NSNC 2026 Columnist Contest - Now Open

Sunshine Week March 15-21, 2026

Consider a Gift to the NSNC Education Foundation

Join NSNC and Reap the Benefits!

NSNC 2026 Columnist Contest - Now Open

Contest submissions now open! We are accepting entries from columnists, bloggers, and serial essayists  for our 2026 Annual Columnist Contest (for work published in 2025). We will accept entries from columnists, bloggers, and serial essayists published in 2025.  Everyone is welcome to submit. You don’t have to be an NSNC member.

Sunshine Week March 15-21, 2026

We’re counting down to #SunshineWeek 2026, March 15-21. Together, we champion #OpenRecords and #OpenGovernment nationwide March 15-21. #FOIA #transparency. Free resources: sunshineweek.org

Consider a Gift to the NSNC Education Foundation

The National Society of Newspaper Columnists Education Foundation is a tax-exempt charitable organization [501(c)3] devoted to the education and training of new and experienced columnists everywhere. Donate here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/NSNCEdFnd

Join NSNC and Reap the Benefits!

We are excited for What’s in-store for NSNC members this year. We are gearing up to launch the NSNC Annual Columnist Contest on January 15, so you’ll want to be sure your membership is up-to-date. Also, if you have ideas, suggestions, etc., please share them with our President Meredith Cummings at meredithcummings@gmail.com or Executive Director Ginny McCabe at nsncdirector@gmail.com. Thank you for your support of NSNC!

Tune-Up Your Creativity Chamber with Key Rules

you, the columnist By Dave Lieber Fort Worth Star-Telegram    Do you have a harder time concentrating these days because of distractions? Does it take a greater effort to make time to read, research, write and get things done? Is keeping to a long-term plan tough in the midst of an over-stimulated day?      …

Money, Distance, Conflicts affect Conference

Results for the recent Conference Survey have been released by Brian O’Connor, Conference Chair for the 2011 Conference in Detroit. Online questionaires were sent to all members and about 120 members responded. Among the highlights: Most folks favor a May or June conference that runs Thursday through Sunday Money is the biggest factor in deciding…

Bedbugs Bite the News Business

The main offices of The Wall Street Journal and the New York headquarters of its parent company, News Corp., were cleared for bedbug treatment recently. The suspected bedbug outbreak was traced to a staff member of a subsidiary of News Corp. Although no actual bugs were found, bedbug-sniffing dogs indicated their probable presence. The Journal…

Greatest Columns in History

Journalist John Avlon is working on “an anthology on the greatest newspaper columns in American history” and welcomes thoughts from NSNC members and friends “on the contents and to help with suggestions on inclusion.” He’ll look at comments sent to him at jpavlon@gmail.com as well as on the NSNC Facebook page. Avlon is senior political columnist…

NSNC Board to meet Sunday

The NSNC Board is scheduled to meet for online chat on Sunday, October 10. President Ben Pollock will give a summary of the fall meeting of the Conference of National Journalism Organization meeting October 8-9 in Washington. Other items include a discussion of the NSNC Conference results to be presented by Brian O’Connor, Conference Chair,and…

SPJ Award for Ernie Pyle

Ernie Pyle

By Mike Leonard  More than 65 years after his death, Indiana University alumnus Ernie Pyle is still winning awards. Pyle was designated as a Fellow of the Society by the Society of Professional Journalists at the group’s annual convention in Los Vegas Tuesday night. “Being named a Fellow of the Society is the highest honor…