NAHJ to Induct Founders, 19th Century Pioneer into Hall of Fame
Two of today’s most respected media diversity champions – NAHJ founders Juan Gonzalez and Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez – and 19th century journalism pioneer Francisco Ramirez will be inducted into the NAHJ Hall of Fame during this summer’s UNITY ‘08 convention - the nation’s industry’s largest gathering of journalists. The NAHJ Hall of Fame Gala is set for Friday, July 25 in Chicago.

Juan Gonzalez

Francisco P. Ramirez

Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez

NAHJ Mourns the Passing of Tim Russert
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists mourns the passing of Tim Russert, NBC News’ Washington bureau chief and moderator of “Meet the Press.” Russert died Friday after collapsing at the bureau. He was 58.

Senate Votes to Invalidate FCC Rules That Allow More Media Consolidation
The U.S. Senate voted Thursday night to invalidate the FCC’s decision to relax the prohibition against newspaper-broadcast cross ownership. In a May 2 letter, NAHJ had urged lawmakers to stand up for diverse and independent news outlets and pass the resolution of disapproval introduced by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) aimed at reversing the FCC’s decision. NAHJ and supporters for the Stop Big Media Movement are concerned that the FCC’s new rules approved last Dec. 18, which cleared the way for more media consolidation, hurt minority media ownership and help fuel job cuts that affect the quality of journalism and local news coverage. Now a similar measure goes to the House of Representatives.

NAHJ Concerned About Potential Cutbacks at FIU School of Journalism
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) is dismayed that Florida Intenational University is considering major cutbacks to it's School of Journalism and Mass Communication, which is regarded as one of the top schools of journalism in the country, graduating more Hispanic journalists and PR/advertising majors than any other school.

UNITY Selects Team to Help Students, More Mentors Needed
UNITY: Journalists of Color, Inc. will feature a converged media training project for college students. More than 70 media professionals have been selected to run the intensive one-week project at the UNITY ’08 Convention in Chicago, July 23-27, 2008. There may be opportunities for other professionals who would like to volunteer time on the UNITY project but cannot work the entire week. The expectation for the “Day Mentors” will be a one-day commitment, but mentors should be fully aware that there will be no compensation for their time.

NAHJ Urging Senate to Stand Up for Diverse, Independent News Outlets
In a letter to the U.S. Senate, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists is urging lawmakers to stand up for diverse and independent news outlets and to pass the resolution of disapproval introduced by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) in response to the FCC’s decision to relax media ownership rules. The senator, whose effort to reverse the FCC decision has bipartisan support, has said more analysis is needed before the rules change. NAHJ and supporters of the Stop Big Media Movement agree and worry about how the FCC decision impacts minority media ownership. NAHJ also maintains that consolidation has hurt journalism as companies resort to layoffs in an effort to meet the bottom-line expectations of Wall Street.

Fired FOX4 reporter Rebecca Aguilar Fights Back, Files EEOC Complaint
Fired KDFW-TV FOX4 reporter Rebecca Aguilar filed a discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Wednesday, charging the real reason behind her dismissal was because she challenged newsroom management. Aguilar was suspended on Oct. 16, just 12 days after receiving NAHJ’s 2007 Broadcast Journalist of the Year Award. Her suspension came the day after airing a story that drew the ire of many viewers, some of whom identified themselves as gun owners and who sympathized with the man she interviewed who shot and killed two alleged burglars.

Rubén Salazar Stamp Unveiled, Mexican American Honored with Other Great Journalists
The U.S. Postal Service unveiled a stamp to honor trailblazing Mexican American journalist Rubén Salazar Tuesday, and he was in excellent company. Salazar, war correspondents Martha Gellhorn, John Hersey, and George Polk and foreign correspondent Eric Sevareid all had varied backgrounds but shared one thing in common: they reported on some of the most important stories of the 20th century – often at great personal sacrifice. “To each of these great Americans, the nation says thank you,’’ said Postmaster General John “Jack” E. Potter during the unveiling ceremony in Washington, D.C.

NAHJ Disturbed by Figures that Mask Decline in Newsroom Diversity
With more journalists of color leaving than entering the country’s newsrooms in 2007, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists believes the news industry must focus on retention and management to reverse this disturbing development. The annual newsroom census released Sunday by the American Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE) shows that the percentage of minority journalists working at daily newspapers actually grew slightly in 2007 from 13.43 percent to 13.52 percent.

Scholarship Banquet Focuses on Jailed Cuban Journalists, Pays Tribute to Rubén Salazar
With bitterness borne of injustice, Manuel Vázquez Portal described the seemingly endless days of worm-ridden food and disgusting water in a dirty Cuban jail cell, with only rats as company. For the elegant dinner crowd, it was a sobering account of how some independent journalists are still being treated today in Cuba, one of the world’s worst violators of press freedom.

Texas Regional Draws Attendees from Faraway Places
More than 130 attended the daylong NAHJ Region 5 Conference on Saturday, March 1, at Texas State University in San Marcos. NAHJ Region 5 includes Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas, but some attendees came from far away as Phoenix, Miami , Washington, D.C., Columbia, Miss. and Carbondale, Ill. The conference began Friday, Feb. 29, with a town hall meeting on the upcoming elections, “What can Brown do for you?.” END STORY -->


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