Veteran Journalists and Diversity Experts Focus on Immigration and Migration Trends at Dec. 4 Think Tank

The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) continues its thought-provoking Journalism Education Series with a session dedicated to the impact of immigration and migration trends on business, labor, culture and government. Veteran journalists and diversity experts will discuss how the news media are changing in the context of today’s America during this idea-packed think tank session on Tuesday, Dec. 4, at 8:30 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency Miami. The SPJ Journalism Education Series is sponsored by Marketwire, a full-service newswire and communications workflow provider.

This dynamic, 90-minute think tank will arm public relations professionals and journalists communicating with communities across the country with the tools and techniques to excel in this dynamic environment. Award-winning reporter and writer Sally Lehrman will moderate the session and participate in the discussion featuring panelists Sergio Bendixen, who is recognized as the preeminent expert in Hispanic public opinion research in the United States and Latin America, and Alex Stepick, who has researched the impact of immigration on Miami for the past 20 years.

“Demographic changes are affecting Miami and neighborhoods across the United States. These changes are dramatically impacting how the news media covers the economy, lifestyles and government,” said Clint Brewer, SPJ national president. “The Journalism Education Series is designed to help the public understand how to effectively communicate with journalists. As their roles evolve, sessions like these are critical to developing messages that help the media do their jobs.”

The Dec. 4 think tank will explore:

– What it means to be “majority-minority” and who are Hispanics today,
as well as which media outlets are reaching the immigrant populations –
and the second and third-generation groups.
– How to create relevant and compelling communications that address
beats such as economics, politics, health, religion and schools.
– How to recognize and avoid unconscious language and imagery biases,
while fielding unexpected questions from journalists.

“Because Marketwire works with both journalists and communications professionals every day, we understand the issues they face in their jobs,” said Paolina Milana, vice president of marketing, Marketwire. “We’re in a unique position to facilitate the dialogue between them, and the Journalism Education Series is such an innovative medium for these think tanks. We’re honored to be able to work with SPJ to make this happen.”

SPJ’s Journalism Education Series is a first-of-its-kind initiative that aims to inform the general public about the core principles of good journalism, the standards under which respectable news organizations operate, and the challenges journalists often confront when gathering the news. SPJ is working exclusively with Marketwire within the newswire industry to help communication professionals, as well as community and civic groups, gain a better understanding of the tenets of responsible journalism and the profound importance of a free press. The series focuses on SPJ’s core missions, including the free flow of public information, journalism ethics, and the importance of diversity in the news-gathering process. Experienced journalists and experts in media ethics and media law devise the series’ curriculum and instruct all programs. Marketwire sponsors and presents the series to professionals working in investor, media and public relations, while SPJ delivers it.

For more details or to register for the Dec. 4 event, please visit the Journalism Education Series Web site at: www.spj.org/jes-form.asp.“*

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