WEIRD, I KNOW...

I don't suppose many candidates for SPJ office spend their free time making self-promoting websites. But I don't have many hobbies.

My name is Michael Koretzky, and I'm campaigning on three platforms. Two of them are specific to college students and new grads, because I believe they're the ones who are going to lead SPJ through the tough times facing our industry.

 

GET WITH THE PROGRAM ____________________________________

My goal is to recruit 100 college and Generation J members. The only way I know how to do this is with programming that appeals to students -- and that means no lectures or panel discussions.

College kids sit all day in chilly classrooms under flourescent lights, listening to old people like me dole out advice. So the programs I create require no podium or head table.

<< Click these photos to see what I mean.

 

GET OUT OF THE HOUSE ____________________________________

When it comes to young people, SPJ needs to get out more. Example:

Generation J is a great initiative. But right now, it's really just a website (although a good one). We need to speak directly to the people we want to recruit.

As you can probably tell, I have lots of time on my hands. I'll contact every campus chapter and offer to help with the mundane and time-consuming aspects of their programming. And I'll devise programs for Generation J that can go on the road -- then I'll go on that road.

 

GET A HANDLE ON THINGS ____________________________________

My local SPJ chapter has to file an annual report, detailing our accomplishments for the year. If SPJ's national board members had to do the same thing, what would be in their annual reports?

If elected, I'll ask my fellow board members to make annual reports mandatory for each of us. Even if they don't agree, I'll still file my own. So if I don't deliver on the promises I'm making here, it'll be plain to see in 12 months.

 

SOME STUFF ABOUT ME... __________________________________________

Adviser for the student newspaper at Florida Atlantic University for the past 10 years.

Associate editor for JAZZIZ, an international jazz magazine, for the past eight years.

Former board member and current Student Affairs chairman with SPJ South Florida.

Steering Committee member on the Student Press Law Center's Advisory Council.

Board member of the Florida College Press Association.

Special projects/events coordinator of College Media Advisers and a regular convention presenter.

Host of the nonprofit South Florida Media Jobs site.

More about my background here...