Schedule & Session Descriptions

2:30-3:30 p.m.
Early arrivals' tour of the National Weather Center, northeast corner of SH 9 and Jenkins Ave. at 120 David L. Boren Blvd. in Norman, Okla. RSVP is required — April 7 deadline on this event only.

3 p.m.
Hotel check-in available at Marriott Residence Inn, I-35 and SH 9. Registration online at www.normanresidenceinn.com, using "socsoca" to get the $79 studio suite rate; "socsocb" for the $119 two-bedroom penthouse suite. Hotel offers free WiFi, complimentary hot breakfast. All suites feature a refrigerator/freezer, oven, dishes, dishwasher, microwave and coffee maker, expanded basic cable with HBO and a sofa bed in living room. Rates good until March 31.

5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Registration at the National Weather Center, 120 David L. Boren Blvd.

6 to 7 p.m.
Cocktail reception with cash bar, silent auction in the National Weather Center atrium. Winners of OU student art competition will be on display.

7 p.m.
Dinner featuring keynote speaker John Seigenthaler in the atrium of the National Weather Center. RSVP required, deadline March 31, $35.

Welcome and Super Session
Afghan 101:What's it like to report from the world's hot spots? These two University of Oklahoma professors talk about the risks and rewards of bringing the story home in global presentation you won't want to miss.
Speakers: ABC war correspondent Mike Boettcher, reporting live from Afghanistan, and Pulitzer Prize winner John Schmeltzer, formerly of the Chicago Tribune
Room: Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation Auditorium, Room 1140

Covering Violent Weather: What's the difference between a wall cloud and scud? Learn about the latest technology out there to predict where tornadoes will touch down in this fast-paced, information-packed workshop and how stormchasers in the field do their jobs to warn the public.
Speakers:
Mason Dunn, KWTV News 9 helicopter pilot and stormchaser
Hank Brown, KWTV News 9 stormchaser
Room 2025

Immigration in the Heartland: Get behind the story to produce meaningful stories on one of the hottest topics today — immigration and the legislation that's brewing in Oklahoma and Texas. Dr. Warren Vieth recaps an in-depth immigration project to help improve diversity reporting.
Speaker: Dr. Warren Vieth, University of Oklahoma professor and former Los Angeles Times capitol reporter
Room 2030

The Rise of Non-Profit Journalism: Is non-profit the way to go for investigative journalism? Non-profit journalism organizations and companies are sprouting throughout the United States, and Oklahoma and Texas are no exception. Hear from two non-profit journalism officials about how they have ventured down this path and potential job opportunities in the future.
Speakers: Tom Lindley, OklahomaWatch.org editor and former Oklahoman columnist
Matt Stiles, Texas Tribune
Moderator: Scott Cooper, TheLandRun.org
Room 2020

Open That Meeting: Having trouble getting elected officials and public bodies to obey open government laws? Want to know what are the latest tricks and trends government officials are using to deny access? What can be done about these problems? This session will feature two experts from Oklahoma and Texas on these important issues.
Speakers:
Dr. Joey Senat, Oklahoma State University professor, past president and blogger for FOI Oklahoma
Jennifer Peebles, deputy editor for Texas Watchdog.
Room 2020

Civic Journalism in a Global World
Speaker: Dr. Mitch Land, University of North Texas professor and interim dean
Room 2025

Count on It:  Finding Great Stories in the New Census Data: Results of the 2010 Census are being released bit by bit now through 2012. A former demographics reporter shows you how to mine the decennial count and other Census products to find great stories in your community. 
Speaker: Judy Gibbs Robinson, University of Oklahoma professor
Room 2030

Lunch in the Hall of Fame room, first floor

Region 8 Mark of Excellence Awards given out in Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation Auditorium

Keeping Up With Changes on the Tribal Reporting Beat: There's no doubt there are unique challenges when covering tribes. There is no guarantee of access or open records or open meetings. But some tribes are passing their own Freedom of Information tribal laws and becoming more transparent. Learn what's changing and how to cover tribal news.
Speakers: Media representative from the Cherokee Nation
Ziva Branstetter, Tulsa World city editor and projects editor
Room 2020

Get It Right: In the ever-challenging environment that is American journalism, how do you know if you are applying the best ethical decisions to your work? What is your ethical role as a journalist and how much critical thinking is needed to move toward a good decision? The newest journalism ethics book on the market happens to come from SPJ and the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation and it addresses all of these concerns. Several years in the making, the book includes 50 updated case studies and offers questions and guidelines for helping you handle many of those ethical decisions. This session will explore what it means to go beyond the Code of Ethics.
Speakers:
Dr. Mark Hanebutt, University of Central Oklahoma professor and attorney
Dr. Mitch Land, University of North Texas professor and interim dean, author of Contemporary Media Ethics."
Moderator: Kevin Smith, immediate past SPJ national president
Room 2025

So You Want To Write a Novel?: Doesn't every working reporter have a novel or non-fiction book languishing on their laptop or in the bottom drawer of their desk? Best-selling novelist, attorney and writing coach William Bernhardt will share some of his coaching secrets that have helped aspiring authors produce several books that debuted No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list.
Speaker: William Bernhardt, author most recently of Capitol Betrayal
Room 2030

Nuts and Bolts of Freelancing: How do you get the plum freelancing assignments? How do you find the right person to query? And how do you set up your business, manage your time and promote yourself to editors and directors? We'll have ideas and input for current and future freelance writers and editors.
Speakers:
Ben Fenwick: freelance writer for the New York Times, former reporter at the Tulsa World and Oklahoma Gazette.
Amy Shojai: Freelance writer for many national magazines, author of several books.
Rob Garibay: ActionCoach National Group Coach of the Year for 2010, based in Norman.
Moderator: Carol Cole-Frowe, freelance reporter for Agence France-Press, Oklahoma Gazette, OklahomaWatch.org, and several national publications and websites; formerly a writer/editor for The Associated Press and several daily newspapers.
Room 2020

Secrets of Pulitzer Prize-Winning Feature Writers: Want to know how some of the best reporters and writers in the country earned their Pulitzer Prizes? Dave Garlock has the secrets. The University of Texas journalism professor has written a book on this subject and updates his insights on the reporting and writing challenges and what made their stories exemplary.
Speaker: Dave Garlock, University of Texas senior lecturer and author of America's Best Writing: Pulitzer Prize Feature Stories (second edition.)
Room 2025

How Tweet It Is: Social media seems to change before our eyes. Here's the latest and greatest on what's cutting edge and how to stay up with it all. How do you build your own personal brand and how do you handle it when social media becomes part of your job?
Speakers:
Bill Handy, Oklahoma State University professor
Dave Rhea, multimedia producer, The Journal Record
Brandy McDonnell, Oklahoman entertainment writer and blogger
Moderator: M. Scott Carter, The Journal Record
Room 2030

SPJ Region 8 business meeting for chapter leaders, future leaders and members
Room 2030