Journalism And Women Symposium

JAWS is indispensable as a source of positive connection and support for women journalists. That support comes in many vital forms -- sharing experiences, stimulating intellectual exchange and creating bonds based on shared professional interests and friendship. It is a group that is a vital core for women journalists of many ages and from many types of journalism.

JAWS fills the huge gaps in education and training for women in journalism. Most newsrooms do not have the capacity or time to do training. JAWS does nuts and bolts training on using new media, digital equipment, editing, reporting, shooting stories, upgrading and improving one's skills, etc. This community of helps continues on a day to day basis through its daily email alerts, information sharing and help to individuals. It has extremely low administrative expenses and is a labor of love AND achievement.

Even in this economy, I would not miss the annual JAWS meeting. This group not only provides education, information and mentoring to members, it also keeps me up to date on issues and opportunities within the industry. It gives us training that helps us do our jobs better and allows us to learn practical dos and don'ts from people who have done it all. I put together my first video online at JAWS, loaded up my tweetdeck and started a Facebook page.

JAWS is a valuable connector of writers and reporters of many generations, with a growing base of younger members who teach others the intricacies of social media networking techniques. It also offers techno workshops for members in sessions across the country to raise the skills of journalists in this very difficult transition. And it is a formidable force for networking, which remains important decades after the lawsuits have been resolved seeking to get more women in the door.
It also goes well beyond the mega-white girls in drawing in reporters and editors of different races and ethnicities -- never enough but enough so that it seems natural and is a base to build on.

JAWS is an amazing organization of female journalists--simultaneously dead-serious and raucously funny, immensely supportive and highly challenging. From the very first time I attended "camp," the annual symposium, I was more than welcomed. People roped me into conversations and meals, offered their guest rooms if I ever traveled to their cities, were generous with their time and connections, and urged me to aim high and higher. These profound friends have asked me to double-check my sources, given me phone numbers and inside knowledge, and let me help them when I could. Give! Join! Come make new friends and connections, and change journalism into a field that better supports women!

As a founding member and former Board member, JAWS has and continues to be an important part of my life in every way.
Professionally, I've valued the smart focused support and advice of fellow members.
These are incredible women, young and old, through whom the thread of women and journalism continues to educate and bond us.

JAWS offers women an embracing community in which those of us who have worked as journalists can share ideas and experiences, support one another and learn from each other. It's an invaluable resource and an inspirational community. Though I am not always able to get to the annual conferences, I value enormously the e-mail communications that JAWS members send to one another and the resources that the organization provides.

Journalism and Women Symposium introduced me to some great friends, who offer support, job leads and wonderful camaraderie. This organization offers a variety of training opportunities, a great e-mail list and an annual conference that is second to none!

The Journalism and Women Symposium provides a number of excellent benefits:
Access to outstanding female achievers in media fields,
Updating of professional skills in a non-threatening environment,
Confidence-boosting opportunities,
Friendships with female peers,
Opportunities to keep up with industry trends and hear analyses of media issues by outstanding media professionals.

JAWs is a group of female journalists that actively supports other females through an e-mail list serve sharing jobs and ideas. And meets once a year in a cool place to listen to excellent (usually) female speakers and laugh a lot. It's a long weekend that allows everyone to recharge their batteries, renew friendships and remember why we love journalism and picked it as our chosen field.

The Journalism and Women Symposium offers women throughout the media industry a forum to discuss ideas and issues that directly affect women in the media. We host multimedia workshops both regionally at our annual fall "camp," to help women journalists improve and perfect their skills in a changing media environment.

I've recently joined JAWS because of the wonderful opportunities made possible by this organization.
JAWS allows women journalist across the United States, and often abroadm to learn from one another. In doing so, JAWS members share common experiences and learn from one another. This organization elevates the profession.

From its start in 1985, JAWS has been an organization for women unlike any other. It isn't a club or a sorority. It is a symposium where women in journalism meet once a year at a "camp," not a staid convention, to examine the role women play in journalism, find inspiration in their professional lives and commune with each other in great places like Fishkill, Montana. Its earliest members--like Betsy Wade of the New York Times -- were some of the best in the business. I hesitated to join them until I went to camp and found that everyone was equal regardless of title or experience. An incredibly accessible, supportive group. Today as journalism struggles for relevancy, JAWS empowers the next generation of women to find solutions. Between camps, the website and list serv keep everyone alerted to issues, job/fellowship opportunities and the special events members hold around the country

I have met the most amazing, inspirational women since I joined JAWS. As a veteran journalist, I have learned so much from younger members about the changes taking place in our profession and in return have been able to mentor some of the profession's future stars. But JAWS is getting even better as it aims to expand its horizons to offer cutting-edge training to women both starting out in their careers and those needing new skills to stay in the business.

JAWS brings together women in media who have excelled in their work, who want to reach higher and go farther, and who also want to bring younger women along in the news and information business, which hasn't always appreciated its female employees. JAWS camps and mini-camps offer intellectual and professional development and opportunities to build relationships with trailblazers. Membership provides peer-to-peer interaction and support. All of these are critical for female journalists' advancement -- particularly at a time when news-gathering techniques and the economic model for journalism are changing faster than we ever could have imagined.

I just joined JAWS last fall and have already benefited from the interesting and relevant discussions on the listserv.

Even though I'm a retiree, this organization has kept me informed about the progress of women journalists and has given all of us, from students to retirees, a voice. We have contacts with the most knowledgeable people in our profession and can learn continually.

Journalism is a rapidly changing profession. The Journalism and Women Symposium provides excellent training in multimedia and other skills to help us keep up with the evolving landscape of the profession. JAWS also provides mentoring and encouragement to help young women advance their careers and veteran journalists re-invent their careers.

JAWS has been the most amazing organization because the women in JAWS believed in my leadership capabilities much more than I did myself. I first came to the annual conference on a fellowship in 1998. I served on the board for two years, helping re-write the strategic plan and fundraise for two challenge grants. When I was asked to stand as president, I never thought I could do it, but these women made me trust in my own abilities. I can always turn to them for professional guidance and personal encouragement. And each conference is an amazing learning experience that I find very empowering. In a chaotic media landscape where diversity is endangered more than ever, JAWS helps women advance in their careers and encourages them to help other women advance as well.

This organization provides unique opportunties to integrate women into news coverage by supporting women journalists in all aspects of news media.

As a young journalist, JAWS gave me a fellowship to attend the annual symposium, where I made invaluable connections in my field. I have been a member of other professional journalism organizations, like SPJ, but have found JAWS to be the most nurturing of young talent, and the fastest to adapt to the changing media landscape.