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.