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MnIndy editor in pecha-kucha panel tonight: ‘What is news now?’

admin — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:43:16 +0000

“What is news now?” The topic, complicated enough on its own, is one Minnesota Independent editor Paul Schmelzer will be addressing tonight at 7 p.m. at the Weisman Art Museum in Minneapolis — but with some limitations. Echoing the quick-hit world of blogs and Twitter, he’s been asked to do a pecha-kucha-style presentation on the topic: 20 slides, with only 20 seconds to explain each. Speeding through the terrain of social media, citizen journalism and radical transparency with him will be fellow panelists Chris Ison, a professor of journalism at the University of Minnesota and 1990 Pulitzer Prize winner, and artist Kathryn Refi. Nora Paul, director of the U’s Institute for New Media Studies, will moderate.

The night, part of the Weisman’s recurring WAM Chatter program, is presented in conjunction with its exhibition Au Courant: Robert Rauschenberg’s Currents, on view through October 4.

MnIndy’s Best: Top 10 photos of 2008

Paul Schmelzer — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 14:30:22 +0000

Doing online journalism on a shoestring budget means borrowing, buying and shooting our own photographs. With high-profile events in the Twin Cities this year, from the September Rage Against the Machine Concert in Minneapolis and RNC events in St. Paul to a particularly exciting election day, we hired some freelancers and fired up our own cameras, capturing some memorable and — dare we say — historic images. Our top 10:

10. Friends of Todd

When Sen. Norm Coleman and Todd (but not Sarah) Palin rallied in Duluth in October, an ardent supporter carried this curious sign, captured on film by Paul Demko.

9. Meter remade

A hacked parking meter, spotted by Steve Perry during the Republican National Convention in St. Paul.

8. Spraygun

RNC police breaking out high-powered pepper spray aerosol cans, photographed by Jeff Severns Guntzel.

7. Anti-RNC Everyman

Vermin Supreme, the most ubiquitous RNC protester, photographed by Molly Priesmeyer.

6. Why we vote?

A discarded newspaper, photographed by Paul Schmelzer outside a north Minneapolis polling place on Election Day, may offer a glimpse at voter motivations in 2008.

5. With Rage on-stage

An eerily lit shot of crowds at the September Rage Against the Machine concert, by Tony Nelson.

4. RNC onlookers

A pair of protesters watch an RNC demonstration go by, by Mike Dvorak.

3. Ready

A phalanx of riot police at the Republican National Convention, by Tim Roman.

2. Franken foregrounded

Senatorial candidate Al Franken speaks at an Oct. 21 rally at the University of Minnesota as a well-known supporter looks on. Photo by Andy Birkey.

1. Keith Smith (before photo)

Our top photo of the year, shot by Paul Demko, shows 17-year-old protester Keith Smith just hours before he was reportedly beaten by police at the Republican National Convention.

To see more Minnesota Independent photos, visit our Flickr site.

More of MnIndy’s Best:

Ten most popular stories of 2008

Minnesota Monitor’s Schmelzer wins a 2007 Premack Public Affairs Journalism Award

Robin Marty — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:06:17 +0000

In the first year the prestigious awards were open to all media types, Minnesota Monitor managing editor Paul Schmelzer won a 2007 Frank Premack Public Affairs Journalism Award, fittingly, for an essay on journalism and ethics in an online age.

The honor for “excellence in opinion journalism,” one of seven prizes awarded this year, recognized the piece “Who owns the J-word? Videoblogger’s Jailing Raises Questions for Journalists,” which chronicled the case of San Francisco’s Josh Wolf, who was jailed for 226 days after refusing to give law enforcement footage of a rally in which self-identified anarchists scuffled with police. To the ire of some in the field, Wolf argued that he’s a journalist and therefore covered by California’s “shield law,” which protects unnamed sources.

“This article was very timely — it raises important questions about a key piece of our democracy — the fourth estate,” wrote the Premack judges. “It asked ‘What is the future of journalism?’ and “What do we make of all these new voices?’”

Also receiving honors were: the Star Tribune newsroom for its team coverage of the 35-W collapse; The Rushford Tri-County Record for its coverage of the 2007 flood (when the paper was without a newsroom); the Rochester Post-Bulletin’s immigration series, “Broken Border”; Star Tribune reporter David Schaffer for his investigation of water contamination in Minneapolis; Kerry Ashmore of The Northeaster for an opinion piece on immigration; and veteran Pioneer Press writer Bill Salisbury, who was honored with the Graven Award for his 30+ years of political reporting at the state capitol. The 31st annual Premack awards, administered by the Minnesota Journalism Center, will be awarded at a ceremony April 29 on the University of Minnesota campus.