DURHAM, NC (December 5, 2011) – Julie Jones, an assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communications, will take-over as chair of NPPA’s NewsVideo Workshop with the departure of long-time chair Sharon Levy Freed. Jones has been a long-time member of the workshop faculty, having first attended in 1982.
“I am very excited to appoint Julie to lead this important program,” said NPPA President Sean D. Elliot. “Julie has been an important member of the NewsVideo Workshop faculty for years and has the passion and vision to take the workshop forward. She cites the workshop as a life and career changing experience and believes passionately in bringing that experience to others.”
Adam Vance and Stan Heist will serve as Jones’ associate chairs.
Vance is a special projects photojournalist, editor, and satellite truck operator at WTSP-TV in St. Petersburg, FL. He has been a faculty member of the workshop for a number of years, more recently working as the program’s co-chair.
Heist is a journalism lecturer at the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism in College Park. He has been on the faculty since 2006 after winning the 2005 Ernie Crisp Television News Photographer of the Year award while working at WBFF-TV in Baltimore.
“Vance and Heist will work with Jones to bring some updates to the workshop’s curriculum and will lead in our efforts to expand attendance,” Elliot said.
Freed, winner of NPPA’s Joseph A. Sprague Award in 2008 for her contributions to the field of visual journalism, announced in November her departure as chair of the workshop, which is held annually at the University of Oklahoma in Norman.
Long considered to be the premier television video workshop, the program has evolved in recent years to welcome still photographers who are learning video for newspaper Web sites along with multimedia journalists who are expanding their skills.
“Given the change in leadership, and some logistical and planning issues, it has been decided to suspend the NewsVideo Workshop for 2012 with a planned return for 2013,” Elliot announced today.
"The NewsVideo Workshop continues to be a high priority of the NPPA, and we will continue to champion and teach professional excellence in the craft of storytelling," NPPA executive director Mindy Hutchison said. "The hiatus will give us time to evaluate the best way to both continue the grand tradition and evolve the program to provide the best tools for success in this rapidly changing environment. We’ll come back stronger than ever in 2013."
Elliot added, “I cannot thank Sharon enough for her years of service to NPPA and the field of visual journalism. We are hopeful that Sharon will be able to find time in her future busy schedule to continue as an educator within NPPA’s many video programs.”
For more information contact NPPA’s executive director Hutchison at director@nppa.org.