Why Non-White Communities Could Be Hit The Hardest By Climate Change

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CHICAGO, July 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — National Public Radio presents the panel discussion “Covering Climate Change: Why Non-White Communities Could Be Hit the Hardest,” as part of the UNITY ‘08 Convention. Writers, producers and editors will discuss how poor, predominantly ethnic communities around the nation have been struggling against bad water, poor air quality and other environmental hardships long before Hurricane Katrina. The wide range of climate change and other environmental shifts presents opportunities to find stories in and around communities of color and low-income communities. The session is from 8:30 to 10 a.m. McCormick Place West, W196.
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More than 6,830 journalists of color are registered at the UNITY convention currently underway at McCormick Place West. The convention ends tomorrow with an address from presidential candidate Barack Obama. Presidential candidate John McCain has also been invited to speak. McCain has not confirmed his attendance.
Saturday’s highlights at UNITY ‘08 include:
– “In Living Color: Representing Minorities in the Media,” is an audience panel discussion for graphic and visual artists to ensure that the faces and places that they choose to illustrate important issues - health care, crime, education, and politics - are attached with fairness, verve, and meaning. The panel will include photographers, graphic artists, producers and illustrators. 8:30 to 10 a.m. McCormick Place West, W175.
– “Beyond the Fence: Covering Immigration Globally and Locally,” is a discussion where panelists will recommend a major overhaul of how news organizations cover immigration. Instead of focusing only on the American Southwest or big urban centers, why not look at the ways that immigration affects other countries, or the changing migration patterns between residents of European cities and developing nations, the evolving attitudes and relationships between South Americans and Mexicans, the social and economic impact of human trafficking in Asia, or the growing problems of war refugees in the Middle East? 10:30 to 11:45 a.m., McCormick Place West, W196.
– The Asian American Journalists Association and the South Asian Journalists Association present “Following the Money: The Growing Economic Footprints of India and China,” will discuss how the two giants are fast changing the playing field in global economics, and how to improve coverage of two of the world’s leading economic powers. 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., McCormick Place West, W471.
– BET Networks presents a Lunch ‘n’ Learn Event: “Coverage of Violence in Communities of Color.” Moderator Jeff Johnson will lead a provocative conversation on the intersection of race, violence and news coverage. The session requires pre-registration. Noon to 1:30 p.m. McCormick Place West, W183AB
– The National Association of Hispanic Journalists presents “Beyond ‘Illegal Alien’: Toward Fair, Ethical and Accurate Immigration Coverage.” In the past year, the level of rhetoric surrounding immigration coverage has reached historic - often hysterical - levels in many communities. Readers in Texas and California, for example, are pressuring newspapers to publish the legal status of Latinos at the center of any story, whether or not it’s related to immigration. But for reporters, where is the fine line between reporting the truth and fueling the flames, especially for journalists of color who face the dual challenge of pressure from Latinos in the community and editors in the newsroom? Join a panel of veteran immigration reporters for tactics to navigate these tricky waters. 1:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m., McCormick Place West, W192C
– “Fade Out: What Does Media Consolidation Mean for Journalists and Consumers of Color?” The panel will discuss how in the sea of change hitting the media industry, journalists of color have been hit harder, proportionately, than the total population of working journalists. Recent demographic surveys from ASNE show that fewer journalists of color have been hired than in years past, while growing numbers are leaving the newsroom. 1:15 to 2:45 p.m. McCormick Place West, W196.
– NABJ hosts its “Salute to Excellence Awards Gala” with emcees Diann Burns and Kevin Frazier, from 7 to 10 p.m. inside the Sheraton Chicago hotel and Towers, Chicago Ballroom.
– The Media Expo and Career Center remains open half the day. The expo features a career center with workshops, a photojournalism gallery, demos of the latest digital technology, a press conference area, a bookstore, author appearances, a cyber cafe and networking lounges. 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. McCormick Place Expo Hall.
– CLOSING PARTIES. The closing parties are a kickoff to next year’s individual group conventions, and a time for one final social event at UNITY ‘08:
9 p.m. to LATE - AAJA/UNITY hosts its “Karaoke Night” inside the Sheraton hotel and Towers, Exhibit Hall A.
10:30 p.m. to LATE - NABJ hosts its “Tampa Kick-Off Party,” inside the Sheraton hotel and Towers, Chicago Ballroom.
9 p.m. to LATE - NAHJ hosts its “Vamos Pa’ Puerto Rico” party inside the Sheraton hotel and Towers, Chicago Ballroom.
About UNITY: Journalists of Color
UNITY: Journalists of Color, Inc. is a strategic alliance advocating news coverage about people of color, and aggressively challenging its organizations at all levels to reflect the nation’s diversity. UNITY, representing more than 10,000 journalists of color, is comprised of four national associations: Asian American Journalists Association, National Association of Black Journalists, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and the Native American Journalists Association.
In addition to planning the largest regular gathering of journalists in the nation, UNITY develops programs and institutional relationships that promote its mission. For more information on UNITY, visit , email or call (703) 854-3585.

UNITY: Journalists of Color

Buy, Sell, Invest and Grow Through Strategic Mergers and Acquisitions In the Travel Industry

LONDON, July 15 /PRNewswire/ —

While one company looks to cash in on an investment, another seeks an
investment opportunity — the travel Investment Forum provides an opportunity
to maximize any growth potential.

Covering the latest strategies to manage the success of your next
investment, acquisition or divestment project, travel Investment Forum
organized by TTG and ttgbusiness will be taking place in London on the 18th
of September 2008.

Owners, chief executives and senior directors of travel operators and
agencies will gather for this all-day event, focusing on subjects such as
private equity funding, legal issues surrounding acquisitions, and how to
fine-tune long-term growth and investment strategies.

Highlights include:

— A rare chance to hear Clive Jacobs, Former Founder, Chairman and CEO
of Holiday Autos speak on his entrepreneurial approach and past
investment activity
— Unique buy-side and sell-side insight from high profile travel
companies including a perspective from Mervyn Williamson of Statesman
travel Group
— Practical case studies and analysis including a perspective from
renowned analyst Chris Photi of White Hart Associates
— In depth trend assessment to understand the key factors affecting the
travel investment landscape, including a perspective from Caroline
Bremner of Euromonitor International.

For more details about this event:

Call: 44-(0)207-955-3935
Email: hdouglas@cmpi.biz
Online: www.ttglive.com/tif

About TTG

travel Trade Gazette and ttgbusiness are essential reading for anyone
working in the travel industry. Whether it is for the latest breaking news,
destination features, career and better business advice, information,
campaigns, competitions, events, jobs or social networking, it’s our aim to
deliver the information and entertainment you need on both a weekly and daily
basis.

Web site: http://www.ttglive.com/tif

Travel Trade Gazette

Backpacker Magazine Launches Fully Redesigned Website With New Multimedia and GPS-Supported Content

BOULDER, Colo., April 28 /PRNewswire/ — Backpacker magazine, the authority on outdoor adventure, today announced the launch of its newly redesigned website . Rebuilt from the bottom up, Backpacker.com now includes more than 1,200 editor-approved GPS-supported hikes, daily blog posts from experts devoted to survival, fitness, news, and trends, on-the-scene videos featuring Backpacker editors, and a database of approximately 1,900 products that can be searched and compared in the site’s interactive GearFinder tool. Backpacker.com’s extensive online community can now also post and share gear reviews, photos, GPS coordinates, and reports of their favorite trips.
“The new website brings the heart and soul of Backpacker to our online community,” said editor-in-chief Jonathan Dorn. “Since last September, we have been architecting what our readers said they wanted: more multimedia content, GPS-enabled hikes, current gear reviews, and loads of interactive trip tools. This site is not only a reflection of Backpacker magazine, but also our readers.”
The new website delivers on Backpacker’s tagline mission, “The Outdoors at Your Doorstep” with close-to-home hikes, skills features that make the trail safer and more accessible, and stories, told both editorially and through audio/visual applications, that inspire users to experience the world outdoors.
“We’ve packed Backpacker.com with every tool and feature we could think of to make it the ultimate one-stop-shop for preparing for and learning about the outdoors,” said Backpacker.com editor Anthony Cerretani. “And this is just the beginning. We’ll be adding new content every day.”
New features include:

Interactive Flash Map

Featured prominently on the homepage and the destinations page is a new interactive Flash map directing users to more than 1,200 edited and approved GPS-supported hikes, from the Appalachian Trail to the Pacific Crest Trail. Another 10,000 trips are accessible to site users. The hikes, which are submitted by volunteer Backpacker readers and staff contributors, can be searched by city, state, park, and long trail. Each week, 10 new trips are featured, and each month, 50 new trips are added. Also included are trip Tools-interactive features pointing users to menu planners, gear lists, information on permit centers, and expert advice.
GearFinder
Readers said they wanted an improved GearFinder, and that is exactly what they got. The new GearFinder includes approximately 1,900 pieces of gear searchable by product type, size, cost, and weight. (backpacker.com/gear/) (Gearfinder.com)
Expanded Community Section
Backpacker.com currently boasts more than 20,000 active community participants. The new community pages allow participants to share photos and GPS coordinates in their own personalized trip reports and link to their favorite and past trips. They can also create personal profiles, save articles to read later, post gear reviews, and rate and comment on every article and trip on the Backpacker site. This is the core of the new site, embracing the strength of Backpacker’s online community. (backpacker.com/community/)
Fresh Daily Editorial Content
Backpacker.com has answered reader requests for more editorial content with informative new blogs (backpacker.com/blogs) and on-the-scene videos (backpacker.com/videos).
The Pulse blog, written by long-time Rocky Mountain Editor Steve Howe, is devoted to the art and science of survival. Grant Davis’s Peak Fitness blog showcases the challenges of staying fit while balancing everyday life, and The Daily Dirt, written by the editors of Backpacker and Backpacker.com, showcases news, trends, and events in the outdoor world.
The site’s new video page (backpacker.com/video) features an archive of instructional skills and gear-based videos as well as on-the-scene travel and destinations profiles filmed by the editors, including a climb of Colorado’s Longs Peak by the staff.
Content will be uploaded daily, and can be shared and syndicated through an array of Web 2.0 applications, including RSS feeds, del.icio.us, and Facebook.
“Our primary focus was to create the ultimate outdoor adventure renaissance experience on the web,” said Cerretani. “We wanted users not only to get the most up-to-date information from a top-notch site, but also to be able to participate in the site’s evolution, utilizing Web 2.0 applications to post trips, gear reviews, comments, and more.”
New features mean users can quickly submit gear reviews, trip reports and photos, and comment on each and every article, trip, and blog post on the site. Tech-savvy participants can also upload GPS tracks, geotagged photos, and Google Earth screenshots. The platform is customizable, encouraging individual preference and personality.
“Backpacker’s online brand is now as compelling as the magazine,” said Andrew Clurman, Active Interest Media’s chief operating officer and group publisher. “Backpacker.com is fast becoming the web’s premier outdoor adventure website, with advertisers and readers alike responding with passionate support.”
“The technology, functionality, and design of the site are not only exceptional tools for the user, but also for advertisers looking to reach the active and influential outdoor community,” said Kent Ebersole, Backpacker’s publisher. “Our 100% share-of-voice strategy offers distinct awareness and focus among users.”
Since the redesign was launched, pageviews increased 22% in the first month while unique visitors increased 27%. Average time spent on the site is approximately eight minutes.
About Backpacker
Backpacker brings the outdoors to readers’ doorsteps, inspiring and empowering them to get out and enjoy nature more often. The authority on active adventure, Backpacker is the world’s first GPS-enabled magazine, and the only magazine whose editors personally test the hiking trails, camping gear, and survival tips they publish. Backpacker’s Editors’ Choice Awards, an industry honor recognizing design, feature, and product innovation, has become the gold standard against which all other outdoor-industry awards are measured.
Backpacker is published by Active Interest Media (), has a circulation of 340,000, and is published nine times per year. In 2006, the magazine won a coveted National Magazine Award for editorial excellence, and it has just been nominated again for ASME’s highest honor, the National Magazine Award for General Excellence. Backpacker’s award-winning website, , is updated daily and features more than 1,200 hikes, a searchable and comprehensive database of outdoor gear (), special sections for beginners, the most active community forums in the outdoor space, and a wealth of trail tips, videos, and GPS know-how.
Backpacker