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Welcome to the 2001 AAJA Seattle news archive.
AAJA Seattle/SPJ holiday bowling party AAJA Seattle/SPJ holiday bowling party
It was billed as "disco bowling" at the Highline Lanes. Margot Kim (KIRO-TV), Susan Han (KCTS-TV) and Gorman Wong joined the fashion show with bright fluorescent shoes. SPJ-er Steve Maynard impressed everyone by bowling 150-plus each game.
The music was definitely too loud, but Louis Watanabe mused--it really makes you forget your troubles!
Chapter elects new presidents: Ho, Jung
Vanessa Ho (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) and Mimi Jung (KING-TV) will take over the co-presidency from Elisa Hahn (KING/5) and Phuong Le (Seattle Post-Intelligencer).
Ho recently spent several weeks on a fellowship to China, where she explored the roots of illegal smuggling of immigrants to U.S. ports. Jung, a Puyallup native, arrived at KING/5 via Las Vegas and Syracuse.
Chapter members re-elected Janet Tu (The Seattle Times) as national board representative. Rita Wong (The Seattle Times) will return as treasurer and Lori Matsukawa (KING/5) will return as secretary. Former co-president Phuong Le (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) will be the new vice-president of membership.
AAJA Seattle presents award to Mary Woodward
Seattle chapter co-president Phuong Le described the award's significance; chapter secretary Lori Matsukawa read Walt's "Dear Lazybones" letter, to the delight of the audience (it was originally written to "camp correspondent" Paul Ohtaki, who often missed his deadlines and eventually just sent copies of the Manzanar Free Press instead of his gossip column).
But the most emotional part of the program was Cathy Kiyomura's heartfelt thanks to the Woodwards for "giving a voice to the voiceless." Kiyomura showed the audience her family's Minidoka yearbook--and recited the names of her family members who resided in a block house there during the war years. "The Woodwards gave them hope," Kiyomura said.
The presentation came two days after Bainbridge Islanders held a walk against hate--protesting racist vandalism at a local cemetery. Mayor Sutton said it meant a lot to him and the community for the public to witness and remember the Woodwards' actions. Among the audience, former internees, the former editor of the Bainbridge Review and chapter member and resident Clarence Moriwaki.
Chapter offers "Access to Media" workshop
There were three workshops offered. The day began with a panel on "What is news and what makes news?" Then, the
workshop looked at how to pitch stories to journalists. Finally, in the afternoon, participants talked
about "Keeping the Faith" in an open forum, as media consultants helped organizations shaped their messages and strategy.
This AAJA Seattle workshop was made possible through generous support from
KING-TV, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, The Seattle Times, Harris & Smith
Public Affairs and Northwest Asian Weekly.
Chapter co-sponsors Shimabukuro reading
Former International Examiner editor, woodwork artisan and now author Bob
Shimabukuro read from his new book, "Born in Seattle: The Campaign for
Japanese-American Redress" (University of Washington Press).
Shimabukuro says one of the most difficult things about writing the book was
the modesty of the participants. "They always downplayed their role and told me,
'Oh, you've gotta interview so and so.'"
Another challenge was many of the redress pioneers have since died or are
unable to remember those events. The project took two years and received grants
from the Civil Liberties Public Education Fund, the Seattle Chapter of JACL, the
Minoru Masuda Memorial Foundation, the National JACL Legacy Fund and the
Washington Coalition on Redress.
Last Dim Sum Saturday of 2001
Han Shares Fellowship Stories
18 strangers, 5 European cities, 3.5 weeks. All expenses paid.
Nope, not a new reality series, but an incredible opportunity to better understand Europe by experiencing it with a group of young (defined as 28-40 years old) Americans. This should have been a no-brainer, but when I was nominated for this "Young Leaders" fellowship, I actually grappled with whether to take a month off to pursue this. I'm so glad I did.
Arriving in Europe days before President George W. Bush's first European trip, I found that we often heard conflicting assessments of the importance of his visit and the future of U.S.-European relations. In Brussels, NATO Secretary-General Lord George Robertson met our group briefly (boy, that was cool) and emphasized the significance of continued U.S. military involvement in NATO and Europe. Many European journalists I talked with disagreed, saying European leaders are looking inward, with an eye on enlarging the European Union to become a rival superpower on par with the United States.
A common theme as I traveled to Copenhagen, Marseille, Warsaw and Berlin was the struggle posed by immigration. In Copenhagen, it was the Turks; in Marseille and Berlin, it was the Africans. In Warsaw, there still remained a "Jewish Question." And everywhere, people talked about the problem with the Roma. Free movement throughout most of Europe is now possible with the 1995 EU Schengen Treaty, but there is growing resentment that illegal immigrants are exploiting the liberal welfare policies offered by most developed European societies. Even for the legal immigrants, the challenges are heartbreaking. We met a dynamic first-generation Pakistani woman, the first minority broadcaster on Danish television, and learned about the high price paid by immigrants trying to fit in yet preserve their cultures.
From the perspective of a journalist, this trip was very helpful in dispelling some oversimplified notions I had about Europe. At Auschwitz, Poland, I gradually understood why the Poles did not seem to mourn (more) the systematic elimination of the Jews there. It turns out while 3 million Jews died in Poland, 3 million Poles were killed as well. This is not a valid excuse but does help explain why the Polish people did not do more for the Jewish population after the war.
All told, this whirlwind adventure was fantastic, exhausting and very educational. Those 18 strangers are now friends for life, and part of a growing network of American professionals who have had a chance to experience Europe in a profound way. I highly recommend this program, and you can learn more about it at www.gmfus.org
Gomes Describes Convention TV Project
I graduated from USC with a degree in broadcast journalism, but I can't
think of a week in college more fulfilling and challenging than the week
at AAJA. The project paired me with professional reporters and
photographers assigned to shadow me as I chased a story through the
streets of San Francisco. I felt like I graduated from student to
professional: I set-up interviews. I told the photographer the video I
wanted. I logged the interviews, wrote the story, and sat with the
photographer as I explained how I wanted the piece edited. Along the way,
the mentors acted as a safety net--asking follow-up questions I missed,
suggesting alternate story angles, critiquing my writing.
The project is sponsored by AAJA, and I am part Asian, but the mentoring
by the student project and other professional journalists transcends
ethnic boundaries. Because the proverbial eject/reject button can be so
discouraging, it is unbelievably supportive to have professionals stand
behind you and say, "You can be a journalist, too. I've been doing this
for 20 years and I know you have what it takes to be successful."
I don't know how the experience will help my career 20 years from now. To
use a cliché (which my J-school taught NEVER to do), "Only time will tell."
I can tell you that I found the experience encouraging, invigorating, and
an incredibly motivating as a young journalist. I am actively searching
for my first job, and I'm optomistic about finding one. Please call if
you know of any openings.
Founders' Scholarship Recipient Describes Trip
Because I was a recipient of the Founder's Scholarship from of the AAJA Seattle Chapter I was able to attend my first AAJA Convention. At the conference I had two main goals: to find a job and to add to my knowledge of television news reporting.
Before arriving at the convention, I was filled with a little bit of nervousness and excitement at the same time. But once I arrived, I found that there were so many activities to choose from at the conference. One of the first workshop/panels I chose to attend was about making your news reporting more vivid and interesting. Other workshops/panels I attended include broadcast and tech reporting, consumer investigations, and how to go from fear to finesse in front of the camera.
First I noticed that there are more Asian American's pursing a career or already have a career in a media related field than I ever thought there was. Second, in the "fear to finesse" panel, it really became apparent to me that there is a disparity between the amount of Asian American men and Asian American women in television broadcasting. Of the 100 or so people in the room, about six or seven were men. I had been aware of the disparity, but to see it in person is more of a shock.
The job fair was fantastic! The opportunity to browse the aisles and find a potential employer made searching for a job much easier. I found that most of the recruiters at the job fair were giving valuable feedback and critiques.
Overall I found my experience at the AAJA National Convention a positive one. I ended up doing all the things that I had heard was possible at the conventions: learn, make connections, enjoy the city, and get leads for a possible first job. Because of this experience, I definitely look forward to attending next year's convention.
Post-convention note: Wilson Chow's first broadcast job will be as a news reporter at KEPR in Pasco, Washington.
Chapter Heads to the Bay For National Convention
Seattle chapter members Frank Abe ("Conscience and the Constitution") and Josephine Cheng (KING/5) received national AAJA awards.
Meanwhile, the Seattle chapter sent its first Founders' Scholarship recipient Wilson Chow to the convention.
Students Anthony Gomes (Seattle) and Thanh Tan (Olympia) participated in student projects.
Also at this year's convention, the national AAJA Lifetime Achievement Award was given posthumously to Bainbridge Publisher Walt Woodward, who was nominated by the Seattle chapter for being the only West Coast newspaper publishers to take a stand against interment of Japanese Americans during World War II.
AAJA Members Walk For Rice
Woodward Wins AAJA National Award
Walt Woodward and his wife Milly were recognized posthumously for being the only West Coast newspaper publishers to take a stand against interment of Japanese Americans during World War II. At the AAJA national convention's gala banquet, Paul Ohtaki accepted the award on the Woodwards' behalf. Ohtaki, formerly of Bainbridge Island and now a resident of San Francisco, was one of Woodward's "internment camp correspondents." The Woodwards used camp correspondents to file weekly dispatches to keep those who stayed behind connected with those who left--thus easing the return of interned families. In accepting the award, Ohtaki gave a moving speech, describing the Woodwards' courageous stand and sharing stories of how Walt Woodward motivated his camp correspondents. Walt Woodward inspired the Art Chambers news editor character in "Snow Falling on Cedars" which was set on a Puget Sound island during the war years. The Seattle AAJA chapter originally nominated the Woodwards in 2000. The Woodwards were selected after Seattle Chapter member Lori Matsukawa nominated them for a second time, though Walt Woodward passed away in spring of 2001--just months before the Special Recognition Award was presented.
NJC Awards Five Scholarships
The 2001 winners are:
Guillen's scholarship is the "Walt and Milly Woodward Memorial Scholarship" donated by the Society of Professional
Journalists, Western Washington Chapter, in memory of the former publishers of the Bainbridge Review who editorialized against the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II.
The Northwest Journalists of Color scholarship program provides a financial grant of up to $1,000 to Washington high school and college students seeking careers in journalism. NJC's goal is to help motivated Asian American, African American, Native American and Latino students become journalists. Applicants must be enrolled in accredited colleges or universities (not necessarily in Washington state) or in their senior year at a Washington state high school. Past winners of NJC scholarships are eligible to apply. Since 1986, NJC has awarded more than $57,000 in scholarships to deserving high school and college students. Winners are selected based on journalistic ability, commitment to the profession, desire to improve the media and financial need.
Ishisaka Helps Launch New Magazine
It's called ColorsNW an impressive journal with high quality photos and a crisp, clear layout. Editor in chief, Naomi Ishisaka is an AAJA member, former copy
editor at the Seattle Times , and (going way back!) a winner of a Northwest Journalists of Color scholarship while a student at The Evergreen State College. Publisher and CEO Robert Jeffrey, Jr.and Communications Director Minty Jeffrey hope the publication will create understanding among different ethnic groups. "For instance, people of color don't know what the issues of other communities of color are, what's important to each of us, what's going on, what are our struggles and our prides," says Minty
Jeffrey. Ishisaka also sees the magazine as a news source for those outside ethnic communities. "We can educate the larger white community about issues that pertain to our communities. (Our coverage is) totally across the board, with the caveat that it pertains to communities of color in the Northwest." The diverse staff have previous professional journalism experience, with a majority coming from The Seattle Times. The magazine also has an advisory board of community leaders and elders.
AAJA's Brian Chin Reports on ELP Experience
We were, I have been told, one of the more diverse groups to go through ELP--from all ethnicities, varied in age and
background, more men than women. However, we had one thing in common--None of us quite knew what to expect. For five days, we heard from seasoned corporate trainers and experienced media professionals who had climbed the ladder. The list of luminaries included Peter Bhatia, executive editor of The Oregonian; Milton Coleman, deputy managing editor of The Washington Post; Marcy McGinnis, vice president of news coverage for CBS News; J.D. Yokoyama and Glenn Kawafuchi, from Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics; Dinah Eng, from AAJA's national office; and legendary trainer Ron Brown. Under their tutelage, we learned about various aspects of leadership. We examined how our Asian Pacific American cultural values can inadvertantly affect how others perceive us in the workplace -- and how to overcome the obstacles those perceptions might create. We learned techniques for coping with racism. We heard stories about how others had made it to the top and explored ways to take charge of our careers. We also looked at how to successfully balance work with our lives outside of work. We learned more about ourselves even as we were getting to know one another. We worked together, we networked, we went out on the town but most importantly, we became friends. It's hard to sum up neatly everything I learned at ELP but I think that everyone in my class would agree that we gained valuable insights into leadership, into how to get ahead, and into what's important to us as individuals and as Asian Americans. None of us see the world, or ourselves, quite the way we did before ELP. And a note to other ELP alumni out there: Emily Tsao at The Oregonian is trying to organize a get-together for ELP grads from the Seattle and Portland chapters in late June. If you're interested, please contact her at 503-294-5968 or e-mail Emily Tsao.
Brian Chin is senior producer of new media at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. P-I assistant metro editor John Iwasaki was also a member of this ELP class.
Springtime Honors for AAJA members
Robert Mak also looked great in a tuxedo accepting the USC Annenberg - Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Broadcast TV Political Journalism. The award honors television networks, local television stations and individuals for political coverage which excelled at informing viewers about their electoral choices in 2000. The dinner program held in Washington D.C. on April 20th featured Walter Cronkite; Katharine Graham (The Washington Post) and television pioneer and philanthropist Norman Lear.
Honors for Iritani, Woon
Congratulations to Pamela Woon, a field producer at KOMO TV who represented Seattle in the Miss Chinatown USA contest and won the title!
Luu Moves to Urbanasian.com
National Board Faces Ethical Question
April 2001--I'd like to solicit thoughts from Seattle chapter members on a few things the National Board discussed at its spring meeting in March:
The board is taking a hard look at its policies and programming. We plan to come out with policy guidelines this summer on what non-media moneys AAJA - both on a national and chapter level - can take. Currently, our guidelines only prevent us from taking money from tobacco companies and foreign governments. Those of us on the policy committee have agreed that we DO need to take non-media money, in order to continue offering the same level of services. But we need to draft guidelines on who we can/cannot take money from and for what purpose. For instance, we had an auto company that wanted to sponsor the scholarship banquet with the stipulation that their car be displayed in the banquet room. We said no. In another case, an HMO wanted to sponsor a workshop on health-care reporting. We turned that down. But, at last year's convention, we accepted another car company's sponsorship of the closing-night party at Tavern on the Green, and allowed their cars to be displayed at the party. Where do we, as a nonprofit organization but one composed of journalists, stand on these issues?
What services does AAJA currently offer that are particularly beneficial to you and what does it not offer that you would like to see? There was a clamor to revive the national mentorship program for mid-career professionals - a currently inactive AAJA program. What else would you like to see?
The board is considering having National AAJA pay for travel for all governing board members (11 people) to board meetings. (There are four meetings per year.) What are your thoughts on this? I'm torn. On the one hand, I don't like the idea of having members' dues go toward paying travel for a select group of people, as opposed to programs to benefit the membership at large. On the other hand, these are the people that have been elected to work for the membership, and the board meetings are work. I'm told that other journalist organizations like NABJ pay for their board members' travel. And this could allow more people to serve (i.e. those who currently don't have the opportunity to serve because their company and/or local chapter won't help sponsor them.). Very rough estimates of the cost range from $30,000 to $50,000 a year.
Moriwaki, Aoki on the Move
Lori Aoki joins Harris and Smith Public Affairs in downtown Seattle as communications manager.
Ng, Wong, Matsukawa, Gan Honored
Congratulations to Mimi Gan (KING-TV Evening Magazine) who has won two esteemed 1st Place-Gracie Allen Awards from the Foundation of American Women in Radio and Television.
Two Perspectives on The Seattle Strike
By Mei-Mei Chan
At 2 a.m. on Nov. 21, 2000, it was official: About 900 employees supporting the Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild were on strike against The Seattle Times.
The intent was to paralyze the company during the critical holiday period, forcing rapid concessions. Instead, The Seattle Times continued to print and deliver full distribution from day one, possibly the company to do so under such conditions, (Under a joint operating agreement, The Seattle Times Company
handles all business operations for the Hearst-owned Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Forty-nine days later - after millions of dollars in lost revenue and additional expense, after a reader and advertising boycott that hurt circulation - the Guild voted on Jan. 8 to accept a new contract with The Seattle Times.
Among the reasons asserted by Guild leadership: wage minimums; zone reporter and photographer pay; workers in the lowest classifications; "respect"; and successive "poor" contracts that included a performance pay system.
The management of The Seattle Times believes the driving force for the strike was inter-union politics and national agendas. Being a locally owned newspaper in a labor-friendly community made high profile by 1999's World Trade Organization riots may have factored into an assessment of the company's vulnerability to a strike. The Seattle
Times has long held a reputation as an employee-friendly workplace. It is a leader for its package of benefits; its wages are fair and competitive.
More than 90 percent of union-represented employees earn more than contract rates due to incentives and performance pay. Many strikers specifically said the strike wasn't about them, that they were happy with their jobs and pay.
However, there obviously was discontent among some employees, undoubtedly related to the tremendous changes in the company in recent years, from new computer technology to converting to morning publication in March 2000. Fortunately, the majority of Teamster-represented employees did not honor the Guild strike. In all, 11 of 15 bargaining units continued to work, representing nearly 1,000 union employees. About 25 percent of the 812 Seattle Times Guild employees crossed picket lines. Instead of only 650 as feared, nearly 1,800 employees worked to produce and distribute the papers.
The size of the papers increased rapidly; deadlines were shifted later. By the second Sunday, the paper was 112 pages and included all advertiser inserts.
The Seattle Times likely is the only newspaper to increase newsprint during a strike: single copy "sales" doubled during the period of free distribution. That particular, costly decision was made to maintain the vital connection with readers and other stakeholders during the turbulent period.
In mid-December, after the Guild canceled a contract vote
- for the second time and said that settlement any time soon was unlikely, The Seattle Times decided it had to move forward. The company had no choice but to begin hiring permanent replacements to begin relieving the pressure on the working staff and to begin rebuilding to preserve the business. This reluctant decision became the final stumbling block to an agreement.
The Seattle Times continued to negotiate in good faith, and, I with the help of U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and federal mediator C. Richard Barnes, reached agreement on Jan. 4, 2001. On Jan. 8, the Guild voted 359 to 116 for the contract, which was similar to that approved 88 to 29 by
Post-Intelligencer employees on Dec. 28. The Seattle Times' final wage offer - $3.30 over six years -- was the same as before the strike and the same as other company contracts recently ratified. The offer contained some changes in medical benefits and to a few job classifications that the Guild had sought. The company lost hard-earned circulation and revenue during the most important time of the year. The damage to The Seattle Times, financial stability requires reduced expenses, cuts in staffing and scaled-back aspirations.
There were a few silver linings. New processes and efficiencies found by necessity. Managers learning about the front-line firsthand. Bonds forged across the company. A new publishing system implemented in weeks instead of months. Rebuilding and healing has begun. But it will be a long, often difficult process. The goal is to put the past behind and move boldly toward the future.
That can best be accomplished by building on common ground, the same driving core values The Seattle Times has always had, which include maximizing workplace satisfaction and serving the community through quality journalism.
By Naomi Ishisaka
In a union, the strike is the tool of last resort. To use it creates hardship for all sides - most of all for the workers, whose livelihoods and job security are at stake.
On Nov. 21, about 1,000 Newspaper Guild members at The Seattle Times and Post-Intelligencer were at the last resort, Months of negotiations had proved fruitless. They voted overwhelmingly to go on strike. The issues had festered for more than a decade.
There was a time, old-timers at the papers say, when the Times and P-I were known for being generous employers. Pay increases that kept up with the cost-of-living were bargained with the union with little difficulty. The employers were seen as fair and generous benefits.
In the late 1980s, the Times changed the labor-management landscape. They rejected the principle of cost-of-living increases and instead
instituted an "incentive pay" system that they said would allow employees the opportunity to earn more.
Another issue for Guild members was the Times' system of paying 15 percent less to reporters and photographers in the bureaus. Despite using their stories in all areas of the payer, the company said during bargaining that the workers in the bureaus were essentially 15 percent less qualified than their downtown counterparts. This disparity was one of the most offensive issues for newsroom workers.
But underlying the dissatisfaction about the specifics of the contract proposals was a deep feeling of disrespect from the Times and its joined-at-the-hip business partner, the P-I.
For years, contract bargaining at The Seattle Times was simple. The company would put a proposal on the table and say, "Take it or leave it." This year was no different. Despite months of discussion on the proposals and the frustration of the members, the economics of the
proposal on the table before we struck was essentially the same as when bargaining started.
The members said with this contract, "We must break their latest pattern." We said that no longer would we have our livelihoods dictated by a union that didn't represent us. We said we wanted to be treated with respect at the bargaining table and bargain our own wages and
work conditions.
People often ask, "What did you gain from the strike?" The answer can't be measured in dollars and cents.
For many, the strike was a period of accelerated personal growth and a life-changing, character-building experience. They learned that when their principles were tested, they could rise to the occasion. They learned that the value of standing up for themselves and others outweighs the personal sacrifices.
In the strike we also gained the support of the community. Octogenarians picketed with us; longshoremen cooked us pancakes on the line; a disabled press operator on a fixed income donated $200; a homeless man gave a P-I striker $1; hundreds honked their support while we stood in the rain.
From the strike, we also learned how to be a union. Journalists who had never been involved in activism or labor were thrust into the spotlight and given a crash course in partisanship. Some who had been unsure of where they stood at the beginning became the most stalwart strikers and urged others to stay strong.
After 38 days, P-I members ended their strike and returned to work. Times members, responding to an egregious back-to-work proposal that had strikers waiting to return indefinitely, settled after 49 days.
The union and the community hope that the Times will emerge as a home for good journalism and good labor relations. The union has committed to help boost circulation once the permanent replacements are out of the building.
Rebuilding the company will take time and a commitment to really listen to the concerns of workers.
AAJA Seattle Offers Journalists' Financial Workshop
Wing Luke Presents Works of Tamura, Samaniego, Lee
AAJA Members on Both Sides of Strike
The Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild, which represents about 1,000 newsroom, circulation and advertising staff at the two papers, announced the strike in November 2000, after contract negotiations failed. Members of AAJA Seattle found themselves on both sides of the dispute. Managers continued producing the Times and P-I, while reporters, photographers and copy editors were on the picket lines. Many members contributed to the Union Record, a paper produced by the Guild during the strike. The final six-year contract accepted by the union includes salary increases averaging 55 cents a year. While the financial package is not much different than the company’s original proposal, The Seattle Times agreed to phase-out the lower wage scale for suburban zone reporters. The company also agrees to contribute more to the cost of health care premiums. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer settled its strike first and about a hundred P-I employees returned to their newsroom in early January. The Times strike ended only after back-to-work issues were settled. Times union members were assured they would be called back to work, although not all employees would be called back immediately. The Times is also planning to trim its staff, which could result in layoffs.
AAJA Seattle
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December, 2001--This year's annual holiday event with the local chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists was a bit unusual--it was held at a bowling alley.