Putting a value on journalism memberships
Will Sullivan did a brilliant thing in his blog yesterday: He evaluated four professional journalism / visual journalism / multimedia journalism organizations he belongs to. The four are the Online News Association (ONA), National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), Society for News Design (SND), and Sports Shooter (which has an excellent Web site you can read for free).
Read all about it at Journerdism, Will’s blog.
I’d like to say I agree at least 90 percent with what he wrote about each one of these, as far as my knowledge goes. I’ve been a member of ONA since it started, and I love the annual conference. It’s pricey but worth it. However, as Will notes, you don’t really get anything else out of your membership.
As for SND, I’d like to echo Will’s assessment that this organization puts on THE BEST conferences in the journalism field. At least, judging from the single one I went to, which was in 2006 in Orlando. I wanted to go to almost every session (there were several running concurrently), and I’m not even a designer! The variety, currency and caliber of speakers totally blew me away. Be warned that their Web site is pretty horrible, though, because it’s running on a kludgy database that doesn’t work very well.
I also attended one NPPA annual conference (Tampa, 2006) and thought it was very well run and had great sessions. The focus is strictly on TV news and newspaper photography, with more and more video and multimedia workshops and sessions being added every year (that also includes audio work). For learning about cutting-edge visual journalism, you can’t beat these gatherings.
I’m not a member of NPPA or SND, but non-members can pay extra and attend their conferences.
I’d like to see some active members out there step up and evaluate the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE), and the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ). Any takers?
I’d add the American Copy Editors Society as important and influential.
The national conference is always engaging and worthwhile. My experience there is similar to what you describe at SND (which I would like to attend sometime).
ACES recently redesigned its site. Check it out:
http://www.copydesk.org
January 16, 2008 at 11:53 amYou’re right, Andy — I have heard many accolades for ACES.
January 16, 2008 at 2:07 pm