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National Society of Newspaper Columnists

June Sees Pre-Conference Newsletter

The June 2014 edition of The Columnist was published Monday the 2nd, the first business day of the month. It’s a special issue with details about the June 26-29 conference in Washington, as well as the names of this year’s student scholarship winners and of the finalists of our pro-level NSNC Column Contest. Space Available…

Finalists in 2014 Columnist Contest

Trophies image

One long wait is over, the judges for the 2014 annual column contest of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists have selected finalists. Each contestant submitted three columns or blog posts that were published in calendar year 2013. The actual third-, second- and first-place order will be announced after a somewhat briefer wait, for the…

Deeply Personal, Tammeus’ New Book Hits Home

you, the columnist By Dave Lieber Columnist, The Dallas Morning News In his typical Midwestern self-effacing manner, former NSNC President Bill Tammeus hides his autobiography inside a grander study of modern America based on its early baby boomer years. His new book centers mostly in the 1950s, when middle Americans such as Tammeus developed a…

Southern Cal Undergrad Wins Column Scholarship

Anna Sterling (right) interviews Maya Richard-Craven on Neon Tommy Radio of the USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism.

2014 Jeff Zaslow College Columnist Award Winners By Suzette Martinez Standring 2004-06 NSNC President Maya Richard-Craven, a campus columnist at the University of Southern California, is the winner of the 2014 Jeff Zaslow College Columnist Award and its $1,000 scholarship prize. Senior judge Nikki Schwab, the “Washington Whispers” blogger of U.S. News and World Report,…

2014 Slate of Candidates

A nominating committee — Mike Leonard and Ben Pollock with Bill Tammeus chairing — has confirmed the following candidates for two-year terms to the board of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. President — Jerry Zezima. Jerry, currently vice president, is a syndicated humor columnist based at The Stamford Advocate in Connecticut. Vice President —…

Who We’ll See in Washington, D.C.

NSNC 38th annual conference, see tinyurl.com/nsnc14dc

This column originally was published in the May 2014 edition of The Columnist, the members’ newsletter of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. By Dave Astor NSNC Archivist Even as many politicians are at each other’s throats, columnists and bloggers will coexist peacefully at the 38th annual National Society of Newspaper Columnists (NSNC) conference in…

Getting Potomac Fever

Pool coverage: President Ford with Liberty and pup, circa 1976, at White House pool.

This column originally was published in the May 2014 edition of The Columnist, the members’ newsletter of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. President’s Message By Eric Heyl President National Society of Newspaper Columnists Admit it. You’re intrigued. You probably assumed we were planning some special things for the upcoming NSNC conference, which will occur…

Virginian Receives Columnists’ 2014 Will Rogers Humanitarian Award

Will Rogers typing

A veteran Virginia journalist who has been called “the oppressed people’s correspondent” has been named the 2014 recipient of the Will Rogers Humanitarian Award. Michael Paul Williams, metro columnist and reporter for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, will be honored at a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol on Friday, June 27, during the annual conference of the…

D.C. Conference Line-up

Washington Plaza Hotel

Here is a handy list of the speakers and topics for the 2014 conference of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists, June 26-29, in Washington, D.C. The following speakers are confirmed, but sometimes life happens. This schedule [Update on 5/15/2014 with times, on 5/31 with minor time and title changes] will be updated as needed…

In the May Newsletter

Attention, NSNC members, in your emailboxes is the May 2014 edition of The Columnist. Most of our articles concern the June 26-29 conference, our 38th annual, this year in Washington, D.C. Who We’ll See in Washington, D.C. by Archivist Dave Astor Conference Line-up President’s Message: Getting Potomac Fever by Eric Heyl Virginian Receives Columnists’ 2014…

NSNC Honoring Brinkley’s Memory

Postcard of U.S. Capitol mid-19th century

This column originally was published in the April 2014 edition of The Columnist, the members’ newsletter of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. President’s Message By Eric Heyl President National Society of Newspaper Columnists He missed writing his column. In one of the last email exchanges I had with Joel Brinkley, he confided that he…

Brinkley’s ‘Fresh Eyes,’ Curiosity Pass for Expertise

Suzette Standring, Joel Brinkley

Art of Column Writing This column originally was published in the April 2014 edition of The Columnist, the members’ newsletter of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. By Suzette Martinez Standring 2004-06 NSNC president Recently I ventured into a column genre so outside of my comfort zone: foreign affairs. I was inspired to try based…

The Legacy of Ernie Pyle

This column originally was published in the April 2014 edition of The Columnist, the members’ newsletter of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. Editor’s Note: April 18, Friday this year, is National Columnists’ Day. The National Society of Newspaper Columnists created this holiday both for members but mainly as a flag to the world, reminding…

In the April Newsletter

newspaper

The April 2014 issue of The Columnist, out April 1, offers a lot of news. Conference Update Brinkley’s ‘Fresh Eyes,’ Curiosity Pass for Expertise — Art of Column Writing NSNC Honoring Brinkley’s Memory — President’s Message Joel Brinkley 1952-2014, an Obituary The Legacy of Ernie Pyle Journalism Survey Request Ethics, Horizontal Loyalty and Recalling Joel…

Some Cautionary Tales

Shredder Scissors

Daily Diary for March This column originally was published in the March 2014 edition of The Columnist, the members’ newsletter of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. By Ben Pollock Director of Media National Society of Newspaper Columnists I want to wish everyone the best of luck in our column contest. I’ll be entering again.…

Short Takes, A Tall Order

IBM Selectric II typewriter

President’s Message This column originally was published in the March 2014 edition of The Columnist, the members’ newsletter of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. By Eric Heyl President National Society of Newspaper Columnists ITEM! When facing a tight deadline or lacking a topic of particular gravitas, some columnists occasionally resort to a “notes” column,…

Joel Brinkley, 1952-2014

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Joel Brinkley — a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and serving on its board as scholarship chair — died Tuesday, March 11, 2014, at a Washington hospital. He was suffering from previously undiagnosed leukemia. His death was announced today, Thursday. One report of his passing is from the Courier-Journal…