 Logo, Society of Professional Journalists | |
| Formation | April 17, 1909; 116 years ago (1909-04-17)[1] |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 3909 N.Meridian Street, Indianapolis, Indiana |
Official language | English |
President | Emily Bloch[2] |
Key people | Caroline Hendrie - Executive Director |
| Website | www |
TheSociety of Professional Journalists (SPJ), formerly known asSigma Delta Chi, is the oldest organization representingjournalists in theUnited States. It was established on April 17, 1909, atDePauw University,[3][4] and its charter was designed by William Meharry Glenn.[5][1]
The Society of Professional Journalists was established on April 17, 1909, as a men'sprofessional fraternity namedSigma Delta Chi. Its ten founding members were:[6]
The organization continued to function as a fraternity until 1960 when it became a professional society. At the 1969 San Diego convention, Sigma Delta Chi decided to begin admitting women into the society. In 1973, the society changed its name to Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi. In 1988, the presentSociety of Professional Journalists name was adopted.[7]
The stated mission of SPJ is to promote and defend theFirst Amendment guarantees offreedom of speech andfreedom of the press; encourage high standards and ethical behavior in the practice ofjournalism; and promote and supportdiversity in journalism.[8]
It has also drawn up aCode of Ethics that aims to inspire journalists to adhere to high standards of behavior and decision-making while performing their work.[9] Last updated in 2014, this code of ethics has been what the SPJ has been best known for.[10]
SPJ has had as many as 300 chapters across the United States, which Sarah Scire wonders how well this system is well-suited for the digital age.[10]
As of 2023, membership has declined from its peak around 10,000 members to more than 4,000 members.[10] The declining number of journalists in the United States appears largely responsible for the decline as well as the organization's inability to afford to put on a conference in 2024.[10][11]
The society's chapters bring educational programming to local areas and offer regular contact with other media professionals. SPJ initiatives include a Legal Defense Fund that wages court battles to secure First Amendment rights; the Project Sunshine campaign, to improve the ability of journalists and the public to obtainaccess to government records; the magazineQuill; and the annualSigma Delta Chi Awards, which honor excellence in journalism.
The Eugene S. Pulliam First Amendment Award is awarded annually by the Society of Professional Journalists in honor of publisherEugene S. Pulliam's dedication toFirst Amendment rights and values. The award seeks "to honor a person or persons who have fought to protect and preserve one or more of the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment."[12]
| Year | Recipient | References |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | The Post and Courier | [13] |
| 2019 | Spotlight Team,Boston Globe | [14] |
| 2018 | Kansas City Star | [15] |
| 2017 | Better Government Association | [16] |
| 2015 | The Columbus Dispatch and theStudent Press Law Center | [17] |
| 2014 | Associated Press | [18][19] |
| 2013 | Gina Barton, John Diedrich and Ben Poston,Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | [20] |
| 2012 | Carol Marbin Miller,Miami Herald | [21] |
| 2011 | Associated Press | [22][23] |
| 2010 | Renee Dudley,The Island Packet of Bluffton, S.C. | [24][25] |
| 2009 | Jill Riepenhoff and Todd Jones,The Columbus Dispatch | [26] |
| 2008 | Jim Schaefer &M.L. Elrick,Detroit Free Press | [27] |
| 2007 | Joe Adams,The Florida Times-Union | [28] |
| 2006 | Terry Francke, Peter Scheer, and the CaliforniaFirst Amendment Coalition | [29] |
| 2005 | Kate Martin and the Center for National Security Studies | [30] |
| 2004 | Dan Christensen,Miami Daily Business Review | [31] |
| 2003 | Seth Rosenfeld,San Francisco Chronicle | [32] |
| 2002 | William Lawbaugh,Mount Saint Mary's University | [33] |
Responding to concerns originating in theGamergate controversy, in 2015 the SPJ launched the Kunkel Awards (named after pioneeringvideo game journalistBill Kunkel) for game journalism.[34][35] The award was folded into theMark of Excellence Awards in 2020.[36]
| Year | Recipient | References |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Super Bunnyhop,Alex Andrejev (Washington Post), Luke Winkie (The Atlantic), Kenneth Niemeyer (Daily Mississippian),Alex Andrejev (Washington Post), Ferris Jabr (New York Times Magazine) | [37] |
| 2018 | Mark Brown, Megan Fernandez (Indianapolis Monthly), Lydia Niles (The Daily Orange), Felix Gillette (Bloomberg), Cecilia D'Anastasio (Kotaku) | [38] |
| 2017 | My Life in Gaming,Brian Crecente (Polygon), Caroline Bartholomew (The Daily Orange), Simon Parkin (Nautilus),Jason Schreier(Kotaku) | [39] |
| 2016 | Brad Glasgow (Allthink), Richard Moss (Polygon)/Ben Sailer (Kill Screen), Aiden Strawhun (Kotaku), Danny O'Dwyer (Noclip) | [40] |
| 2015 | Kotaku,The Guardian, Super Bunnyhop,Innuendo Studios,Ars Technica | [41] |
The Helen Thomaslifetime achievement award was awarded by the SPJ between 2000 and 2010.[42] It was named afterHelen Thomas, who received the first award in 2000. The award was discontinued in 2011 due to the controversy surrounding Thomas's statements aboutJews and theIsraeli–Palestinian conflict.[43][44]
| Year | Recipient | References |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | David Perlman (science journalist for theSan Francisco Chronicle) | [45] |
| 2009 | Robert Churchwell | [46] |
| 2008 | Caryl Rivers (Boston University) | [47] |
| 2007 | Chuck Stone (first president of theNational Association of Black Journalists) | [48] |
| 2006 | Stan Chambers (KTLA, Los Angeles) | [49] |
| 2005 | Alan Walden (WBAL Baltimore) | [50] |
| 2004 | Tom Brokaw (NBC News) | [42] |
| 2003 | Ed Barber (The Independent Florida Alligator) | [42] |
| 2002 | Tom andPat Gish (The Mountain Eagle,Whitesburg, Kentucky) | [42] |
| 2001 | not awarded | [42] |
| 2000 | Helen Thomas, former seniorUPIWhite House correspondent | [42] |
The SPJ also administers the Green Eyeshade Awards and the Sunshine State Awards. The Green Eyeshade Awards annually recognize journalists inAlabama,Arkansas,Florida,Georgia,Kentucky,Louisiana,Mississippi,North Carolina,Puerto Rico,South Carolina,Tennessee,U.S. Virgin Islands,Virginia, andWest Virginia.[51] The Sunshine State Awards are given each year to journalists in Florida,Puerto Rico, and theU.S. Virgin Islands.[52]
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