[AEJMC Newspaper Division list] name change discussion

[Bleske, Glen]

HI all,

Well, it is a good discussion...but it is limited to probably less than 5
percent of the members of the division.

A couple of points:

1) As many of the members have noted, there is nothing wrong with having a
Newspaper Division. Declining membership tends to be due to the following
reasons: 1) increases in dues; and 2) an increase in the number of divisions
and interest groups. For example, we lost more than 100 members when Ethics
became a division. 

2) I repeat my earlier thought: I think a major strength of AEJMC is the
number of divisions and interest groups that we have.  It adds democratic
process to the organization and invites participation from a diverse group
of people. We should fight to maintain the current structure and resist
efforts to "merge."  Under the current structure, participation in
conventions has expanded. I see no quantifiable data that indicates that
AEJMC is in trouble or in need of structural changes.

3) I think that if there is a need for a "News Division,"  then people
should begin the process for starting a new division,  It is quite easy. You
need only 35 people to start an interest group.  I'm sure some people from
the Newspaper, RTV, Magazine and others might want to join.

We are the Newspaper Division. If there were no newspaper division, there
would be a need to begin a "Newspaper Division."

Glen

-- 
Glen L. Bleske
Professor, Chair
Department of Journalism
CSU, Chico
Chico, CA 95929-0600

(530) 898-4770
gbleske at csuchico.edu
http://www.csuchico.edu/jour


From: Dorothy Bowles <bowles at utk.edu>
Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:20:14 -0400
To: Members Newspaper Division <news-list at aejmc.net>
Subject: [AEJMC Newspaper Division list] name change discussion

During the past week or so, discussion has swung from "we need a name change
and here are new name ideas" to "let's not be hasty about moving away from
the name Newspaper Division."  I'm torn on the issue and have enjoyed
reading the thoughtful posts.

One reason we've heard for not changing to News or some variation of News is
concern about infringing on the turf of RTV and other divisions or interest
groups. In light of the AEJMC strategic plan that is to be voted on in
Chicago and talk of a "leaner" organization, is there any sentiment that we
consider merging (converging) Newspaper and RTV divisions? I can think of
some advantages in both divisions moving away from platform-based names, but
an obvious disadvantage (other than all the reasons already stated for
retaining Newspaper Division) would be fewer convention slots for combined
programming. That alone might be reason not to even consider a merger.

Dorothy 

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PHONE: 865-974-4454 OR  865-974-5155; FAX: 865-974-5056
HOMEPAGE: http://excellent.com.utk.edu/~bowles
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