Why the Idaho Press Club contest matters

By Betsy Russell

Each year, the Idaho Press Club sponsors our state's premier journalism contest, our annual Excellence in Journalism competition, in which entries from all media compete in various categories to be named, in this case, the "Best of 2007."

There are several reasons why this contest really does matter. One is that contest entry fees are the Press Club's largest funding source for our year-round operations, from our part-time executive director to … [Read more...]

It changes work, viewing, even makeup

By Joan Cartan-Hansen

Your old television set is a 4 by 3, 525-line marvel.  The screen is a basically a square. The quality of the picture and the sound has been acceptable, and the system of broadcasting an analog signal to a basic television worked well for decades.  However, this technology wasn't perfect.  If you made the picture bigger, it lost detail. The quality of analog television's audio was limited, and widescreen movies just didn't fit. In order to … [Read more...]

Press, PR folks examine relationship

By Melissa McGrath

The Idaho Press Club's Southwest Chapter attempted to answer an eternal question in the news industry:  How can ‘hacks' and ‘flacks' get along better in the course of doing their jobs?  The answer: It all comes down to relationships, according to a panel of journalists and public relations specialists.

The panel of six - three ‘hacks' and three ‘flacks' (who are all former reporters) discussed the issue at "The Hacks and Flacks Summit" on … [Read more...]

Sydney Sallabanks

By Shea Andersen

If you've noticed the new, snappier Idaho Press Club logo recently, or taken a gander at the club's refurbished Web site, you'll see the fingerprints of Sydney Sallabanks all over them.

Sallabanks, 41, joined the state board last year, and has wasted no time leaving a mark on the club. The Boise-based public-relations professional has brought a new level of energy to the club, and to the Southwest Chapter in particular.
With the ever-chatty Sallabanks hustling … [Read more...]

The eastern Idaho chapter of the Idaho Press Club on Jan. 25 hosted a talk and book-signing by John Byrne Cooke of Jackson, Wyo., author of "Reporting the War: Freedom of the Press from the American Revolution to the War on Terrorism."

The evening was held in the downstairs room of Vino Rosso, an Idaho Falls wine bar, starting with hors d'ouevres and socializing. Cooke, son of longtime BBC commentator Alistair Cooke, spoke about the critical importance of an informed populace to democracy, pointing to the Declaration of … [Read more...]

DAILY NEWSPAPER

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Now that the dust has settled from the layoffs, voluntary buyouts and subsequent rehirings at The Spokesman-Review, here's how things ended up in the Coeur d'Alene office: Erica Curless remained in Coeur d'Alene throughout, and is now a general assignment reporter. Taryn Hecker has returned to the Coeur d'Alene office and also is a general assignment reporter there. Becky Kramer, former Coeur d'Alene-based business reporter, is now the regional environmental reporter, still based … [Read more...]