an accomplished advocate for the pub-
lic`s right to know about the workings of
its government.
Every year during the Front Page Fol-
lies show, the ETSPJ honors those who
have contributed to journalism in East
Tennessee. The fund-raising event sup-
plies scholarships for journalism stu-
dents at the University of Tennessee and
Pellissippi State Technical Community
College. For tickets to the Follies, one
should contact jhorner@utk.edu. Tickets
are $100, or one can reserve a table of 10
for $1,000.
ETSPJ is a chapter of the national So-
ciety of Professional Journalists. With
nearly 10,000 members, SPJ is the na-
tion`s most broad-based journalism pro-
fessional organization, dedicated to en-
couraging the free practice of journalism
and stimulating high standards of ethical
behavior. SPJ`s mission is the perpetua-
tion of a free press as the cornerstone of
our nation and liberty.
BY JOHN BECKER
Membership chairman, ETSPJ
Why join SPJ? It is a question we hear
repeated again and again at the member-
ship desk. At around 65 members, our
chapter maintains a strong core, but we
have lots of room to increase our num-
bers. This region is ripe for growth with
close to 300 working journalists eligible
to join. If you are receiving this newslet-
ter you are likely an SPJ member and we
thank you for your commitment to spend
a mere $7 a month helping preserve and
protect the freedoms we lean on everyday
as journalists.
Why join? No doubt if you are a
SPJ 'gives voice to voiceless'
member you have heard that question
from colleagues or maybe bosses. Please
take a minute to share this issue of Spot
News with someone in your newsroom
who isn`t a member and nudge him or
her to give us a look.
Why join? You`ll fnd that question right
now on the SPJ Web site, www.spj.org,
along with a long list of reasons. Here are
a just a couple.
'We give voice to the voiceless. SPJ
gives voice to us. Kristen McQueary,
Chicago
'I originally joined SPJ because I thought
it would be a great way to network with
other professionals in the feld, as well
SPJ and 42 open government organiza-
tions signed onto a Feb. 6 letter to U.S.
House of Representatives leaders that ex-
presses concern over the Administration`s
proposed Fiscal Year 2009 budget attempts
to shift funding for a new Offce of Govern-
ment Information Services at the National
Archives and Records Administration to
the Offce of Information and Privacy at
the Department of Justice.
In December, President George W. Bush
signed the Open Government Act, which
creates the Offce of Government Services
at the National Archives and Records
Administration.
According to www.openthegovernment.
org, despite clear language in the Open-
Government Act to establish the OGIS
within the NARA, Sen. Patrick Leahy
(D-Vt.) reported that the Bush Admin-
istration is planning to shift the funding
for the OGIS from NARA to the DOJ, the
same organization that failed to improve
FOIA in the past. The fnal budget has not
been released.
'The intent and language of this impor-
tant legislation needs to be honored by the
administration, SPJ National President
Clint Brewer of The City Paper, Nash-
ville, said. 'This was a bipartisan bill that
passed both chambers, and the directive
to the administration is clear. The last
place a new offce designed to force ac-
countability on FOIA issues needs to be
is in one of the very agencies subject to
FOI requests. It would be a clear confict
of interest to put the new Offce of Gov-
journalists and public citizens to regis-
ter their concerns by writing or calling
members of Congress. For the House of
Representatives and Senate listings, visit
House.gov and Senate.gov. Additionally,
personal meetings with lawmakers in their
home states should be scheduled.
SPJ opposes Bush FOIA shift
ernment Information Services under the
Department of Justice.
FOIA, as it is commonly called, is one of
the strongest tools Americans have to su-
pervise the inner workings of government
and hold elected offcials accountable. The
FOIA law does not alter disclosure require-
ments or any of its exemptions. However,
the law does improve the process by which
the federal government can carry out
FOIA`s disclosure requirements.
The new law creates an independent
ombudsman to resolve citizen disputes,
helps agencies strengthen FOIA, creates
a system for the public to easily track the
status of requests and allows requesters
to more effectively recover legal costs
incurred when agencies improperly deny
requests.
'It`s appalling that the president is
backpedaling from his own signature and
undermining the ability for citizens to ac-
cess their own government, said David
Cuillier, chairman of the SPJ Freedom
of Information Committee. 'We aren`t
talking about exposing state secrets or
someone`s privacy. Just a simple mediator
to work out disputes fairly and equitably
on behalf of citizens. The president is
keeping the American public in the dark,
and that`s just wrong.
The 2009 FY budget has been sent to
Congress. A budget resolution will be
presented by Congress later this spring.
To prevent the Bush Administration from
shifting critical FOIA funds from NARA
to the DOJ, SPJ leaders are encouraging
as continue to gain professional training.
What I found was that and more. I`ve been
opened up to a work of advocacy, leader-
ship and wonderful, welcoming people.
Before SPJ I didn`t know much about
shield laws and other First Amendment
issues. SPJ has given me the opportunity
to not only learn about it, but also be an
active participant in making this industry
better for those who work in it. Michelle
Maskaly, New Jersey
'I don`t consider SPJ membership a
choice; I consider it an obligation. John
Huotari, East Tennessee
One can contact Becker at jbecker@wbir.
com.
have a profound impact on our democracy
and way of life.
But I`m not ready to give up just yet.
I am hopeful that determined reporters
will continue to do some in-depth report-
ing, even when they are under pressure
to produce daily stories. I know it`s not
easy, but I think well-trained reporters
can do it.
That`s why I`ve proposed a training
session for 'watchdog reporters at the
SPJ National Convention in Atlanta later
this year. A session like this was one of the
highlights for me at the 2007 convention
in Washington, D.C.
Of course, there are other ways to keep
alive this type of reporting. I am encour-
aged by some of the nonproft media groups
that have sprung up across the country and
are emphasizing the importance of investi-
gative journalism, from voicesofsandiego.
org to Pro Publica.
Please let me know if you have ideas or
inspirational stories about how to improve
watchdog journalism. I serve on SPJ`s
national Project Watchdog Committee and
can share your ideas or stories with other
journalists across the country.
Our readers and viewers are counting
on us.
John Huotari is the city hall reporter at
The Oak Ridger. He can be reached by
phone at (865) 220-5533 or by e-mail at
john.huotari@oakridger.com.
Johh HuoIari, presidehI
Jeah Ash, IrsI vice presidehI/FrohI Page Follies,
commuhicaIiohs coordihaIor
Mia Phodarmer, secohd vice presidehI/Goldeh
Press Card Awards
Elehora E. Edwards, secreIary
ahd SpoI News ediIor
DoroIhy Bowles, Ireasurer
Johh Becker, membership chairmah
Amahda Greever, program chairmah
Ed Hooper, immediaIe pasI presidehI ahd
program assisIahI
Kara CovihgIoh
ChrisIihe Jessel
J.J. SIambaugh
Georgiaha Vihes, program assisIahI
Adiha Chumley, e-oIIcio
ETSPJ Ofhcers and Board of Directors
ETSPJ pubIishes Spot News ih
paper ahd PDF ver si ohs. To
subscribe, ohe should cohIacI Jeah
Ash, commuhicaIiohs coordihaIor,
aI i eahash@comcasI . heI . The
PDF versioh is available aI www.
discoverET.org/eIspi, Ihe chapIer
Web siIe.
Letters to the Editor PoIicy:The board
ehcourages leIIers Io Ihe ediIor oI
SpoI News. Like leIIers policies aI
mosI hewspapers, we ask IhaI leIIers
be limiIed Io 200 words or less. They
will be subiecI Io ediIihg Ior space
ahd cohIehI. Sehd e-mail Io ETSP.
commuhicaIiohs@gmail.com.
6SRW1HZV
2007-0S editor
Elenora E. Edwards
eIeedwards@aoI.com
(865) 457-5459
The ETSPJ Guy
FROM PAGE ONE
If any member wants to contribute an item
to the March issue of Spot News or wants to
provide a tip on something we should cover.
please contact me at eleedwards@aol.com or
(865) 457-5459. The deadline is March 12.
The ETSPJ chapter welcomes the fol-
lowing folks who have recently joined
or renewed:
Amanda Womack
Sara Shoemaker
Jean Andrews
John Becker, WBIR-TV anchor, is mem-
bership chairman. If interested in joining
or rejoining ETSPJ, one can contact him
at jbecker@wbir.com.
Welcome, members
2 - Spot News Spot News - 3
JournaIists
ROM PAGE ONE
out the commission appointees.
'Jack McElroy and Rick Hollow know
that government offcials must not be al-
lowed to egregiously violate state law
by discussing public business in secret,
said ETSPJ President John Huotari, The
Oak Ridger, Oak Ridge. 'We also sa-
lute the nine citizen plaintiffs who par-
ticipated in the lawsuit as well as their
attorney, Herb Moncier. The public
overwhelmingly supported them and the
News Sentinel in the lawsuit.
McElroy, a member of ETSPJ, has
been editor of the Knoxville News Sen-
tinel since November 2001. 'I am very
fattered to have been chosen for this
honor, says McElroy. 'SPJ has long
been synonymous with high journal-
istic standards, and the East Tennessee
chapter has always held that banner
high. The Front Page Follies is one of
the premier events of the year, it`s for a
wonderful cause, and I truly appreciate
being picked as a co-honoree.
Prior to Knoxville, McElroy was
managing editor of The Rocky Moun-
tain News in Denver, Colo. when it was
awarded a Pulitzer Prize in photography
for its coverage of the Columbine High
School shootings.
Hollow is a Knoxville attorney who
specializes in constitutional law.
A 1964 graduate of the College of Law,
Hollow is listed in 'The Best Lawyers
of America, the '150 Best Lawyers in
Tennessee and the 'Mid South Super
Lawyers.
'Rick Hollow has graciously supported
reporters like me who have questions
about Tennessee`s open meetings and
open records laws, said Huotari. 'He is
an accomplished advocate for the pub-
lic`s right to know about the workings of
its government.
Every year during the Front Page Fol-
lies show, the ETSPJ honors those who
have contributed to journalism in East
Tennessee. The fund-raising event sup-
plies scholarships for journalism stu-
dents at the University of Tennessee and
Pellissippi State Technical Community
College. For tickets to the Follies, one
should contact jhorner@utk.edu. Tickets
are $100, or one can reserve a table of 10
for $1,000.
ETSPJ is a chapter of the national So-
ciety of Professional Journalists. With
nearly 10,000 members, SPJ is the na-
tion`s most broad-based journalism pro-
fessional organization, dedicated to en-
couraging the free practice of journalism
and stimulating high standards of ethical
behavior. SPJ`s mission is the perpetua-
tion of a free press as the cornerstone of
our nation and liberty.
BY JOHN BECKER
Membership chairman, ETSPJ
Why join SPJ? It is a question we hear
repeated again and again at the member-
ship desk. At around 65 members, our
chapter maintains a strong core, but we
have lots of room to increase our num-
bers. This region is ripe for growth with
close to 300 working journalists eligible
to join. If you are receiving this newslet-
ter you are likely an SPJ member and we
thank you for your commitment to spend
a mere $7 a month helping preserve and
protect the freedoms we lean on everyday
as journalists.
Why join? No doubt if you are a
SPJ 'gives voice to voiceless'
member you have heard that question
from colleagues or maybe bosses. Please
take a minute to share this issue of Spot
News with someone in your newsroom
who isn`t a member and nudge him or
her to give us a look.
Why join? You`ll fnd that question right
now on the SPJ Web site, www.spj.org,
along with a long list of reasons. Here are
a just a couple.
'We give voice to the voiceless. SPJ
gives voice to us. Kristen McQueary,
Chicago
'I originally joined SPJ because I thought
it would be a great way to network with
other professionals in the feld, as well
SPJ and 42 open government organiza-
tions signed onto a Feb. 6 letter to U.S.
House of Representatives leaders that ex-
presses concern over the Administration`s
proposed Fiscal Year 2009 budget attempts
to shift funding for a new Offce of Govern-
ment Information Services at the National
Archives and Records Administration to
the Offce of Information and Privacy at
the Department of Justice.
In December, President George W. Bush
signed the Open Government Act, which
creates the Offce of Government Services
at the National Archives and Records
Administration.
According to www.openthegovernment.
org, despite clear language in the Open-
Government Act to establish the OGIS
within the NARA, Sen. Patrick Leahy
(D-Vt.) reported that the Bush Admin-
istration is planning to shift the funding
for the OGIS from NARA to the DOJ, the
same organization that failed to improve
FOIA in the past. The fnal budget has not
been released.
'The intent and language of this impor-
tant legislation needs to be honored by the
administration, SPJ National President
Clint Brewer of The City Paper, Nash-
ville, said. 'This was a bipartisan bill that
passed both chambers, and the directive
to the administration is clear. The last
place a new offce designed to force ac-
countability on FOIA issues needs to be
is in one of the very agencies subject to
FOI requests. It would be a clear confict
of interest to put the new Offce of Gov-
journalists and public citizens to regis-
ter their concerns by writing or calling
members of Congress. For the House of
Representatives and Senate listings, visit
House.gov and Senate.gov. Additionally,
personal meetings with lawmakers in their
home states should be scheduled.
SPJ opposes Bush FOIA shift
ernment Information Services under the
Department of Justice.
FOIA, as it is commonly called, is one of
the strongest tools Americans have to su-
pervise the inner workings of government
and hold elected offcials accountable. The
FOIA law does not alter disclosure require-
ments or any of its exemptions. However,
the law does improve the process by which
the federal government can carry out
FOIA`s disclosure requirements.
The new law creates an independent
ombudsman to resolve citizen disputes,
helps agencies strengthen FOIA, creates
a system for the public to easily track the
status of requests and allows requesters
to more effectively recover legal costs
incurred when agencies improperly deny
requests.
'It`s appalling that the president is
backpedaling from his own signature and
undermining the ability for citizens to ac-
cess their own government, said David
Cuillier, chairman of the SPJ Freedom
of Information Committee. 'We aren`t
talking about exposing state secrets or
someone`s privacy. Just a simple mediator
to work out disputes fairly and equitably
on behalf of citizens. The president is
keeping the American public in the dark,
and that`s just wrong.
The 2009 FY budget has been sent to
Congress. A budget resolution will be
presented by Congress later this spring.
To prevent the Bush Administration from
shifting critical FOIA funds from NARA
to the DOJ, SPJ leaders are encouraging
as continue to gain professional training.
What I found was that and more. I`ve been
opened up to a work of advocacy, leader-
ship and wonderful, welcoming people.
Before SPJ I didn`t know much about
shield laws and other First Amendment
issues. SPJ has given me the opportunity
to not only learn about it, but also be an
active participant in making this industry
better for those who work in it. Michelle
Maskaly, New Jersey
'I don`t consider SPJ membership a
choice; I consider it an obligation. John
Huotari, East Tennessee
One can contact Becker at jbecker@wbir.
com.
have a profound impact on our democracy
and way of life.
But I`m not ready to give up just yet.
I am hopeful that determined reporters
will continue to do some in-depth report-
ing, even when they are under pressure
to produce daily stories. I know it`s not
easy, but I think well-trained reporters
can do it.
That`s why I`ve proposed a training
session for 'watchdog reporters at the
SPJ National Convention in Atlanta later
this year. A session like this was one of the
highlights for me at the 2007 convention
in Washington, D.C.
Of course, there are other ways to keep
alive this type of reporting. I am encour-
aged by some of the nonproft media groups
that have sprung up across the country and
are emphasizing the importance of investi-
gative journalism, from voicesofsandiego.
org to Pro Publica.
Please let me know if you have ideas or
inspirational stories about how to improve
watchdog journalism. I serve on SPJ`s
national Project Watchdog Committee and
can share your ideas or stories with other
journalists across the country.
Our readers and viewers are counting
on us.
John Huotari is the city hall reporter at
The Oak Ridger. He can be reached by
phone at (865) 220-5533 or by e-mail at
john.huotari@oakridger.com.
6SRW1HZV
VoI. 14, No. 1 FEBRUARY 2008
A pubIication of the East Tennessee Chapter
of the Society of ProfessionaI JournaIists
www.etspj.org
1802 Pinoak Ct.
KnoxviIIe, TN 37923
The ETSPJ guy
BY JOHN HUOTARI
ETSPJ president
HUOTARI
SEE THE ETSPJ GUY, PAGE 2
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
March - ETSPJ High School Essay Con-
test judging under way (deadline is past)
March 2 - ETSPJ board meeting, 5:30
p.m., Mandarin House West, Knoxville
March 6 - Open meetings program, 7
p.m., Shiloh Room, UT Student Center,
Knoxville
March 25 - Alfred and Julia Hill Lecture,
8 p.m., UT. Alan Boyle, MSNBC science
correspondent, "Science Reporting in a
Tabloid Culture
March 28-30 - Regions 12 & 8 spring
conference, New Orleans, La.
May 9 - Golden Press Card banquet, The
Foundry, Knoxville
June 4-6 - Ted Scripps Leadership nsti-
tute, ndianapolis
JuIy 19 - Front Page Follies, Knoxville
Convention Center
Sept. 4-7 - SPJ National Convention &
Journalism Conference, Atlanta
4 - Spot News
SEE JOURNALISTS, PAGE 2
Keeping
the 'watchdog' aIive
ETSPJ sets FOI workshop
The East Tennessee Chapter of the
Society of Professional Journalists has
scheduled an open government workshop.
Journalists and other interested people who
want to attend public meetings and/or look
at public records are invited.
It will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 6, in
the Shiloh Room of the University Center
(UC) in Knoxville. ETSPJ John Huotari
is handling arrangements.
Co-sponsor is the Howard H. Baker Jr.
Center for Public Policy, Knoxville.
The workshop will teach people what
records and meetings are open to the
public under Tennessee law and what to
do if one is denied access.
Panelists will be Don Dare, WATE-TV,
Knoxville; Frank Gibson, executive direc-
tor of the Tennessee Coalition for Open
Government, Nashville; David Keim,
assistant managing editor, News Sentinel,
Knoxville; and state Sen. Randy McNally,
chairman of the legislature`s open govern-
ment committee, Oak Ridge.
Jamie Foster, news director, WATE-TV,
will serve as moderator.
Handouts on pertinent topics will be
provided.
Parking is available at the UC garage (for
a fee) and free at a surface lot (S9) just
south of the UC. To get to the UC from
Cumberland Ave., turn south onto Philip
Fulmer Way a block east of 16th St. The
UC is on the corner, and the garage is just
beyond the UC. A little farther south is
parking lot S-9 at the corner of Andy Holt
Ave. and Philip Fulmer Way. This is gen-
erally available in the evenings at no cost
unless there`s a sporting event or concert.
One can see the campus building locator
at www.utk.edu/maps/buildings/.
Local dues will be waived for non-mem-
bers attending this seminar and completing
membership applications and submitting
national dues.
Journalists to honor
McElroy and Hollow
The East Tennessee Chapter of the So-
ciety of Professional Journalists (ET-
SPJ) will honor Knoxville News Senti-
nel Editor Jack McElroy and Knoxville
Attorney Richard L. (Rick) Hollow for
defending the state`s Open Meetings Act
in a case that continues to reverberate in
Knox County government.
McElroy and Hollow will be recognized
for their contributions to open govern-
ment during the 2008 Front Page Follies
show the evening of Saturday, July 19, at
the Knoxville Convention Center.
In October, a jury agreed with a lawsuit
brought by McElroy that Knox County
commissioners violated the law during
closed-door sessions in January 2007.
(/,,/7
-C%,2/9
Georgiana Vines of ETSPJ was one of 12
fellows attending a Business Journalism
Professors Seminar in January at the Donald
W. Reynolds National Center for Business
Journalism at the Walter Cronkite School
of Journalism and Mass Communication,
Arizona State University, in Tempe.
The three and one-half-day day program
featured Chris Roush of the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill; James Gen-
try, professor and former dean at the William
Allen White School of Journalism and Mass
Communications, University of Kansas;
Josh Mills, professor of business journal-
ism at Baruch College/CUNY in New
York City; and Jodi Schneider, economics
and fnancial editor of the Congressional
Quarterly.
Vines, retired associate editor of the
Knoxville News Sentinel, teaches public
affairs reporting at the University of Ten-
nessee. UT is considering adding a business
journalism course as an elective in the fall
of 2008.
Vines attends
business seminar
The Society of Professional Journalists
wants to increase high school students`
knowledge and understanding of the impor-
tance of the free news media to our lives.
So, for the frst time this year, ETSPJ is
conducting a contest in some area schools.
Larry Van Guilder, editor of the Halls Shop-
per-News, is serving as chairman.
Make plans to attend the Regions 12 and
8 SPJ Spring Conference March 28 and 29
on the Loyola University campus. Meet
colleagues from Tennessee, Arkansas, Mis-
sissippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas for
professional development and fun.
Spring Conferences are professional devel-
opment meetings bringing area journalists,
students and journalism educators together
in one place to hear from industry experts
on topics ranging from improving writing
to leveraging technology in today`s new
media climate. Networking opportunities at
the conferences allow participants to build
relationships that can lead to the sharing of
best practices in newsrooms.
Regions 12 and 8 Spring Conference
Check for details on www.spj.org.
Sonny Albarado, projects editor at the
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, is Region 12
director. Earlier he was business editor of
The Commercial Appeal, Memphis.
ETSPJ has arranged a program that will
focus on the Jack McElroy (New Sentinel)
vs. Knox County Commission lawsuit.
Any SPJ member can attend.
To read more about it, go to the ETSPJ Web
site, http://etspj.org/nationalregional-spj/.
Contest under way
ETSPJ has contributed $100 to a UT
journalism scholarship bearing the name
of Ron McMahan, who died Feb. 19 in
Naples, Fla. He was a Front Page Follies
honoree a number of years ago.
The Knoxville native delivered The Knox-
ville Journal as a boy, became a reporter
while a student at UT and fulflled his dream
when he became Journal editor and owner.
He sold the paper in 1988.
ETSPJ gives to McMahan scholarship
In January, I wrote a
series for The Oak Ridger
on the compensations
earned by leaders of local
nonproft organizations.
I was surprised at how
many people told me
they enjoyed the series; I
probably got more feedback from that one
series than I had from my previous two
years worth of stories combined.
While the series itself might not have
been groundbreaking, I did learn a lesson
from talking to readers about it. The lesson
is: People have a hunger for investigative
reporting. They have ideas about issues
they think journalists ought to look into.
They want us to hold governments and
other groups accountable. And they want
reporters to dig deeper to fnd new infor-
mation, going beyond press conferences,
meetings and speeches.
Those of you who live in Knox County
already know this. Last year, residents in
your county overwhelmingly supported
the media`s efforts to expose government
wrongdoing.
Unfortunately, though, some people
think this kind of reporting will be harder
to do as industry layoffs and hiring freezes
continue, and staff sizes shrink. Less
reporting could mean that citizens would
know less about their governments, busi-
nesses and other organizations. That could