Pictures from Griot Drum Awards

Many thanks to Times photographer Atoiya Deans, who spent most of her time during the Griot Drum Awards taking these photos...

Media Coverage For Griot Drum Awards!

Here's a piece from St. Petersburg's black newspaper, The Weekly Challenger:

Dr. George Curry Keynotes Tampa Bay Association Of Black Journalists Griot Drum Awards
by Joyce Johnson
The Weekly Challenger
Originally posted 11/20/2007

ST. PETERSBURG - The Third Annual Griot Drum Awards and Scholarship Dinner, presented by The Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists, was recently held at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies on Thursday, November 15.

These awards honor the achievements of journalists who have written exemplary articles that not only gave information about people of color, their community, and issues that affect them, but also brought insight and thought provoking introspection to that subject matter. The TBABJ also awards an annual scholarship to an undergraduate minority student who is pursuing a career in the field of journalism.

This year there were 15 awards. Among recipients were: Kevin Graham, St. Petersburg Times, for his story “Martin Lee Anderson Autopsy Results”; Nicole Johnson-Hutcheson, also of the St. Petersburg Times for her story “In Mines Depth, South Africa Women Find Equality,” Willie Allen J., for his photo essay on Winky Wright “Life Outside the Ring,” and several staff members from 89.7 FM. Winner of the $1000.00 scholarship was Kistal Roberts. Ms. Roberts is from Ft. Lauderdale and is studying media management at U.S.F in Tampa.

To see more, click here.

Here's an excerpt from my blog for the St. Petersburg Times:

George Curry's Challenge to Black Journalists: Be a Thermostat

It's hard to explain what it feels like to be part of an amazing movement.

But, facing a crowd of journalists, students and community notables gathered at the Poynter Institute Thursday for the Griot Drum Awards, it felt like standing at the crest of a giant wave.

Sponsored by the Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists, the Griot Drum Awards featured honors for 15 area journalists who have excelled in covering people of color. We also gave away a $1,000 scholarship and gathered together a host of people committed to the idea of boosting diversity in journalism.

Our keynote speaker George Curry made the biggest impact, explaining how journalists of color must "reject rejection" and fight to excel in an industry which often seeks to marginalize them. He spoke of his longtime friend, now-deceased former New York Times managing editor Gerald Boyd, and how his career was unfairly cut short because of inaccurate rumors that he mentored serial plagiarist and fabricator Jayson Blair. Both men were black, so a connection was made and Boyd's career never survived it.

Most of all, Curry radiated confidence and conviction, recalling how he got a job at Washington bureau chief for the Chicago Tribune when the St. Louis Post-Dispatch refused to send him there. When an editor put him on the night shift to break his confidence, he wrote his first book during the days.

For more, click here.

TBABJ Xmas Party 6 p.m. Dec. 8 in Ybor City!

We're convening at the Good Luck Cafe in Ybor City -- See You There!

Click the invite to see a larger image...

TBABJ Membership Meeting at 11 a.m. Saturday in Tampa

The group has set its next membership meeting for 11 a.m. Saturday Dec. 1, at the same place where meetings earlier this year have been held:

Carrollwood Sweet Tomatoes
14703 North Dale Mabry Hwy. (At Ehrlich Rd./Bearss Ave.)
Tampa, FL 33618-2025,
Phone: 813-960-5220


For Mapquest directions, click here.

This meeting will be important for several reasons. We're going to talk about our Dec. 8 winter party at 6 p.m. in the Good Luck Cafe in Ybor City.

We're also going to talk about the Saturday closing party we need to plan for the NABJ convention next year, our growing need for officers to serve he chapter and a preliminary report on the success of our Griot Drum Awards caremony.

Please join us -- I know its tough to make the end of the month meetings, but we really need to pull together on some of these projects and get organized before the Xmas holiday pulls us all apart.

Thanks in advance for your efforts...

Eric Deggans
President, Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists
Chair, NABJ Media Monitoring Committee
TV/Media Critic, St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times
http://www.tbabj.com
(727) 893-8521

Griot Drum Award Winners for 2007

The following journalists were honored with awards at the Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists’ Griot Drum Awards banquet Thursday, Nov. 15, 2007 at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies in St. Petersburg.

Print: Deadline/Spot News – Kevin Graham, St. Petersburg Times, “Martin Lee Anderson Autopsy Results.”

Print: Investigative Reporting – Nicole Johnson-Hutcheson, St. Petersburg Times, “In Mines’ Depth, South African Women Find Equality.”

Print: Features – Jeff Klinkenberg, St. Petersburg Times, “Courage and Convictions.”

Print: Community/Public Affairs – Kevin Graham, St. Petersburg Times, “Science Museum Seeks Slave Ship series.”

Print: Sports Feature – Dave Scheiber, St. Petersburg Times, “Hate in the Stands.”

TV: Non-Deadline Reporting – Nerissa Prest, WTVT-Ch. 13, “Lower 9th Ward.”

TV: Community/Public Affairs: – Diane Egner, “Manzanas y Peras”

Radio: Spot News – Bobbie O’Brien, WVSF 89.7 FM NEWS, “Students Focus on Non-English Speakers.”

Radio: Features Reporting – Ezzard Bryant Jr., WVSF 89.7 FM NEWS, “NWC: The Rare Show.”

Radio: Documentary/News – Bobbie O’Brien, WVSF 89.7 FM NEWS, “Just Elementary: The Journey Continues.”

Radio: Investigative Reporting – Bobbie O’Brien, WVSF 89.7 FM NEWS, “Testing English Learners.”

Radio: Public Affairs – Bobbie O’Brien, WVSF 89.7 FM NEWS, “Attitude Plus: Election Listing Post.”

Photo: Features - Willie J. Allen, Jr., St. Petersburg Times, “Inspiration.”

Photo: Sports Features - Fred Bellet, Tampa Tribune, “Body English.”

Photo Essay - Willie Allen, Jr., St. Petersburg Times, “Life Outside the Ring”

WFLA Weekend Anchor Josh Thomas Confirmed as Griot Drum Awards Host

WFLA-Ch. 8 weekend anchor Josh Thomas has been confirmed as Master of Ceremonies for the Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists Griot Drum Awards.

Josh was born and raised in Chicago and graduated from Southern Illinois University in 1978 with a Bachelors Degree in Radio/TV with a minor in Journalism. A member of the National Association of Black Journalists and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Josh also appeared as himself in the movie "The Punisher," filmed in Tampa.

Scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies in St. Petersburg, the Griot Drum Awards is the Tampa Bay area's biggest local journalism awards contest.

This year, the TBABJ will award honors in 15 categories while also bestowing a $1,000 scholarship. The evening begins with a 6 p.m. opening reception sponsored by Broad and Cassel attorneys at law, featuring a meet-and-greet with our keynote speaker, George Curry.

Newly-named Philadelphia Inquirer columnist and former Emerge magazine editor George Curry will serve as keynote speaker for the event, which will also feature a performance by the Soulful Arts Dance Academy and dinner by Saffron's Gourmet Catering.

Sponsors include the St. Petersburg Times, ABC Action News, WTSP-Ch. 10, Bright House Networks, Broad and Cassel attorneys, Tampa Bay & Company, the New York Times Regional Media Group and Busch Gardens.

Tickets are still available for the event, priced at $35 each for non-members and $30 each for members. Feel free to call 727-893-8521 to register your order or email here; walkup purchases are possible, but seating may be limited.

George Curry Keynotes Griot Drum Awards

George Curry, newly-named Philadelphia Inquirer columnist and former editor-in-chief of Emerge magazine, will serve as keynote speaker for the Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists' Third Annual Griot Drum Awards and Scholarship Banquet.

Scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies in St. Petersburg, the 2007 edition of the Griot Drum Awards has already drawn a significant list of sponsors, including the Poynter Institute, the New York Times Regional Media Group, Tampa Bay and Company, Hill and Knowlton public relations and the St. Petersburg Times. The evening begins with an opening reception featuring our keynote speaker at 6 p.m.

Previously, Curry served as editor-in-chief of the wire service serving America’s black newspapers, the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service in Washington, D.C. Curry’s work at the NNPA ranged from being inside the Supreme Court to hear oral arguments in the University of Michigan affirmative action cases to traveling to Doha, Qatar to report on America's war with Iraq. His weekly column is syndicated by the NNPA to more than 200 newspapers.

Before joining the NNPA, Curry was editor-in-chief of Emerge magazine for seven years. He is past president of the American Society of Magazine Editors, the first African-American to hold the association's top office. Before taking over as editor of Emerge, Curry served as New York bureau chief and as a Washington correspondent for the Chicago Tribune. Under Curry's leadership, Emerge won more than 40 national journalism awards. See more information on his career here.

The Griot Drum will feature awards in 15 categories for local media outlets honored for quality coverage of people of color. Founded in 1983, the TBABJ is an incorporated, non-profit chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists, the largest organization of journalists of color in the world.

Tickets are on sale now for the event. Call or email Eric Deggans, TBABJ President, for more information at (727) 893-8521 or deggans@sptimes.com

TBABJ Thanks Griot Drum Awards Sponsors

Despite a financial picture that often seems less than rosy these days, a host of local companies and organizations came together this year to make our Griot Drum Awards a reality. This is our space to thank them for their continued and most appreciated support.

TITLE SPONSOR

The St. Petersburg Times

The Poynter Institute

DIAMOND LEVEL

Tampa Bay & Company

Bright House Networks

Saffron's Cuisine

Broad and Cassel, Attorneys at Law

PLATINUM LEVEL

New York Times Regional Media Group

St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention and Visitors Bureau

Hill & Knowlton

Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay

City of St. Petersburg

ABC Action News

Pinellas County Board of Commissioners

Tampa Bay's 10 WTSP-Ch. 10

2007 Scholarship Winner: Kristal Roberts

For years, the Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists has sought to cultivate aspiring communications professionals by offering scholarships to outstanding undergraduate minority college students. Applicants must have a connection to the Tampa Bay area and plan a career in journalism.

Previous recipients have attended schools such as Howard University, Spelman College and the University of South Florida.

The winner of the $1,000 TBABJ Griot Drum Scholarship for 2007 is Kristal Roberts. A graduating senior, Kristal hails from Fort Lauderdale and is pursuing a career in Media Management at the University of South Florida in Tampa. She works as a reporter at WUSF 89.7 News and has interned at Platinum Television. Kristal expects to graduate in May.

Please join us in congratulating and encouraging Kristal and others like her. If you or someone you know could benefit from our annual scholarship contest, please contact me at sday@sptimes.com.


Warmly,

Sherri Day
TBABJ Vice-President
2007 Scholarship/Awards Chair

Tickets Now on Sale for 2007 Griot Drum Awards

The Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists would like to invite you to the premiere event for journalists of color in the Tampa Bay area: the Third Annual Griot Drum Awards and Scholarship dinner.

Scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Nov. 15 at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies in St. Petersburg, the Griot Drum Awards honors journalists in several categories, highlighting those who have excelled in coverage of issues important to people of color. Proceeds will fund our scholarships to aspiring young journalists of color.

Our keynote speaker this year is Philadelphia Inquirer columnist and former Emerge magazine editor George Curry, a longtime champion of diversity in media. Our 6 p.m. opening reception will feature a meet-and-greet with Curry, who is an active and involved mentor to young journalists and will spend time speaking with any students who attend.

We would love for you to join us. Tickets are $30 for TBABJ chapter members and $35 for non-members, or $300 for a table of ten.

Please fill out the enclosed order form and send it to the address below with a check or money order (made out to TBABJ). To ensure prompt attention, you can email

deggans@sptimes.com

or call 727-893-8521. You will receive confirmation by email and/or telephone.

Download ticket request form

Monthly Meeting Summary: November 2007

Held at the Golden Corral restaurant on Nov. 3, this meeting mostly featured talk on the upcoming Nov. 15 Griot Drum Awards ceremony.

More details to come when the meeting minutes are processed.

Current TBABJ Officers & Contact Info

President -- Eric Deggans, TV/Media Critic, St. Petersburg Times; email - digdog@aol.com; phone: (727) 893-8521. Also serves as chair of National Association of Black Journalists' Media Monitoring Commitee.

Vice President -- Sherri Day, Religion Writer, St. Petersburg Times; email - sday@sptimes.com; phone: (813) 226-3405.

Treasurer -- Ken Knight, Multimedia coordinator, Tampa Tribune/WFLA-Ch. 8/TBO.com; email - kknight@tampatrib.com; phone: (813) 228-8888. Also serves as Region III director for the National Association of Black Journalists.

Secretary -- Patty Allen-Jones, retired reporter, Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Send all Chapter correspondence to:

Eric Deggans
c/o St. Petersburg Times
490 !st Ave. South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Send all Membership correspondence to:

Demorris Lee
c/0 St. Petersburg Times
710 Court St.
Clearwater, FL 33756

New TBABJ website!

In our continuing quest to serve you better, the TBABJ board has contracted with a California-based company, Webhead Labs, to present a new home in cyberspace for the Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists.

Besides offering a sleeker design, this version of our Web site offers more information, including a more comprehensive calendar of events, downloadable membership and ticket request applications and lots of pictures from our past events.

Of course, this also means our MySpace page and Freewebs site, both nice alternatives to paid designs, will be dormant. Any past information likely will remain, but new information -- especially meeting notices and information on our many projects -- will now appear here.

There's even an RSS Feed option so you can tell your web browser to automatically notify you whenever our page is updated!

I'm hopeful this will become an informative and bustling hub for the chapter's projects. And, as always, if you have any problems or questions you can feel free to email me at TampaBayNABJ@aol.com or my personal address digdog@aol.com.

Welcome to TBABJ's new Internet home!

Eric Deggans

TBABJ chapter president/TVand Media Critic, St. Petersburg Times

TBABJ Receives Community Service Awards

In recognition for our work in the community, TBABJ received two important awards this year from black-focused community groups.

On Oct. 13, the Top Ladies of Distinction, a nationally-known community services group, presented us with the community services award in Tampa during their national convention.

Just a few months earlier, the Sigma Pi Phi Gamma Omicron Boule on Feb. 10 presented TBABJ members with its 2007 Gamma Omicron Award for Excellence during a ceremony which included a rousing speech from Dr. Michael Eric Dyson at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Tampa.

Both of these awards are a testament to the hard work and dedication of all TBABJ members, who have helped us hold community forums, offer journalism workshops, mentor young journalists and distribute nearly $5,000 in scholarships to students of color who seek to study journalism.

Thanks to everyone who helped TBABJ earn these prestigious honors.

Griot Drum Awards 2006

How quickly things changed in a year. In the 12 months since we first resurrected the Griot Drum Awards in 2005, our news outlets changed shape and size, we lost and gained colleagues and the news cycle grew ever faster and more demanding.

But one thing that hasn’t changed, is the commitment of Tampa Bay area communicators to diversity in media. Once again, an amazing array of sponsors and volunteers came together to help us celebrate quality journalism and train the next generation of minority journalists.

Featuring a keynote speech by Rene Syler, then anchor of CBS' The Early Show (left)

, the banquet proved a watershed event for a chapter used to acheiving a lot.

In ancient Africa, the griot served as the keeper of history for each tribe before the dawn of written word, encapsulating the legacy of the community in his songs, stories or poems. So it seemed fitting that we invoke the spirit of the griot’s drum for our awards -- which continue a tradition TBABJ started over 10 years ago with its first incarnation of the contest.

Our goal: to create an evening that honors the benefits of quality coverage of people of color. It’s all part of the TBABJ’s mission, which since 1983 has centered on ensuring diversity in area media and accurate, balanced coverage of communities of color while serving as a resource for communicators.

MORE IMAGES VIEWABLE IN

PHOTO GALLERY

2006 Griot Drum Scholarship Winners

A May 2006 honor graduate of Henry B. Plant High School,

Shiva Threatts

(left)now pursues her dream of becoming a noted print journalist at Spelman College in Atlanta, Ga. At Plant High School, Threatts served as music editor for The Pep O’ Plan student newspaper. She is also a Key Scholar, a participant in the National Achievement Scholarship Program, an accomplished pianist and an intern at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies.

Jeanette Hordge

plans to pursue a career in broadcast journalism. A Tampa native, Hordge is a May graduate of Hillsborough High School. While in high school, Hordge juggled a rigorous academic schedule with volunteer and professional activities. She wrote a column for her school’s newspaper, served as host and producer of her own television show, The Diva J Way Teen Talk Show on Tampa Bay Community Network, and co-hosted a radio program on WMNF, 88.5 FM. Hordge attends Howard University in Washington, D.C.

Runner-up

Ryan Jeter

graduated from Freedom High School in May and is a freshman at Howard University. While at Freedom High, Jeter was a staff writer at The Revolution, the school’s newspaper. He won the 2006 Service Above Self Award from the Rotary of Tampa Bay and was named the 2006 Tampa Bay area Boys and Girls Club Student of the Year.