Florida Society of News Editors launches Freelance Exchange

A new reality of the Florida news business is this: More journalists are seeking freelance opportunities and more news organizations are looking for skilled professionals to take on freelance assignments.

To respond, the Florida Society of News Editors has created a free service on its website, FSNE.org – the FSNE Freelance Exchange, http://fsne.org/freelance. 

Think of it as a matchmaking service for print and digital professionals.

Journalists seeking freelance assignments can post free listings that include their resume, specific skills, contact information and links to work samples in different categories:  writers/reporters, editors, new media, graphics, photography, video and database specialist.

News organizations can post their needs as well, under the Freelancers Needed tab, Assignment information should include a detailed description as well as pay range, contact and deadline information.

Several FSNE member organizations – including The Miami Herald, the Fort Myers News Press, Treasure Coast Newspapers, Associated Press and the Palm Beach Post – have begun posting assignments at http://fsne.org/freelance.

“FSNE is committed to continuing to find ways to help newsrooms, and this is another practical way to do that," said Mark Tomasik, FSNE president.

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Two Florida Newspapers win three Pulitzer Prizes

Pulitzer Prize winners for 2009 included three awarded to two Florida newspapers.

Miami Herald photographer Patrick Farrell documented the heartbreaking aftermath of hurricane Ike in Haiti. His work, A People in Despair: Haiti's year without mercy, won for breaking news photography.

St. Petersburg Times reporter Lane DeGregory told the story of a girl raised to the age of seven in roach-infested isolation, and the efforts of her adoptive family to nurture her. The Girl in the Window won for feature writing.

The St. Petersburg Times staff also won a Pulitzer for national reporting for PolitiFact.com, its fact-checking web site that examined more than 750 statements during the presidential campaign.

Congratulations to the staffs of the Miami Herald and the St. Petersburg Times for these well-deserved honors.

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FSNE Board Meeting minutes

Minutes of the board meeting of Monday, April 20, 2009 have been posted.

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Commission on Open Government Reform Final Report

The Commission’s report is now final and has been posted to the Office of Open Government’s website.

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Changing times, changing name

The FSNE board voted Jan. 21 to change the name of our organization to the Florida Society of News Editors. The name change recognizes the growing importance of online news organizations and bloggers and opens the way to including TV news executives as members. ASNE is considering a similar name change. The FSNE renaming will be followed by an aggressive effort to recruit new blogger, online and TV members. The name change is effective Feb. 20.

A second initiative approved by the board at its meeting in Tallahassee involves our web site. The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications has offered to work with us and our web master Martin Frobisher to increase the relevance, timeliness and utility of our site. Rick Hirsch, FSNE vice president, will drive the project with William McKeen, journalism chair at UF.

Gil Thelen is Clendinen Professor,
University of South Florida and
Executive Director,
Florida Society of News Editors
813-787-3886