Partnership of the City, Polytechnic Institute of NYU and Columbia University Will Connect Media Companies with Academic Institutions and Drive Independent Technology Research

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today launched NYC Media Lab, a new initiative to promote innovation within New York City’s media industry. The new laboratory – a consortium of the New York City Economic Development Corporation, Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly) and Columbia University – will drive new technology research and connect companies looking to advance new media technologies with local academic institutions undertaking related research. NYC Media Lab builds on models established at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University and is the nation’s first government-supported laboratory for media innovation. It will be housed within the NYU Polytechnic Institute campus in Downtown Brooklyn. Mayor Bloomberg made the announcement at the Wired “Disruptive by Design” conference held at the Morgan Library and Museum, where he was joined by New York City Economic Development Corporation President Seth W. Pinsky, NYU-Poly Provost Dianne Rekow, Columbia University Vice President for Intellectual Property & Technology Transfer Orin Herskowitz, and AOL Chairman and CEO Tim Armstrong, an advisor to the City’s MediaNYC 2020 initiative.

“Many of New York City’s 100 universities and colleges are conducting new media-related research within areas that the City’s 10,000 media companies are looking to expand, but all too often that connection is made slowly or never at all. The NYC Media Lab will bring these two forces together,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “And by sponsoring its own independent research driven by private sector interests, the NYC Media Lab will further establish the City as a center for next-generation media research and commercial development.”

New York City Economic Development Corporation will provide $250,000 to establish NYC Media Lab, which will be located in Downtown Brooklyn at the NYU-Poly Center for Advanced Technology in Telecommunications and Distributed Information Systems. During its inaugural year it will host a minimum of 10 roundtable discussions between the private sector and academic institutions on topics ranging from technology innovation to business model redesign to legal issues. NYC Media Lab will host its first roundtable discussion this summer, focusing on the future of online and mobile video. The event, sponsored by WPP, the world’s largest communications services group, will bring together senior product and strategy leaders from across WPP’s portfolio of companies with faculty experts from Columbia, New York University and its Polytechnic Institute, who are currently engaged in research on the topic.

NYC Media Lab will connect private-sector businesses with research already underway, and develop collaborative research projects on topics vital to the City’s media industry such as: next generation search technologies; content format for digital mobile content; computer animation for film and gaming; emerging marketing techniques; and new devices currently in development that may affect content distribution. In addition, the NYC Media Lab will create a media research and development database comprised of university faculty; experts from corporations, not-for-profit research institutions, and R&D facilities throughout New York City; as well as contribute its own expertise to research currently being undertaken by the City’s academic institutions. It will also provide educational and networking services.

NYU-Poly will be responsible for management and operations of the NYC Media Lab, and Columbia University will coordinate involvement of its research faculty and faculty at other area institutions, and may contribute space for NYC Media Lab events. Divisions from area universities including New York University, the City University of New York, The New School, and Fordham University will be engaged to participate in the NYC Media Lab. And NYC Media Lab will develop a sponsorship and partnership structure to enable outside institutions to join the initiative. The NYC Media Lab will seek additional sponsors and members to support the expansion of its activities. Those looking for more information about NYC Media Lab can visit www.NYCMediaLab.org.

“The speed at which technology is evolving today means that our City’s academic researchers and media companies must work together to make sure that New York remains at the forefront of innovation,” said NYCEDC President Seth W. Pinsky. “By establishing this new Media Lab to facilitate these interactions, we increase the chances that the next great technology company will grow and thrive here, as opposed to Silicon Valley or elsewhere.”

“As technology and media increasingly converge, collaboration is essential to researching and identifying the best new IT solutions for New Yorkers,” said Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications Commissioner Carole Post. “The NYC Media Lab will provide the City valuable insights as it seeks to leverage academic and private sector expertise to address public sector issues.”

“NYU-Poly eagerly accepts the challenge to work with Mayor Bloomberg and New York City Economic Development Corporation to create the NYC Media Lab,” said President Jerry M. Hultin. “The NYC Media Lab is a prime example of academic entrepreneurship, a concept that we at NYU-Poly refer to as i-squared-e: invention, innovation and entrepreneurship. The NYC Media Lab will demonstrate that a university’s great ideas need not live only in laboratories but in the real world. The powerful combination of technology push from academia and market place pull from the City’s media leaders will transfer great research breakthroughs into new commercial products and processes.”

“Columbia enthusiastically embraced the challenge by Mayor Bloomberg and the City to join with our peer universities in New York on the MediaNYC 2020 task force,” said Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger. “With a Journalism School that trains leaders in the field, an Engineering School that helped develop FM radio, lasers and MPEG technology, and a Business School that is tackling the challenges of a changing media industry, we look forward to contributing a wide range of our intellectual capital to the NYC Media Lab. We share with the Mayor the firm belief that even in the most digital, disaggregated economy, New York City has unique advantages in creating a vibrant, entrepreneurial community where the next generation of media innovation can thrive.”

New York City is home to more than 100 colleges and universities, including nine academic research institutions that annually create over 600 inventions, produce nearly 200 new licenses and options, and generate over $500 million in licensing revenue. The City’s media sector employs more than 300,000 people and produces $30 billion in annual revenue. It also has a significant concentration of startups, many of which are in the new media sub-sector that is expected to expand significantly in the near term, with annual growth rates potentially surpassing 35 percent. Several of the City’s academic institutions currently undertake research on topics of interest to this sector; however, there has not been a facilitator to bring that research together with interested businesses. Many corporations at the intersection of media and technology, including WPP and AOL, are looking for ways to reach an expanding consumer base – including through expanded content distribution and hyper-local coverage – that may be supported by research currently being undertaken in New York City.

“New York City is the media capital of the world and today’s announcement by Mayor Bloomberg will ensure that it keeps that title as this industry continues to evolve and innovate,” said AOL Chairman and CEO Tim Armstrong. “The creation of the NYC Media Lab is the perfect collaboration between the private and public sectors and academia to realize the potential of homegrown innovations in this space. At AOL, we recognize the talent, resources and entrepreneurial spirit that’s alive here in New York. Earlier this year, we launched our own New York Technology Center with a goal of bringing more engineering into the content business – and making the Internet even more useful than it is today. We’re delighted to join with the Mayor on this announcement and look forward to working with the consortium on the Lab.”

NYC Media Lab will build upon initiatives already launched by the City to foster the creation of new media businesses and technologies and develop and train the sector’s workforce. These include: a network of business incubators for startup companies; the release of City data for software developers and programmers to create digital mobile applications; a seed and early-stage investment fund for technology businesses; a series of workshops to assist startups and small businesses in applying for City IT Contracts and federal research grants; and JumpStart and FastTrac programs to provide support to entrepreneurs launching or growing businesses in New York City.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Stu Loeser/Andrew Brent   (212) 788-2958

David Lombino/Libby Langsdorf (Economic Development Corp.)   (212) 312-3523

Kathleen Hamilton (NYU Polytechnic Institute)   (718) 260-3792

Holly Evarts (Columbia University)   (212) 854-3206

He promises his sessions, like his tweets, will most likely be: * helpful * useful * informative * relevant * practical * actionable * entertaining * fun * occasionally funny

==> You can track his workshops at http://bit.ly/workshops and/or ask him to add you to his monthly tech tips & tricks mailing list: sree@sree.net

NEW YORK CITY:
Wed, June 2, 6:45-9:45 pm, NYC: Mediabistro workshop at Chinatown YMCA: BASIC Social Networking for Media Professionals – register here – USE THIS DISCOUNT CODE, SREE25 – save 25% on the class price: http://bit.ly/sreemb6
(this is the basic session; the advanced one is June 30; you can attend, one or both)

Wed, June 30, 6:45-9:45 pm, NYC: Mediabistro workshop at Chinatown YMCA: ADVANCED Social Networking for Media Professionals – register here – USE THIS DISCOUNT CODE, SREE25 – save 25% on the class price: http://bit.ly/sreemb7 Note: Sree will be joined by Soraya Darabi, a socmedia star who has more than 400,000 followers. (this is the advance session; the basic one is June 2; you can attend, one or both)

CHICAGO:
Thurs, June 17, 6-8 pm: A FREE intermediate/advanced social media workshop, hosted by Chicago chapters of SAJA & AAJA at Bloomberg Chicago bureau. Limited seating so please RSVP only if you can make it. Details: http://bit.ly/sreechi

BOSTON:
Thursday, June 24, 6:30-8:30 pm, Cambridge: FREE social media workshop at Cambridge Marriott. Limited seats available for outsiders – if you’d like to attend, e-mail sree@sree.net

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND:
Monday, June 7: 1-2:30 pm: FREE social media workshop at the Providence Journal. Limited seats available for outsiders – if you’d like to attend, e-mail sree@sree.net

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SOME RECENT ARTICLES ABOUT SREE’S WORK IN SOCMEDIA

NEW YORK OBSERVER: The Twitter Tutor – http://sree.ly/sreenyo

MEDIABISTRO: So, What Do You Do, Sree Sreenivasan?
http://bit.ly/sreembprofile

HUFFINGTON POST: Sree Sreenivasan on Using Social Media For Better Journalism -
http://bit.ly/sreehuffpo

LEAP (Sarah Davidson’s blog): Tweet or Die http://bit.ly/9unBJW

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ATTENDEE COMMENTS FROM PREVIOUS SREE SESSIONS
“This seminar couldn’t be better. Sree is articulate and engaging, and really understands both his subject and the needs of the media professionals who attended the seminar.” — Lynn Brenner

“Sree knows his stuff. He packs lots of information into a totally engaging, fast-paced class. I strongly recommend this class for anyone who wants to understand social networking and how to apply it to their professional endeavors.” — TaRessa Stovall

“Sree was wonderful. He has a real knack for imparting an understanding of social networks and technology for the young and old.” — Peter Zehren

“Sree was absolutely terrific! He made a topic that is very difficult for many people to fully grasp very comprehensive.” — Melissa Schwartz

“Sree’s presentation was well thought out and the time flew by. He truly knows his stuff and engaged students as well.” — Anita Aboulafia

Prof. Sree Sreenivasan | sree@sree.net
Dean of Student Affairs, Columbia Graduate School of Journalism
http://www.sree.net | http://www.sreetips.com
Contributing editor, DNAinfo: http://DNAinfo.com
FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/sreetips
TWITTER: @sreenet – http://twitter.com/sreenet

Wed, April 28, 2010
6:30-8 pm

Columbia Journalism School
116th St & Broadway (#1 train to 116th St)

RSVP to: http://sree.ly/aajasaja28

Sign up for AAJA membership (open to all): http://aaja.org/membership
Sign up for SAJA membeship (open to all): http://bit.ly/sajamem

Free for members of those groups or pay $20 at the door if you are not a member.

We will check membership status at the door.

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP: Already comfortable on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn? Then it’s time to take it your social-media skills to the next level.

This special, advanced social-media class is designed to specifically help media pros make the most of social-media tools. You will be expected to know all the basics and be ready to dive into a session filled with practical, actionable tips and case studies.

# How to deepen your connection with your audience via social media

# New tools you must absolutely know and use

# How to build your personal brand

# How to find, on deadline, specific types of people you need for work

# The best ways to increase your followers, fans, and connections

# How to get the “right” followers, fans, and connections

# Metrics: why you need to understand them and how you can do just that

# Sustainable social media — how to keep from drowning in information and make time to participate efficiently

Versions of this have been taught by Sree at CNN, NBC, ABC, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Boston Globe, Washington Post, NPR, Mediabistro and elsewhere.

THE SPEAKER: Prof. Sree Sreenivasan, Dean of Student Affairs, Columbia Journalism School & contributing editor, DNAinfo.com – one of AdAge’s 25 media people to follow on Twitter. More on him at http://sree.net and you can see how he uses social media by connecting with him on Twitter: http://twitter.com/sreenet | Facebook: http://facebook.com/sreetips | LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/sreenivasan

He promises the workshop, like his tweets, will most likely be: * helpful * useful * informative * relevant * practical * actionable * entertaining * fun * occasionally funny

Here’s one comment from a previous attendee: “Professor Sree’s presentation at the Columbia Club luncheon in Naples was riveting, fast-paced and packed with information. He presented his material clearly, accessing the internet in real-time to introduce his audience to new and useful websites. Sree was friendly and open to questions at all times, and his style and sense of humor contributed to what was a fun learning experience.” – Michael Hanson

BTW, I am also teaching a brand-new workshop with a brand-new topic for a brand-new organization: “Get Beyond Job Hunting: Tips for Journalists and Media Professionals” – Wed, May 12, 6-9 pm (including mixer), NYC – presented by Guruloft at Hive at 55 (55 Broad Street, 13th floor, near Wall Street) – see details & register at http://bit.ly/gljobs – USE THIS DISCOUNT CODE – SREENET – for 15% off.

1.   When Veterans Come Home: A Workshop for Working Journalists

The Columbia Graduate School of Journalism is collaborating with the Dart Center on Journalism and Trauma and the Carter Center Mental Health Program to offer a workshop on “When Veterans Come Home: A Workshop for Working Journalists” on Jan. 7-9, 2010 at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Ga.  The workshop will address the special challenges facing local and regional news organizations seeking to improve their coverage of critical issues facing returning veterans, with a special emphasis on journalists in communities with high concentrations of veterans or military families. Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter will be the opening speaker.

The workshop is underwritten by generous grants from the McCormick Foundation and the Carter Center Mental Health Program.  All selected participants will receive a full scholarship to cover travel, hotel and workshop registration and materials.

Application Deadline: November 20, 2009

Application Information: http://dartcenter.org/content/workshop-when-veterans-return

2. Want to Get Smarter About Your Work? Become a Punch Sulzberger News Media Executive Leadership Fellow

The Columbia School of Journalism is seeking applicants from news organization leaders for the Punch Sulzberger News Media Executive Leadership Program fourth year, which starts January 25, 2010. (See http://www.sulzbergerleadership.com)

This program springs from a simple observation:  Leaders in the news business grow as they themselves tackle their companies’ most critical business challenges. The program is offered to 20 high-ranking executives over a 12-month period. During that time, the participants learn to use strategy, innovation, and other critical approaches to undertake challenges confronting their companies. We spread classes over four sessions of 3-5 days at the Columbia campus. The program is augmented with peer learning, business advisors, specific assignments, and tailored content – all designed to achieve a project or workplace challenge that participants bring to the program.  For more information, contact Associate Dean Arlene Morgan at am494@Columbia.edu or at 212-854-5377. She can put you in touch with editors from the Providence Journal, the Christian Science Monitor, ABC, the Associated Press as well as some start-up digital media leaders who have completed this unique leadership initiative. Application  deadline is Nov. 20.

3. Seeking Entries for John H. Oakes Award for Environmental Reporting

The deadline for entries for the John H. Oakes Award has been extended to Nov. 20, 2009 and now includes original stand-alone online work and websites that accompany newsprint projects.    The winner receives a $5,000 prize and trip to New York’s Columbia Graduate School of Journalism to appear on a panel on environmental reporting issues.   The story can be a single topic or series, published between October 1, 2008 and September 30, 2009.  A series must be designated as such by the publication when it is printed. A regular column may also be submitted as a series.  An entry form and additional information are located at the Columbia Journalism School website at www.journalism.columbia.edu under Oakes Award.   For more information, contact Lisa Redd, program director, at lsr21@Columbia.edu or 212-854-6468.

Advanced Google Docs, Cloud Computing for Journalists: Get the latest tips and tricks about Google Docs, the suite of web-based, collaborative computing services that many journalists are using these days – http://docs.google.com. Learn best practices as well as new features. We will also address the questions that are central to the idea of cloud computing: how safe and private is my work? Please call-in/e-mail/Twitter with your questions and comments.

SPEAKERS:
* Marian Liu, the arts and entertainment reporter for the Seattle Times; leads the daily’s social networking committee; uses free collaborative web tools to run a special program at the Asian American Journalists Association convention – http://twitter.com/marianliu

* Christina Tynan-Wood, the author of “How to Be a Geek Goddess,” the owner of the popular blog GeekGirlfriends.com, a reader advocate on InfoWorld, and a contributing editor for Family Circle, among other outlets – http://twitter.com/xtinatynanwood

* Jonathan Rochelle, group product manager at Google’s NYC office; primarily responsible for the development of Google Docs and the Google Apps product suite (one of the companies he co-founded was responsible for the technology behind spreadsheets in Google Docs – http://twitter.com/jrochelle

* Jason Freidenfelds, a communications manager for Google’s collaborative web apps including Google Docs, Gmail, Google Calendar, and others – http://twitter.com/jfreiden

MODERATOR: Sree Sreenivasan, dean of student affairs and digital media professor, Columbia Journalism School – http://twitter.comsreenet

Thursday, Oct 15, 2009
Noon-1 pm ET,  9-10 am PT
see local time around the world: http://bit.ly/2cOTeG

Listen live, or later to a recording, here:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ColumbiaJournalism/2009/10/15/Google-Docs-for-Journalists

Call in with your questions (or listen live): +1-646-915-9583

Before the show, e-mail us comments/questions to ask sree@sree.net (subject = webcast) or via Twitter – @sreenet or #columbiaj

If you Twitter about this, please use this hash tag – #columbiaj

Here’s a sample tweet you can edit: Here’s a sample tweet you can edit: WEBCAST: Advanced Google Docs for Journos, w/ Google execs, Thurs, 12-1 pm ET: http://bit.ly/columbiajdocs #columbiaj

DOWNLOAD TO iTUNES: These audio webcasts are also available as downloadable MP3 files for your personal collection and on-the-go listening. If you want to subscribe to these as podcasts on iTunes, go to “Advanced” within iTunes, then select “Subscribe to podcast” and type in http://www.blogtalkradio.com/columbiajournalism/feed and hit OK.

PREVIOUS WEBCASTS:
Sept. 2009: Advanced Facebook for Journalists
http://bit.ly/columbiajfb

Jan. 2009: Twitter for Journalists, or everything you ever wanted to know about Twitter, but were afraid to ask
http://columbianm.blogspot.com/2009/01/webcast-twitter-for-journalists.html

Jan. 2009: LinkedIn for Journalists – or everything you wanted to know about LinkedIn, but were afraid to ask
http://columbianm.blogspot.com/2009/01/webcast-linkedin-for-journalists-or.html

Feb. 2009: Launching Your Own Media Business
http://columbianm.blogspot.com/2009/02/webcast-launching-your-own-media.html

Columbia Journalism School is doing several webcasts with our faculty, alumni and friends to add to our collection (50+) at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/columbiajournalism (suggestions welcome)

NON-COLUMBIA-J-SCHOOLERS! Signup to get alerts about future Columbia Journalism School events and webcasts: http://snurl.com/columbiasignup We list the school’s in-person events at http://bit.ly/columbialectures (lots more coming there shortly). Our events as a Google Calendar: http://bit.ly/columbiajschool

[A quick note to remind any experienced journalists looking to earn a Master's degree that Columbia J-school's new nine-month M.A. program (which allows you to specialize in business, arts, politics or science reporting) is a great option. In addition to in-depth specialization, you can also learn the digital skills that are in such demand in newsrooms today (an example is this webcast). This program is in addition to our more traditional M.S. and Ph.D. programs. Details at http://www.journalism.columbia.edu/admissions .... Questions to admissions@jrn.columbia.edu ]

NEW-ISH WAYS CONNECT WITH COLUMBIA JOURNALISM SCHOOL:

Facebook: friend “Columbia J-school” – http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=611726581

Twitter: http://twitter.com/columbiajourn

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/columbiajournalism

Blip.tv: http://cujs.blip.tv/ (five- and 12-minute mini-documentaries about the school + events at the school)

Audio webcasts with faculty, alumni and more: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/columbiajournalism (set automatic e-mail reminders there for yourself)

MAIN WEBSITE: http://www.journalism.columbia.edu

Thursday, Oct. 8, 2009
1-2 pm ET
(see local time around the world: http://bit.ly/wY15O )

Listen live, or later to a recording:
http://bit.ly/columbiajcm
(you can set an e-mail reminder for yourself at that link)

Or call-in to listen and/or talk to them at +1-646-915-9583

Send your questions/comments via e-mail to sree@sree.net (subject = webcast) of via Twitter @sreenet or #columbiaj. You can also use the chatroom that will be open at the link above to ask live questions.

Even if you miss the live version, you can listen to the archive at the link above or via the MP3 info below.

ABOUT THE CASE METHOD: The Columbia Graduate School of Journalism two years ago launched a new program, the Knight Case Studies Initiative. Funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Initiative aims to give journalism educators a powerful new tool for the classroom. The Case Method–long familiar to students of business, medicine, law and other professions—is an interactive, discussion-based approach to learning which asks students to think for themselves by confronting them with real-life dilemmas of leadership, management and ethics.

Join us to learn what works about this teaching method! You’ll hear from both Initiative Director Kirsten Lundberg, and from Prof. Sheila Coronel, an experienced case teacher and director of the Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism.

In the Case Method classroom, students put themselves in the shoes of a protagonist facing a decision to which there is no “right answer.” Students are expected to analyze the problem, identify options, predict the likely consequences, prescribe a solution, defend their views, and persuade their colleagues. The vicarious real-world experience students gain in the case classroom will stand them in good stead when they become news industry leaders and managers in their own right.

Learning happens on three levels: students master the content; they acquire and hone critical thinking, judgment and behavioral skills; and they assess their personal values. Faculty have found this teaching method stimulating to student and instructor alike. One teacher said: “I found that this case allowed us to go deep on a number of tactical and strategic investigative-reporting lessons that would otherwise be hard to teach.” A student observed that: “This case study was so useful to me because it introduced a conflict that I could ACTUALLY see one of us encountering in our own professional lives.” To see more about Case Method and journalism, go to: http://casestudies.jrn.columbia.edu – or e-mail Kirsten Lundberg at kol2101@columbia.edu

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS: Prof. Sheila Coronel is director of the Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. A journalist since 1982, she worked for decades in the Philippines, where she founded the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism to promote investigative reporting and train journalists. She is the author and editor of more than a dozen books, including Coups, Cults & Cannibals. She joined the Columbia faculty in 2006 and was one of the first in the school to adopt case studies for her teaching.

Kirsten Lundberg started the Knight Case Studies Initiative in 2007. She was a reporter in Brussels, London, Stockholm and Moscow in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and later became a case writer for the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. She has run numerous workshops on Case Method, both in the US and abroad. In just 2.5 years, the case collection at the Journalism School has grown to nearly 25 cases.

To see more about Case Method and journalism, go to: http://casestudies.jrn.columbia.edu – or e-mail Kirsten Lundberg at kol2101@columbia.edu

MODERATOR: Prof. Sree Sreenivasan, Dean of Student Affairs and member of the digital media faculty

===> HOW TO LISTEN VIA YOUR IPOD: The audio webcasts are also available as downloadable MP3 files for your personal collection and on-the-go listening. If you want to subscribe to these as podcasts on iTunes, go to “Advanced” within iTunes, then select “Subscribe to podcast” and type in http://www.blogtalkradio.com/columbiajournalism/feed and hit OK.

==> See/hear our full lineup of 50+ webcasts: http://blogtalkradio.com/columbiajournalism

NEW-ISH WAYS CONNECT WITH COLUMBIA JOURNALISM SCHOOL:

Facebook: friend “Columbia J-school”
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=611726581

Twitter: http://twitter.com/j_school

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/columbiajournalism

Blip.tv: http://cujs.blip.tv/ (five- and 12-minute mini-documentaries about the school + events at the school)

Audio webcasts with faculty, alumni and more: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/columbiajournalism (set automatic e-mail reminders there for yourself)

MAIN WEBSITE: http://www.journalism.columbia.edu

Prof. Sree Sreenivasan | sree@sree.net
Dean of Student Affairs, Columbia Graduate School of Journalism
http://www.sree.net | http://www.sreetips.com
SREE’S TWITTER GUIDE FOR NEWBIES & SKEPTICS: http://bit.ly/twitterideas
TWITTER: @sreenet – http://twitter.com/sreenet

Next weekend, we are hosting the SAJA 15th Anniversary Convention & Career Expo (July 10-11) in NYC. If you join SAJA for $20 (you don’t have to be South Asian!), you can attend all the workshops, panels, the job fair, three receptions and gala dinner for just $50.

Details below and at http://www.saja.org/convention

The South Asian Journalists Association, SAJA, is celebrating its 15th
year with a convention July 10-11, in New York City.

The kick-off event is a reception at Bloomberg News on July 10, followed by a full day of programming at CUNY and a gala reception at Columbia University on July 11.

To attend the reception at Bloomberg News on July 10, you MUST
register by Monday, July 6.

Register today for this special convention at http://www.saja.org/convention

Professional members of SAJA or an affiliated group pay only $50.
Other attendees pay $100.
(or you can sign up for SAJA membership to avail of the discount: $20 for journalists, $40 for non-journos, $10 for students)

Despite the low registration fees, you will still have access to a loaded program, including workshops, panels, two receptions and the Awards Dinner at Columbia (Dr. Reza Aslan, one of the world’s leading experts on religion and author of “How to Win a Cosmic War: God, Globalization, and the End of the War on Terror” is going to be our gala dinner keynote on Saturday, July 11 – see his appearance last week on The Daily Show here: http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=231561&title=reza-aslan ).

Meet recruiters from The Wall Street Journal, NY1 News, Thomson Reuters, Dow Jones Newswires, Bloomberg News and more at the Career Expo at CUNY on July 11 between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

For additional details and to register, go to SAJA’s home page http://www.saja.org/convention

present a conversation with one of the world’s leading experts on the environment and climate change…

Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri
- received the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (which he leads)

- in July 2009 becomes director of the Yale Climate and Energy Institute

TALK & Q&A: “Saving the World: Forging an International Consensus on Development and Climate Change”

Tuesday, May 19
6:45-8 pm
Columbia Journalism School
Stabile Student Center (lobby floor)
116th St & Broadway (#1 train to 116th St stop)

Free and open to the public; no RSVP required
Free open wifi available

NOTE: A recording of the conversation will be webcast later in the week. Feel free to send questions for Dr. Pachauri to saja@columbia.edu (subject = Questions for Dr. Pachauri)

BIO: Dr Rajendra K. Pachauri received the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2007 on behalf of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which he heads. One of the top world experts on climate change, environment and development he heads The Energy and Resources Institute, an international think tank and scientific research organization headquartered in New Delhi with centers around the world. This year, he was also appointed director of the Yale Climate and Energy Institute.

Dr Pachauri started out as an engineer, which gives him a unique insight
into environmental issues. He has PhDs in industrial engineering and in
economics from  North Carolina State University in Raleigh and has taught at
several U.S. Universities.

He has advised the Indian government on environment and energy policies and
TERI was the major contributor to the Indian government’s policy on climate
policy announced last year.

As chairman of the IPCC, he guided the organization in producing its
monumental survey, The Fourth Assessment Report on climate change, which
reflects the international scientific consensus on the immediacy and gravity
of the climate change problem. The Nobel Prize was principally in
recognition of the IPCC’s role in drawing global attention to the imminent
dangers from climate change.

An important aspect of Dr Pachauri’s work has been to look for solutions to
climate change problems that also take into account the alleviation of
poverty and development, while trying to build international consensus in
dealing with it.

Digital Advertising 101
Workshop: May 4, 2009
7 p.m. to 10 p.m

Learn about the business of advertising in the digital age in this May 4 workshop at the Graduate School of Journalism. Industry experts will provide editors and entrepreneurial journalists with a concrete understanding of digital advertising sales in order to better navigate business decisions that are affecting the editorial side of journalism. Participants will leave with basic tools to integrate advertising into the consumer experience without compromising editorial integrity or interfering with the editorial product. They will also learn how to perform a self-diagnostic regarding their organizations’ readiness to confront the new realities of the digital age.

Register for this workshop
http://www.journalism.columbia.edu/cs/ContentServer/jrn/1165270051272/page/1212610911553/simplepage.htm

All three events at Columbia Journalism School, 116th Street & Broadway – NO RSVP NEEDED. If you Twitter any of these, the hashtag is #ColumbiaJ

Thurs, March 12, 7:30-9 pm; Lecture Hall

DANIEL PERES, editor in chief, Details (no explanation needed)

————————

Fri, March 13, 12:15-1:30 pm; Stabile Student Center (lobby floor)

JASON ALBA on Job Hunting 2.0.

Meet Alba, founder of job-hunt-tracking site JibberJobber.com and author of “I’m On LinkedIn – Now What???” – http://imonlinkedinnowwhat.com/ and http://www.JasonAlba.com – as he discusses job hunting in the age of social media and his own entrepreneurial experience. You will leave with plenty of practical tips and new ideas.

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Thurs, March 19, 6:30-8:30 pm; Lecture Hall

ANDREW LIH, author of “The Wikipedia Revolution: How a Bunch of Nobodies Created the World’s Greatest Encyclopedia” and China media expert and former Columbia J-school professor. This will be the first public launch of the book in NYC. Lih will be interviewed by his former student Columbia alum Jonathan Dube, J’97. Dube is president of the Online News Association, the vice-president in charge of ABCNews.com and the publisher of CyberJournalist.net. See details of the book at http://www.andrewlih.com

Also available via live web streaming is a midtown event that is sold-old event that you might be interested in…. This is NOT a Columbia event but features two J-school profs.

Thursday, March 12 at 6-8 PM EST Marc Porter and Toby Usnik of
Christie’s will host a Panel Discussion: The Future of Arts Journalism.

Panelists include Marian A. Godfrey, Senior Director, Culture
Initiatives, The Pew Charitable Trusts; Sam Sifton, Cultural News
Editor, The New York Times; and Alisa Solomon, Director, Arts & Culture,
M.A. Program, Columbia University School of Journalism.  Sree
Sreenivasan, Technology Reporter and Dean of Student Affairs, Columbia
University, Graduate School of Journalism will moderate.

A live webcast of the event will be featured on the Christie’s website:
http://www.christies.com/features/webcasts/future-of-arts-journalism/
or http://bit.ly/christiesarts

If you Twitter the Webcast, please use #ChristiesArts as the hashtag.