New Mexico Press Women’s 2018 Communications Contest is now open to receive
entries. The contest is open to anyone working on a broad range of communications media – news and feature writing, editorials, headlines, editing and page design, photography and graphics, radio and television, web and social media, advertising, public relations, speeches, collegiate materials, and fiction and non-fiction books.

Work must have been published/presented during calendar year 2017.

Entry fees are $10 for the first entry and $5 for each succeeding entry for NMPW
members and $15 for the first entry and $10 for each succeeding entry for non-members.

Those entering hard-copy books are required to include an additional $15 to cover the cost of shipping books to judges.

Complete information for entering the just-about-all electronic 2018 competition on the
Communications Contest page of the NMPW web site – NewMexicoPressWomen.org – and also at the National Federation of Press Women web site. On both sites, click on competition/contest tab and find 2018 Communications Contest information and guidance on how to enter.

Entry deadlines are January 23 to take advantage of the early bird discount. All entries must be entered by February 6, 2018.

Winners will be notified in April so they may attend NMPW’s state conference in Santa
Fe.

For more information contact 2018 Communications Contest chair Carolyn Carlson at
CTCarlson03@gmail.com.

Northern New Mexico Press Women sponsored a seminar on Sept. 23 that was so great they wanted to share the information. Titled “Media Literacy in a Fake News World” it gave lessons on how to discern the truth in the midst of conflicting stories and confusing ‘facts.’

Consider this guide from the Library Policy and Advocacy Blog.

How to spot fake news

There is much more in this brochure prepared by the group

The seminar was sponsored by the Santa Fe Public Library, the Society of Professional Journalists – Rio Grande Chapter, NM Foundation for Open Government, New Mexico Press Women, The League of Women Voters of Santa Fe County and the Facebook Community It’s-the-Peoples-Data the seminar offered great tips to use in your search for the truth.

Northern New Mexico Press Women presents “Media Literacy in a Fake News World” at 1 p.m. Sat., Sept. 23 at the Santa Fe Public Library Southside branch, 6599 Jaguar Drive, Santa Fe.

Panel moderator Inez Russell Gomez, editorial editor of the Santa Fe New Mexican, will lead the conversation about fake news with Albuquerque Journal North editor Mark Oswald, Taos News editor Staci Matlock, PBS Newshour correspondent Kathleen McCleery and author James McGrath Morris.

The event is free and is sponsored by the Santa Fe Public Library, New Mexico Press Women, the Society of Professional Journalists (Rio Grande Chapter), Santa Fe chapter of the League of Women Voters, the Foundation for Open Government and It’s the People’s Data.

For information send an email to nnmpresswomen@gmail.com. To contact the Santa Fe Public Library, Southside branch call 505-955-2820.

Jacob von Kutzleben

Everyone is invited to enter the Jacob von Kutzleben Memorial Scholarship Writing Contest.

This contest commemorates the dreams of von Kutzleben, a New Mexico State University student who was killed in a car accident. His family sponsors the contest in honor of von Kutzleben, a criminal justice major who also wrote science fiction and urban fantasy.

For details about the writing contest and prizes please visit the website.

The NC City and County Communicators is looking to partner with another state organization in judging the NC3C Excellence in Communications Awards. NC3C is dedicated to the professional development and networking of local government communication professionals.

They are planning to issue a call for contest entries in January 2017 and will require judging assistance in February 2017. The contest is structured much like the 3CMA Savvy Awards with categories in TV/Video, Printed Publications, Communication Technology, Citizen Participation, Community Visioning, Service Delivery and Communication or Marketing plans. In 2016, contest organizers received a total of 80 entries in these categories.

If New Mexico Press Women members have experience in one of those categories and are interested in volunteering as a judge, please send Bud Russo a message including a description of your relevant experience.