Jean-Claude Brizard visits NABJ

When: Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Where: Columbia College, 33 E. Congress Pkwy. (corner of Wabash and Congress), 1st floor
Time: 5:30 pm networking, 6 pm forum begins

Facilitator: Richard Steele, WBEZ  Radio

You’ve seen the statistics: There are currently 123,000 Chicago Public Schools students who attend what have been characterized as underperforming schools-schools that are not preparing them for the world of work or college. Most of these schools are on our city’s South and West Sides.

Many schools may soon be closed, which has angered neighborhood residents. But if changes are not made, how can we expect better results? How is CPS dealing with the educational inequities impacting black children in our city? What happens next?

Join NABJ-Chicago and the Columbia College Radio Department on Tuesday, February 28, 2012 for a frank discussion with Chicago Public Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard about his vision for delivering opportunities for quality education to every neighborhood in the city. Also hear from school reform advocates who are playing a major role in that transformation. See you there!

The Lucas Film Presents…

Double Victory – a documentary of the Tuskegee Airmen on Wednesday November 2, 2011.

A post movie discussion will be moderated by BET’s Ed Gordon.

SAVE THIS DATE: MARCH 24!

“Black Radio: Channeling Its Past, But What About Its Future?”

When: March 24 at 6 p.m.

Location: Columbia College Chicago, 623 South Wabash Building, Rm. 109

Cost: Free for members, and $5 for all other guests

There was a time when radio had considerable influence in the Black community. Strong support from Black radio is credited for getting Harold Washington elected mayor of Chicago. That was then. Where do we stand now? NABJ Chicago offers an enlightening forum on Black radio. Are we losing ground in ownership and programming authority? Are the needs of our community being served? How have technological advances impacted urban radio? What effect have so-called “cookie-cutter” radio formats had on urban radio? How have all these changes affected the revenue stream for urban stations? What’s the survival plan for small independently owned urban stations like WVON? Are radio personalities (other than the syndicated superstars) still relevant to local urban stations?  And what about those people meters?

These are just a few of the issues to be discussed at NABJ Chicago’s radio forum moderated by Chicago radio luminary Richard Steele. Among those participating are Marv Dyson, radio veteran who owns 20+ stations; legendary radio personality Herb Kent; Tony Gray, renowned Chicago-based radio consultant; Merri Dee, who started her career in radio; Sherman Kizart of Kizart Media Partners; radio station owner Abe Thompson; and radio personalities Howard McGee and Bioncé Foxx.

See you there!

Come meet actress, director and playwright Regina Taylor on Feb. 7 as she talks about the opening of her Trinity River Plays at the Goodman Theatre!

5:45 – 6:30 pm: NABJ-Chicago networking and complimentary pizza served. Cash bar available.

6:30 – 8 pm: Q&A with Regina Taylor in the Albert Theatre

Come join us for light refreshments and deep conversation with all-stars including Marion Brooks, our moderator and acclaimed NBC 5 anchor; Diann Burns, veteran Chicago anchor and host of the Emmy-award winning “NextTV”; Marcus Riley, Multimedia Entertainment Reporter for NBCChicago.com and “24/7 Chicago: Secrets of the City” Correspondent; Silvia Rivera, Managing Director of Chicago Public Radio’s Vocalo.org; Brad Flora, Founder of WindyCitizen.com, which recently won a $250,000 grant as part of the Knight Foundation’s 2010 News Challenge; and Victor Henderson, host of CBS-2’s new pilot public affairs program, unSpoken: The Things We Don’t Say.

Thanks to all who joined NABJ-Chicago for our first-ever “minute-to-win-it” power networking sessions, moderated by the Chicago Defender’s Kathy Chaney, at Bar Novo on June 16.  Our guests crowded the swanky bar for a highly productive meet-and-greet with one another and high-powered journalists including Chicago Sun-Times’ Mary Mitchell, Multimedia Entertainment reporter for NBCChicago.com and  ‘24/7 Chicago: Secrets of the City’  correspondent Marcus Riley, “Garrard McClendon Live” host, Garrard McClendon,  and producer, Jerry Riley.  Members have asked us to repeat this highly successful event, and we will in coming months.  Stay tuned for our next big event.

Date: June 16, Wednesday
Time: 6:00-8 p.m.
Topic: “Minute to Win It: Power Networking with NABJ-Chicago
Location: Bar Novo  (inside the Renaissance Hotel) at 1 W. Wacker Drive
Cost: Free for members; $5 for all other guests
Networking is critical in these turbulent economic times, and nobody knows that better than NABJ-Chicago. That’s why this month’s event is “Minute to Win It: Power Networking with NABJ-Chicago.” Meet us and high-powered local journalists from radio, TV, film and the online scene at the swanky, sleek Bar Novo at 1 W. Wacker Drive inside the Renaissance Hotel. Chicago Defender and “Nancy Grace” regular Kathy Chaney is moderating this “speed-networking” event to make sure you make the most of your membership and connect with as many career-enhancers as you can. Meet other members and guests, plus introduce yourself to local journalism standouts including the Chicago Sun-Times’ Mary Mitchell; WFLD-TV’s Robin Robinson, Multimedia Entertainment reporter for NBCChicago.com and  ‘24/7 Chicago: Secrets of the City’  correspondent Marcus Riley; Garrard McClendon, host of CLTV’s “Garrard McClendon Live,” and his producer, Jerry Riles; and “312 Dining Diva” journalist, Playboy Scout writer and blogtrepreneur extraordinaire, Audarshia Townsend. New members are especially encouraged to attend.  Light refreshments will be served, so be sure and arrive
on time.  Cash bar available.

Sen. Kwame Raoul

Thanks to all who made our Feb. 18 meeting a success!  Members of NABJ-Chicago and our guests gathered at  Red Kiva in the West Loop to discuss media coverage of, and raise money for,  Haiti.

We would like to thank our panelists and guests for an invigorating, important conversation.

-Moderator: Prof. Stephanie Shonekan of Columbia College

-State Senator Kwame Raoul
-Evanston Ald. Lionel Jean-Baptiste of the Haitian Congress to Fortify Haiti
-Patrick Brutus, co-founder of Haitian-American Professionals Network
-Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mary Mitchell

NABJ-Chicago  is sending the funds to the Clinton Bush Foundation.  As a follow-up from our panel discussion, NABJ-Chicago offers you this online  resource to help you decide how to make future donations to Haiti.  Please stay tuned for our next event in March. 

The Africa Channel

WHAT: NABJ-Chicago’s November 2009 Meeting

WHEN: Thursday, November 5,2009 from 6p.m.–8p.m. (Presentation begins promptly at 6:30 p.m.)

TOPIC: THE AFRICA CHANNEL

WHERE: Red Kiva, 1108 West Randolph, Chicago, where many music performances and interviews are taped for The African Channel.

The Africa Channel is the first mainstream television network in the U.S. that is fully dedicated to showcasing the richness, diversity and beauty of modern Africa and its people. The 24/7 general interest, entertainment network features a broad slate of exclusive, first run programming, including: news and documentary specials; lifestyle and reality programs; and music, movies and episodic dramas.

The Africa Channel launched in 2005, and is now available in cable households in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Houston, New Orleans and numerous other cities. It also airs in the United Kingdom and various islands in the Caribbean.

As a privately owned, independent network, gaining distribution continues to be a major challenge. Key executives from The Africa Channel will give NABJ-Chicago members and guests an exclusive inside view of the challenges involved with launching a new network and how the media, community groups and individual consumers can make a difference.

Join us as NABJ-Chicago presents a special forum on The Africa Channel. A sample Taste of Africa will precede the program.