We’ve been talking about featuring local nonprofit communicators at Making Media Connections on a panel titled “I Love My Website Because…” Problem: we could not find anyone who loved their sites. Lord knows the glass is half empty when we look at our own site.

Well the panel is on but we need some help. Hallie Metzger of UCAN, who took an online communications workshop here last fall, is our first panelist—but we need a few more volunteers. If you work at a nonprofit and love your web site, let Diana Pando at our office know—we want you to come tell us why at Making Media Connections June 12!

If you wish you could have a Web site that would inspire love in your audiences, think about coming to Making Media Connections this year, featuring a bevy of national experts on new media, from California’s Britt Bravo on podcasting and blogging to Boston-based social media expert Beth Kanter.

Register Now

Chicago Tribune Columnist Mary Schmich leads colleague Eric Zorn & Chris Walz in a round of "This Land is Your Land" at the 19th Anniversary Terkel Benefit.Photo by Olga Lopez. Read more and view the slide show.

Thank You!
Thanks to our trusty supporters–a mix of good people from nonprofit communications, journalism, Columbia College, and basically all other walks of life–we raised enough at our benefit yesterday evening to keep us in notepads for a while. A special shout-out to all of our media guide buyers, workshop participants and other customers who attended—if we were Chicago Public Radio, we’d give you a coffee-mug! If you did not make it, you can read about it and see some glamorshots at the npcommunicator blog.

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“When a crisis happens, it takes up 100 percent of our time… but preparing for crises, being ready to do emergency communications, whether it’s a weather closing or, God forbid, something as tragic as what happened in February--that has to be something we’re working on all the time,” says Melanie Magara, Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs at Northern Illinois University.

Melanie, a 13-year veteran of NIU's public affairs office, will speak about lessons learned working through the tragic events and aftermath of the February 14 killings on her school’s campus as part of the May 16 session. Planning ahead as well as knowing when to say you’re sorry, and other principles of effective crisis communications planning will be on the agenda at the upcoming workshop featuring Melanie and led by Wynona Redmond of Dominick’s Finer Foods and Hope Daniels of Columbia College Chicago’s Radio Department.

• REGISTER: "Crisis Communications" with Wynona Redmond and Hope Daniels

UPDATE: Another round of buyouts at Chicago Tribune. Checkout our blog at www.npcommunicator.org to find out who made the list.

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People to Pitch

Don Parker
Editor, Chicago Wilderness Magazine
This visually stunning publication that focuses on conservation, Chicago-area ecosystems and wildlife is looking for equally colorful stories to complement it. Or as Editor Don Parker says “I’m looking for stories from people that are informed about local nature.  Stories with unique angles.” Don wants pitches “with a story in it,” something that goes beyond a summary of a nonprofit’s program.  This quarterly magazine accepts pitches on a rolling basis and Don recommends checking their website to see what’s already been covered before contacting him. Pitch Don at editor@chicagowildernessmag.org and follow-up with a phone call at 847-965-9253 x17.

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

Lawndale TIF cuts housing list
Newstip Date: April 15th, 2008
With passage of the Ogden/Pulaski TIF last week, Lawndale activists claimed a small victory in the dramatic reduction of housing units slated for displacement -- originally listed as 317 units but reduced to 13 in the final ordinance. Read more

Transportation and housing affordability
Newstip Date: April 14th, 2008
Homes may be less expensive in far-flung suburbs, but they turn out to be far less affordable once transportation costs are factored in, according to the Center for Neighborhood Technology. Read more

Subscribe to the new Newstips v2.0 Blog
Visit the Newstips blog and tell us what you think.

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

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Community Media & You

"The Future of Gun Reform in Chicago"  
Members of The Illinois Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence will discuss the current Supreme Court case against handguns and how its ruling will effect Chicago.  Show airs at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 19 and on our videocast at www.communitymediaworkshop.org.

"Olympics but no Olympians: No Money for High School Athletes"  
Local experts and a Chicago Public High School track coach talk about the widespread lack of funding for track and field sports and Chicago's diminishing ability to breed Olympians. Watch our videocast.    

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Other Events Around Town

Global Activism Expo
6 p.m., Tonight, April 16 at the Broadway Armory, 5917 N. Broadway St.
Come meet and mingle with the nearly 80 nonprofit organizations that have been featured on Chicago Public Radio’s Worldview Global Activism Series. Costs $10, $8 for CPR members. More info at http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/.

National Human Rights Conference
Times vary, April 17 to 20, Chicago Marriott O’Hare, 8535 W. Higgins Rd, Chicago   
Four-day conference with workshops, writers symposium and break-out sessions covering human and civil rights issues from Native Americans in prisons to immigration. Separate, full-day series of workshops for youth on the 18th. Prices vary, student rates and scholarships available. More info at http://www.ushrnetwork.org/.

Free Vocalo.org Production Training
6:30 p.m., Thursday, April 17 at Compy School, 3831 N. Lincoln Ave.Learn how to produce, record, edit and upload your own radio story to vocalo.org. Try out equipment and free software too.  Workshop is FREE. Registration required here.

Turning Ideas into Action Workshop
Noon to 5 p.m., Saturday, April 19, Hamming Hall, North Park University, 3225 W. Foster.
Workshop designed for young people aged 14 to 29 to help them find and manage money and get the necessary support to turn their ideas into action.  Free if between 14 and 19-years-old, $12 if over. More info at 773-244-5747 or turningideas@gmail.com or at ynpnchicago.org.

Voter Engagement Training for community organizers
April 28-May 1 at Progressive Technology Project, MinneapolisLearn to manage the data required for a voter engagement project. Designed for database people, this training will cover: Overview of Integrated Voter Engagement, Mail merge and basic word processing label production for mailings, List name matching and merging using such tools at MS excel or MS access, General troubleshooting skills for printers and other devices, Bar code reader set up and operation, Use of external mass e-mail senders. Learn more and register here.

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New On The Web

Steve Rhodes of Beachwood Reporter Fame is blogging for NBC 5 WMAQ TV about Chicago news and politics. Check him out at http://divisionstreet.wordpress.com/2008/04/11/your-community

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Communications Jobs

Executive Director
Taproot Foundation
Placing volunteers from the business community into a nonprofit organization, the Taproot Foundation provides “service grants” instead of cash assistance.  They are looking for an Executive Director with CEO or other senior executive experience to initiate client relationships, fundraise and lead the foundation for the next 3 to 5 years. The position is located in Chicago but requires some travel. For a full description visit http://www.npo.net/jobs/jobdetail.asp?xJobID=27515.  

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