Poynter Summer Fellows - The alumni site for Poynter's summer fellowship.

Reunion...it's getting closer

Thu, 04 May 2006 12:37:36 -0700

Hey guys,

OK just wanted to check in with everyone about plans for July. We are going with the second weekend, so that's the 14-16. So here's the deal. I checked on some hotel rates for us, cause I'm sure whoever is going might want to split rooms to save money. Here is what I found. These are just suggestions to help get us started. They are both downtown.

Hampton Inn -- $159/night for a King or two queen beds
Holiday Inn -- $129/night for a King or two double beds.

Now that we are getting closer, could everyone let me know who is thinking of coming? Then, I can just send these e-mails to the group instead of bugging everyone.

Peter Zuckerman is kicking ass

Mon, 01 May 2006 12:58:04 -0700

He's a finalist for the Livingston Award for Young Journalists. PS'03 represent!

New beginnings

Mon, 17 Apr 2006 16:13:41 -0700

Hey everybody, just wanted to give an update on my whereabouts. After almost 3 years at the Gaston Gazette and Gastonia, NC, I'm off to the Greensboro News & Record. Yippee! It's quite a transition going from a 3-bed house to a rent-a-room situation, but I'm excited nonetheless. Hope everyone is doing well!

Morgan

Hello all! I finally made it.

Tue, 21 Mar 2006 20:32:03 -0800

Hey, guys. It's Michaela.
This is going to sound crazy -- but I finally got e-mail hooked up in my apartment. I got tired of the coffee house down the block because it seemed always to be closing when I got home from work. So... now the possibilities are endless :) I really appreciate this new format. Matt, you're terrific!

Just to catch everone up a bit -- since I have been horribly inactive on the listserve for quite some time: I'm working as an education reporter at the Omaha World-Herald. I've switched districts since coming here but mostly the job is the same. I started out covering two suburban districts and the Catholic/Lutheran/private schools, added another suburban district and then switched to covering the Omaha Public Schools and one of the tiny suburban districts. I still feel like I'm learning a lot and there's controversay now between the OPS and four suburban districts that have schools within city limits, so I'm doing meaningful work now. I haven't got as much to report on the personal front, sadly. But all things come in time.

I'm so hyped about the supplement thang, really

Fri, 10 Mar 2006 16:34:32 -0800

My paper is planning to bring an eastern county tab back from the dead and i get to be the lead reporter on it. i'm really not sure what the point of it will be yet except to make money. ironically, i have not yet been invited to a meeting about it but i heard it's coming out in april and will target the 18-45 age group. anything wrong with this picture? to top it off we are shortstaffed to the point that two managing editors are learning quark so they can join copy desk in laying out pages (a couple positions have been frozen). i have nothing against a supplement but i just don't feel the timing is right.

Fellow blog virgin

Mon, 06 Mar 2006 08:24:24 -0800

Hi everyone.

I was recently forwarded info about this blog. What a great idea!!

I'm a 2004 Poynter Fellow now living and working in Missouri as a health and medical reporter for a small daily.

Any other bloggers from 2004 involved? Who all is online?

Betsy Lee

reunion update

Mon, 27 Feb 2006 22:26:27 -0800

I know you are all sick of me by now.

OK, for whoever is interested, I talked to Kelly McBride and we can reserve a group of rooms at the Hampton for the reunion under Poynter's discounted rate. The only thing is we have to do it soon because we can cancel the rooms up until two months before we get there.

So if you're thinking you might be in for the reunion and you want a space at the hotel (we can double up too to save money) just let me know, so I can get a general idea of how many rooms to reserve.

I'm going to go ahead and count in Rebekah, Matt and I cause I think we are for sure a "yes."

virgin blogger

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 16:04:09 -0800

well, despite my complete aversion to all things technical, you are all witness to my virgin blog. consider yourselves very lucky, as this may never, ever happen again. kelly... the section i work for is all community news and comes out once a week as a "supplement" to the "big paper," though i have some pretty strong feelings about the section being more than just a supplement. anyway, i would be happy to answer any questions you have about it... if i correctly interpret that's what you were asking about. like i said, virgin blogger.

a list

Wed, 08 Feb 2006 00:23:15 -0800

Hey Matt,

I don't know anything about setting up a site -- so don't make fun of me.

I'm wondering if we could have a list somewhere on the site to show everyone who has signed in, they year they were fellows and where they are working? I just think that would be kind of cool to click on and check out. That way, we can kind of know everyone who is here and find out the fellows we have to still lure here. Plus, it will help us learn who everyone is, since we are from different years.

This is probably already on here and I'll look like an idiot. I’m willing to roll the dice.

this and that

Wed, 08 Feb 2006 00:15:48 -0800

I can't believe it's getting closer to the end of this week. I seriously can't wait. I finally get to go home (I'm from PA) for a week. Oh, such a needed break.

I wrote about a million stories for when I'm gone on vacation. Well, okay, like eight, but doesn't that seem kind of crazy? I wonder why some papers don't concentrate on quality instead of quantity? I really don't get it.

On that note, I'm wondering if anyone else is experiencing the tab newspaper world, you know as a supplement to the main paper.

Not that this is a new concept. I know it's not and i do not disagree with community journalism at all, I actually am its biggest supporter. (Narrow the focus) I'm just wondering if anyone has experienced the formulas that go along with these publications, such as not having a story over 12" ect. Formulas add a whole new dimension.

hooray for maps!

Mon, 06 Feb 2006 00:42:16 -0800

I hope this works. Click on the link and map yourself:

http://www.frappr.com/poyntersummerfellows

--daudi msseemmaa

This site's dreeeaammmmyyy

Sun, 05 Feb 2006 17:36:09 -0800

Matt, dearest, I'm sure many of my fellow former fellows join me in echoing Madonna's sentiment in the popular karaoke tune, "Like a Prayer," - "I hear you call my name and it feels like home (home home)."
Thank you for making us a home on the Web.
And Kelly Carr, girl, I am all up on the reunion. You call me, and we can start planning outfits now so it won't take you three hours to get ready when you get to St. Pete.
Meanwhile, if anyone else needs to call me, shoot me an email and I'll give you the updated cell.

I'm trying to complete my story

Fri, 03 Feb 2006 22:45:35 -0800

Sometimes, it's nice not to have a life other than work. Well, just sometimes.

Like right now.

I'm at the office. It's 12:36 a.m. The police scanner blares in the background. The only sound that interrupts and scatters the busy scanner on a late Friday evening is the rhythm of the keyboard — and my typing, sans rhythm.

Last week I got a tiny packet from Poynter. I had ordered 'Writing to Length'. And today I was going through it. To sharpen my talons. I got to thinking, if only I could write like RPC and report like Jacqui. I'd be queen of my castle! And then I started missing Poynter.

Reunion

Thu, 02 Feb 2006 14:53:09 -0800

I'm posting this again for anyone who didn't see it. But I'm omitting the part about Matt singing Hootie and the Blowfish, since he said it won't happen. We will just have to hope for Adam to sing Red Hot Chili Peppers I guess.

This reunion is open for all of us poynter alums.

Hey everyone,

Hope you guys are doing well.

OK, so here’s the deal. Remember the chatter we had a
few months back about having a summer fellow reunion
in St. Pete? I know, it’s been a while.

It’s probably about that time for everyone to plan
their vacations ect. for next year, so I wanted to
start the conversation again. From the input I got the

A first time blog user

Wed, 01 Feb 2006 16:46:02 -0800

It's thundering and blots of lightning rage across the skies, while I sit in my tiny cubicle and wonder what I should do next.
Most of the town here goes to sleep at 7 p.m. It's a tiny little town. I have two choices before me - I can comb the net for my 'horrorscope' or I can go home and watch 'Friends'. Either way I'm a loser.
Then there's the other thing. I can finish all my pending stories and try to be the employee every boss wants. What a suck-up!
Either way, I've decided one thing. That I'll keep all of you posted on what's happening or not happening in my life.