NewsBreak April 2010 - Vol. 21, No. 4

In This Issue:

• Writing with Pictures: Telling Stories Without Words: Photography to be focus at Awards Banquet

• Awards Galore: 2010 Communications Contest Results

• Understanding PJ: What Makes a Photojournalism Image an Award Winner

• President’s Corner: Sunshine Week – All Year Long

• Spotlight: From Blue Hens to White Ice, Mike Corey Talks a Good Game

• Another “First” for the First State: WHYY-TV’s News Magazine Puts the Focus on Delaware

• WordPlay . . . for Wordsmiths

• Membership Directory to Be Updated – Don’t Be Left Out!

• DPA Welcomes New Members

• DPA Media Mavens & Mavericks

• Calendar of Events

Writing with Pictures: Telling Stories Without Words

Award-winning Photographer to Speak at Awards Banquet

by Allan Loudell

How often do you see a great photograph and the first thing that springs to mind is the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words”? Not a word was written, yet a powerful story was told through the ability of a photographer who had the skill (and sometimes the luck) to capture a moment in time that continues – sometimes down through the ages – to speak volumes to people of different cultures, different languages and different viewpoints.

At the April 29 DPA Communications Contest Awards Banquet to be held at the elegant University & Whist Club, Kathy Buckalew, staff photographer at the Hagley Museum and Library in Wilmington and co-founder of the Brandywine Photo Collective, will show us some of her award-winning work that conveys powerful stories of people and places here in Delaware; and she will tell us, in a talk entitled “Writing with Pictures: Telling Stories Without Words,” how she makes connections and communicates through the medium of photography.

In her most recent exhibit, "Stone, Water, Tree: Images from Hagley,” Kathy displayed beautifully composed photos of buildings, trees, flowers and various places around the museum’s grounds whose many acres lie along the banks of the Brandywine, the river that powered the black-powder mills of the DuPont Company for more than a hundred years. The evocative exhibit included an interesting combination of photographic styles and techniques: straight color photos and panoramics as well as black-and-white infrared images that showcase a part of the spectrum that we don't usually see.

A show last fall, “The Other End of the Spectrum,” consisted solely of digital black-and-white infrared photographs and panoramics. “I like the ethereal, other-worldly, dream-like effect it gives to the images,” Kathy says, “turning all the trees and grass to snow white. But it's not a negative image, because all of the tree trunks and stone walls and streets are still dark.”

Some of Kathy’s portraits from two special exhibitions last spring, “The Face of Farming” – an ongoing project on Delaware’s farmers that you will see, in part, at the awards banquet – and “Artists Revealed in Portraits and Words,” were selected for the Biggs Shots Photography Show at the Biggs Museum in Dover, and for the Oxford Photo Invitational, in Oxford, Pa., last year.

We hope you will join us in the ballroom at the elegant University & Whist Club, 805 N. Broom Street, Wilmington, on Thursday, April 29, to help honor those who entered the 2010 DPA Communications Contest and to enjoy a display of the award-winning contest entries. Social hour with cash bar begins at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 6:30 p.m. Following dinner and our speaker, the Communications Contest awards will be announced, certificates will be presented to the contest award winners and cash prizes will be given to the contest sweepstakes winners. This is also the DPA annual meeting, and we will install newly elected officers and the board of directors.

There is a parking lot at the club (to the left and to the rear), as well as free on-street parking on adjacent streets should the lot be full. Valet parking is available at the front door, and there is a handicap access ramp into the club from the parking area at the rear of the building.

Directions to the University & Whist Club

From Pennsylvania Avenue (Route 52) heading south into Wilmington, turn right onto Broom Street (if heading north out of the city, turn left onto Broom). Landmark: The Church of the Holy City is on the SW corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Broom Street. After the turn onto Broom, go past Padua Academy (on right) to the next stop sign. Cross through the intersection and turn right into the University & Whist driveway (on the corner of 9th & Broom).

Reservations

Cost: Members $38.50; Non-members $42.50.

Registration and Payment Options: – MAKE DPA BANQUET RESERVATIONS –

Please sign up no later than Friday, April 23.

I look forward to seeing you on April 29!

Allan Loudell is the DPA Programs Vice President. For more information, contact Allan at 302-478-2700 or aloudell@wdel.com.

Kathy Buckalew invites you to view her work at buckalewphotography.com.

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Awards Galore: 2010 Communications Contest Results

Excitement runs high this time each year as the communications professionals who entered the DPA Communications Contest or the student journalists participating in the First State High School Communications Contest, sponsored by DPA and The News Journal, await the results of the annual competitions.

Contest Directors Deserve Praise for Yeoman Work

Many people contribute to the success of these contests each year, but those who deserve the lion’s share of credit are the hard-working contest directors and their committees. Hearty thanks go to DPA Contest Director Annie Nefosky and Contest Manager Vanessa Nesbit as well as to the Co-directors of the high school competition, Barbara Roewe and Gloria Galloway – not only for the 2010 contest but for their effort and dedication going back many years.

Each fall, they issue the annual call for entries and line up a sizable number of judges. As winter gets underway, they collect, sort and send hundreds of entries – in categories ranging from print and broadcast journalism to photography, Internet communications, PR, research, speeches, books and poetry – to the judges, who read, view or listen to each entry, then weigh, decide and write critical commentary for each participant.

When the judges have made their decisions and the entries have been returned, the contest directors notify the winners; prepare the entries that have taken first-place honors in the various categories for the national competitions sponsored by NFPW; make comprehensive lists of all of the award winners; prepare for the awards presentations (programs and awards certificates are produced and printed, a display of the winning entries is created, photographers are lined up), and, finally, the winners are announced and honored by their peers for the fine work they produced.

Bragging Rights Go To . . .

Barbara and Gloria invite you to read the list of the 2010 High School Contest award winners. An awards luncheon for the prize-winning student journalists and their advisers will be held in the Bill Frank Conference Room at The News Journal’s headquarters on Basin Road on April 21. News Journal staff members – general assignment reporter and immediate past president of DPA Beth Miller and photographer Suchat Pederson – will present a slide show and talk about “Delaware’s Drive to Help in Haiti,” from the perspective of going there to report on early relief missions. Following the presentation, the students will enjoy a tour of the paper’s news room and printing plant, have lunch together and receive their awards.

Annie and Vanessa direct you to the list of the 2010 DPA Contest award winners and hope you will come to the Contest Awards Banquet on April 29 to salute them all! See related article for details and to make a reservation.

Looking to the Future

It’s never too soon to start thinking about what you might write or produce for next year’s contest. For those of you who are photographers or photojournalists, read the article “Understanding PJ: What makes a photojournalism image an award winner,” by international award-winning photographer Lynn Troy Maniscalco, in this issue, and get a jump on the competition.

For more info on the High School Contest, contact Barbara Roewe at bcroewe@aol.com.

For more info on the DPA Contest, contact Annie Nefosky at annienefosky@yahoo.com.


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Understanding PJ

What Makes a Photojournalism Image an Award Winner

by Lynn Maniscalco

The revised definition of photojournalism entries, recently accepted by the Photojournalism Division of the Photographic Society of America to take into account what is now possible with Photoshop, states:   Photojournalism entries consist of images with informative content and emotional impact, including human interest, documentary, sports and spot news. The storytelling value of the image receives priority over pictorial quality. In the interest of credibility, PJ images must not misrepresent the truth. Therefore no situations shall be set up for the purpose of photography and no alteration of the subject matter is allowed, including any techniques that add, combine, relocate, replace or remove any element of the original image. No unnatural sharpening or special effect filters can be applied. Only cropping resizing, lightening or darkening, and restoration of original color are permitted. Color images can also be converted to monochrome.

What makes a photojournalism image an award winner? Joe Elbert, a photo editor for The Washington Post, whose photo staff probably has more prestigious awards than any other, says, "After a couple of years in the newsroom, it occurred to me that some photographers really understand photojournalism and some don't.” He divides photojournalism pictures into four general categories:

• Informational

• Graphically appealing

• Emotionally appealing

• Intimate

Informational: Elbert rates this as the lowest standard, the overall view of an event, sometimes necessary, but to be avoided whenever possible because these pictures tend to be dull and passive.

Graphically appealing: These images, Elbert says, are intellectually appealing but do not tap the heart. Composition attempts to carry the situation. This kind of image includes photos with attractive lines and angles, dramatic dimension and depth. They can be arty and intellectually interesting with tilts and interesting lighting, but they fail as photojournalism because they don't tell the story.

Emotionally appealing: Elbert considers this to be the next highest form and gives examples of photos that can bare the soul by capturing the right moment—the survivor of a fire looking back at a horrific scene, the teacher beaming at the accomplishment of a small child, the pitcher sinking to his knees after pitching a perfect game for the Yankees.

Intimate: "I can't give you a description of an intimate picture,” Elbert says, “but you can feel it." He believes that passionate portrayals of intimate moments can produce meaningful storytelling images—awesome, compelling, unforgettable captured moments that touch the heart and mind. The lesson he offers for aspiring photojournalists is that following a recipe produces boring shots, and, if it looks like something you’ve seen before, it probably isn’t an award winner.

This is the reality of the newspaper world and of prestigious press competitions, but too often the “recipe shots” that are like so many others we have seen before continue to win the medals and acceptances in press competitions and photographic society exhibitions. Unless we recognize the unique, intimate images that compel the viewer to feel an emotional connection, entrants will continue to submit the traditional sports action shots and colorful fires that tell the same old story over and over. So try to get beyond the predictable shots and seek out truly meaningful moments; strive for unique images that will touch the heart and soul of the viewer!

Photojournalist Lynn Maniscalco, a specialist in location shots at activities and events, has won many national and international awards for photography, and her work has been published in numerous books, newspapers and magazines over the years. She was named the Delaware Press Association Communicator of Achievement in 2005. Contact Lynn at LTMphoto@juno.com.

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President’s Corner: Sunshine Week – All Year Long

by Mark Fowser

Sunshine Week 2010 has come and gone, but carrying out its purpose is a year-round commitment.

Dedicating a week each March to a focus on open government is an effort – led by the American Society of Newspaper Editors and supported by various organizations, including Delaware Press Association, the Delaware Coalition for Open Government, the Society of Professional Journalists and others – to “enlighten and empower people to play an active role in their government at all levels and to give them access to information that makes their lives better and their communities stronger.” It is designed to shine the light on the process of government, thus opening access to the public and the media to their meetings, their documents and their discussions.

For more about Sunshine Week or for a “tool kit” to participate, visit the Sunshine Week Web site.

The State of Delaware has come a long way in just the past year or two. With passage of House Bill 1 last June, the Delaware Freedom of Information Act now applies to the Delaware General Assembly. Significantly for every citizen of the First State, previously closed meetings of the state legislature’s Joint Finance Committee – the panel that goes line-by-line through the state budget – are now open to the public and to the media.

Has this progress changed the tone of the discussion? Do participants now “hold back”? Perhaps. Maybe they don’t “let it fly” if they know the public is watching. We’ll never know.

What we do know, though, is that taxpayers and journalists now can document the critical process of developing the multi-million-dollar state budget, which, by the way, continues to be the focus of efforts to get it out there for review – by legislators and the public alike – well before lawmakers vote on it June 30. As things stand now, our legislators see the budget – a several-hundred-page document – literally about five minutes before they must vote on accepting it. The public, whose money is the object of the vote, gets lost in the shuffle.

Your DPA continues to support various citizen- and media-driven activities, on the state and federal levels, to support Freedom of Information, Freedom of the Press and open access.

Please contact us if we can be of service.

And don’t forget to connect with national by checking out the NFPW Web site from time to time for updates on NFPW’s 2010 communications conference, “Face 2 Face in Illinois,” set for August 26 – 28 in Chicago, for new listings in the national job bank, for affordable libel insurance for freelancers and much more. Also be sure to read the twice-weekly blog from NFPW president Cynthia Price at cynthiapricecommunique.wordpress.com. Among the issues she’s written about in recent weeks: improving voice mail communications, Sunshine Week, getting “face time” on talk radio, proofreading, and press releases (including some excellent tips on writing a great release).

I look forward to seeing many of you at the annual DPA Communications Contest Awards Banquet on Thursday, April 29, at the University & Whist Club in Wilmington (see related article for details).

Contact Mark Fowser at 302-395-9857 or markfowser@wilm.com.

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From Blue Hens to White Ice, Mike Corey Talks a Good Game

Voice of UD Football, Basketball is also a Voice of the 2010 Olympics

A few weeks ago, award-winning sportscaster and longtime DPA member Mike Corey returned to Wilmington from Vancouver, which he describes as “an amazing city: the scenery was beautiful, the city was clean and the transportation system was great. There were some very good bars and restaurants and neat little areas of town that had a lot of character.” Oh, yes, and while he was there, he called both the long- and short-track speed skating events of the 2010 Olympic Games for Westwood One Radio Network, with affiliate radio stations all across the country.

A board member of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, the only organization dedicated to the crafts of sportscasting and sportswriting in the U.S., Mike had covered the Olympics for Westwood One twice before heading to Canada. He covered men's and women's speed skating at the Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy, in 2006, and covered women’s field hockey for NBC TV at the summer games in Beijing, China, in 2008. He also did play-by-play on TV for NFL Europe on the NFL Network in 2006 and 2007.

“Some of the most exciting and thrilling times of my life in broadcasting have happened while covering the Olympics,” Mike says. “I have been able to see parts of the world I might not otherwise have gone to, and I have met some amazing people and covered some great events.

“I have been very fortunate to be able to cover the last three Olympics,” he adds, “and I’m very thankful for the opportunities from both Westwood One and NBC. It had always been a dream of mine to work for NBC. A couple of summers ago, lo and behold, I received a call from the director of talent with NBC Olympics and was hired to be the play-by-play voice for the field hockey games for Beijing.

“It's also some of the hardest work and longest days I have ever had as well, especially with the summer Olympics and the time difference from China to here. I was doing games at ten o’clock at night and at six in the morning back to back. I would sleep for three hours, get up and do it again.

“In Torino and Vancouver, there was also a time crunch in getting to multiple events that I needed to cover on the same day. It always seemed to work out, though, and we just made it happen, however we could, to get it done.

“I also have enjoyed the opportunity to cover sports I never had covered and to learn how those games are played, how the events are covered and, in the process, have met some great people and learned a great deal. The experience has helped get me ready for things to come and helped to show me that you can do anything when you prepare, work hard and do the necessary research to put a quality product on the air.”

Mike began his broadcasting career working as sports director on WMUA, the studio radio station at the University of Massachusetts, from 1995-1999. He also broadcast football, basketball and lacrosse as well as some games for the UMass Sports Radio Network.

Hired by the University of Delaware in 1999 to be the play-by-play voice for Delaware Blue Hen football and men’s basketball on 94.7 WDSD and to do a weekly show with the University of Delaware football and basketball coaches, he is now in his eleventh season there. He mixes it up with play-by-play on TV for NCAA college basketball on ESPN Regional, Comcast Sports South, Mid-Atlantic Sports Network and the New England Sports Network. He was also the play-by-play voice for CN8's College Lacrosse coverage last spring and has filled in as a sports anchor on WHYY-TV here in Delaware.

In late March of this year, he called the play-by-play for the NCAA Women's Regional Finals on the radio for Westwood One Radio Network, and coming up this month, he will be doing play-by-play for high school lacrosse games on MSG Varsity.

Mike was named the Delaware Sportscaster of the Year in 2003 and again in 2005 by the National Association of Sportscasters and Sportswriters. He also received Sports Play-by-play and Best Radio Presentation awards four times from Delaware Press Association.

Listen to DPA member Ted Efaw's "Community Spotlight" interview with Mike Corey, calling in to 1450 WILM NewsRadio from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

John Tautges talks with Mike Corey at 2006 Torino Olympics (wait a few seconds for the interview to load). You’ll hear Mike call the last lap of the 500-meter short-track speed skating event and declare Apollo Ohno the gold-medal winner.

Contact Mike Corey at mikecorey@clearchannel.com.

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Another “First” for the First State

WHYY-TV’s News Magazine on the People, Places and Issues of Delaware

There’s a new “First” for Delaware and for Delaware Press Association. “First,” the weekly news magazine from WHYY in Wilmington won first place in the 2010 DPA Communications Contest for Best Newscast, Television. Not a bad feat for a program that has been on the air only since September.

“We made our debut during halftime of the University of Delaware–Delaware State University football game, which was broadcast on WHYY-TV on September 19,” said John Mussoni, managing editor of “First.” “The weekly half-hour version made its debut on September 25.”

The idea for “First” started with Chris Satullo, WHYY’s executive director for news and civic dialogue.

“We needed to find a way to expand Delaware news coverage to take advantage of the combined possibilities of television, radio and the Web,” Satullo said. “We also felt Delawareans would be better served with in-depth reporting on major stories rather than with the type of sound-bite journalism you find on many local newscasts.”

“First” is hosted by Delaware news veterans Stephanie Aldrich, Tom Byrne and Bill Cook. The program begins each show with an in-depth lead story called “First Look.”

Both the first- and third-place winners in the DPA contest’s “Special Reporting Series, Television” were lead stories on different shows. The “Wind Power Delaware” story, reported by Bill Cook, looked into Delaware’s desire to build a wind farm off the coast of Rehoboth Beach. In that story, Bill reported that Rhode Island also had similar ideas. The state that gets the jump on such a project would have a leg up on producing new green-energy jobs for their state. In the “Fisker” story, Tom Byrne showed in great detail how timing and luck played into Delaware’s hands when the state tried to get another auto manufacturer to come into the former General Motors plant.

“I really enjoy the variety of stories we get to cover on this show,” said Byrne. “I’ve covered stories like ‘Fisker’ and the introduction of sports betting in Delaware, and I traveled with DSU when they played the University of Michigan in October. There we had amazing behind-the-scenes access. We provided immediate coverage on the Web and did a full-length story for ‘First.’”

Stephanie Aldrich, who won first place in “Prepared Report, Television” for her story, “Home Grown,” echoes this enthusiasm for the flexibility of the new broadcast: “I loved the ‘Home Grown’ feature,” she said. “We looked at the growing connection between Delaware farmers and local restaurants to serve local produce. Once the story aired, people could go to whyy.org/delaware and click the “First” link. There they could find a list of restaurants that take part in the program as well as other helpful information.”

“We think this new program provides great storytelling of Delaware issues,” said Mussoni. “We try to cover all aspects of Delaware life.”

In addition to the three stories reported by Aldrich, Byrne and Cook, “First” sits down with major newsmakers around the state. Guests have included Gov. Markell, Lt. Gov. Denn, U.S. Sen. Carper and U.S. Rep. Castle. And in “State of Play,” the show’s hosts kick around the week’s top stories and issues with a rotating cast of guest commentators.

“Some of the best, most insightful stories get told off the air in newsrooms,” Satullo said. “‘State of Play’ tries to capture the sort of lively interchange that takes place at news meetings.”

Fuller version of the interview segments are posted each week on the Web, at whyy.org/delaware.

“Every week we try new things,” said Mussoni, “and that is what makes the broadcast exciting.” He says the show has plans to cover this year’s political races but will do so in an informative way that goes beyond the reporting of the horse races in politics.

“First” can be seen every Friday on WHYY’s main channel at 5:30 p.m. and again at 10 p.m., and on Mondays at 5:30 p.m. The program also airs on the Y-Info digital channel Saturdays at
11 a.m. and Sundays at 6 p.m. “First” also can be found through “on-demand,” available to Comcast digital cable subscribers.

For more information on, WHYY-TV “First,” contact Managing Editor John Mussoni at jmussoni@whyy.org.

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WordPlay . . . for Wordsmiths

by Bob Yearick

There’s an old joke about a young monk assigned to help other monks copy ancient Bible texts by hand. When he notices they are copying from copies, not from the original manuscripts, he points out that if there were an error in the first copy, that error would be repeated in all subsequent copies. The head monk agrees and goes to the cellar to compare a copy to the original. Hours go by and no one sees or hears him. Finally, one of the monks goes to look for him. He hears sobbing coming from the back of the cellar and finds the old monk leaning over one of the original books, crying. He asks the old timer what’s wrong, and in a choked voice comes the reply, “The word is celebrate, not celibate.”

Yes, proofreading can make all the difference in any written communication. It’s a skill that requires practice and attention to detail. And these days, when proofreading is done on computer screens, it becomes even more difficult. Here are few tips:

1. Minimize distractions and interruptions. It’s easy to lose your place and skip over text when you're interrupted or distracted. Turn off your phone. Close
   e-mail. Shut yourself in a quiet room.

2. Don't be the sole proofreader of your own writing. You’re too close to it – you can't see mistakes others see.

3. Force yourself to slow down and concentrate. Focus on each word and character – letters, punctuation, special characters, spaces – not on meaning. If you think about meaning, you’ll see what you expect to see, especially in your own writing. Break large slabs of type into small bits to avoid slipping into automatic reading mode.

4. Don’t try to find every mistake in one pass. Read through the material several times, looking for different problems each time, such as:

• Typos and misspellings

• Easily confused words (e.g., “to” for “too” and “your” for “you’re”)

• Ambiguity

• Inconsistencies

• Formatting problems

• Factual errors

• Missing words

5. If you are proofreading on the computer screen, print out the pages for a final read-through. Proofreading on screen and proofreading on paper complement each other well. It’s easier to catch some errors on paper and others on screen.

6. Proof any text in all caps separately and more painstakingly. Typos and misspellings are much more difficult to find in all caps.

7. If there's an outline or table of contents, check it separately. Otherwise you'll get caught up in the text and miss the errors.

8. Proof the most prominent text separately. This is often the most easily overlooked. For instance, many years ago, I wrote a story titled “Common Shop Errors.” At least that’s what I meant to title it. Somewhere between my computer and the final printed publication, however, it came out “Commom Shop Errors.” I looked hard, but I never could find the word “commom” in the dictionary.

In the last WordPlay, we presented a grammar challenge involving these two sentences, which illustrate my three top grammar peeves: We literally surveyed everyone. The other grandpa’s got less votes.

No one took up the challenge, which may mean that our readers found it so simple that it wasn't worth sending a reply. But on the chance that some of you may want to know what the three errors are, here's an explanation: "Literally" should be deleted because there is no way everyone can be surveyed; "grandpa's" should be plural –"grandpas" – not possessive; and "less" should be "fewer."

Till next time, don’t forget to send your pet peeves, suggestions and questions for WordPlay to: allwriter@comcast.net.

And remember: Always write right – and tight.

Contact WordPlay columnist Bob Yearick at allwriter@comcast.net.

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Membership Directory Update - Don’t Be Left Out!

Are Your Dues Current?

by Allison Taylor Levine, APR

We're updating the Delaware Press Association membership directory. Make sure YOUR name is included in the DPA directory by renewing your membership today! Only members paid for 2010 can be included.

Please take a minute now to provide your current information. Go to the Members’ Area of the DPA Web site and log in. After you click the link near the top of the page that says “Update Your Directory Information,” please fill in the form completely to ensure that we have your most current information. Please provide your information by no later than the end of April.

If you’re not sure whether you paid 2010 dues or if you've forgotten or do not know your user name and password, please contact us, and we'll e-mail the information to you.

Whether you want to drum up some freelance work, land a new job, or just maintain your network and skills, DPA delivers for just $20 each year. For that low membership fee, you have access to all that DPA offers, including:

• Great networking opportunities with journalists and other communications professionals from around the state and region.

• Timely e-blasts about job opportunities and events of interest.

• Professional development workshops and seminars.

• Our annual professional communications contest.

• The national-award-winning DPA e-newsletter, NewsBreak.

• The DPA online membership directory.

• Leadership opportunities.

• And more!

Please renew your DPA membership today. If you’re not a member, why not join? All professional communicators are eligible for membership.

– Get DPA Membership Form to Join or Renew and Pay by CHECK –

– Make DPA Membership Payment Online with CREDIT CARD –

For an additional $73, DPA members can join our parent organization, the National Federation of Press Women (open to women and men). National membership entitles the member to:

• A national membership directory, listing all NFPW members by state and by profession.

• A subscription to the quarterly national publication NFPW AGENDA.

• Annual conferences and professional seminars.

• Scholarships and mini-grants for education and training.

• Affordable individual professional liability insurance against libel and privacy lawsuits, customized particularly for freelancers.

• The right to vote, hold office and serve as a delegate to the annual NFPW Communications Conference.

NOTE: Dues for joining NFPW/DPA are to be sent to NFPW Headquarters.

• NFPW will send your DPA dues to the DPA Treasurer.

• If you already have paid DPA dues of $20 for 2010, send a check or authorize a credit card payment of $73 only.

• If not currently a DPA member, fill in $20 where the form asks for affiliate dues amount.

• Mail or fax according to directions on form.

– Download NFPW/DPA Membership Form and pay by CHECK –

– Make NFPW/DPA dues payment online with CREDIT CARD –

Get more information on the National Federation of Press Women.

Allison Taylor Levine, APR, a public relations consultant for Synchrogenix Information Strategies, Inc., is DPA’s Membership Director. Contact Allison at aljay89@yahoo.com or 302-345-0589.

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DPA Welcomes New Members

DPA extends a warm welcome to each of our new members. Any new members whose contact information has not been included in the online DPA Membership Directory, please click here and ask for directions: DelawarePress@aol.com.
 

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DPA Media Mavens & Mavericks

. . . is a column about our members’ personal and professional achievements. Names of new DPA members featured in this column are starred.

Please send any information about your honors, achievements and awards to news@delawarepressassociation.org by the 1st of any month for publication in the next issue.

DPA members featured in this issue:

JoAnn Balingit
Mary Leah Christmas
Jean Hull Herman
Maria Keane
Lori Lake
Andréa Miller / Rob Tornoe
Kevin A. Minton*
Vanessa Nesbit
Cathy Rossi
Rachel Simon

• Keep a close eye on the “Life” section of The News Journal throughout April. Delaware poet laureate JoAnn Balingit will be writing a series of articles this month for a column entitled “On Poetry.” Each article will explore some aspect of poetry and will feature a poem by a Delaware poet. JoAnn says, “I also will be doing one article on children’s poetry and will include suggestions for books teachers and parents can read to children to introduce them to the magic of poetic language.”

• John James Audubon said "yes"! The Audubon in Henderson (Ky.) Bicentennial Celebration has notified former DPA NewsBreak editor Mary Leah Christmas that she is one of the winners of their essay contest in honor of the 200th anniversary of Audubon's arrival in Henderson, where he lived and worked from 1810 to 1819. The essay contest was co-sponsored by the Audubon in Henderson Committee, the Friends of Audubon State Park, the Ohio Valley Art League and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife. Entries were limited to 600 words and could be fiction or non-fiction. Mary Leah wrote her first-ever piece of historical fiction, entitled "John James Audubon and Red Banks Trace: A Fantasy." Though based on biographical and historical fact, including the existence of the Red Banks Trace – an early Native American trail between Henderson, Ky., and Vincennes, Ind. – her piece involves an other-worldly twist hinging on the call of the Barred Owl. Mary Leah has family in the area, and the Barred Owl is a species she still hears today near the trace.

If the schedule of her master’s degree program allows, Mary Leah will attend the April 25 celebration of Audubon's 225th birthday and will be presented a copy of the Bicentennial essay booklet. The winning entries will be published in The (Henderson) Gleaner newspaper throughout 2010. When Mary Leah visited the John James Audubon State Park & Museum in Henderson in 2002, she interviewed the museum's then-curator for the Delaware Audubon Journal. The museum's atmosphere and its extensive collections of Audubon art and artifacts have haunted her ever since, and she had long wanted to write something about Red Banks Trace. The essay contest provided the perfect opportunity to try melding the two subjects in a written work. She hopes to explore some further ideas for historical fiction and time-travel stories, including a few more about Audubon himself.
Contact Mary Leah Christmas at lexetlibris@yahoo.com.

• Jean Hull Herman, who was the editor of MÖBIUS, the Poetry Magazine for 22 years and is a two-time Pushcart nominee, has done a couple of poetry readings for the college crowd at Adria in Newark. Using the theme “Write Poetry! Your Brain Will Be Happy!” and focusing on current pop music for examples of poetry, good and bad, Jean gave a speech/workshop at the Salem Community College’s day for Creative Teens, which she describes as “a fiesta of art (paints, prints, photos, and heaven knows what other media), choruses, bands, dance groups, and poetry – that last would be me. Great big performance day!” Jean adds, “I do a combination reading/presentation/round table – the old "anything that works" approach. I also leave all the attendees with a copy of my script and of all the poems and song lyrics, each marked with my notes so they can reread the information and study the poems and song lyrics again. They like that. A teacher or two sat in, and they liked it too.”
Contact Jean Herman at jherman007@aol.com.

• An adjunct professor of fine arts at Wilmington University since 1986 and a frequent exhibitor in juried art shows, Maria Keane was one of eight artists chosen to participate in "Women Collared for Work," a traveling exhibition that was on display at the Delaware Art Museum through March 21. Through thirty-two works of art, ranging from soft sculptures to stitched photographs on painted canvas to calligraphic ink images, the exhibit honored women who, during the years from 1889 to 1989, wore the collar (symbolically both an adornment and a shackle). Those women, who can inspire today’s generations, embodied qualities of “strength, wisdom, courage, leadership, family, fortitude, transition and innovation” and provided a “passageway to culture” when working at a variety of jobs such as homemaker, teacher, artist, student or business and community leader. For this exhibit, Maria worked in mixed media, monotype and collage techniques.

In 1997, Maria was awarded a fellowship in works on paper by the Delaware Division of the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

At right, from the exhibit, is Maria’s mixed media work “Honoring Ethel Pennewill Brown,” a tribute to one of the founders of the Rehoboth Art League and student of Howard Pyle known for her studies of women, engaging still lifes and scenes of southern Delaware.

Good news: If you missed “Women Collared” at the Delaware Art Museum, you’ll have other chances to see the exhibit and Maria’s work. The show will travel to Villanova and Westchester universities in 2011.
Contact Maria Keane at mariakeane@comcast.net.

• Lori Lake, CEO of Green Delaware, Inc., and Webmaster for Green Delaware’s fab Web site, recently joined the not-for-profit Delmarva Community Wellnet as the EDEN (Energize Delaware Now) Program Director. Lori says, “EDEN's goal is to promote the use and recovery of renewable energy and renewable resources through education and entrepreneurship. I'm excited to get this program underway and to further promote sustainable living in Delaware.”

Lori adds, “You won’t want to miss Wellnet’s 17th Annual Holistic Health Fair, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the new Cape Henlopen High School, Lewes. Highlights include guest speakers; educational workshops; demonstrations; holistic, ‘green’ and natural retailers and service providers; Kid's Corner; a healthy-food court; and a non-perishable-food drive. And to further entice you, this year we will be adding live music, and our food vendors will likely be Hobos Restaurant and, we hope, the Green Man, who will add a smoothie and juice bar. Admission to the event is free. For more info visit www.thewellnet.org or call Sherry at 302-945-2107.”
Contact Lori Lake at green@greendelaware.com.

• DPA members Andréa Miller and Rob Tornoe think that folks could really use a good laugh these days. That’s why Andréa and Rob, together with Rob’s wife, Kristen, are launching Laugh!, Delaware’s first monthly humor and arts magazine. July’s inaugural issue of Laugh! will be filled with work by some of the nation’s best emerging and well-established cartoonists, humor columnists and political cartoons – including, of course, Rob’s own award-winning political cartoons and humor strip. Kristen will supply monthly humor columns, and her wit is more than a match for Rob’s toons. Andréa brings her experience as an artist as well as a reporter, then editor, at the Community News in northern New Castle County, to enliven the magazine with arts and culture news, reviews and events.
Contact Andréa Miller at andrea@laughDE.com.
Contact Rob Tornoe Tornoe@rob@boltcomics.com.

• New member Kevin "K.A." Minton is the owner and president of Babyman Entertainment and House of M. The UCLA film school grad, who writes books and screenplays, says, "My first published novel is Moonlight Over Paris. Having a female lead character – a young woman trying to become a recording artist – was a chance I was willing to take being that it would set me apart from other male writers. My next book, By Their Fruits, is a soon-to-be-published novel about two young men, best friends on different paths in life, trying to hold their friendship together in the midst of drama that is trying to tear them apart." Moonlight is available on the House of M Web site at houseof-m.com. Kev will be at the Delaware Black Expo on April 24, 2010, at the Downtown Doubletree Hotel, selling and signing his novel.
Contact K.A. Minton at kminton830@aol.com.

• Poet and author Vanessa D. Nesbit recently celebrated the release of her second book of poetry, entitled Rivers Running in Desert Places (ISBN 978-1-4489-5475-9). The book is available for purchase at Borders, Waldenbooks or at your local bookstore, as well as through the publisher's Web site, PublishAmerica.com, or through Amazon.com. Visit Vanessa’s Web site for more information about her writing style, or follow her eclectic blog at vanessa-speakupplease.blogspot.com.
Contact Vanessa Nesbit at vnesbit@yahoo.com.

• Cathy Rossi’s new job as communications director for Delaware governor Jack Markell – “a role I just couldn’t say no to,” she says – will tap her wide-ranging experience as a public relations specialist when manager of public and government affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic and when director of communications for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia; as anchor, reporter, writer and producer for television and radio news both in Wilmington and in Philadelphia; and as an adjunct faculty member in the Business Division at Wilmington University where she has taught graduate communications. “Considering my professional background, you can appreciate why I was attracted to this new challenge. No illusions of short work days – just hope for better economic times ahead for all of us. If I didn't believe in the authentic leadership of this man, I would not have said yes. You can find me on Linked-In and Twitter@cathyrossi and on Facebook.”
Contact Cathy Rossi at cathyrossi@comcast.net.

• Rachel Simon, author of Building a Home with My Husband and Riding the Bus with My Sister,
says 2010 began with a bang: Her new novel, tentatively titled The Story of Beautiful Girl, was acquired by Grand Central Press, at the Hachette Group, and should come out in the spring or summer of 2011. “The book begins in the mid-1960s,” Rachel says, “and is about Lynnie, a beautiful white woman with an intellectual disability and selective mutism, and her sweetheart, Homan, an African American deaf man, both institutionalized. They escape and find refuge at the home of a retired schoolteacher, Martha. When the authorities catch up with them, Homan escapes, but Lynnie, who has just borne a child, doesn’t. Just before she is forcibly returned to The School for the Incurable and Feebleminded, she whispers to Martha: ‘Hide her.’ And so begins the tale of three lives desperate to reconnect.” The Story of Beautiful Girl already has gotten some press. Rachel invites you to check out this link to see the Deals column of Publishers Weekly and adds: “I'm glad that my books are a part of your journey.”
Contact Rachel Simon at rachelsimon2002@yahoo.com.

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Calendar of Events

Pick your own date: Free Writes. On any given Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Saturday, you can jump-start your creative process and experiment with your writing styles in the company of other writers at all skill levels. Just show up with pen and paper or laptop. No RSVP required. Free and facilitated by the Rehoboth Beach Writers Guild. For more info: 302-226-8210 or contactus@rehobothbeachwritersguild.com.

2010

APRIL

April is National Poetry Month! Founded in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets, National Poetry Month is described as "now the largest literary celebration in the world." Events and activities include a month-long Poem-A-Day e-mail distribution list; national "Poem in Your Pocket" Day on April 29; the photography-and-poetry Free Verse Project on Flickr and Facebook; and the Poetry & The Creative Mind Gala at Lincoln Center on April 20. Get more info on National Poetry Month.

10 “Three Saturdays to PR Excellence: A professional development primer and refresher for all levels of expertise.” Day 1: What is public relations? Where public relations fits with other disciplines (HR, IR, advertising, marketing), research, and planning (including goals, objectives, strategies, tactics and evaluation), 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Sponsored by Philadelphia PRSA. This program will cover the basics from the definition of public relations to the four-step planning process, from qualitative vs. quantitative research to the legal/ethical arena in which public relations operates. Recommended for professionals starting out in a PR career; professionals from other disciplines taking on a PR role; more senior executives looking to sharpen their skills in communication, theory, research, ethics and media relations. See April 17 for Day 2, April 24 for Day 3. Rowan University, Bozorth Hall, Room 135, Glassboro, N.J. Cost: $99 per day or $225 for all 3 days (includes lunch). Click for more information or to register.

10 My Career Transitions: Making Linked-In Work For You. 9:45 – 11:45 a.m. Speaker is Oliver Picher. Penn State, Brandywine Campus, Media, Pa. Cost: Free. Click for more Information or to register.

15 Media Monitoring: Putting Press Release Performance in Context. 1 – 2 p.m. Sponsored by Business Wire and CyberAlert Inc. Measuring press release ROI is as much about monitoring what's being said about your brand as it is about the clips that result from a release. This webinar covers strategies for monitoring news and consumer discussion. Click here to register.

15-17 ACES National Conference. Sponsored by American Copy Editors Society. More than 50 sessions for those who need or want to use the written word well. Sessions range from the nuts and bolts of editing to using multimedia programs, from legal issues in text to search engine optimization. Loews Hotel, Philadelphia, Pa. Cost: $320 Members; $500 Non-members. Click for more information or to register.

17 “Three Saturdays to PR Excellence: A professional development primer and refresher for all levels of expertise.” Day 2: Media relations (including benefits & risks of using the Internet) and legal and ethical review (including SEC regulations for publicly-traded companies and recent changes to the Code of Professional Standards), 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Sponsored by Philadelphia PRSA. This program will cover the basics from the definition of public relations to the four-step planning process, from qualitative vs. quantitative research to the legal/ethical arena in which public relations operates. Recommended for professionals starting out in a PR career; professionals from other disciplines taking on a PR role; more senior executives looking to sharpen their skills in communication, theory, research, ethics and media relations. See April 10 for Day 1, April 24 for Day 3. Rowan University, Bozorth Hall, Room 135, Glassboro, N.J. Cost: $99 per day or $225 for all 3 days (includes lunch). Click for more information or to register.

16 Eighth Annual “Evening with the Masters,” for the benefit of Meals on Wheels Delaware. 6 – 10:30 p.m. Fine food and beverages from some of the best chefs and restaurants in the area will be featured. The Cellar Master’s live wine auction and music from the ’80s and ’90s will be part of the fun. Chase Center on the Riverfront. Tickets: $75 ($65 for groups of 10 or more); $35 is tax deductible. Click here for complete details and to purchase tickets.

18 Twelfth Annual “Celebrity Chefs' Brunch,” for the benefit of Meals on Wheels Delaware, 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Featuring an array of masterpieces prepared by approximately thirty national and international chefs, complemented by fine wines and spirits as well as a silent auction. Bank of America's Bracebridge III building, 1100 N. King Street, Wilmington. Tickets: $175 ($115 is tax deductible). Click here for complete details and to purchase tickets.

21 First State High School Communications Conference Awards Luncheon, co-sponsored by Delaware Press Association and The News Journal. Speakers: News Journal staff members – general assignment reporter and immediate past president of DPA Beth Miller and photographer Suchat Pederson – will present a slide show and talk about “Delaware’s Drive to Help in Haiti,” from the perspective of going there to report on early relief missions. Following the presentation, the students will enjoy a tour of the paper’s news room and printing plant, have lunch together and receive their awards. Bill Frank Conference Room, The News Journal, 950 W. Basin Road, New Castle. Registration 9:30 a.m., Speaker and Awards Presentation 9:45 a.m., Tour of The News Journal and Lunch 11 a.m., Awards program Noon.

21 State of the City: GLOBAL PHILADELPHIA, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Sponsored by the Center City Proprietors Association and the Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau. Join CCPA and PCVB for a conversation about the great things happening in the region to position Philadelphia in an international marketplace, and what we can do to guide our world-class region to even greater heights. Panel includes: Linda Conlin, President, Philadelphia World Trade Center; Mark Gale, CEO, Philadelphia Division of Aviation, Philadelphia International Airport; Tom Morr, President, Select Greater Philadelphia and Thomas White, Director of Sales, Philadelphia Region, UPS. Radisson Plaza-Warwick Hotel Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa. Cost: $10 Members; $30 Non-members. Reservations required. Call CCPA at 215-545-7766.

23 Virginia Press Women's Spring Conference. Want to break into children's literature? Take better pictures to go with your stories? Negotiate with editors? Figure out what the heck "retweet" means? You'll get all those questions and more answered. The conference experience will provide notable speakers, interesting and entertaining activities, and opportunities for networking and camaraderie. Taubman Museum of Art. Cost $50 Members, $55 Non-members. Register by April 9. Click to get registration and conference details.

24 “Three Saturdays to PR Excellence: A professional development primer and refresher for all levels of expertise.” Day 3: Crisis planning and crisis management, from basics to cyber-crises, and dealing with opposition audiences, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Sponsored by Philadelphia PRSA. This program will cover the basics from the definition of public relations to the four-step planning process, from qualitative vs. quantitative research to the legal/ethical arena in which public relations operates. Recommended for professionals starting out in a PR career; professionals from other disciplines taking on a PR role; more senior executives looking to sharpen their skills in communication, theory, research, ethics and media relations. See April 10 for Day 1, April 17 for Day 2. Rowan University, Bozorth Hall, Room 135, Glassboro, N.J. Cost: $99 per day or $225 for all 3 days (includes lunch). Click for more information or to register.

24 Wellnet’s 17th Annual Holistic Health Fair. 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Guest speakers; educational workshops; demonstrations holistic, "green" and natural retailers and service providers; Kid's Corner; healthy-food court; non-perishable food drive. Vendor registration fees are reasonable, and sponsorship opportunities are also available. Cape Henlopen High School, Lewes. Admission is free. Click for more info or call Sherry at 302-945-2107.

24 Delaware Black Expo, an event for the entire family, featuring the products and services of African American businesses and organizations, entertainment by local artists, fun-filled activities for the kids, educational seminars, networking opportunities and more. New DPA member Kevin A. Minton, author and owner/president of Babyman Entertainment and House of M, will be there to sell and sign his book, Moonlight Over Paris. Doubletree Hotel, Wilmington. Free. Get more information.

24–26 39th Annual ASJA Writers Conference, “INSPIRATION: Finding the Spark, Unlocking the Doors.” Sponsored by the American Society of Journalists and Authors. Keynote speakers: Jane Chesnutt, editor-in-chief of Woman's Day magazine and senior vice president of Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. from 1991 though 2009. Her particular passion is women's heart health. Peter Shankman, recognized worldwide for radically new ways of thinking about Social Media, PR, marketing, advertising, creativity and customer service; well known for founding Help A Reporter Out (HARO), now the standard for thousands of journalists on deadline looking for sources. Seminars and individual opportunities to work with editors, established writers and other experts to help sharpen writing, marketing and technological skills. Roosevelt Hotel, 45 East 45th Street, New York, N.Y. Get conference registration form and complete schedule of workshops and fees.

27 Communicating with Employees Through Change. 5:30 -7:30 p.m. Sponsored by International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philadelphia. Effective internal communication can mean the difference between changes being enthusiastically implemented to causing issues with morale. Leaders can believe that a well written e-mail means that the organization is geared up to make changes and become frustrated when the organization seems to be taking its time. Hilton Garden Inn Philadelphia, Fort Washington, Pa. Cost: $30 Members; $40 Non-members; $10 Students. Contact Lee Flogaus to register, 610-296-4211 or lflogaus@devonofficecenter.com.

29 DPA Communications Contest Awards Banquet & Annual Meeting. Speaker: Award-winning photographer Kathy Buckalew on “Writing with Pictures: Telling Stories Without Words.” 5:30 p.m. social gathering; 6:30 p.m. dinner, speaker and awards presentation. University & Whist Club, 805 N. Broom Street, Wilmington. Members $38.50; Non-members $42.50. See "Writing with Pictures: Telling Stories Without Words" in this issue of DPA NewsBreak for complete details and to register. For more info: call 302-655-2175 or e-mail delawarepress@aol.com.

MAY

7–8 NFOIC 2010 Freedom of Information Summit. Sponsored by the National Freedom of Information Coalition and the Virginia Coalition on Open Government. A full afternoon of freedom of information gathering and sharing with a keynote address from Miriam M. Nisbet, the inaugural director of the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS), National Archives and Records Administration, at the new FOIA ombudsman office created by the 2007 amendments to the federal Freedom of Information Act. Hyatt Arlington in Arlington, Va. Cost: $95.00. For more info, contact Charles Davis, Executive Director, National Freedom of Information Coalition, 573-882-5736 or daviscn@missouri.edu.

13 Creativity at Work: Tips to Get You and Your Team Out of a Creative Rut. 7:30 - 9 a.m. Sponsored by IABC Philadelphia. As we face today's professional, personal and economic pressures, it can be a real challenge to stay creatively engaged both at home and at work. The solution? Developing your creativity outside work helps to build your creative strength at work. The Hub Cira Centre, Philadelphia, Pa. Cost: $30 Members; $40 Non-members; $10 Students. To register, contact: Lee Flogaus, 610-296-4211 or lflogaus@devonofficecenter.com.

AUGUST

26–28 NFPW Communications Conference: “Face 2 Face in Illinois.” Sponsored by Illinois Woman's Press Association. Get more conference information. Highlights:
• Lodging is at the Union League Club of Chicago. To reserve your room, call 1-800-443-0578.
• Registration fee is $350; forms will be available May 1.
• Pre-conference tours will focus on Chicago neighborhoods. Registration forms available
   April 15.
• Opening reception at Maxims to celebrate IWPA's 125th anniversary.
• 18 breakout sessions to reinvent your career and enhance your writing, social media and
   PR/marketing skills.
• Communicator of Achievement and Communications Contest Awards banquets.
• Post-conference tour along Route 66.

Send information for the Calendar of Events to news@delawarepressassociation.org.

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NewsBreak is the official newsletter of Delaware Press Association.

Janis D. Shields, Editor
Katherine Ward, Copy Editor/Layout
Mary Leah Christmas, Copy Editor
Mary E. Loewenstein-Anderson, Photo Editor

Submit editorial content to:
news@delawarepressassociation.org

Copy deadline for next newsletter: August 1, 2010

Contact Us:
Katherine Ward, Executive Director
Delaware Press Association

e-mail: delawarepress@aol.com
phone: 302-655-2175
web: www.delawarepressassociation.org

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