Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/308664
SAGAFTRA.org | Spring 2014 | SAG-AFTRA 13 JUDGE DISMISSES LAWSUIT AGAINST UNION BROADCAST ACADEMY SHOWS YOUNG JOURNALISTS THE ROPES T he suspects were surrounded at a remote camp in the hills of Malibu, Calif. Police had their guns drawn as news crews circled the arrest. As the suspects were handcuffed and led to squad cars, they shouted obscenities, claiming to have started a fire in the hills to prevent the destruction of the environment. ese environmental terrorists weren't real, however. ey were SAG-AFTRA actors, recruited by fellow union member and broadcaster Hal Eisner for a weekend broadcast mentoring camp for aspiring reporters and anchors on Dec. 7. Eisner, a SAG-AFTRA National Board member and reporter for Fox 11 News in Los Angeles, founded the Associated Press Television and Radio Association Academy 14 years ago with the help of e Associated Press and Pepperdine University, as well as many reporters, anchors and others in the broadcast community. e camp pairs working broadcast journalists and SAG-AFTRA members with those just starting out or still in school, who are tasked with covering a simulated breaking news event. e academy splits the participants between those who are gearing their careers toward becoming anchors on a news desk and those who want to be out in the field as reporters, producers and photographers. Professional broadcasters are assigned to mentor the team as they cover an elaborate news story plotted out by Eisner, SAG-AFTRA actors and other participants, including local public information officials from Los Angeles fire and police departments. "By setting up a realistic-feeling mock news story … the goal was to help aspiring news broadcasters produce resume material they could use in their job-hunting efforts," Eisner said. "ere were people who helped us and, without them, we might not have had the successes we've enjoyed in our careers. With that 'paying it forward' thought in mind, we are now preparing for our 15th camp in December 2014. It's gratifying how many great broadcasters who are on the air now in cities across the country have participated in the APTRA Academy over the years." Among the volunteers were SAG-AFTRA National Board member Michelle Dunker and Los Angeles Board member Vivicca Whitsett. "It was an honor to be partnering with many of the reporters I see on the news every day to provide a truly formative and authentic mentoring experience for these up-and- coming broadcasters," said Dunker. roughout the weekend, participants also had the opportunity to meet and hear from special guests, among them Eisner's colleague Christine Devine, who spoke about her career in broadcast. Devine was joined by her former colleague at Fox 11, Carlos Amezcua, to talk about their work as anchors. e camp not only educates the aspiring broadcasters, but the mentors as well. "I learn from these young journalists just as much as they learn from me," said veteran Fox 11 reporter Tony Valdez, who has been volunteering for the academy for 12 years. "I always learn new approaches and ways to do my work." From left, actors Barry Pearl and Tina Marie Nigro as "eco-terrorists," with APTRA Academy founder Hal Eisner. BSC MEETS IN N.Y. O n March 15, the National Broadcast Steering Committee met at the SAG-AFTRA New York office for a one-day meeting, covering a wide range of crucial topics affecting news and broadcast members' professional lives. e BSC addressed a number of internal governance issues, including a proposal to ensure that all locals and the diverse population of broadcasters are properly represented on the BSC. Aer an update on the union's current broadcast negotiations and other contract developments, the discussion turned to legal issues that have a direct impact on members' work. Included in the discussion were several recently resolved disputes with employers over issues and the proposed federal reporter shield law currently pending in the U.S. Senate. e group also discussed continuing developments with the use of social media in the workplace. SAG-AFTRA recently addressed various employer policies regarding members' personal social media accounts by negotiating appropriate fences around the use of social media and the separation of personal and work accounts. Members of the BSC addressed ongoing safety concerns faced by reporters in the field, including several recent assaults on news reporters. SAG-AFTRA's San Francisco- Northern California Local has been working aggressively with station management and local law enforcement to ensure that every possible protection is afforded to our members in the Bay Area. National Board member Joe Krebs applauded the union's commitment to its broadcaster members. "I want to thank SAG-AFTRA's top leadership — President Ken Howard, Executive Vice President Gabrielle Carteris, Secretary-Treasurer Amy Aquino and National Executive Director David White — for attending and participating in our BSC meeting. eir presence and interest underscores the importance of broadcasters to SAG-AFTRA, the importance of the union to broadcasters and, in the end, our unity," he said. HAL EISNER 11-19_For Members_F.indd 13 4/23/14 4:17 PM