Pamela B. Fine
Knight Chair and Professor of Journalism
University of Kansas, William Allen White School of Journalism
1435 Jayhawk Boulevard, Lawrence, KS. 66045
Mobile: (785) 840-7936 Email:
EDUCATION
University of Missouri, Master of Arts - Media Management
University of Florida, Bachelor of Science in Journalism
Executive development programs - Northwestern University, University of Minnesota and American Press Institute
ACADEMIC FELLOWSHIPS
Scripps Entrepreneurship Institute Fellow, Arizona State University
Scripps Leadership Academy, Louisiana State University
Scripps/AEJMC Social Media Externship, DNAInfo, New York
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
Knight Chair for News, Leadership and Community and Professor of Journalism, University of Kansas (May 2008-present) Tenured professor who teaches multimedia reporting, ethics, news literacy and other courses and collaborates on projects with industry and news organizations.
Highlights:
-Elected to Faculty Senate, 2015.
-Created political coverage site, Politicalfiber.com, for 2012 election season to provide innovative opportunity for students to produce serious political issues coverage and engage Millennial-age readers. Students developed and used Web, social media and mobile platforms. Content was produced by more than 40 recent graduates and students from the J-school and other areas of campus. Content was also shared with news providers in Kansas and Missouri. Through two semesters, the site drew more than 60,000 unique visitors and 120,000 page views. http://ajr.org/Article.asp?id=5249
-Awarded $100,000 grant from the Ethics and Excellence Foundation in 2010 to fund reporting internships, scholarly research and civic engagement efforts as part of an award-winning collaboration created with the Kansas City Star and the University of Missouri called the Midwest Democracy Project.
-Awarded $5,000 research grant from the Kettering Foundation for research on the impact of face-to-face and online forum participation on citizens as part of the Midwest Democracy Project.
-Successfully collaborated with a small group of colleagues to overhaul the news track curriculum to put more emphasis on research, writing, visuals and innovation. Changes were adopted by the full faculty and took effect fall 2012.
-Led development of and edited “Guide to 10 Best Practices for Social Media” as a board member and committee chair for the American Society of News Editors. Posted April 2011 http://asne.org/Files/pdf/10_Best_Practices_for_Social_Media.pdf
-Conceived and edited award-winning special reporting project in 2009 by six students for the campus newspaper and website on failed policies dealing with alcohol abuse at KU. University administrators adopted several policies and practices used at other campuses that were highlighted in the series.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Managing Editor, Indianapolis Star and Indystar.com (September 2003 - April 2008)
Major Accomplishments:
-Expanded online coverage and staffing to provide robust spot news coverage and interactivity, niche content, dynamic databases, video and reader-submitted content. Saw significant growth in page views and time on the site.
-Strengthened watchdog, enterprise and beat reporting with an emphasis on government, business, healthcare and community news and sports.
-Led development of special reporting projects on auto deaths from high speed chases involving state and local police; significant underreporting of child abuse injuries and deaths in Indiana; mismanagement of millions in construction funds for a new central library; violations in child adoption requirements; and the first-ever analysis of more than 200 athletic budgets from Division I universities and colleges, with a searchable database that in its first year drew more than 500,000 page views.
-Created and redesigned several key sections of the paper to capitalize on niche audience interests and revenue possibilities.
-Improved training, planning, recruiting and a number of administrative processes and practices to increase transparency, feedback and effective use of resources.
Managing Editor and Vice President, Star Tribune, Minneapolis (April 1994 - June 2002)
Major accomplishments:
-Led newsroom strategy review and restructuring of 360-member newsroom to improve spot news coverage, enterprise and collaboration for print and online.
-Beefed up numerous coverage areas including metro area growth, technology, business, education, consumer health, religion, legal affairs, prep sports and entertainment.
-Increased civic engagement and data reporting operations to provide community connections and in-depth coverage.
-Provided editing and leadership on major projects including Pulitzer Prize finalist (West Publishing Co. and its relationship to the Supreme Court); Robert Kennedy Award winner (on a family with AIDS); Sigma Delta Chi winner (on deaths and abuse involving mentally vulnerable adults); and Columbia University “Race Project “ award winner (for profiling teenage Somali girls in Minnesota; and post September 11 coverage of Muslims in Minnesota and four Middle Eastern countries.)
-Redesigned newspaper to emphasize depth, sophistication and utility.
-Spearheaded numerous administrative improvements including development of a performance assessment process and merit pay system, and staff training.
The Atlanta Journal – Constitution (February 1982 – March 1994)
-Assistant Managing Editor (1991 - 1994)
-Metro Editor (1989 -1991)
-City Editor (1989)
-Political Editor (1987 – 1989)
-Deputy City Editor (1986 – 1987)
-Night City Editor (1984 – 1986)
-Reporter (1982 – 1984)
Highlights:
Assistant Managing Editor/Days - Coordinated daily coverage and planning with direct responsibility for front-page story selection and presentation. Worked with all departments on breaking news and enterprise. Served as news department’s liaison with marketing department.
Metro Editor – Managed 160-person local news department with responsibility for state and local coverage; daily metro sections; daily and weekly zoned editions from bureaus in five counties, staffing and evaluations. Major accomplishments included creation of several new beats (Over 50; Census; International Community; Neighborhoods; Drug/Alcohol Abuse; Atlanta University Campus including Spelman and Morehouse colleges; Weather, Gay Community); new columns (School Matters on trends in lower education; Monroe Drive on traffic and mass transit; personalities in the news); and redesign on zoned EXTRA editions.
Political Editor - Headed coverage of the 1988 presidential campaign, national conventions and congressional races. For Democratic convention in Atlanta, coordinated 60 reporters and a dozen editors. Took a smaller staff to New Orleans for the Republican convention and ran Cox convention bureau for 19 newspapers.
Gwinnett Daily News, Lawrenceville, Ga. (February 1981 - February 1982)
Covered government and business for daily newspaper in suburban Atlanta.
Rockdale Neighbor, Conyers, Ga. (January 1980 - February 1981)
Editor, weekly newspaper in suburban Atlanta. Also covered county government.
Daytona Beach News Journal, Daytona Beach, Fl. (April 1979 - October 1979)
Reporter. Covered New Smyrna Beach city council, development.
SELECTED PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AND AFFILIATIONS
-American Society of News Editors (ASNE): Serving one-year term as president. Term ends September 2016. Previous service: vice president, 2015. co-chair national convention, 2014; chair Partnerships Committee, 2012; co-chair Membership and Marketing Committee, 2011; chair Ethics Committee 2010; previously chaired Interactive and Diversity committees. Member since 1994.
-Member Online News Association
-Member Kansas Media-Bar Committee
-Pulitzer Prize Juror: 2000, 2001, 2006 and 2007.
-Associated Press Managing Editors (APME): Served two terms on the board and was 2000 national convention chair. Served two, two-year terms on the Indiana APME board.
-Poynter Institute Ethics Fellow, 2002.
-Minnesota Women’s Economic Roundtable: Board member and 2001 program co-chair.
ACADEMIC PRESENTATIONS, SERVICE AND PUBLICATIONS
2015-2016:
Toner Prize for Excellence in Political Reporting – Final judge for award by Syracuse University. February
KU School of Journalism - Search committee for Distinguished Professor. Ongoing
Kansas Public Radio – Search committee for new general manager. Completed October
2014-2015:
ASNE - Judge for annual writing awards. March 2015
KSPA - Judge for spring contest. March 2015
“Red Hot Research” – Invited presenter at University research exchange session on findings from my recent research survey on college students’ motivations for accessing news on smartphones. Nov. 16, 2014
Montgomery Symposium – Organized annual seminar on web and print design and brand strategy for Kansas editors and publishers. October 2014
Editor and Publisher Magazine – Judge for EPPY online awards. September 2014
ASNE/APME Convention – Co-chair for annual convention program heavy focus on First Amendment, Leadership and Diversity. September 2014
AEJMC: Two panels: Moderated panel of Scripps Social Media Fellows on our 2013 summer stints in newsrooms; Also presented on a panel on women in news leadership. August 7, 2014
Newspaper Research Journal: Book Review, Saving Community Journalism: The Path to Profitability. Vol. 35, No. 3 - Summer 2014
Southern Illinois University Journalism School: Served on an advisory group at the request of the school’s director to determine appropriate allocation request to the University president and board of trustees for the Daily Egyptian student newspaper. Summer 2014
2013-14:
ASNE – Judge for annual writing awards, March 2014
Scripps Howard Foundation – Judge for annual awards, February 2014
Journalism Accreditation Council - Site team member, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Spring 2013
Montgomery Symposium: Organized workshop for Kansas publishers on increasing digital revenues, featuring nationally-known speaker and consultant, Gordon Borrell.
Nov. 7, 2013
Temple University – Outside reviewer of material for tenure candidate, David Boardman, dean of the journalism school. October 2013
Editor and Publisher Magazine: Judge for annual EPPY online awards. September 2013
KU conversation with Chuck Tobin: moderated conversation for journalism and law students with Washington D.C first amendment attorney after "Whistleblowers, Reporter Surveillance, and the First Amendment" forum. Sept. 17, 2013
Kent State University - Outside reviewer of materials for tenure candidate, Assistant Professor Mitch McKenny. August 2013
AEJMC: Judge 2013 newspaper division's teaching news competition. August 2013
2012-13
Kansas Health Institute News Service: Advisor on organizational strategy and community engagement projects.
KU “Business Consulting” course: Faculty reviewer for project work by students in strategic communications course in the KU business school. Spring 2013
Plagiarism E-book: Worked with a team of journalism professionals and academics to produce practical recommendations for combating plagiarism and fabrication. The conclusions were presented at a summit at the 2013 ACES conference in St. Louis and then published as an E-book. The project was organized by the American Copy Editors Society. Also developed a panel on plagiarism and fabrication for the annual ASNE convention in June featuring representatives from the Associated Press, Reuters and ACES. May/June 2013
Montgomery Symposium: Helped develop daylong symposium on new media and the courts for Kansas publishers and editors. Moderated panel on impact to news media of new digital technology used by state and federal courts. Held in Kansas Supreme Court courtroom. November 9, 2012
Poynter Kent State Media Ethics Workshop: Presented on Politicalfiber.com’s approach to coverage and to engaging Millennials in serious coverage and conversation about important issues. September 20, 2012
Editor and Publisher Magazine: Judge for annual EPPY online awards. September 2012
2011-12:
Toner Prize for Excellence in Political Reporting – Judge, annual awards contest. Spring 2012.
Missouri-Kansas AP Publishers and Editors Meeting, Journalism Educators Breakfast - Panelist for discussion on social media, Kansas City, Mo. Dec. 5, 2011
Montgomery Symposium - Developed daylong program on investigative reporting and use of public records for annual Kansas publishers and editors event. Nov. 11, 2011
CQ Press - Prepublication review of ethics textbook, Media Ethics at Work: True Stories from Young Professionals. November 2011
Kettering Foundation – Invited participant for small group discussion of journalism education and journalism routines during the foundation’s annual Research Exchange week, Dayton, Ohio.Nov. 16-17, 2011
AEJMC convention – Developed and moderated panel, “News Organizations and U: Strategies for Successful Partnerships,” St. Louis, Mo. Aug. 11, 2011
Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) - Speaker, “Ask the Expert” session at annual Reporter’s Institute, Poynter Institute, St. Petersburg, Fl. July 11, 2011
2010-2011:
Big 12 Internal Audit Conference – presented “Five Keys to Unlock the Door of Powerful Interviews,” University of Kansas. June 8, 2011
ASNE convention – panelist, “From the Classroom to the Newsroom: Preparing Students for the Real World of Journalism,” San Diego. April 2011
Florida Society of Newspaper Editors – Judge, annual awards contest. Spring 2011
Toner Prize for Excellence in Political Reporting - Judge for inaugural award. Spring 2011
Kettering Foundation – Awarded $5,000 for developing and reporting on a research study on the impact of participation in face-to-face and online forums on the Midwest Democracy Project site by citizens in Kansas City. Spring 2010
Midwest Democracy Project - Awarded $100,000 grant from the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation for the Midwest Democracy Project, a collaboration of the University of Kansas, the Kansas City Star and the University of Missouri to develop an election site, provide extensive 2010 campaign coverage and engender civic engagement, Fall 2010
Journalism Accreditation Council - Site team member, Colorado State University, Fall 2010
2008 - 2010
Florida Society of Newspaper Editors – Judge, annual awards. Spring 2010.
Baruch College/CUNY - Outside reviewer of tenure promotion materials for Geanne Rosenberg, journalism department chair. March 2010
ASNE – Judge for annual writing awards. February 2010
University of Kansas - Presenter on newsroom organization and leadership for visiting group of Chinese journalists. December 2009
Montgomery Symposium - Developed and facilitated symposium on the digital future of newspapers for Kansas publishers and editors. Fall 2009
Kansas City Public Television - Panelist for a “citizen conversation” at the Kansas City public library on the impact of the decline in local news reporting. An edited version of the community event aired on Kansas City public television, a co-sponsor with the community improvement group, Consensus. June 2009
Journalism Accreditation Council - Site team member, University of Maryland. Spring 2009
SPJ - Moderated “town hall” meeting on journalism ethics, designed to create a conversation between the public and professional journalists. May 2009
Lawrence Zodiac Club - Speaker on how the Pulitzer Prizes are awarded, Lawrence, KS. April 2009
SPJ - Speaker for a regional conference session focused on helping journalists and students manage their careers, Indianapolis, IN. April 2009
ASNE – Judge, annual writing awards. February 2009
Florida Society of Newspaper Editors, judge annual contest. Spring 2009
Journalism Accreditation Council - Site team member, Baylor University. Fall 2009
Citizen Journalism Academy - Presenter and partner in fourth annual Citizen Journalism Academy sponsored by the Lawrence Journal World and KU journalism school. Fall 2008
Dole Institute of Politics - Speaker at civic engagement conference of Kansas high school teachers, University of Kansas. Fall 2008