Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Residents, city officials are Journalist Bill Gentile empties Michael Steele, chairman of the
in opposition to library’s his bag about using multiple Republican National Committee,
new location in San Diego’s platforms to tell a story. visits Friday. For breaking
East Village. Page 11 coverage see nabjconvention.org.
Page 9
National
NationalAssociation
Associationofof
Black Journalists
Black Convention º º www.nabjconvention.org
Convention
Journalists www.nabjconvention.orgº ºWednesday, July30,
Friday, July 28,2010
2010
NABJ’s
Sherrod Joins Plenary money
woes
By DEXTER MULLINS & WESLEY LOWERY
nabjconvention.org
ERIC BURSE/nabjconvention.org
CNN anchor Don Lemon and Shirley Sherrod, a former USDA director, participate in an Opening Plenary session Thursday at the Manchester
Grand Hyatt in San Diego. Lemon was one of the moderators for the event. For a complete story, see Page 5.
MARSHALL LATIMORE/nabjconvention.org
2 • THE MONITOR Friday, July 30, 2010 • www.nabjconvention.org
HIV don’t know their status.” her to do it. save lives.” Clarification
According to Wilson, 2011 will mark “I’ve had a friend who has been liv-
the 35th anniversary of the first diag- ing with HIV for 19 years now,” King NABJ has had two confer-
nosed case of HIV in America. said. “Those stories need to be brought Go to www.nabjconvention.org for more ences in California; one in
He says that it didn’t have to happen, to the forefront more often. I think that coverage of the Black AIDS Institute 1990 and this year’s. An
but it will continue to happen as long as so many young people feel like if they News Conference and more convention item in Thursday’s edi-
people don’t get tested or know their sta- find out they are HIV positive ... it’s like photo coverge. tion was not clear.
tus.
T O D AY ’ S H I G H L I G H T S
7:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. National Golf Tournament 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Cyber Café and Membership Lounge
7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Professional Development 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 p.m. Authors’ Showcase & Bookstore
Breakfasts 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Workshop Session I
8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Breakfast: Accessing Aunthentic 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Short Course Session(s) A
Voices for Your Stories 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Workshop Sessions II
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Career Fair & Exhibition 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Newsmaker Plenary w/ Michael Steele
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. Healthy NABJ Pavilion 8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. A “Nightastic” Evening with Disney!
Friday, July 30, 2010 • www.nabjconvention.org The Monitor • 3
Finances, from page 1 Ciara said.
Executive Directors and the Presidents In 2007, NABJ began to bounce
is tapped to take the reins as the back, boasting increases in rev-
next executive director, have the enue from convention registration,
arduous task of figuring out how Presidents: membership dues and program-
to get the organization back into ming fees. By the end of 2008,
the black. The executive director NABJ had $69,776 in the bank, ac-
is responsible for making day-to- cording to tax documents.
day financial decisions. The board Ciara said she added new
is responsible for signing off on the streams of revenue so NABJ would
budget and hiring and firing the Condance Pressley Herbert Lowe, Jr. Bryan Monroe Barbara Ciara Kathy Times not have to rely on the annual con-
executive director. 2001-2003 2003-2005 2005-2007 2007-2009 2009-Present vention.
Officials have discussed raising In 2008, NABJ got a major boost
membership fees and beefing up from the UNITY: Journalists of
the board with business-savvy in- Color convention in Chicago.
dividuals who are well-connected “Most of the time, UNITY is a
and can bring in bigger donations. Executive Directors: successful financial year,” Ciara
They say NABJ must continue Tangie Newborn Karen Wynn-Freeman said. “Everyone makes money
finding other streams of revenue June 2001 - March 2006 July 2006 - December 2009 during UNITY years.”
so the organization is not so de- Salary: 2005: $125,252 plus $7,262 in other compensation 2006: $93,242 plus $10,119 in other compensation
pendent on annual conventions – 2006: $30,496 plus $1,276 in other compensation 2007: $167,623 plus $14,739 in other compensation Trouble in Tampa
NABJ’s bread and butter. 2008: $172,808 plus $41,230 in other compensation
According to a review of docu- Source: This information was provided by Internal Revenue Services documents Despite making money at
ments obtained by The Monitor, Cyntra Brown / nabjconvention.org UNITY ’08, leaders knew there was
the organization’s finances have a bleak financial outlook for the
been particularly bad since the in Tampa last year because it failed “I inherited an organization “The issue that often happened 2009 convention in Tampa.
2005 convention in Atlanta, which to meet hotel reservation require- with a $340,000 deficit,” Newborn was that revenue projections were “In 2008, we made money but
left the organization $255,797 in the ments that had been negotiated said. “NABJ’s revenue base heav- not met,” Monroe said, adding that we negotiated an unattainable
red. Things got even worse the fol- years in advance. ily depended on the annual con- NABJ was hit with fines as high as room block for Tampa,” Ciara said.
lowing year when NABJ reported Hoping to avoid a similar fate vention for 65 to 70 percent of its $100,000 for not filling the prede- The contract signed in 2004
a $631,095 deficit, according to tax this year, NABJ renegotiated its ho- operating budget. My goals were termined number of hotel rooms with the Tampa Marriott Water-
documents. tel agreement, slicing the number to reduce that dependency margin during his time as president. Mon- side Hotel and Marina in Tampa
Some of NABJ’s past presidents of rooms from 6,800 to 2,850. and begin to create new revenue roe said he could not remember required NABJ to fill 5,669 rooms.
attribute money problems to a Here was the problem: NABJ’s streams by increasing membership which years during his presidency The organization came up short by
myriad of issues – from overspend- bylaws require the organization recruitment and retention, creating NABJ was charged for failing to fill 2,341 rooms.
ing and unanticipated expenses to book its convention sites five new products and services, and its hotel block. “Nobody knew when the con-
to poor planning and disconnect years in advance, not allowing the developing new educational pro- Lee, currently in his second tract was signed in 2005 that we
among board members and the organization to factor in dips in the grams. term on the board, said blame for would be facing the greatest eco-
executive director. The ailing econ- economy. In the five years Newborn budget problems in 2006 is about nomic challenge since the Great
omy has siphoned away hundreds During an executive board served as executive director, NABJ leadership; not hotel rooms. Depression,” Times said in a mes-
of members and that, too, has af- meeting earlier this week, the grew from about 2,000 to more “The 2006 deficit was a result sage to members in October 2009.
fected the organization. board voted unanimously to post- than 4,000 members. Fundraising of just overspending,” Lee said. “We are not surprised that we did
Lee, who was critical of spend- pone its selection of a host city for goals were set at more than $1 mil- “Indianapolis is a great city and a not meet our contracted room
ing during the 2006 convention in the 2016 convention until it had a lion annually. great town, but expenses shouldn’t block at the convention.”
Indianapolis, has said there’s been clearer picture of its financial situa- “We instituted a plan to build have been as high.” Lee said NABJ also incurred in-
a lack of oversight. tion and it evaluated its process for a better budget by employing the creased cost at the Tampa conven-
“Once their term is up, board planning conventions. ‘under promise, over deliver’ phi- A new direction tion after failing to make budget
members see (financial issues) as Lee said if NABJ can avoid fees losophy. It worked,” Newborn cuts in a timely manner. He said
‘the next boards’ problem,” Lee from this week’s convention and said. Karen Wynn-Freeman was a lack of communication among
said. “In order for NABJ to thrive keep overall costs down, the orga- At the 2005 board meeting, tapped to replace Newborn. board members allowed the win-
once again, no matter what lead- nization should be in good shape Newborn reported a $45,000 bud- Wynn-Freeman earned $93,242 dow to close when it was time to
ership team is in office we have to entering 2011. get surplus. Months later, after plus $10,119 in benefits for her first trim.
build on the previous board’s work “I’m very cautiously optimistic factoring in costs associated with nine months as executive director, “We knew at the convention
if they do good work.” that we will leave San Diego with- the Awards Gala and the 30th an- according to documents obtained that we had problems,” Lee said.
out any bills,” Lee said. niversary program, NABJ reported by The Monitor. “We were doing well sponsorship
Big spending a deficit of 255,797. In 2008, Wynn-Freeman’s sal- wise, but we didn’t know other
A tailspin At the time, Newborn was ary had jumped almost $50,000, things.”
Since 2005, NABJ’s member- receiving $125,252 in salary and including $35,000 more in benefits A decline in membership didn’t
ship has dropped almost 27 per- Following the 2000 convention $7,262 in benefits. On March 6, than her predecessor. help NABJ’s 2009 financial situa-
cent. in Phoenix, NABJ faced a deficit af- 2006, Newborn resigned as execu- Barbara Ciara, then the Vice tion.
President Kathy Times sent an ter poor turnout. Wayne Dawkins, tive director. President for Broadcast, was “We’ve lost over $97,000 in
e-mail in October 2009, saying the NABJ historian and a former board “We made a switch when it elected in 2007 to succeed Monroe membership dues over the last
organization had lost 887 members member, said that hosting a con- became clear a new direction was as the organization’s president at three years,” Lee said. “We had a
since 2008 -- a $78,525 drop in day- vention in the West hurt NABJ needed,” said Bryan Monroe, who the Las Vegas convention. Ciara high of 4,100 (members) in 2005.
to-day operating dollars. because most of its members are in was NABJ president from 2005-07. restructured Wynn-Freeman’s con- We’re sitting at just about 3,000
With about 2,820 members ac- the East Coast. “It was a performance issue. We tract and began looking for ways members now. People are losing
cording to most recent figures, “Between participating in the ended up doing what was the right to bring in money to shore up the their jobs and can no longer afford
NABJ is the largest of the journal- UNITY conference on the West thing to do for the organization at deficit. The Monitor asked for a to attend the conventions, the indi-
ist-of-color associations. But NABJ Coast in 1999 and coming back and the time.” copy of Wynn-Freeman’s contract, viduals can’t afford to come, they
has struggled to get members to at- having (the NABJ) convention in Newborn said she did not leave but requests were denied, citing can no longer afford their member-
tend. About 2,500 people attended Phoenix in 2000, it really put a hurt on bad terms; it was time to move personnel reasons. ship, and as a result we lose mem-
the NABJ convention in 2006. The on the finances,” Dawkins said. on to the next job. “The industry had been project- bers.”
number of attendees dropped the “The year 2000 is when NABJ went Things would get worse after ing in an erratic manner,” Ciara Convention costs and fines
following year to 1,700. NABJ of- through a tailspin.” expenses created at the Indianapo- said. “It’s been difficult for us fi- crippled NABJ’s balance sheets,
ficials expect about 1,600 attendees Shortly after that convention, lis convention when NABJ’s deficit nancially for at least the last seven and Lee reported to the board on
at this week’s convention – 323 then-executive director Toni Sam- ballooned to $631,095. years.” Tuesday that the organization
fewer people than last year’s con- uel abruptly announced she was Monroe attributed much of the Ciara attributed much of closed 2009 with a $338,901 deficit.
vention. leaving the organization to accept financial hardship under his ten- NABJ’s financial hardship to inef- Wynn-Freeman resigned in
That slide in numbers has had a new job. ure to overly optimistic revenue ficient, unprepared leadership. December 2009. She could not be
an adverse affect on the organi- Later that year, Tangie New- projections and unanticipated con- “There was a lack of account- reached for comment.
zation. For example, NABJ was born was brought in to steer the vention costs, including fees for not ability, and just no accounting of On the onset of her presidency,
hammered with $150,000 in fees ship. filling the hotel block. certain things (in the budget).”
Finances, continued on page 5
THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2010
6:30 PM Doors Open | 7:00 PM Screening Begins
MAnCHESTER GRAnD HYATT – ELIzABETH BALLROOM A, B, C
Reception to follow.
A dynamic discussion with the people involved in bringing this film to life will be held after
the screening, followed by a cocktail reception. Target is proud to partner with The Black List
to bring you this memorable evening.
The Black List Project is an award-winning documentary series featured on HBO, as well
as a book of portraits and a photographic exhibition—all serving as the basis for a national
educational initiatives that stimulates conversation on the issues of identity, diversity
and tolerance. For more information, visit www.BlackListProject.com.
1
FLAT 7.5" x 5"
the world. A year to develop your out-of-the-box ideas and create something of benefit
CW — is growing. I owe it to the
BLEED None
to yourself and the profession. The John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships offers a year
FOLDED DS to new Knight Fellowship,
broaden your understanding of a changing profession while working onAM
FILE 100% real-
Jenny I. which values innovation,
world issues.
COLORCome help us tackle the challenges and explore
BlACK
PM Coby Y. entrepreneurship and people
the Kopportunities of 21st century journalism. Our CLIENT
goal? committed to creating the
To improve the quality of information reaching the future of journalism. The
public through the news media: print, broadcast gift of time and the resources
and cyberspace. of Stanford University and
Silicon Valley help me
Find out more at NABJ’s Opportunities
Through Fellowships panel from 2:00 to develop my vision for what’s
3:30 p.m. on Friday, July 30. next in educa-
2010
http:// knight.stanford.edu/ Veronica Anderson
Education journalist,
Emerging media entrepreneur,
John S. Knight Fellowships - Knight Fellow
S T A N F O R D U N I V E R S I T Y
Friday, July 30, 2010 • www.nabjconvention.org The Monitor • 5
Photos courtesy of Rural Development Leadership Network, The Associated Press & Youtube / Graphic by Nabjconvention.org/ Edited by Courtney Bessicks
Finances, from page 3 search for the next executive director. bers but we’re in an industry that is “I look forward to growing with fees to help generate revenue for the
As of last week, the search – led by changing drastically. The relationship the next executive director,” Times organization.
Times said Thursday it was devastat- Linnie Carter & Associates – had cost between the president and the execu- said. “I’m really determined to ensure There also was talk of adding to
ing to learn that NABJ was in “dire NABJ $10,865.88, Linnie Carter said tive director is critical.” the next administration doesn’t in- the NABJ executive board four busi-
straits.” in an interview. NABJ officials say there’s no herit a debt, and we’re getting there.” ness executives who could bring in
“We started our administration off Lee says the organization bud- doubt that the executive director’s job To date, last year’s deficit has been bigger donations.
with bills that needed to be paid,” she geted just over $12,000 for the search. comes with a lot of pressure. It’s blan- paid down from more than $300,000 “These people are used to bring-
said. “It was a tough time for us.” A contract has been extended to a job keted with lofty demands in a highly to around $158,320. ing in large donations in amounts
candidate, but officials would not intense environment, Lee said. NABJ that, let’s face it, you and I can’t bring
Moving forward release any details. A new director politics also makes retention of the Finding solutions in,” NABJ secretary Roland Martin
It’s not clear why Wynn-Freeman could be named Aug. 13. executive director difficult, he said. said during the board meeting.
resigned. Times declined to discuss Much like the outcome of the San “Part of the problem is dealing During an executive board meet- “We have to live within our
Wynn-Freeman’s resignation. Diego convention, the next executive with the politics,” Lee said. “A former ing Tuesday, Berry highlighted some means,” Lee said. “Just because we’re
Former finance committee chair- director will play a large role in deter- president said, ‘we eat our executive of NABJ’s cost-cutting measures. the biggest association doesn’t mean
man Berry has functioned as the in- mining NABJ’s future. directors like our young.’” Eliminating expensive contracts and we have to put on the biggest show.”
terim executive director. “Where is NABJ right now? We’re Times said the ability of the board finding cheaper replacements. was
Once things wrap up in San Di- certainly at a crossroads,” Monroe to work with the new executive direc- among the topics discussed. Berry Editor’s note: The Monitor re-
ego, NABJ will need to complete its said. “We have a rich legacy, strong tor is extremely important to NABJ’s also suggested that an additional $50 viewed tax documents from the last
history and some amazing mem- future stability. be added to the regular membership five years for this story.
6 • The Monitor Friday, July 30, 2010 • www.nabjconvention.org Friday, July 30, 2010 • www.nabjconvention.org The Monitor • 7
Historical Places:
complex, gave hard hats
to ceremony attendees.
THE LIBRARY
Citizens oppose library in homeless hotspot; city officials see no issue
Eric Burse/ nabjconvention.org
Casey Family Programs has launched its new series of white papers
analyzing how America can keep its promise of hope for all children.
We pledged $120,000 to furnish 20 teen recreation “RAC Rooms” for Boys and Girls Clubs.
We will extend our hunger-relief efforts by developing a “Soup-to-Nuts” food collection campaign at
our 3,000 stores.
We awarded $60,000 in scholarships to our customers, their children and children of our coworkers.
We gave $200,000 in grants to 35 Junior Achievement affiliates for financial literacy programs.
We supported 10 military bases with $175,000 in merchandise donations to their Family and Morale,
Welfare and Recreation facilities.
We deliver more
than just packages.
MG56699-1 309 PRINTED IN USA ©2010, Lilly USA, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
For more information about Lilly’s partnerships and resources for better patient outcomes, visit lillyforbetterhealth.com.