Challenge to Illinois Eavesdropping Law May Face Uphill Battle in the 7th Circuit

By Kathleen A. Kirby & Maria L. Mullarkey, Wiley Rein LLP

In ACLU v. Alvarez, the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois (ACLU) filed a lawsuit in district court challenging the constitutionality of the Illinois Eavesdropping Act, as applied to the audio recording of police officers when they are performing their public duties in public places and speaking at a volume audible to the unassisted human ear.  Illinois has a very stringent eavesdropping law, making it a criminal act with significant jail time to record the audio of certain non-private conversations.  ACLU brought the lawsuit as an organization that frequently monitors police conduct and practices, citing numerous instances in which individuals were charged with violating the statute for making audio recordings of public conversations with police officers. 

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Money Matters Story Idea: Help Your Audience Use Credit Responsibly

Credit can be a blessing and a burden for your audience, according to smartaboutmoney.org. Using credit wisely helps your audience build a strong credit history, which will help them secure future loans and mortgages. However, being careless with credit use can lead your audience into trouble with poor credit scores and debt.

Here are some steps to help your audience find, and use, the right credit for your lifestyle.

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Tags: Money Matters, RTDNA, NEFE, Financial Reporting

Only 14 Days Left to Enter the 2012 Edward R. Murrow Awards Contest!



RTDNA has been honoring outstanding achievements in electronic journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971. Murrow’s pursuit of excellence in journalism embodies the spirit of the awards that carry his name. Murrow Award recipients demonstrate the excellence that Edward R. Murrow made a standard for the electronic news profession.

In 2011, 600 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards were handed out and of those 600, 95 went on to win National Edward R. Murrow Awards.

Be part of the most prestigious awards program for electronic journalists - enter your best work to win a 2012 Edward R. Murrow Award!

Deadline for entry submission is Thursday, February 9, 2012!

We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the rules before entering.

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Tags: Edward R Murrow, RTDNA, RTNDA, Murrow Awards, 2012

Ethics Question: Should Facebook Posts Be Quoted Without Permission?

By Vince Duffy, RTDNA Chairman-Elect

You know those really funny replies you leave beneath your friends Facebook posts?

You know the comments I’m talking about, the really snarky ones that have lots of “likes” and “LOLs”?

Those comments that show your friends you should really be working for The Daily Show, not some stuffy NPR outlet?

OK, maybe that’s just me. But how would you like to see any of the comments you leave on your friend’s Facebook page show up the next day on the front page of the newspaper, as a quote, attributed to you?

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Tags: Facebook, Ethics, RTDNA, Vince Duffy, NPR

You're Invited to the 2012 First Amendment Awards Dinner! March 15, 2012

Every year RTDNF honors individuals in the field of broadcast journalism for their work on behalf of press freedom.

The 22st Annual RTDNF First Amendment Awards Dinner, a black-tie event, will be held March 15, 2012, at the Ritz-Carlton, 1150 22nd Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception followed by a 7:00 p.m. dinner. For table and ticket information, contact Jen Wafalosky at 216.409.8314 or jenwafalosky@sbcglobal.net.

Click here for the sponsorship information sheet.

The 2012 honorees are:

 
                                              
   Steve Capus                                                      Martha Raddatz
     NBC News                                                           ABC News
     President
                                                  Senior Foreign Affairs
                                                                                Correspondent

                                  
      Marci Burdick                                                Jim Bohannon
Schurz Communications                       Dial Global Radio Networks
          Senior VP                                          News Anchor & Talk Host

 

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Tags: RTDNF, First Amendment Dinner, Steve Capus, Martha Raddatz, Marci Burdick, Jim Bohannon

'Teaching College Journalism is So Much Fun!'

By Dr. Lydia Reeves Timmins, University of Delaware

A new year, and a new kind of class to teach. My university has “winter session”, a whole semester’s worth of class jammed into the month of January. It’s a whole lot of classtime in a short amount of time (well, short in the academic sense. Not in the news sense).

I’m teaching a basic course on Mass Media in Society. So not just news—but all kind of media. A very interesting change from my usual broadcast and journalism roster. One of the biggest differences is in the students...

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Tags: RTDNA, Lydia Reeves Timmins, RTNDA, University of Delaware

Thank You for Helping With Our Recent FCC Survey!

Journalists,

I wanted to update you on the recent survey RTDNA conducted asking for your comments on proposed changes by the FCC to its issues reporting requirements.   This proposal would require stations to provide considerably more detail related to news and programming content—detail that would be maintained in an FCC online database.

We received nearly 100 completed surveys with information about...

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Tags: RTDNA, FCC, Member Input, Mike Cavender, Kathy Kirby, Wiley Rein

Initial Paterno Death Reports Reveal Sad Reality of 24/7 News

By Mike Cavender, RTDNA Executive Director

The premature and erroneous initial reports this past weekend about the death of former Penn State legendary coach, Joe Paterno, once again raise troubling issues about the “need to be first” mentality, despite the fact that information is unconfirmed and unsourced.

These problems are compounded in our 24/7, multi-platform news and social media world—but the lessons to be learned are really no different than in the days when Americans had little more than a few radio and TV stations and a local newspaper in their markets.

But what has changed—and, unfortunately, increased the “we need to be first” pressure is that traditional media is competing not only with itself...

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Tags: RTDNA, Joe Paterno, Ethics, Reporting, Social Media Guidelines

'Illinois Supreme Court Gives OK for Cameras in Trial Courts'

From Illinois Statehouse News: "It is time for Illinois courts to become more transparent by allowing cameras into courtrooms, Illinois Chief Justice Thomas Kilbride told Illinois Statehouse News in an exclusive interview."
 
"On Tuesday, the state Supreme Court is expected to announce it will allow trial court proceedings to be filmed and tape recorded for the first time in the state’s 194-year history, Kilbride said."

"Illinois is one of 14 states where cameras in trial courtrooms are either not allowed or not used, according to the Radio Television Digital News Association, a professional organization serving the electronic news profession and dedicated to setting standards for news gathering and reporting... "

Click here to read the rest of the article from Illinois Statehouse News

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Tags: Illinois Statehouse News, Cameras in Court, RTDNA, RTNDA

Win a Free Registration to #EIJ12 By Filling Out This Brief Survey


Please take a moment to complete this five-question survey regarding the 2012 Excellence in Journalism Conference. This is the annual joint convention held by RTDNA & SPJ.

One survey participant will be chosen at random to receive a free session-only registration to the 2012 conference!

Click here to take the brief survey


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Tags: RTDNA, SPJ, Conference, Convention, EIJ12, Excellence in Journalism

2012 RTDNA/UNITY Awards - Enter Now!

RTDNA honors outstanding achievements in the coverage of diversity with the RTDNA/UNITY Award. The award is part of the covenant the association has adopted with UNITY: Journalists of Color, to achieve diversity in the newsroom through developing news content and editorial staffs that reflect the changing face of communities. The purpose of the award is to encourage and showcase journalistic excellence in covering issues of race and ethnicity. It is presented annually to news organizations that show an ongoing commitment to covering the diversity of the communities they serve.

Enter your radio, television or online news organization in the RTDNA/UNITY Awards and showcase your ongoing commitment to covering diversity issues. This prestigious award will bring recognition to your news team and increased respect from your audience.

The deadline for submissions is March 15, 2012

Click here to read more and to enter!

 

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Tags: RTDNA, UNITY, Awards, 2012, Diversity

Former RTDNA/F Chairman, Edward Esposito, Named Secretary/Treasurer of RTDNF

Edward Esposito, chairman of the Radio Television Digital News Association from 2007-2008, and an instrumental figure in the success of the RTDNF scholarship and fellowship programs has been named secretary and treasurer of RTDNF, the educational arm of the Radio Television Digital News Association.

Esposito (right in the photo) has had a place on the RTDNA/F board since 2003, and has served in various roles, including chairman and trustee. His most recent appointment to the RTDNF secretary and treasurer position will have him oversee Foundation investments and continue to work on the Foundation's scholarship programs. Esposito fills the unexpired term of Mike Cavender, who resigned his position as Foundation Treasurer  to serve as RTDNA/F Executive Director.

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Tags: RTDNA, RTNDA, Ed Esposito, RTDNF

Money Matters Story Idea: 6 Ways Your Audience Can Get the Most Out of a Gym Membership

The holiday feeding frenzy has come to an end. Your audience is ready to shed some of that winter weight, and they've made a resolution to join a gym. But which gym do they join? Should they take gyms up on those introductory personal training sessions? And what’s all this small print on the contract?

Before they sign up to get fit, make sure your audience is equipped with some strong financial knowledge. Below are six tips from spendster.org that you can pass on to your audience members.

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Tags: Money Matters, NEFE,RTDNA, spendster.org

No Cameras in Court? Ohio Station Uses Puppets to Report on Corruption Trial

By Edward Esposito, RTDNF Secretary / Treasurer

Among the most interesting and, perhaps, entertaining aspects of the corruption trial of former Cuyahoga County Commissioner and County Democratic Party boss Jimmy Dimora, is its treatment by the media.

By far, most of the Cleveland-based news organizations following the trial -- The Plain Dealer, all four television stations, and some radio stations -- follow as any spectator would: inside the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Sara Lioi at the Seiberling Federal Building in Akron.

Lioi has adopted the anti-Judge Ito (my term, in honor of O.J. Simpson presiding criminal trial Judge Lance Ito) view of managing the reporters covering the People v Jimmy Dimora...

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Tags: RTDNA, RTDNF, Puppet Trial, Jimmy Dimora, Cleveland

Apply to be an RTDNA Reporter or Logistics Volunteer at this year's Excellence in Journalism Conference in Fort Lauderdale!



On September 20 - 22, 2011, the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), the largest association of electronic journalists, again joins forces with the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) is hosting Excellence in Journalism 2012.  Our national conference in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. will be more than a partnership; it will be a gathering of professional journalists with shared interest. As a student journalist, we want you to be part of it!


We invite you to apply to be an RTDNA Reporter or volunteer on our logistics team.

Click here to read more and to apply!

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Tags: RTDNA, SPJ, Conference, Convention, EIJ12, Excellence in Journalism

'Why Am I Hearing More Mispronunciations on Air?'

By Mark Willis, Region 6 Coordinator

I had a little time off recently during the holidays. But I am now getting back into the full swing of things, like catching up with emails and keeping up with the latest trends.

I also had the chance to actually sit down for a few days and listen and watch radio and television newscasts in the DFW market, where I am.  And wow, what an eye opener. Or should I say what an earful! 

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Tags: Mark Willis, Radio, RTDNA, Pronunciations, DFW

Understanding SOPA, PIPA & the Wikipedia Blackout

Join Columbia Journalism School (@ColumbiaJourn) in the latest of its timely, useful webcasts about technology and media. They discuss the implications of the U.S. Congressional bills known as SOPA (Stop Online Privacy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act), which have attracted tremendous attention in the last few days.

On Wed., Jan 18, Wikipedia's English section is going to be blacked out as part of an unprecedented protest against the bills. This will serve as the focus of our discussion, but we'll address various sides of this, including what issues journalists should be thinking about as they cover SOPA & PIPA.

Hosting the show are Prof. Sree Sreenivasan (at left) (@sree), Columbia J-school digital professor and Dean of Student Affairs and Alexander Hotz (@hotzington), a reporter on The New York World, the J-school's new government accountability site named for Joseph Pulitzer's legendary newspaper.

Click here to listen to the webcast

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Tags: RTDNA, SOPA, PIPA, Wikipedia, Columbia

Broadcast Non-Competes: Not What They Used To Be

By Mike Cavender, RTDNA Executive Director

From time to time, I’ll be sharing with you notes and views from RTDNA’s law firms-- information I hope you’ll find useful.  Today, a look at non-compete clauses from Wiley Rein LLP, our First Amendment counsel. The information was compiled by Todd Bromberg and Kathryne C. Dickerson, both colleagues of RTDNA attorney, Kathy Kirby:

The landscape surrounding non-complete clauses has changed in recent years.  This impacts such clauses in contracts involving staff in TV, radio, cable and, now, even Internet and satellite services.

A few states—notably New York, Massachusetts and California—have significantly restricted or even legislated an outright ban (with certain, limited exceptions) on such clauses, as in the case of California...

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Tags: RTDNA, Non Compete, Broadcast, Mike Cavender, Kathy Kirby, Wiley Rein






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