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Ybor City still smolders with the ancient art of cigar

rolling. Pages 6 and 7

Local Bucs fans get better access to their

favorite team. Page 10

Big guns come out for the Photography

ShootOut.

What is “good hair?” Nabjconvention.org

reporters ask attendees that touchy question.

Convention wrap-up webcast at 5 p.m.

today.

I N S I D E

O N L I N E

August 8, 2009

w e h a v e a w i n n e r incoming naBJ president Kathy Times celebrates with her husband James Convington and campaign manager rod Carter after receiving the good news about her victory.

BAHIYJAUI ALLEN/NABJCONVENTION.ORG

Sign of the TimesBy WESLEy LOWERy and BRITTnEy FEnnELLnabjconvention.org

Kathy Times was elected as the 18th president of the National Association of Black Journalists, capturing 57 per-cent — 325 to 248 — of the vote to defeat opponent An-gelo Henderson.

In a convention year when NABJ saw some of its lowest attendance num-bers, 1,326 NABJ members cast their vote in an election that many members think will be pivotal to the orga-nization’s survival (only full members are allowed to vote for president). The industry has been hammered with a flurry of layoffs, buyouts and furloughs. NABJ has lost more than 300 members over the past two years and convention attendance has been declining. President-elect Times, who will succeed President Barbara Ciara, will take the keys to the nation’s largest association of minor-ity journalists and have to navigate through an ever-changing industry.

“NABJ, I love you, and I don’t take this moment light-ly,” Times, an anchor and in-vestigative reporter for Fox 40 in Jackson, Miss., said af-ter hearing she won. “I have

Continued on Page 3

New NABJ president’s vision sets 360-degree course of change, training and more jobs

Kathy TimesPresident

Deirdre ChildressVice President-Print

Bob ButlerVice President-Broadcast

WWW.NABJCONVENTION.ORG

2 • The Monitor • Saturday, August 8, 2009 • www.nabjconvention.org

The StudentsSophia Adem, Howard University

Yamiche Alcindor, Georgetown University

Ayana Allen, UNC Chapel Hill

Karise Allen, Cheyney University

Bahiyjaui Allen, Ohio University

Nia Arnold, Northwestern University

Bliss Davis, Bowling Green State University

Stephanie Claytor, Syracuse University

Jessica Coley, Morgan State University

Breana Copeland,Moore College of Art & Design

Randi Crowder, University of North Texas

Sharise Darby, Hampton University

Brittney Fennell, Hampton University

Tameka Flowers, Kutztown University

Adele Hampton, University of Maryland

Jarrad Henderson, University of Missouri

Heather Hope, The Ohio State University

Francesca Hoskins,Southern University and A&M College

Brittany Hutson, Howard University

Gerrick Kennedy, The Ohio State University

Norris Kyles, Alabama State University

Wesley Lowery, Ohio University

Corrine Lyons, Wayne State University

Larry Miller, Point Park University

Monique Mitchell, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

Shaneen Quarles, Penn State University

Jazmund Walker, University of Alabama- Birmingham

Daniel Sampson, Texas Southern University

Shauna Stuart, University of Maryland

Aaron Sinclair, Morgan State University

Brittany Smith, Michigan State University

Herbie Smith, Sam Houston State University

Jennifer Smith, San Francisco State University

Summer Suleiman, Louisiana State University

Dion Rabouin, Ithaca College

Eryn Rogers, Northwestern University

Nicquel Terry, Michigan State University

Veronica Wells, University of Missouri

Natelege Whaley, Howard University

Go to WWW.NABJCoNVENtIoN.oRGfoR ComplEtE BIos ANd photos

By GERRICK D. KENNEDYnabjconvention.org

When Barbara Ciara took to the stage Thursday for one of the last times as president of the National Association of Black Journalists, she summed up her presidency simply.

“A lot has happened over the past two years,” she said during NABJ’s opening ceremony.

“Nearly 400 black journalists lost their jobs last year,” Ciara said during the ceremony. “It’s time to re-invent ourselves and refresh our ca-reers. Simply, we must look to the future and embrace change.”

It is this change that Ciara has bought to her two-year term as pres-ident of NABJ.

During her time as president, Ciara launched the NABJ Media Institute, which offers professional-develop-ment opportunities, educational pro-grams, conferences, workshops, en-trepreneurial guidance, as well as Web seminars.

Some of those seminars include: advancing in broadcast manage-ment, the business of freelancing,

mastering newsroom politics and managing today’s newsrooms. The Media Institute also has hosted a conference and offered fellow-ships.

Ciara also introduced the Reinven-

tion Committee, a group that orga-nized a yearlong series of seminars to help members become better pre-pared for the disruptive changes in traditional media following layoffs, buyouts and separations from em-

ployment.Creating new ways to help jour-

nalists find, and keep, jobs was one of the many challenges Ciara faced during her presidency, said Herbert Lowe, NABJ president from 2003 to 2005.

“During her term, black journalists were really starting to feel the down-turn of the economy in the indus-try,” Lowe said. “Her administration really focused on that reinvention (of journalists). Barbara was leading that effort.”

Andrew Humphrey, president of the Detroit Chapter of NABJ, said her impact was tremendously posi-tive.

“NABJ is still strong and bright -- it’s because of her work,” Hum-phrey said. “I will always remember her charisma, her positive attitude, her open mind and willingness to listen.”

Humphrey, who is founder and chair of the NABJ Digital Journal-

ism Task Force, said even though Ciara’s administration was marked with a number of economic challeng-es, she consistently made intelligent decisions.

After serving two years as NABJ’s president, Barbara Ciara bids farewell to the organization’s member during the Hall of Fame Banquet.PHoToS By TAMekA R. FLoWeRS/NABJCoNveNTIoN.oRg

Ciara created innovative training for journalists

Outgoing NABJ President Barbara Ciara holds back her tears as she stands next to Ernie Suggs while bidding farewell to members after serving two years.

www.nabjconvention.org • Saturday, August 8, 2009 • The Monitor •3

big shoes to fill.”Ciara, who served as a regional

director as well as two terms as vice president-broadcast before be-ing elected president, said: “I’ve really devoted quite a bit of my time and energy for the love of NABJ, and I am ready to pass the mantle.”

Ciara added that she was en-couraged because seven of the 13 election races were contested.

“Contested races means that there’s a love for this organiza-tion and people are stepping up to serve,” she said. “I felt that no matter the outcome of any of the races that we would be in good shape.”

Times, whose term begins Sun-day, says she is ready to lead and has been training for this new role in her life years before the cam-

paign began. “It’s going to take

a lot of work to be president … I’ve always been a workhorse.” Times

said, “I thank the members for believ-

ing in me. I look for-ward to carrying out my vision.”

Numerous members of Times’ family – including her mother, sis-ter, husband and nephew – trav-eled to Tampa to campaign and be with her for the announcement. It was her mother’s first NABJ con-vention.

Both candidates campaigned extensively during this week’s NABJ convention. They canvassed the halls of the convention center, shaking hands and distributing handouts to make one last push before the polls closed at 5 p.m. Friday.

“I want to thank my opponent, Angelo Henderson, who called to say congratulations and that he was willing to help out in any way possible,” Times said.

Times said her first major initia-tive will be NABJ 360, an online network to connect members with potential employers. She said she plans to launch the site in 90 days.

“I started mapping out a plan before I was elected,” she said. “I have a six-month plan and a year-long plan.”

Henderson offered his congratu-lations and support to the newly elected president.

“If there’s anyway I can help just count me in,” Henderson told Times in a brief concession phone call.

Henderson, a former Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for The Wall Street Journal and a cur-

rently a radio host for Radio One in Detroit, declined to attend the news conference following the an-nouncement of the election results.

“Well, I’ll get more time with my son and my wife,” Henderson said jokingly as he took one last picture with the friends and family who

waited for the election results in his hotel room with him. “I’m ex-cited for Kathy. It’s a big job.”

Henderson noted that his cam-paign efforts were impeded by his inability to become a registered candidate on the NABJ Web site for a month after Times, but he re-fused to place the fault for his loss solely on that hardship.

“We couldn’t have worked any harder, that’s for sure.” Henderson said. “I’m glad that NABJ picked who it wanted.”

He said that he hopes Times will continue to expand programming and training for member entrepre-neurship and media ownership, which were two pillars of this cam-paign platform.

“If my presence changed the conversation – and it did – then we had a victory.”

Dion Rabouin contributed to this story.

Incoming NABJ president Kathy Times celebrates in victory after hearing the word about her success in the election.

BAHIyJAuI AlleN/NABJCONveNTION.ORg

NABJ presidential runner-up Angelo B. Henderson votes before the election results were released on Friday.

JARRAD HeNDeRSON /NABJCONveNTION.ORg

Kathy Times celebrates her win Election ResultsName Votes President

Kathy Times 325Angelo B. 248 Henderson

vice President Print

Deirde Childress 298Rochelle Riley 259

vice President BrOAdcAst

Bob Butler 282Andrew 248 HumphreyDedrick Russell 50

secretArY

Roland Martin 327Sherlon 198 ChristieJacqualine 39WilliamstreAsurer

Greg Lee 526

PArliAmentriAn

Tonju Francois 523

reGiOn 1 directOr

Katina Revels 91

reGiOn 2 directOr

Charles Robison 56Benét Wilson 28

reGiOn 3 directOr

Ken Knight 121

reGiOn 4 directOr

Keith Reed 40Hilary Golston 29

reGiOn 5 directOr

Cindy George 37

AssOciAte rePresentAtive

Aprill Turner 57

student rePresentAtive

Georgia Dawkins 59Lee Sandra 29 AlexandreDaniella Dorcelus 12

TOTAL VOTES 1,326

Go to WWW.NABJCoNVENtIoN.oRGfoR AddItIoNAl INfoRmAtIoN

Election, from Page 1

Just what the journalist ordered.

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PRINTED IN USA ©2009, Lilly USA, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

www.nabjconvention.org • Saturday, August 8, 2009 • The Monitor •5

801 Third Street South St. Petersburg, FL 33701(727) 821-9494 | www.poynter.org

More of the Right Training for Today’s Journalists

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Philadelphia supports NABJ, and we look forward to welcoming you in 2011.

In the meantime, consider gophila.com/pressroom your 24/7 source for Philadelphia tourism news. On the site, you’ll find:

• Easily searchable news and feature stories about the city’s new African-American tourism marketing campaign, fall happenings, live music and more

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• Social media and sharing tools, including RSS, Delicious, Facebook and more, to help you stay on top of Philly news and share it

• Contact information for all of GPTMC’s PR specialists

Follow us on Twitter @philly360

By NIA J. ARNOLDnabjconvention.org

Before writing a story, professional journalist Will LaVeist calls on a higher power: his religion.

“Being a journalist, my faith is very important to me,” said LaVeist, an author and journalism professor at Christian-based Regent University. “As a journalist I would seek guidance to ex-ecute properly on the story.”

LaVeist was one of about 60 people who attended the luncheon for the World Journalism Institute Minor-ity Conference on Thursday. With seven full tables, some attendees were foreced to stand, the event marked the first partnership between the World Journalism Institute and NABJ.

The WJI, based in New York City at the King’s Col-lege, hosts classes for Chris-tian journalists with a mis-sion to “recruit, equip, place and encourage Christians in the world’s newsroom.”

Prior to becoming an of-ficial partner to the NABJ convention, the World Jour-nalism Institute held confer-ences at Morehouse College. After being invited to speak at the institute’s conference, former NABJ President Her-bert Lowe Jr. told Robert Case, the institute’s director, to connect WJI to NABJ.

“A few years ago he talked to me about how they were looking to get more students to participate in the African-American conference, and I suggested to him, since I was president at the time, that NABJ would be a good place,” Lowe said. “A lot of NABJ members grew up believing in faith, and a lot of the things that the World Journalism Institute is offer-ing is how to do journalism with faith not too far from your mind.”

In an industry focused on neutrality, Case said, jour-nalists are told to “keep faith in your back pocket.”

“We don’t agree with that view,” he said. “Everyone approaches a story with bias. No one can be completely objective.”

Evansville Courier & Press Editor Mizell Stewart, who was the featured speaker at Thursday’s lunch, told the group that there is no such thing as an unbiased journal-ist.

“Racial and gender diver-sity, class diversity and di-versity by far are necessary if we are going to report on and reflect the issues and con-cerns of the communities we serve,” he said.

With a few audience mem-

bers’ approving “amens,” the self-proclaimed servant de-livered a message that came across at times more like a sermon than a speech.

“God came before Knight Ridder and CNN, and he’ll be here for a long time after that,” Stewart said. “As a servant journalist, I work for God don’t you?”

Stewart, who has spoken at a number of World Jour-nalism Institute conferences, said that one message he wanted Christian journalists to take away from attend-ing the luncheon was that it is OK to be “joiners” in areas such as the church.

“We don’t join church. We don’t always get involved and part of what we’re do-ing here is to let people know that it is OK to have a strong religious faith,” he said. “It is OK to be part of a church community, and it is OK to allow those values to come from the Bible to inform our work as journalists.”

World Journalism Institute touts power of faith

Go to WWW.NABJCoNVENtIoN.oRGfoR AddItIoNAl INfoRmAtIoN

“God came before Knight

Ridder and CNN, and he’ll

be here for a long time after

that.”

6 • The Monitor • Saturday, August 8, 2009 • www.nabjconvention.org www.nabjconvention.org • Saturday, August 8, 2009 • The Monitor • 7

L e t i t b L o wAntonio Riverol hands a cigar to Rent-a-Center vice president Xavier Dominics at his store, Gonzalez y Martinez Cigar Factory and Gift Store in Tampa. Riverol is a master cigarmaker who hand-rolls his product.

o N A R o L L Smoking jackets not required when experiencing the hand-rolled cigars available in Tampa’s Ybor City neighborhood.

BAHIYJAUI ALLEN/NABJcoNvENtIoN.org

PuffPiece

NABJ, we salute you.

FedEx is proud to support the work of the National Association of Black Journalists as a sponsor of the 2009 Annual Convention and Career Fair.

fedex.com© 2009 FedEx

By Natelege Whaleynabjconvention.org

Randi CRowdeRFor veteran journalists trying to

learn technology, recent college grad-uate Randi Crowder advises that they embrace it.

“Don’t be afraid of it and don’t be shy to ask a young person how stuff works,” said Crowder, 21, of Dallas. “It’s actually really easy to use.”

As a journalist of the next genera-tion, Crowder is comfortable with using social networking Web sites.

“I keep up with my friends on Face-book, especially since I graduated. I use LinkedIn as a professional tool to stay connected with my recent intern-ships and jobs.”

Crowder said she has always loved writing. She has an undergraduate degree in public relations from the University of North Texas and is part of the NABJ 2009 Multimedia Stu-dent Projects. She is a copy editor and member of the radio/audio group.

“Before college I wrote some poetry and short stories about young peo-

ple‘s issues,” she said. “I even wrote a book that hasn’t been published.”

Crowder published her first article in college and is interested in global news and culture.

She said her inspiration comes from others.

“I want to give people an opportunity to be heard who wouldn’t be heard otherwise, and present their issues to people who can help them,” she said.

Joe davidsonThe process of crafting to-

gether facts and information sparked Joe Davidson’s in-terest in journalism.

Davidson, who writes the “Federal Diary” column for The Washington Post, said journalism newcomers should remember success comes with versatility.

“It’s important to be fluent in all of the different formats, because I think that makes you more valuable and marketable to your employer,” said Davidson, 60.

Davidson, an NABJ founder, said he wants to immerse himself into new technology this year.

“I’m definitely a rookie in this area,” Davidson said. “I think it’s im-portant for veteran journalists to get involved and that’s one of my main

goals at this conference.” Davidson said he is still

learning about social net-working Web sites such as Facebook.

“I don’t think I’ve had Facebook a month and I rarely check it,” he said. “I uploaded a picture last week after one particular person kept asking me to do it.”

Davidson began his career at The Detroit News in 1969 as an intern and became a copy aide there in 1971. He said he is always looking for new ways to approach a story.

“It’s still like an evolutionary pro-cess for me,” he said. “I approach sto-ries quite a bit the same as in the past, but I feel a desire to move in the direc-tion of greater technology.”

By Nicquel terrynabjconvention.org

It was the beginning of my 2009 summer internship at the Detroit Free Press. Man-agement had just announced

more layoffs in the newsroom, leav-ing many employees uncertain of their job stability.

Many colleagues were still stop-ping at my desk for introductions when an investigative reporter ap-proached me and asked a question that I will probably never forget:

“You really want to go into jour-nalism at a time like this?”

I was alarmed. No one had ever questioned my aspirations — in good or bad times. I had an answer for her though: I am determined.

About 5,900 newspaper journal-ists lost their jobs in 2008, according to the American Society of Newspa-per Editors. It was the largest one-year employment decline in the his-tory of the ASNE census.

Young journalists have a serious obstacle to overcome. It’s almost like running in a relay race at a high school track meet. If your team-mates fall behind, you have to run faster and harder once you catch the baton.

Irvin Harrell, a recruiter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, said it plainly: Young journalists have a duty to re-invent journalism. He said we must explore ways to inform the public in fresh, captivating platforms. When the industry turns around, Harrell said, he will be looking for journalists who can produce stories in print, online and video formats.

He isn’t alone in his vision.The Columbia University Gradu-

ate School of Journalism received 44 percent more applications this year for the Master of Science journalism program. Leon Bras-well, director of admissions and fi-nancial aid at Columbia, credited the rise in applications to hungry young journalists looking to diver-sify their skills.

While I’m exploring ways to gain multimedia experience, so are thou-sands of other journalists across the nation.

I am determined to remain loyal to the passion I’ve had since 10th grade. Young journalists are the pi-oneers of this profession.

When veteran journalists say I should escape the dying industry, I’ll tell them it’s my job to keep it alive.

www.nabjconvention.org • Saturday, August 8, 2009 • the Monitor •9

By DioN raBouiNnabjconvention.org

Andrea Henderson had only been working for five months when she was laid off last fall from the Fort Bend Sun a small-town newspaper near Houston. Henderson has been making ends meet since then by freelancing and taking odd jobs, but that work has been scarce. “I lost my job, it was my first job out of college and I just thought, ‘What am I going to do next?’ ” said Hender-son, who was at the NABJ Career Fair on Friday waiting to talk to a recruiter. For many in the industry, Henderson’s story is all too familiar. Hundreds of journalists have lost their jobs as waves of layoffs, buy-outs and furloughs have been un-leashed without respite throughout the industry. But journalists of color are being hit harder than their coun-terparts, according to a survey from the American Society of Newspaper Editors, based in Reston, Va. The study showed that 5,900 news-room jobs were lost last year; 854 minorities departed, including 400 black journalists. It was the largest drop in all minority employment for journalism, according to the survey,

which began in 1998. Nadia Gedeon, president-elect of the Colorado Association of Black Journalists, thinks this problem is a byproduct of an even larger one that is being overlooked. “When you just look at the num-bers of African-Americans in the newsroom, it’s already such a small percentage of the work force, that when the companies do layoffs, it’s obviously going to look like more African-Americans are being laid off,” Gedeon said. “Our numbers are still not where they need to be in the newsroom, so when you do have these layoffs, we are going to be im-pacted.” Gedeon’s chapter is one that has been fighting a seemingly uphill battle to combat the state’s low mi-nority representation in the media. But the problem is certainly not isolated to Colorado. In addition to blacks having the highest rate of layoffs, the ASNE survey found that there are 458 newspapers that still do not employ any people of color. ASNE has fallen short of its 10-year plan to increase minority em-ployment in newsrooms by nearly 22 percent by 2009. ASNE President Charlotte Hall said in a news release that ASNE is committed to keeping newsroom di-

versity on the front burner, even in tough times. “The loss of journalists is a loss for democracy,” she said in the release. “The loss of people of color from our newsrooms is especially disturbing because our future depends on our ability to serve multicultural audi-ences.” As layoffs become a regular occur-rence in journalism, many believe the only option is for the entire indus-

try to change its approach. Gedeon said journalists of color must be ex-ceptionally qualified and versatile if they are going to survive. They must be invaluable, she said. “You want to make sure that you have everything you need to position yourself to do any need available,” Gedeon said. “We have to make sure we’re ready so that there’s not any excuse to look at you as a potential layoff.”

Jamel Lane, right, wCJB Tv20 news and irika sargent, left, wait in line during the naBJ convention job fair at the Tampa Convention Center on Thursday.

n e x T g e n e R a T i o n : Randi Crowder, a recent University of North Texas graduate, works on audio production.

Columnist Joe Davidson cov-ers the federal government for The Wash-ington Post.

TAMEkA R. FLOWERS /NABJCONVENTION.ORG

BREANA COPELAND/NABJCONVENTION.ORG

Employers look for versatile journalists

Journalists’ ages, skills key factors in digital divide

Career race, like any other, given to those who endure

c o l u m n

p e r s p e c t i v e

WWW.NABJCONVENTION.ORGFor New School and Old School box

10 • The Monitor • Saturday, August 8, 2009 • www.nabjconvention.org

It’s not just about cars.It’s also about helping people enrich the quality of life in their communities. That’s why we’re proud to support a wide range of organizations, schools and nonprofits that are opening doors and creating opportunites. Together, we can make a difference.

www.toyota.com/community

Can you namethe company?

This year, Across AmericaWe supported Junior Achievement with a $200,000 gift for financial-literacy education.

We contributed $125,000 to Feeding America and member food banks. We pledged $100,000 to furnish 20 teen recreation rooms for Boys & Girls Clubs.

We raised $269,908 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.We awarded $50,000 in scholarships to our customers, their children and children of our co-workers.

We surprised countless non-profit groups with donations of merchandise and funding.

And now in Tampa…We are pleased to provide computers, furnishings and TVs in support of the NABJ convention.

By CORINNE LYONSnabjconvention.org

After seven years of holding training camp in Orlando, Fla., the Tampa Bay Bucca-neers are moving to One Buccaneer Place. Located just off of West Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard

in Tampa, the 145,000-square-foot facility sits on 33 acres and has three full-length practice fields.

Some fans like the new location because it means more access to the team. On Tuesday, two groups brought children to take part in the training camp.

President Kim Walter of the Bulldog Little League in St. Petersburg, Fla., brought about 65 football players and cheerleaders for tips on improving their game.

Eric Riggins of All Pro Dads from South Brooksville, Fla., brought his students many of whom cheered throughout the prac-

tice. Their efforts paid off when players shook hands with fans after the session.

However, children aren’t the only people who get excited about Bucs football.

Brian O’Neil, a self-proclaimed “huge” Bucs fan, flew in with his wife from Connecti-cut just to see the training camp. “We come first for the players, then the cheerleaders,” said O’Neil. “[The cheerleaders] are nicer and more accessible.”

Returning home is not the only change the Bucs made this season. The team added first-round draft pick Josh Freeman to the roster.

Freeman, the 17th player taken in the 2009 NFL draft, said he took a crash course in being a quarterback in the NFL, but with seven-year veteran Byron Leftwich on the team, he has an additional mentor.

Leftwich says he doesn’t wait for players to come up to him but approaches them first.

“I know everything Freeman is going through on and off the field,” said Leftwich. “As a quarterback, it’s our duty to train the new guys. It’s what the Steve McNairs did to me.”

Homecoming a win for Buccaneer fans

JARRAD HENDERSON/NABJCONVENTION.ORG

Rookie quarterback Josh Freeman, center left, jokes with Bucs coach Alfredo Roberts, center right, on Monday.

Buccaneers quarterback Byron Leftwich floats a ball to the back of the end zone to a receiver.

By Jazmund Walker, Summer

Suleiman and Veronica WellSnabjconvention.org

It isn’t hard to figure out that Abdur’Rahim Abdullah is a news junkie.

Inside his barbershop in Tampa’s College Hill neighborhood, Abdullah has stacks of newspapers

scattered around his business that he and his clients read every day.

Though he likes to stay informed, he doesn’t always appreciate the coverage newspapers provide re-garding his community. And as me-dia outlets struggle to stay afloat in a down economy, readers say they wonder how it will affect what they already consider as limited coverage in their neighborhoods.

“Our neighborhoods are the most neglected neighborhoods,” said Abudullah, who owns Max Modern Barbershop.

He is not alone. Journalists say newsrooms have

abandoned some city coverage be-cause it is not popular with main-stream consumers. Members of these communities and some elected officials believe more must be done to insure that their neighborhoods are covered fairly.

In Abdullah’s shop, Reginald Mosley sat back in a chair for his weekly haircut. He said the media only comes to his neighborhood to cover bad news rather than report

stories about community rallies, volunteer programs and stories that focus on positive trends. He believes both sides need to be covered.

“The media can report positive stories but it doesn’t sell ... unless it’s something really big,” said Mosley, who works as a juvenile detention officer.

But not all agree with Mosley’s perspective, feeling the media is bal-

anced.Ana Maria Mendez, a community

relations manager at Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa, said she has no qualms with how the media covers stories in her community.

“I think the media is becom-ing more receptive,” Mendez said. “We’ve got real-life stories to tell, people who have never struggled before and now they are struggling.

“We’ve really seen the media step it up and want to cover those types of stories,” Mendez added.

Tampa City Council member Lin-da Saul-Sena said she has seen sce-narios where the media has covered the community fairly, but she also acknowledged there are times when certain neighborhoods have been neglected.

“Locally, our coverage tends to

focus on crime,” Sena said. “You say ‘murder’ and everyone knows what you’re talking about.”

Journalists also see both sides of the issue.

“We’re normally told what goes in the paper is what sells the pa-per,” said Naomi Patton, a city hall reporter for the Detroit Free Press. “The papers now are becoming a lot smaller and we don’t have space.”

NABJ presidential candidate An-gelo Henderson said the associa-tion can do a better job of teaching journalists to cover stories relevant to the inner city. He said more com-munity forums are needed to teach journalists how media coverage in urban communities work.

Despite cuts in newsrooms, some journalists believe it is their respon-sibility to take on the task of making sure urban communities are covered fairly.

“It is the stories of young men and young women that are living lives that may be different from the sub-urbs.” said Ken Knight, an online community producer for The Tampa Tribune. “It is those types of stories that people want to read about.”

No news bad newsis

LEFT Thomas Smith, 61, receives a haircut sans guard from 74-year-old Abdur’Rahim Abdullah at Abdullah’s Max Modern Barber Shop in Tampa on Thursday.

BELOW Abdur’Rahim Abdullah, tends to long-time patron Thomas Smith during one of Smith’s biweekly ap-pointments.

Sharon Robinson, daughter of legendary baseball player, Jackie Robinson, discusses her book “Testing the Ice: A True Story about Jackie Robinson”.

www.nabjconvention.org • Saturday, August 8, 2009 • The monitor • 11

inner-city residents say ‘hoods will lose with less coverage

PHOTOS TAKeN BY BAHIYJAuI ALLeN/NABJCONveNTION.ORg

TAYLAR BARRINgTON/NABJCONveNTION.ORg

By Veronica WellSnabjconvention.org

Nurse. Midwife. Major League Baseball consultant. These careers may seem completely unrelated, but they all appear on Sharon Robinson’s resume.

As the only daughter of baseball legend Jackie Robinson, who died in 1972, she is pur-suing one of her first passions: writing chil-dren’s books.

“Testing the Ice” illustrates Sharon Robin-son’s absolute favorite childhood memory of a man who most recognize as an American

hero, but who she knew as an attentive father. The book is slated for publication Oct. 1 by Scholastic Inc.

“I have a unique perspective of him, be-ing his only daughter,” said Sharon, 59, who divides her time between Apollo Beach, Fla., which is a Tampa suburb, and New York.

Although he was a four-time letterman at the university of California at Los Angeles, Jackie Robinson couldn’t swim. One winter’s day in the late 1950s when his kids and their friends wanted to ice skate, Robinson ven-tured out onto a frozen Connecticut lake and found himself on top of the ice. He told them they couldn’t skate until he tested the ice.

Sharon Robinson hopes her book illustrates

true courage and not the romanticized notion of courage being “the absence of fear.”

Jackie Robinson was courageous in the risks he took breaking into the major leagues, Sharon Robinson said, enduring verbal and physical abuse when people shouted epithets at him and threw things at him during games. He was also courageous in testing the ice, risking his life so that his children and their friends could skate, she said.

exploring several careers is something the younger and elder Robinson share. Jackie Robinson was not just a baseball player; after his retirement, he was analyst for ABC, a vice president for Chock Full o’Nuts, and a civil rights advocate.

Baseball giant’s daughter spreads father’s legacy

Peggy Peterman: One of a kind. One of our own.

Celebrating our commitment to the community for 125 years

Terra Cotta

Sand

Green (Palm)

Water

Gray

The National Association of Black Journalists 2009 Annual Convention and Career FairTampa Convention Center

The St. Petersburg Times salutes Peggy Peterman and her induction into the NABJ Hall of Fame.

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