Letter from the Vice President
We hope all of you are enjoying the mild summer so far. We are very excited to attend AAJA’s national convention in Los Angeles and hope to see some of you there. We’re leaving today!

In November we will be organizing another workshop/panel but want to open it up to you with your suggestions. What kind of workshop would you like to us to offer? Please let Steven Bartholow, chair of the Programs Committee, know by e-mailing him at StevenBartholow@gmail.com or feel free to respond to this email address and Nikki will forward it on.

In October we will be hosting a networking mixer to support a very special cause. We are raising money to cover shipping costs to send journalism textbooks to Liberia where citizens are still recovering from the Civil War. These textbooks will be donated to local journalists who are unable to afford them. We will have more details to come.

And as always, please feel free to let us know what else AAJA can do to help you. As your board members, we are here to serve you and always welcome feedback, thoughts and suggestions. We look forward to meeting all of you at a future event. Happy summer!

-Savy Hak
AAJA VP

Upcoming Events

SPJ Summer Mixer
SPJ invites all local journalists and San Diego’s journalism groups to a relaxing and fun Summer Fiesta set for Tuesday, August 24.

Join SPJ and members of the San Diego Press Club, San Diego Association of Black Journalists, and the San Diego chapters of the Asian American Journalists Association, CCNMA: Latino Journalists of California, and the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association on the patio at the Alamo in Old Town for great conversation, a make-your-own taco buffet, and an extended happy hour with terrific drink specials. The Alamo will be serving up $3 margaritas, $2.50 well drinks, $2.50 wine, $2.25 domestic draft beers, $3 imported drafts, and $3.75 smoothies.

The party is FREE 99, so come make new friends and catch up with old ones.

When: Tuesday, August 24, 6-9 p.m.
Where: The Alamo, 2502 San Diego Ave., Old Town
Cost: FREE
RSVP: spjsandiego@gmail.com

Asian Community Luncheon: How to Catch the Media’s Attention

How can the Asian American community effectively capture the media’s attention to increase their voice? How does the media determine value in your story and how can you effectively engage the media in a conversation? Find out how the media chooses which stories to cover and meet well-known Southern California Asian American journalists at September’s Asian Community Luncheon.

Hosted by ACL’s Joe Long and Julio DeGuzman alongside the Asian American Journalists Association.

Moderated by Helen Kaiao Chang, award-winning journalist and business author.

Panelists include: Chris Chan, NBC
Genevieve Silverio, Asian Journal
Susan delos Santos, The Filipino Press
Hoa Quach, AOL Patch.com

Date: September 25, Saturday.
Location: Seafood Island Restaurant (A light lunch will be served)
Time: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: $20, $10 for journalism students (proof of being a journalism student is required)

RSVP is required and limited to the first 100 guests: http://www.aajasandiego.org/?p=2514

Proceeds benefit AAJA and the students and members it serves.

Helen Chang

Helen Chang won four awards under three categories for her work at San Diego News Network:

1st place for Breaking News Story: “San Diegans rally, network to support Iran protest”
Judges’ Comments: “Photographs are excellent, highlighting story which is well written, giving good background information and clear details. Quotations strongly emphasized.”

1st place for Business Story: “Millionaire Internet entrepreneurs thrive in San Diego”
Judges’ Comments: “This attention-getting story tells us a lot about something probably few know about - Internet entrepreneurs generating huge revenue for little effort. A real eye-opener.”

2nd Place for Business Story: “Northup Grumman: a stealth path to growth”

1st place for Science/Technology/Health Story: “Electric car charging stations get powered up”

Rebecca Go

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Rebecca Go won two awards for her work at The Daily Transcript:

2nd place for Real Estate Story: “Plan to halt foreclosures to only skim San Diego”

Here’s what Rebecca had to say about her story and award via email:

On my story “Plan to halt foreclosures to only skim San Diego”: To be honest, it’s actually hard to remember exactly how this story came about; it was one of a number of stories I had done that focused on the local effects of federal legislation. This much I remember: It was one of those stories born out of random conversations. I was either chatting with a bunch of industry experts or just thinking out loud with whomever was nearby, perhaps my editor or one of my sources. I distinctly remember meeting CAMB’s Dave McDonald at Starbucks to talk about it.”

Whatever the case, by the time I started writing the story, I already had a pretty good idea that the foreclosure prevention plan was not likely to help very many San Diego homeowners. However, I didn’t have any numbers — just anecdotes and frustrated brokers. Again, I can’t remember how I eventually got to Zillow. I think I saw something the group had released on the number of underwater homes in the United States, but it’s possible that our real estate reporter might have suggested that I give them a call. Regardless, I just called Zillow to ask if they happened to have local numbers, and they did! That was when I knew I had a solid story.

The SPJ award is actually the second award I’ve won for this story. Honestly, I don’t feel like this story is particularly special or that I’m very deserving of the recognition. My goal was simply to localize a national story and find out how the legislation would affect my readers specifically. I know none of this sounds very glamorous, but I really think I just did what any reporter would have done.

Honorable Mention for Feature Story: “Investment firm founder grows stronger from cancer survival”

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SPJ San Diego handed out a total of 210 awards in 126 different categories of print, broadcast, online and college media. You can find the complete list of winners online here (DOC file). The chapter received 634 entries for this year’s awards contest– a 14 percent increase in the number of entries from last year’s contest.

Winners were recognized on Thursday, July 8 in SPJs’ annual awards banquet at the Bali Hai on Shelter Island.

SPJ recognized the winners in nine divisions: Daily Reporting & Writing; Non-Daily Reporting & Writing; Newspaper Design, Photography & Headlines; Newspaper Special Sections; Online; Magazines; Television/Video; Radio/Audio; College Media. SPJ also presented three annual special awards, the Sol Price Prize for Responsible Journalism; the Herbert Lockwood “Woody” Award, which honors the best in humor writing; and the Diversity Prize and recognized Best of Show winners in each contest division.

For more details on this year’s SPJ San Diego awards, click here.

(Photo courtesy of Flickr/Vince Alongi)

AAJA San Diego and ACL Presents
“How to Catch the Media’s Attention”
Saturday, September 25 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

How can the Asian American community effectively capture the media’s attention to increase their voice? How does the media determine value in your story and how can you effectively engage the media in a conversation? Find out how the media chooses which stories to cover and meet well-known Southern California Asian American journalists at September’s Asian Community Luncheon.

Panelists include:

Chris Chan, reporter at NBC
Genevieve Silverio, managing editor at Asian Journal
Susan delos Santos, publisher at The Filipino Press
Hoa Quach, editor at AOL Patch.com

Hosted by ACL’s business and civic leaders Joe Long and Julio DeGuzman alongside AAJA San Diego.

The panel will be moderated by Helen Kaiao Chang, award-winning journalist and business author.

Jenny Hamel will emcee the event. She is a reporter and anchor at San Diego 6 News the CW.

Location: Seafood Island Restaurant at 7580 Miramar Road San Diego, CA 92126
Click here to get directions on Google Maps.

Cost: $20, $10 for journalism students (proof of being a journalism student is required on the day of). Luncheon and drinks included.

**RSVP is required and limited to the first 100 guests.

The boot camp will teach computer-assisted reporting skills, including how to analyze data using spreadsheets and databases, map data, and use statistical analysis in your reporting. These are the skills you need to do today’s investigative journalism, deepened by data analysis and smart online research.

The boot camp charges a sliding fee of $500 to $1,000, with the lower fee charged to students, freelancers, radio journalists, and journalists working for smaller-circulation newspapers or smaller market TV stations. Journalists also can opt to attend only two days of the camp for a lower cost.

The Watchdog Institute, which opened at SDSU in November with a team of four professional journalists, produces data-driven investigations for media partners in print, on radio and television, and online. The Watchdog Institute also seeks to mentor the next generation of investigative journalists.

For more details about the CAR boot camp and to register, click details about the CAR boot camp and to register, click here.

List of Summer Events for Local Journalists (details below)
Thurs., July 15: SD/PEN hosts best-selling author Stacey O’Brien
Fri., July 30:  SDABJ’s “Hot Chocolate Soul” fundraiser
Tues., August 4: SPJ Summer Fiesta

SD/PEN hosts best-selling author Stacey O’Brien — July 15
Learn how a New York Times best-selling author got her story written, edited, and published when Stacey O’Brien, author of “Wesley the Owl,” speaks at the next meeting of San Diego Professional Editors Network (SD/PEN) on Thursday, July 15.

In 1985, long before Molly and McGee became webcam wonders, Stacey O’Brien, a biologist working at Caltech, took in a four-day-old barn owl that had no hope of surviving on his own. Over the ensuing two decades, O’Brien developed a remarkable relationship with Wesley the owl and made important discoveries regarding owl behavior, communication, intelligence, and “the Way of the Owl” - which she recounts in her best-selling book.

O’Brien, who is trained as a biologist specializing in wild-animal behavior and works as a wildlife rescuer and rehabilitation expert in Southern California, will explain how she enlisted a team of editors, an agent and a publisher to turn her story into a successful book.

For more information, call (619) 281-6951 or visit www.sdpen.com.

When: Thursday, July 15, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Joyce Beers Community Center, Uptown Shopping Center, Hillcrest
Cost: Free for SD/PEN members; $5 for non-members

“Hot Chocolate Soul” fundraiser to benefit SDABJ — July 30
The San Diego Association of Black Journalists hosts “Hot Chocolate Soul,” a musical production showcasing R&B, comedy and poetry set for Friday, July 30 at the Anthology jazz club in Little Italy.

The event, which will feature a live taping of a pilot episode of “Hot Chocolate Soul” coming out this fall, will raise funds for SDABJ, which plays hosts to this year’s annual convention of the National Association of Black Journalists July 28 to August 1. The ticket price includes access to an after party with a special guest DJ.

For more information about the NABJ convention, click here.

When: Friday, July 30, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Anthology, 1337 India St., Little Italy
Cost: $15 in advance, $20 at the door
Info and tickets available at: www.sdabj.org

Flyer below:

SPJ Summer Fiesta - join us for margarita madness — Aug. 24
Start your summer with mai tais at the Bali Hai, and end it with margaritas at the Alamo. SPJ invites all local journalists and San Diego’s journalism groups to a relaxing and fun Summer Fiesta set for Tuesday, August 24.

Join us on the patio at the Alamo - you know, the fun little place in the center of Old Town - for great conversation, a make-your-own taco buffet, and an extended happy hour with terrific drink specials. The Alamo will be serving up $3 margaritas, $2.50 well drinks, $2.50 wine, $2.25 domestic draft beers, $3 imported drafts, and $3.75 smoothies.

The party is free, so come make new friends and catch up with old ones.

When: Tuesday, August 24, 6-9 p.m.
Where: The Alamo, 2502 San Diego Ave., Old Town
Cost: FREE
RSVP: spjsandiego@gmail.com

Thanks to those who came out to the Asian-American Community mixer, AAJA San Diego’s summer networking mixer! If you’d like to see photos from the mixer, scroll down to the bottom of this post.

Fellow journalists, business professionals and local community leaders in San Diego networked at the Splash Wine Lounge in North Park on July 1.

From lawyers, graphic artists, marketing coordinators to recent college graduates, attendees got to meet local professionals while enjoying light hors de’oeuvres and also received a FREE AAJA discount card ($10 value) will be included. In addition, attendees celebrated Savy Hak’s, AAJA SD’s vice president, birthday at the event (as noted by the cupcakes .

Local organizations in attendance included the National Association of Asian American Professionals and the San Diego Asian Film Foundation.

All proceeds will go towards student scholarships, professional development workshops and stipends.

Hoa Quach, AAJA-SD’s President, sent out a letter of thanks to those who attended.

Thank you to everyone who came out to support your local chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association. Diversity in our newsrooms and the news delivered is more important than ever and we’re grateful to know we have your support!

Looking forward to seeing all of you again soon.

In unity,
Hoa Quach

Photos by Andre Le. Birthday cupcakes by Whisk Upon a Star.

AAJA San Diego President Hoa Quach expressed her congratulations in this year’s June Newsletter:

Congratulations to the three recipients! I know each of them personally and can say with all certainty that we can only expect great things from them in the future.

Jenny Hamel

Along with her colleagues at San Diego 6 News the CW, anchor and reporter Hamel was recognized for her story, “Changing Lives Half a World Away: A Journey to Uganda” in the “Human Interest - Single Story or Series” category.

Hamel, who joined Just Like My Child founder Vivian Glyck on a relief trip to Uganda, talked about her experience here. You can read details and see photos of her trip here.

Marcella Lee

Sharing her Emmy with KFMB Channel 8 colleague Joe Wiedemann, anchor Marcella Lee was recognized for their story “The Money Shot” in the “Spot/Breaking News Coverage - Single Story” category.

The 36th Annual Pacific Southwest Emmy Awards ceremony was held on Saturday, June 26 at the Hard Rock Hotel in Downtown San Diego. To see the list of recipients for the Pacific Southwest Emmys, click here for the PDF file.

A note from the president

Happy July AAJA members! I hope all of you had a beautiful and restful Independence Day weekend! Though, I’m unsure how restful a holiday weekend can be for us journalists

A quick update on the happenings of the San Diego Chapter.

We had a wonderful mixer on July 1 for the Asian-American community and met leaders from an array of organizations in town. Our Outreach Committee is working diligently on establishing partnerships with many of those organizations so that we can effectively serve our leaders.

Congratulations to all of our members who were presented with Emmys at the end of June including our board member Jenny Hamel for winning the Best Human Interest category! I’m excited to see how our members will do at the Society of Professional Journalists awards this Thursday!

As always, if there is anything I could do or any information I should share in this newsletter, please let me know. I’ll see all of you soon at the July 14 journalism mixer!

My best,
Hoa Quach
AAJA-SD President

21st Annual AAJA Convention

The 21st Annual National Convention takes place from August 4 to 7, 2010. Beat the traffic and register online! This year’s convention offers an array of panels and workshops, off-site field trips and more! Stay current and keep informed—visit www.aaja.org as the convention unfolds and takes you “Back to the Future.” All programming subject to change. All programs take place at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel unless otherwise indicated.

National Elections

National Elections: Absentee Voting Period Continues Through July 16, eligible voters (full members only) may cast absentee ballots in advance of national elections. Click here for voting information and instructions.

Get your tickets now for SPJ Awards Banquet this Thursday

Come celebrate the best in local journalism and honor the first winner of the San Diego Journalist of the Year Award at the Society of Professional Journalists annual awards banquet this Thursday, July 8, at the Bali Hai on Shelter Island.

Some of San Diego’s finest journalists will take home awards in 126 different categories at the annual awards banquet. Pick up your awards, congratulate your colleagues, and help us honor veteran NBC San Diego news anchor Marty Levin, the San Diego Journalist of the Year.

Levin retired as news anchor of KNSD-TV NBC 7/39 in May after 23 years at the station and after a 33-year career that also included stints at KGTV Channel 10, KFMB Channel 8, and WRC-TV in Washington, D.C. The San Diego Journalist of the Year Award, which is being given for the first time this year, honors a journalist’s career achievements; consistent adherence to high standards of journalism, ethics and professionalism; service to the journalism profession; and advancement of First Amendment rights.

NPR White House correspondent Scott Horsley will deliver the keynote speech at the banquet, sharing stories about life in the White House press corps, and veteran broadcast reporter Ken Kramer and longtime news anchor Carol LeBeau will emcee the program and help us recognize San Diego’s best in journalism.

The banquet, which is held outside on the Bali Hai’s Hawaiian Village bay side patio, features a terrific Polynesian buffet and a no-host bar. The bay breezes can be cool, so bring a sweater or jacket.

Tickets are $40 per person. Reserved tables are $320 for a table of eight. Tables can be reserved only by purchasing a table in advance.

If you have questions, contact spjsandiego@gmail.com or call (619) 665-6710.

Get your tickets now! We must give the final headcount for the caterer by Tuesday, July 6, so let us know NOW if you plan to attend the banquet. Buy your tickets online here. To buy tickets at the door, RSVP today to spjsandiego@gmail.com or (619) 665-6710 and bring cash or check only.

Awards Banquet Details:

When: Thursday, July 8, 6 p.m. cocktails; 7 p.m. dinner and program

Where: Bali Hai, 2230 Shelter Island Drive. Click here for directions.

Tickets: $40 per person; $320 for a table of 8. (Tables can be reserved only by purchasing a table in advance.) Buy your tickets online here. To pay at the door, RSVP to spjsandiego@gmail.com, and bring cash or check only.

Press Club throws Bastille Day Bash July 14

Join your journalism colleagues at the San Diego Press Club’s Bastille Day Bash on the Bay set for July 14 at the Sunroad Resort Marina on Harbor Island.

The Press Club celebrates Liberté, Egalité et Fraternité at its Bastille Day Bash on the Bay - and all San Diego area journalists and friends are invited to attend. $20 admission covers hors d’oeuvres, French wine, beer and soft drinks.

Details:

When: Wednesday, July 14 at 6pm

Where: Sunroad Resort Marina, 955 Harbor Island Drive, Harbor Island

Cost: $20

RSVP by July 12: reservation-sdpc@cox.net

Info: www.sdpressclub.org

Asian Business Association Mixer

ABA alongside the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will host a summer luau on July 22.

Details:
Date: July 22, 2010
Time: 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Location: 3999 Mission Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92106
Phone: 858-277-2822
Where: Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa

Members: $15, Non-members: $25, Door: $35

SPJ Summer Fiesta - join us for margarita madness Aug. 24

Start your summer with mai tais at the Bali Hai, and end it with margaritas at the Alamo. SPJ invites all local journalists and San Diego’s journalism groups to a relaxing and fun Summer Fiesta set for Tuesday, August 24.

Join us on the patio at the Alamo - you know, the fun little place in the center of Old Town - for great conversation, a make-your-own taco buffet, and an extended happy hour with terrific drink specials. The Alamo will be serving up $3 margaritas, $2.50 well drinks, $2.50 wine, $2.25 domestic draft beers, $3 imported drafts, and $3.75 smoothies.

The party is free, so come make new friends and catch up with old ones.

When: Tuesday, August 24, 6-9 p.m.

Where: The Alamo, 2502 San Diego Ave., Old Town

Cost: FREE

RSVP: spjsandiego@gmail.com

You can check out the listings and apply here. Here’s a listing of available opportunities at CNN’s headquarters in Atlanta and elsewhere, if noted:

CNN
Line Producer, CNN Newsroom req 118810
Writer Producer, CNN Newsroom req 118807
Guest Producer, CNN Newsroom, Kyra Phillips req 117826
News Manager, CNN National Desk req TBD

HLN
Production Manager, req 118841
Associate Producer, The Clark Howard Show, req 118840
Producer, Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell

CNN International
Producer req 117557
Supervising Editor, CNN Int’l Desk req
Beat Assignment Editor, req 118832
Senior Writer req 118818

CNN.com
US Editor, req 118667

CNN Wires
Newsdesk Editor- Atlanta 118679
Newsdesk Editor- New York 118683
Newsdesk Editor- Los Angeles 118681
Weekend Supervising Editor- Atlanta req 118680
Editor/Copy Editor- Atlanta req 118682