PRESS RELEASE
RE: SOCIETY OF ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISTS
CONFERENCE ~ ROANOKE VIRGINIA ~ OCTOBER 15 - 19, 2008
Environment is the story of the century, and the issues are popping
up on every beat in the newsroom – from business to city hall, from
the national desk to the neighborhoods, from the courthouse to the
field house.
That’s why all journalists are invited to attend an important training and professional development event this October.
The Society of Environmental Journalists
is holding its 2008 Annual Conference Oct. 15-19 at the Hotel Roanoke
in Roanoke, Virginia. The event, held at leading universities around
the nation, is hosted this year by Virginia Tech.
The conference includes field trips, large-group plenary sessions
and smaller tutorials on environmental science, regulatory issues, the
law and economic implications of policies.
Conference sessions will focus on a spectrum of environmental issues
with national implications, such as coal mining, climate change, air
and water quality, and renewable energy. Sessions often include
leading national experts on the issues and leading journalists who have
covered them.
Pre-conference events in Roanoke VA include a three day “boot camp”
training experience to help reporters get a leg up on covering the
world's most important beat. The boot camp is organized by the Knight
Center for Environmental Journalism of Michigan State and the Center
for Rural Journalism at the University of Kentucky.
A training session focusing specifically on covering climate change
will take place Wednesday Oct. 15. Eight computer lab sessions
involving media technologies and environmental reporting are also
offered Friday Oct. 17 and Saturday Oct. 18. Sessions that focus on
freelance writing and transitions towards new business models for
journalism will also be offered.
Highlights of the five day event also include the following:
- Virginia Governor Tim Kaine and West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin
will welcome guests to the Grand Opening Reception at the Hotel
Roanoke. They will be joined by Grammy award winning country music star
Kathy Mattea,
- Philippe and Alexandra Cousteau, ocean explorers and grandchildren
of Jacques Cousteau, will co-host the SEJ Awards for Reporting on the
Environment.
- XM Satellite Radio's Bob Edwards will moderate Friday's Opening
Plenary on coal and its role in our nation's future energy diet.
Debating the issue will be American Electric Power CEO Michael Morris,
and "Big Coal" author Jeff Goodell.
- Noted environmental sociologist Robert Bullard will lead a diverse
panel of experts in Saturday's Breakfast Plenary Session on
Environmental Justice and the Poor.
- One of Appalachia’s best known authors, Wendell Berry, will be
featured along with other authors during Sunday's Bestsellers Breakfast.
- New addition [ff]: The chair of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will address the audience.
The Society of Environmental Journalists is a national organization
managed by and for journalists who cover the environment. SEJ is a
member of the Council of National Journalism Organizations.
SEJ's mission is to advance public understanding of environmental
issues by improving the quality, accuracy, and visibility of
environmental reporting. EJ membership is open to working journalists,
students and educators. Dues are nominal.
Contact conference co-chairs:
Ken Ward Jr., Charleston Gazette
(304) 348-1702
Prof. Bill Kovarik, School of Communication, Radford University
(540) 831-6033 | 