Feb. 9, 2011 — San Mateo Daily Journal offices
Present: Marshall Wilson, Darryl Compton, Jon Mays, Ed Remitz, Melissa McRobbie, Antonia Ehlers, Micki Carter. Absent: Jamie Casini White (but available on the phone), Dave Price, Kristi Blackburn, Peter Cleaveland
The meeting was called to order at 6:40 p.m.
FINANCIALS: Darryl noted that we received a check from Google for $106.99 for ads sold on our website and $70 came in from memberships.
JOURNALISM AWARDS CONTEST: Although Darryl was still holding up, the switch of the contest to betternewspapercontest.com has been trying. The Call for Entries has gone through a series of iterations while he tries to mesh our past format with the online format. At the moment, the news organizations listed (from which entrants must choose) do not include organizations that haven’t participated before. Micki will assist Darryl in adding possible future participating organizations to that list.
The payment module for the online contest isn’t likely to be ready for several months so we must depend on entrants sending in checks or email addresses for PayPal invoicing.
The biggest issue needing attention is getting the word out to everyone everywhere. Marshall will lead the charge on this, but the rest of the board is on hand to help out. After the meeting, Marshall sent out a link to the online media contacts list for the county so we make sure we cover all our bases. It’s http://www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/Attachments/cmo/pdfs/SpreadingtheNews.pdf.
The board also determined that Bay City News Service should enter in the Web/Broadband category.
EVENING OF EXCELLENCE: The board chose Saturdays May 21 and June 4 for the annual dinner, and after the meeting Darryl confirmed that we have reserved the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Foster City for May 21.
There was discussion of possible guest speakers. Antonia contacted New York Times Executive Editor Bill Keller, but he declined. She will now contact former Chronicle reporter Manny Fernandez, now of The New York Times, and Rob Gunnison of the Graduate School of Journalism at UC-Berkeley
HIGH SCHOOL JOURNALISM CONTEST: Micki reported that Washington High School in Fremont had asked to participate in the Press Club’s High School Journalism Awards Competition although the rules state that only Peninsula high schools may enter. It was decided to continue to limit the participants to the Peninsula this year, but to open the contest next year to any high school taking part in the High School Journalism Boot Camp in the fall. Micki will contact the Washington High School adviser.
WORKSHOPS: No further discussion on this topic.
OTHER BUSINESS: Marshall mentioned that the Janet Parker Beck Press Room in the Hall of Justice is shrinking now that it’s used by only the Bay City News reporter. Reporters will have access to the first room just inside the door; the big room along the sidewalk will be reserved for interns.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:29 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Micki Carter,Secretary