RRA Blog

Some more depressing news in the NY Times today that I’m guessing y’all saw. (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/18/business/media/18bureaus.html?_r=1&ref=business).

Don’t forget to apply for those PIC credentials. Deadline is Monday!

Also: Your RRA Board is now fully stocked and ready for the New Year. The board met Wednesday and voted in four new members to replace those lost in the last year. Your new board members:

Bart Sullivan, Memphis Commercial Appeal/Scripps Howard

Jessica Wehrman, Dayton Daily News

Michael Coleman, Albuquerque Journal

Paul Merrion, Crain’s Chicago Business

The full officer/board slate:

President — Thomas Burr, Salt Lake Tribune

Vice president – Joe Morton, Omaha World Herald

Treasurer – Malia Rulon, Gannett News Service

Secretary – Lisa Mascaro, Las Vegas Sun

Board

Todd Gillman, Dallas Morning News

Josh Drobnyk, Allentown Morning Call

Herb Jackson, The Record ( Bergen County , NJ )

Alex Daniels, Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Keith Chu, Bend Bulletin

Bart Sullivan, Memphis Commercial Appeal/Scripps Howard

Jessica Wehrman, Dayton Daily News

Michael Coleman, Albuquerque Journal

Paul Merrion, Crain’s Chicago Business

Best,

Thomas Burr
RRA President

Monday’s event on covering the inauguration will be held at the National Press Club’s Murrow Room at 11 a.m. We have nearly 100 people who have signed up for this event, so I’d advise showing up early if you want a good seat. It will be recorded and available on the press club web site at some point as well if you can’t make it.

Thomas Burr RRA President

Steve Koff of the Cleveland Plain Dealer is looking for anyone who can spare a room, couch, floor space for a couple colleagues coming into town to cover the inauguration festivities. One colleague can pay up to $200 a night — which might only buy a cardboard box under 395 on e-Bay right now. Can anyone offer help?

Also, glad to send out your requests if you have colleagues looking for temporary housing.

-Thomas Burr RRA President

The Senate has posted a site to apply for credentials for covering the inauguration here: http://www.senate.gov/galleries/daily/

Also, we’re making plans for an event looking at how to cover the inauguration for those of us who haven’t done that before. I’m tentatively looking at Dec. 8 as a possible date for the event and will keep you all informed.

We’ve teamed up with the National Press Foundation on an event Nov. 20 that I think should help many of us as we cover the transition to the Obama administration and the new Congress. Details below.

http://www.nationalpress.org/programs3516/programs_show.htm?doc_id=716989

The New President and Congress - Register Online!

Program Date: November 20, 2008 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM

Location: Sixth-Floor Boardroom Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW

Contact name: Maha Masud Contact email: maha@nationalpress.org

The National Press Foundation will host a free, half-day seminar for journalists in Washington D.C. that looks at progress in transition planning following the historic Nov. 4 election, , and at the likely relationship of the new President and Congress. This on-the-record event aims to offer reporters, editors, broadcasters and producers fresh story ideas, sources and historic context for covering the earliest days of the new presidency. In collaboration with The Center on Congress at Indiana University and the Regional Reporters Association, the program will analyze the prospects for cooperation and conflict in executive-legislative relations in 2009, drawing on lessons learned in past transitions of presidential power.

Confirmed speakers include Washington Post columnist David Broder; former Congressman and CCIU Director Lee Hamilton; James P. Pfiffner, Professor of Public Policy at George Mason University and author of “The Strategic Presidency: Hitting the Ground Running;” and journalist Martin Tolchin. A light breakfast and buffet lunch will be provided. There is no charge to attend, but reservations are required.

In our ongoing effort to hold several election-related newsers for regional reporters, the National Republican Congressional Committee will host the Regional Reporters Association on Monday, Sept. 22 from 9-10 a.m. at its office for a discussion with Chairman Cole about House races.

This is a perfect opportunity to discuss your local races and get a national perspective. Please RSVP to regionalreporters@yahoo.com if you want to attend so I can reserve you a spot. I’m working to get similar sitdowns with the DCCC, NRSC and DSCC as well.

-Thomas Burr

Let us know the address and we’ll put up a link on our site. Leave the address as a comment or email admin@rra.org.

RRA meets with Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan Thursday, Aug. 7 at 4 p.m., and with Obama campaign Co-Chairman Tom Daschle Aug. 13 at 9:30 a.m.

If you’d like to attend, contact Thomas Burr at regionalreporters@yahoo.com

To the new Regional Reporters Association blog. Every week or so we bring you a selection of stories by regional reporters based in Washington, D.C.

For blog postings before July, 2008, please see our old blog, http://regionalreportersassociation.blogspot.com/