Professor James Baughman, of the University of Wisconsin School of Journalism and Mass Communications, passed away on Saturday, March 26, 2016. Professor Baughman was a supporter of SPJ, and participated in some of our meetings. We will miss his enthusiasm for the mission of journalism. Professor Baughman discussed “Journalism Issues – Past and Future” at our 2013 conference on Chester Wells, honoring the 1913 University of Wisconsin graduate who was elected the second national president of Sigma Delta Chi, which later became SPJ. Professor Baughman’s presentation is on the media page of that conference.

Memoriam from the UW School of Journalism and Mass Communications

MADISON — Madison-area journalists raised $600 for the Simpson Street Free Press last week. The Madison-based non-profit that teaches middle and high school students reading, writing, and critical thinking skills was the beneficiary of the annual holiday raffle held by the Madison pro chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

Madison SPJ thanks the following raffle prize contributors: Wisconsin State Journal; America Players Theatre; Isthmus; Edgewood College; WKOW; WORT; Capital Times; Wisconsin Public Television; Karben4; Chris Drosner, “aka” Beer Baron; David Maraniss; Dee J. Hall; Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism; Joe Radske; Breann Schossow; and Sam Martino.

July 5, 2015

Gov. Scott Walker

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos

Dear Gov. Walker, Sen. Fitzgerald and Rep. Vos:

The Madison professional chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists applauds your decision to remove in its entirety language from the 2015-17 budget that would alter the state’s open records law. We are pleased that you listened to us and to the broad spectrum of opponents – liberal and conservative interest groups, Republican and Democratic lawmakers, open government advocates and journalists, and others — to the changes proposed by the Joint Finance Committee.

Your decision is a victory for open government and government transparency. In that spirit, we encourage all elected officials and others involved in preparing this language to acknowledge their roles in the process.

In the future, any consideration of changes to the open records law should take place in public and with the public, and should focus on increasing openness and transparency rather than the opposite.

Mark Pitsch, president, SPJ Madison;  Joe Radske, director, SPJ Region 6

The MacIver Institute, a conservative think tank, published this video report.

Wisconsin State Journal: Republicans vote to dramatically scale back oversight of lawmakers, other public officials

 UPDATE, July 4, 2015:

Wisconsin State Journal: Scott Walker, legislative leaders drop open records changes

The Wisconsin Newspaper Association has collections of the news coverage of the issue:

Collection #1

Collection #2

Collection #3

Collection #4

VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL

July 3, 2015

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos

Dear Sen. Fitzgerald and Rep. Vos:

James Madison, Father of the Bill of Rights, Federalist Papers author, and the man for whom our capital city is named, was perhaps the nation’s first public records advocate. He argued that citizens must gain access to information to be full participants in its government:

“A popular Government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy, or perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance: And a people who mean to be their own Governors, must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.”

Indeed. Perhaps this is why so many — conservatives and liberals, Republicans and Democrats, journalists and open government advocates, and others – have expressed outrage in the last 24 hours at the language inserted into the 2015-17 budget gutting our public records law.

The Madison professional chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists urges you and your chamber to please take heed of Founding Father Madison’s advice: Remove this language from the budget bill and arm the public with the knowledge that will help it be full partners in our democratic republic.

For decades, Wisconsin has had a proud tradition of open government, and the language inserted Thursday by the Joint Finance Committee through a 999 Motion would nearly eliminate any opportunity for the public to discover how its taxpayer-funded elected officials work.

Further, the language would wipe out nearly a century of drafting-file history.  Founded in 1901, the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau has maintained records that help the public understand how and why legislation is drafted. These records provide a crucial historical purpose but are also a valuable contemporary resource for the public, scholars and journalists.

The press has a responsibility to serve as a watchdog on the work of government officials. We are the eyes and the ears of the public. As a result, public officials may have, at times, an uneasy relationship with us. Public officials may not always appreciate the work we do, or like the stories we write and produce.  Under this proposal, you may avoid an unflattering news story now and again, but you will have done lasting damage to the democratic process in Wisconsin.

It is also disappointing that the Joint Finance Committee included this language in the 999 Motion on the final day of its work with little opportunity for public debate, and on the day before a long July 4^th holiday weekend during which our country celebrates its freedom and independence – including the First Amendment. James Madison, lover of liberty and guardian against tyranny, would be appalled.

Sincerely,

Mark Pitsch, president, SPJ Madison;  Joe Radske, director, SPJ Region 6

Cc:

Gov. Scott Walker

Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling

Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca

Senator John Nygren

Senator Alberta Darling

MADISON, WIS — With personal freedoms being assaulted and abridged around the world, the Madison Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists is sponsoring a high school publication contest, Freedom Ring, which will include editorial writing, video and editorial cartoon items.

“Receiving a journalism award is more than a certificate and a line on a resume. It’s realizing the value of hard work. It’s encouragement to maintain high standards. It’s motivation to explore an exciting, important and challenging industry,” declared Taylor Cartier, National SPJ Communication Coordinator.

The contest among Wisconsin high school newspapers is aimed at building awareness of the FirstAmendment of the U. S. Constitution during the month of March. March 16 is the birthday of James Madison, who wrote the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Wisconsin’s capital city and many of the city’s streets are named after the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Over the past several years Wisconsin students and others have exercised many of their rights at the State Capitol.

SPJ Madison would like students during the month of March to publish an editorial, essay, cartoon or video on the meaning of the First Amendment. SPJ’s Madison chapter will judge entries based on originality, expression of thought, creativity and impact of a message.

Entries should be submitted to the SPJ Madison chapter at during the first week of April. SPJ members will judge all entries and make award announcements in May for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in all categories. Certificates of participation will also be given to all school media participants.

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The American wheat beer will debut March 16 at a celebration of Sunshine Week, the annual event honoring open government and the First Amendment. The celebration takes place from 6-9 p.m. at Next Door, 2439 Atwood Ave., Madison.

Sunshine Wheat features brewers malt, flaked wheat and crystal wheat from Wisconsin-based Briess Malt and Ingredients Company and Brewer’s Gold hops from Gorst Valley Hops of Mazomanie. It will feature an exotic dry hop. Sunshine Wheat will hold 4.8 percent alcohol-by-volume, 22 IBUs and a 5.6 SRM.

The Wisconsin Newspaper Association is the lead sponsor of the SPJ Madison-Next Door Brewing event. Other sponsors include WKOW, Wisconsin State Journal, With Gusto, Isthmus, and the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism.

NASHVILLE — Delegates of the Society of Professional Journalists voted overwhelmingly Saturday to approve a revised Code of Ethics. The voice vote came at the Society’s business meeting at its annual convention.

A committee of the Society spent the past year studying the current code and proposing changes. It had not been updated in nearly two decades. The committee’s work underwent revisions in the days leading up to the vote, and several amendments were accepted in Nashville.

An informal online poll of SPJ members showed that three of every four members who voted approved of the changes.

Delegates on Saturday also rejected a proposal to change the organization’s name to the Society for Professional Journalism.

Delegates are chosen by local chapters and the number of delegates allotted each chapter is determined by the number of members in each chapter. The Madison chapter had one delegate.

Also, SPJ members elected Dana Neuts president, Paul Fletcher president-elect, and Lynn Walsh secretary-treasurer. Neuts is a freelance writer in the Seattle area. Fletcher is publisher and editor-in-chief of Virginia Lawyers Weekly. Walsh is national digital producer for the Scripps network of news organizations.

On Friday the Madison chapter received a certificate for outstanding work by a small chapter in advancing relations with campuses. At left is Joe Radske, SPJ Madison executive committee member and SPJ national board member, with the certificate.

Mark Pitsch, chapter president, received the Howard S. Dubin Outstanding Member of the Year Award at the president’s installation banquet on Saturday.

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Contact: Lauren Fuhrmann, SPJ Madison Pro chapter vice president
[email protected]

MADISON, July 30, 2014 — SPJ Madison Pro chapter president Mark Pitsch has received the 2014 Howard S. Dubin Outstanding Pro Member Award from the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) for his outstanding contributions to the local chapter. Pitsch has served as chapter president since 2011. His programming skills and work in reactivating the Madison chapter contributed to his winning the award.

“Mark has been instrumental in bringing young and experienced journalists together in the Madison area. His leadership in training journalists has helped build the Madison Pro chapter into one of the finest in the country,” says Joe Radske, SPJ Region 6 director and a member of the SPJ Madison Pro chapter.

Each year, the Howard Dubin Award is awarded to no more than two members — one from a chapter of 75 or more members and one from less than 75 members. The award is in honor of longtime SPJ member of the Chicago Headline Club Howard Dubin, who not only contributes time and money to the society but also remains dedicated to service at the chapter level.

Pitsch and J. Alex Tarquinio of the New York Deadline Club — winner of the award from a chapter of 75 or more members — will be recognized at the Excellence in Journalism annual meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, Sept. 4-6.

Based in Indianapolis, SPJ is a national membership organization that promotes high professional and ethical standards among journalists, First Amendment principles, and the belief that a free and vigorous press is vital in a representative democracy. The SPJ Madison Pro chapter was formed around 1990. Membership costs $75 annually, and it is open to journalists who spend at least half of their professional life writing or editing work for publication.

The Madison chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists shares this press release from the UW-Madison Center for Journalism Ethics:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Anthony Shadid Award will recognize ethical journalism

MADISON – The University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Journalism Ethics seeks applications for the first national Anthony Shadid Award for Journalism Ethics.

A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Shadid died in 2012 while crossing the Syrian border on a reporting assignment for the New York Times. He won two Pulitzer Prizes for his courageous and insightful foreign correspondence. Shadid sat on the ethics center’s advisory board and strongly supported its efforts to promote public interest journalism and to stimulate discussion about journalism ethics.

The center will award $1,000 to the journalist (or team) whose reporting on a specific story or series best exemplifies four key criteria: accountability, independence, reporting in search of truth and minimization of harm to subjects, sources and the public at large.

“In its first five years of awards, the ethics center emphasized its Wisconsin roots and sought nominations from the state,” says Robert Drechsel, the James E. Burgess chair in journalism ethics. “We now are expanding nationwide, proud to recognize Anthony’s deep and broad impact on journalism and its ethical practice.”

Nominations are due March 3, 2014, and self-nominations are welcomed. More information is available at ethics.journalism.wisc.edu. For additional information, contact Judy Frankel at [email protected]