Image from the Michigan State University Library's digital archive, "Real Heroes" Issue 01. Parent's Magazine Press, 1941 - 1946. Visit the digital library at http://digital.lib.msu.edu.

Community Media and You
Great Chicagoan and architect of community work Jane Addams would turn 147 as Illinois celebrates the first annual Jane Addams Day on Monday, Dec. 10. Thom Clark interviews Addams (actually Jan Huttner from the American Association of University Women). It’s set to air Saturday, Dec. 8 and Dec. 22 but check CAN-TV’s listings, or look for it at npcommunicator.org. Joining Addams/Huttner on the show is Dan Portincaso from the Hull House Museum to discuss how this landmark holiday came about and what it means for Chicago and women everywhere.

Community, Media And You
Saturdays at 8 p.m. on CAN-TV21. or watch the videocast at www.npcommunicator.org

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Professional Media Relations
Five Fridays: Friday, January 25 to February 22
Participants in this intensive five-week course designed specifically for nonprofit communicators plan media campaigns around one of their own stories, while learning basic public relations skills such as how to:

* Find and tell stories about your organization;
* Develop a media strategy;
* Pitch stories to journalists, and
* Handle a broadcast interview.

Plus, participants in the course get the opportunity to develop a story and pitch it to journalists. Includes 1 copy per organization of Spin Works, the nonprofit PR handbook, and 1 copy of Getting on Air, On-line, and Into Print 2008, our directory of area journalists.
Register Now!

Other upcoming Workshops:
NEW! Knock Out Fundraisers & Special Events
9 am - Noon Wednesday February 6, 2008
Online Communications
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, March 6, 2008

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Navigate Chicago’s Media Landscape
It’s easy to get lost in the ever-fluctuating media landscape here in Chicago. That is – if you don’t already have the tool to keep you on the right track: the 2008 version of Getting on the Air Online & Into Print.

• With the book as your roadmap, you’ll have reporter’s contact information at your fingertips. It’s a portable, hands-on tool to help visualize your media outreach.
• With the CD as your compass, plan & execute your media campaigns at the click of a mouse. Search for reporters by region, topic, format and more. Export custom targeted lists for sending out your press releases.

People to Pitch

Teresa Puente
“I’m interested in the issues as opposed to events,” says Teresa Puente, an editorial board member and editorial writer at the Chicago Sun-Times. Teresa writes editorials every week for the Commentary section that “look at news in a broader sense.” Teresa will not cover a nonprofit’s event, but relies on nonprofits to bring topics to light and uses them as expert sources.

As an editorial board member, Teresa collaborates with six others on what to cover. Every day, the writers collectively publish the Commentary section representing the official opinion of the Sun-Times. While most stories “stay very serious,” Teresa says, “we also look for things that are lighthearted and very funny.”

Teresa also has a monthly column where she takes a personal opinion primarily in immigration issues. Pitch Teresa at tpuente@suntimes.com.

Find more "People to Pitch" in our 2008 Getting on Air, Online and Into Print media guide. Get it here

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Newstips
by Curtis Black, newstips editor

New Labor-Community Coalition?
Newstip Date: 11-27-2007
Does growing political independence on the part of organized labor in Chicago present possibilities for new labor-community coalitions?

A forum this Friday, hosted by the Chicago Center for Working-Class Studies, will discuss "the politics of the new Chicago labor movement" and "the future of the new Chicago labor-community coalition." Read More

Hyde Park Co-op: Funeral or Resurrection?
Newstip Date: 11-19-2007
“I thought I was coming to a funeral, but this may turn out to be a resurrection,” said Leon Despres at the Hyde Park Cooperative Society’s town hall meeting yesterday. Read More

Subscribe to the new Newstips v2.0 Blog
Recent Posts:
A Thousand Teens for Thanksgiving
Police: Few Abuse Investigations Completed
Conflicting Accounts on Co-op
Community Organizing and the New City Council

Do you have a newstip? Contact Curtis Black.
curtis@newstips.org | phone: 312-344-6400 | fax: 312-344-6404

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Other Events Around Town

Idealware Webinar: Choosing eNewsletter Software
1 to 2:30 p.m. EST, Thursday, Nov. 29 
Learn to effectively setup, track and send eNewsletters while discussing some of the most commonly used email tools. Cost is $40 per participant. Register at www.democracyinaction.org.

Free Showing of “Sicko”
6 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 4 at Access Living, 115 W. Chicago, 2nd flr.
If you haven’t seen Michael Moore’s documentary about the horrors of our nation’s health care industry, the Chicago Single-Payer Action Network (CSPAN) is showing it free. Call 312-714-5154 or visit chispan.org for more information.

December Luncheon: Strengthening the Issues with Commentaries and Editorial Boards Appeals
11:30 a.m. registration, noon to 1:30 Luncheon, Wednesday, Dec. 5 at Maggiano’s Chicago 516 N. Clark
Speakers from the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Public Radio will discuss how their news organizations determine the content of their editorials and commentaries. Luncheon hosted by the Publicity Club of Chicago. Prices vary. Register online at http://www.publicity.org/monthly.htm.  Walk-ins welcome.

Lumity Workshop: Website Content Management Systems
9 to 11 a.m., Friday, Dec. 14 at 29 E. Madison, Ste 1005
Review Content Management Systems (CMS) for keeping your website current and effective. Prices vary. Call 312-372-7962 or visit www.lumity.org for more information.

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New on the Web
Web sites and features from the Workshop’s partners and friends

Global Development Matters
Watch short documentaries, take quizzes and learn how the policies of wealthy countries affect the global community at www.globaldevelopmentmatters.org. The interactive web site not only points out that the U.S. ranks fourteenth in commitment to global development, but ways for viewers to get involved.

Grading the Campaigns' E-mail Campaigns
How much attention are the presidential candidates paying to their e-mail campaigns? Tech Presidents at http://techpresident.com/blog/ rated and compared candidates’ emails and graded their performance. The study and explanation shed light on who is and who isn’t talking the time to develop an effective email campaign—and what such a campaign looks like.


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Communications Jobs

Communications and Marketing Director
The Illinois Environmental Council Education Fund (IECEF) and the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) seek a Communications and Marketing Director to manage the organization’s communications including their website, blog, newsletter and other internal communications. The Director will develop policy materials, implement media outreach tools and train volunteers. The ideal candidate will have an interest in environmental issues and three to five years experience in media relations and issue management. Position is full time with benefits and may be located in either Springfield or Chicago. Send cover letter and resume to Jonathan Goldman at jgoldman@ilenviro.org. Full job description at http://www.ilenviro.org/news/index.php?item=88.

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