Indiana Pro SPJ's letter to Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita concerning Abdul-Hakim Shabazz

Oct. 15, 2021

TO:         Indiana Attorney General’s Office

                AG Todd Rokita

From:    Indiana Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists

                Board of Directors

RE: Abdul-Hakim Shabazz media credentials, admittance to public press conference

Attorney General Rokita,  

The Indiana Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists finds your decision to deny longtime political journalist Abdul-Hakim Shabazz admittance to an Oct. 14 government press conference reckless and unconstitutional.

According to Mr. Shabazz, your staff specifically barred entrance because you believe him to be uncredentialed media. Mr. Shabazz is in fact credentialed via the state’s own Department of Administration. So why deny admittance?

Your office sent out the press release to state and local media, and requested journalists to RSVP if they wished to attend your event in person. As a journalist, Mr. Shabazz received that information and responded in kind. So again we ask, why deny admittance?

There simply is not a legitimate reason.

These actions reflect a cavalier and indifferent regard for not only the First Amendment, but the Indiana state laws which you are sworn to uphold.

We find these actions to be a threat to press freedom, and to our very democracy.

We demand an apology for Mr. Shabazz and for his credentials to once again be recognized by your office, as they have been by countless other elected and appointed officials throughout his 30-year career.

Additionally, we would like to invite you into a larger conversation about protecting and preserving press freedom in Indiana.

We are respectfully,

The Board of the Indiana Pro Chapter

Society of Professional Journalists

 Michael Puente

Board President

Update on annual banquet in response to coronavirus pandemic

Thank you for the hundreds of entries that were submitted for this year's Best of Indiana Journalism contest. 

We're sorry to say that the coronavirus pandemic has forced the decision to not hold our annual awards banquet this year. 

The Indiana Pro Chapter of SPJ will be announcing all the contest winners in the coming weeks as well as how we will distribute plaques and certificates to recognize those achievements. Your contest entries showed outstanding work by broadcast, print and online professional and collegiate journalists across our state. 

We'll also have an exciting announcement coming soon about winners of the chapter’s college scholarships. The scholarships are made possible by contest entry proceeds -- so we appreciate everyone who participated in our contest. 

We know this is a stressful time for all of us, but we are seeing outstanding journalism throughout the state about the pandemic’s impact on Hoosiers. We look forward to gathering again next year to celebrate the Best of Indiana Journalism!

Coffee with a Journalist

INDIANAPOLIS – A September 2019 Gallup poll found only 4 in 10 people have a “great deal” or “fair amount of trust” in mass media to report the news “fully, accurately and fairly.” Whether it’s a report from Capitol Hill or the Capital Grill, Americans should have more trust in journalists.

If not trust, perhaps a better understanding of what reporters, writers, editors, producers and photographers consider when going after a story or asking that ill-timed, embarrassing, even crass question to a politician or sports figure.

To help lay the groundwork for better understanding, the Indiana Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists will begin an initiative called “Coffee with a Journalist.”

Simply put, it’s sharing a cup of joe or tea or hot chocolate or even water with those who live and work in your community and who cover your community.

“Journalism is facing a crisis. If people don’t believe or trust what we’re reporting, that’s a problem,” Indiana Pro SPJ chapter president Michael Puente said. “Perhaps just reintroducing who we are and what we do will help in rebuilding trust with Americans, especially Hoosiers. We can explain what we do and why we do it.”

Indiana Pro SPJ members will gather in coffee shops throughout Indiana in the month of March 2020, the month that includes Sunshine Week, which celebrates access to public information.

“We plan to meet with Hoosiers from Gary to Evansville, from Terre Haute to Muncie and of course Indianapolis,” Puente, a reporter who covers Northwest Indiana for Chicago-based WBEZ Radio, said. “Journalists aren’t perfect people but perhaps with simply talking to those who we want to inform will go a long way in building understanding and increasing trust. We may not change someone’s mind but dialogue never hurt anyone, especially when it’s coupled with a hot cup of coffee.”

For more information, visit Indiana Pro SPJ’s Facebook page or contact Michael Puente at michael.puente86@gmail.com or call (312) 342-0056. 

The Indiana Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists promotes the development of current and future journalists by offering training and networking opportunities and college journalism scholarships.

An open letter to Gov. Holcomb denouncing the Use of cease-and-desist

Dec. 3, 2019

Honorable Eric J. Holcomb
Governor of Indiana
200 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204

Dear Gov. Holcomb:

The Indiana Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists takes exception to your call for the Indianapolis Star and Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting to cease and desist reporting stories about your administration’s handling of worker safety investigations at Amazon facilities in Indiana.

Our organization, which represents professional journalists throughout Indiana, feels this move is a threat to press freedom.

According to Article I, section 9 of the Indiana Constitution: “No law shall be passed restraining the free interchange of thought and opinion, or restricting the right to speak, write, or print, freely, on any subject whatever: but for the abuse of that right, every person shall be responsible.”

In our view, your cease-and-desist letters, issued on Nov. 29, are designed to intimidate reporters and journalists looking into your administration. The letters also add to the overall climate in the nation that looks to undermine the credibility of journalists and media outlets.

Although you might not agree with the contents or conclusions of the report in Reveal and the Indianapolis Star, an unusual call by your office for a cease-and-desist order against the media could chill efforts to report an ongoing story.

Indiana Pro SPJ stands behind the efforts of local and national journalism outlets to report issues of public importance and hold leaders accountable. If there are disputes over accuracy, there are ways to address those concerns without issuing a cease-and-desist order.

Indiana should set an example for the rest of the nation to follow when it comes to press freedom. Our officers would welcome the opportunity to meet with you and discuss this issue further.

Sincerely,

The Board of Directors
Indiana Professional Chapter
Society of Professional Journalists

For more information, please contact:

John Russell, chapter president
(317) 250-6261

Michael Puente, chapter vice president
(312) 342-0056

Top 2018 journalism awards recognize WFYI Public Media, South Bend Tribune, and Indiana University

Reporters from the South Bend Tribune, WFYI Public Media and an Indiana University student took home top honors in the chapter’s 2018 Best in Indiana journalism contest, while students from Indiana University and Franklin College received the chapter’s college scholarships.

WFYI Public Media Side Effects teammates Lauren Bavis, Araceli Gomez-Aldana, Jake Harper and Emily Forman were selected as Indiana Journalists of the Year for healthcare and medical reporting that highlighted the human costs of Indiana’s opioid crisis as well as the danger women of color face giving birth.

Christian Sheckler, of the South Bend Tribune, and Ken Armstrong, of Propublica, won Story of the Year for their investigation into the Elkhart Police Department, which revealed disciplinary problems that led to the chief's resignation, charges against two officers and an independent investigation.

Laurel Demkovich, of Indiana University, was named Student Journalist of the Year in recognition of her work at The Indiana Daily Student. Judges said her work should be something all student journalists strive for.

Other top winners include Tom McClanahan of WTWO-TV receiving the Slaymaker Service to Journalism Award.

Congratulations to all the winners from across the state for their outstanding broadcast, print and online journalism. You can download the entire winner's list here and share it.

Proceeds from the Best in Indiana contest help fund the chapter’s college scholarship program. The two winners of $2,500 scholarships for the 2019-20 school year are Lydia Gerike of Indiana University and Emily Ketterer of Franklin College.

The awards were presented April 26 during the chapter’s annual awards banquet.

Three Indiana bills would restrict public's right to know

For Immediate Release

March 13, 2019

The Indiana Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists urges the Indiana General Assembly to stand on the side of government transparency in schools, children’s services and sheriff’s sales.

Three bills now before the Indiana General Assembly would curtail the public’s right to know on important issues being handled by their elected officials. We urge the legislature to reject these measures.

Secrecy in school communications

House Bill 1629 would deprive Hoosiers of access to information about how their children are being educated and their tax dollars are being spent. A provision in the bill would exempt emails between school staff members from basic access to public records. This would be a major step back. The public can currently request internal emails from schools under the Indiana Access to Public Records Act. Journalists, concerned parents, and the general public would have a harder time learning about how the public institutions are really being run. The legislation flies in the face of the public’s right to know about important information under discussion by school officials. (HB 1629 passed the House on February 21 and is now under consideration by the Senate Committee on Education and Career Development.)

Secrecy in children’s services

Senate Bill 551 would prohibit the release of records held by the Indiana Department of Child Services if they relate to an ongoing police investigation or criminal prosecution. Such a prohibition would have a chilling effect on transparency. The current law — which requires the agency to release records relating to a child who died as a result of abuse or neglect — allows the public to hold DCS and other officials and agencies to account for failures in its mission to protect children. Shielding such records from disclosure does not serve the public interest. If a case stalls, the records could be kept in secret in perpetuity. (SB 551 passed the Senate on February 12 and is now under consideration by the House Courts and Criminal Courts Committee.

Secrecy in sheriff’s sales

House Bill 1212 would make it harder for the public to find information about sheriff’s sales, and by extension, what is happening in their own neighborhoods. The bill would eliminate a long-time requirement that sheriff's sale notices be posted in community newspapers, placing them instead on the websites of county governments or sheriff’s departments. Those websites have low page views as compared to trusted local newspapers that have a much wider audience and post content that is much more likely to turn up in a Google search. In addition, any possible cost savings by not paying for newspaper advertisements would be offset by the cost of county government employees compiling, posting, archiving and maintaining the sheriff’s sale notices. and would be completely wiped out by narrowing the pool of bidders to just a few seasoned house-flippers who would be actively monitoring little-visited county-run websites. Restricting such information to the few would harm the many and the very government agencies that are supposed to benefit. Whether with sports, arts, crime or general community coverage, newspapers serve a general interest readership beyond the small niche that would regularly check sheriff's sale postings online. (HB 1212 passed the House on January 29 and is now under consideration by the Senate Committee on Local Government. )

Overall, government transparency offers sunlight, and restrictions like those in these three bills would shroud routine, mundane government business with gratuitous darkness, leaving the public blind and groping around in the pitch black. We urge the Indiana General Assembly to reject these measures.

The Society of Professional Journalists is the nation's most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior.

CONTACT:

John Russell, president
Indianapolis Professional Chapter
Society of Professional Journalists
317-250-6261

Best of Indiana contest entry deadline extended to Feb. 11

The entry deadline for this year’s Best of Indiana journalism contest is being extended until Monday, Feb. 11.

The contest aims to recognize the state’s top professional and student journalism for 2018 in all formats – print, broadcast and online -- with dozens of categories in reporting, visuals, design, multimedia and books.

We’ve kept the entry fees the same for most categories ($20 for professionals and $15 for students) — but we have cut in half the fees to submit nominations for Journalist of the Year, Student Journalist of the Year and Story of the Year. Nominations for those awards can come from newsrooms, but any Indiana journalist can submit an entry for a colleague or themselves. Freelancers are welcome to enter any category — and anyone can submit their own entries for Indiana’s largest open journalism contest.

For all the rules and category descriptions: http://spjcontest.com/pdfs/CallForEntries-SPJ-Indy-Best_of_Indiana_Journalism-2018.pdf

To submit entries by the 11:59 p.m. Feb 11 deadline: https://awards.indyprospj.org/

Best of Indiana journalism contest open for new year; Entry deadline Feb. 8

The Best of Indiana journalism contest is accepting entries for another year. The Indiana Pro Chapter is ready to recognize the state’s top professional and student journalism for 2018 in all formats – print, broadcast and online.

We have dozens of categories in reporting, visuals, design, multimedia and books. The entry deadline is Feb. 8. We’ve kept the entry fees the same for most categories ($20 for professionals and $15 for students) — but we have cut in half the fees to submit nominations for Journalist of the Year, Student Journalist of the Year and Story of the Year. Nominations for those awards can come from newsrooms, but any Indiana journalist can submit an entry for a colleague or themselves. Freelancers are welcome to enter any category — and anyone can submit their own entries for Indiana’s largest open journalism contest.

Your contest entries help make the chapter’s college scholarship possible. We awarded $2,500 scholarships last spring to two top Indiana collegiate journalists. We look forward to doing the same during the April 26 awards banquet at the Indianapolis Marriott North. Mark your calendars to celebrate the Best of Indiana!

For all the rules and category descriptions: http://spjcontest.com/pdfs/CallForEntries-SPJ-Indy-Best_of_Indiana_Journalism-2018.pdf

To submit entries by the Feb. 8 deadline: https://awards.indyprospj.org/

Indianapolis Star reporters, Ball State student win top contest honors

Three reporters from The Indianapolis Star and a Ball State University student are the top winners in the chapter’s 2017 Best in Indiana contest, while students from Indiana University and Ball State received the chapter’s college scholarships.

Indianapolis Star reporter Mark Alesia was selected as the Indiana Journalist of the Year for work including investigations into how USA Gymnastics responded to reports of sexual abuse by coaches and doctors and the state’s financial troubles surrounding the Interstate 69 extension project between Bloomington and Martinsville.

Tim Evans and Ryan Martin of The Indianapolis Star won the Story of the Year award for their series of stories investigating how an Indianapolis drug gang was able to intimidate witnesses and how little the city spent on protecting witnesses.

Casey Smith of Ball State University was named Student Journalist of the Year in recognition of her work at The Ball State Daily News, National Geographic and USA Today.

Other top winners include Malcolm Abrams of Bloom Magazine receiving the Slaymaker Service to Journalism Award and Tony Cook of The Indianapolis Star receiving the First Amendment Award.

Congratulations to all the winners from across the state for their outstanding broadcast, print and online journalism. You can download the entire winner's list here and share it.

Proceeds from the Best in Indiana contest help fund the chapter’s college scholarship program. The two winners of $2,500 scholarships for the 2018-19 school year are Emily Abshire of Indiana University and Esther Bower of Ball State University.

The awards were presented April 27 during the chapter’s annual awards banquet.

Make reservations for Best in Indiana Journalism banquet

We've received results from the judges and tickets are now on sale for the chapter's annual Best in Indiana Journalism banquet. Join us Friday, April 27, as we honor the winners during the banquet at the Indianapolis Marriott North.

Winner notifications will be going out this week by email, but all journalists are welcome to attend as we recognize top broadcast, print and online work by professionals and students across the state.

We're again holding ticket prices the same -- $50 for professionals and $45 for students. Sponsor tables of 10 are also available for $500. The cocktail reception begins at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m.

Reserve your spot online by April 23 at http://spjcontest.com/

Thanks to everyone who entered the contest and will attend the banquet. Proceeds from the contest and banquet fund the chapter's college scholarship program -- and we'll be honoring those winners at the banquet as well.