Members present (12): Pam Lannom, Lonny Cain, Jim Killam, Tom Martin,
John Etheredge, Rick Nagel, Rich Rostron, Lois Self, Richard Parmater, Randy
Swikle, Jim Slonoff, Wally Haas.
Guest present: Dana Dirtichs-Kunkel.
Members absent (7): Roger Ruthhart, Owen Phelps, Greg Rivara, Jeanine Otto, Joe Corrado, Jan Larsen, Colin O'Donnell.
Lannom called the meeting to order at 10:05 a.m.
Minutes of Jan. 24 meeting approved unanimously (Cain motion, Etheredge
second)
Treasurer's report - Jim Slonoff
As of Feb. 28, the NINA checking account balance was $2,151.78. Savings
account balance was $5.94. March bills include $95 to Castle PrinTech for
newsletter printing, $169.55 to Chesapeake Bagel Co, for the Jan. 24 lunch
for students and board members discussing the Redeye/Red Streak newspapers;
and $62.25 in mailing expenses for the high school scholarship packets.
Report approved unanimously. (Haas motion, Etheredge second)
Executive secretary's report - Lois Self
NIU has classified the department of communication as an "impacted"
department, meaning three faculty searches have been allowed to proceed
despite the state budget crisis. A new assistant professor, Dale Zacher,
has been hired to teach in the journalism area.
NIU's annual journalism banquet is April 25. NINA members are invited to
attend. Please RSVP by April 18.
President's report - Pam Lannom
Minor bylaws changes discussed at the last meeting won't be presented to
the membership until fall.
Two board vacancies exist: A one-year spot to replace Cheryl Wormley and
a full, three-year spot to replace Ray Karges. Several potential nominees
were discussed. Lannom hopes to have nominees attend the Aug. 8 board meeting
for approval.
Program committee - Tom Martin
The April 25 Spring Conference will focus on health-care reporting, with
four guest speakers including Mike Berens, Chicago Tribune investigative
reporter. Details are in the forthcoming newsletter and on the NINA Web
site.
Education committee - John Etheredge
24 applications were received for the high school scholarship competition.
Board members are invited to help judge entries at 1 p.m. Thursday, April
10, at the Beacon News in Aurora.
A spring workshop, tentatively set for June 6 at NIU, will deal with grammar
for journalists. Barry Wood, a copy editor with the Rockford Register Star,
would lead the workshop
A fall workshop for high school advisers and possibly students also is being
planned. Details and date to be announced later.
Membership committee - Jim Slonoff
No formal report
Communications coordinator - Jim Killam
The spring newsletter will be mailed within the next week.
Programs for April 25 conference, and feedback forms, will be available
that day.
Old business
None
New business
Self asked the board for advice regarding contest rules as they pertain
to individual members, including free-lancers. The board consensus was that
individual members may enter their own work, to be judged in the circulation
category of the newspaper that published the work. The entries would not
count toward the newspaper sweepstakes awards.
Also, there is question of how the term "newspaper chain" is defined
when deciding the circulation category of contest entries. Lannom will check
how the IPA addressed a similar question and forward that information to
Self.
Shop talk
Etheredge: The Ledger Sentinel is looking for a general assignment reporter.
Rostron: The Woodstock Independent is launching a kids page soon.
Nagel: The Beacon News' sister paper, the Naperville Sun, has become
a daily.
Swikle: Johnsburg High School celebrated First Amendment Week with
a variety of programs, including re-enactment of the Tinker and Hazelwood
Supreme Court cases.
Slonoff: His college roommate, Brian Walski, is the photographer
fired by the Los Angeles Times for fabricating a photo from the war in Iraq.
Haas: Reminded board members of the editorial writing workshop in
Peoria in May. Also, the Rockford Register Star is in the middle of a regional
development project with three other area newspapers (see newsletter).
Lannom: Gift of Hope organ and tissue donor network has won a Golden
Trumpet award, partly as a result of the community-service partnership with
Doings Newspapers.
Cain: The Daily Times of Ottawa is running a regular page-1 feature
called "Salute," which highlights an area person serving in the
war in Iraq. It features a color photo of the soldier, plus background and
family information. Also, the paper is running a feature called "This
Life," a slice of daily life told in photos.
Killam: The Northern Star ran a parody entertainment section, called
"The Bunion." Despite disclaimers on every story that the information
was false, about a dozen readers have phoned or written the paper thinking
the material was true.
Martin: The Bureau County Republican also ran an April Fool's story,
about area wind farms producing too much wind. Reader reaction has been
positive. Also, the paper is preparing a lengthy feature on defunct cemeteries
in its area, to run on Memorial Day.
Meeting adjourned at 11:45.
Next board meeting: Friday, Aug. 8, at the Northern Star.
Minutes submitted by Jim Killam, communications
coordinator, 4-7-03.