Deadline: February 5, 2010 (Friday)
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Greetings from The Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) in Hong Kong. We would like to take pleasure in inviting members of the “The National Union of Journalists Malaysia” to take part in the “SOPA 2010 Awards for Editorial Excellence”.
SOPA is a 28-year-old non-profit organization dedicated to promoting best industry practices and facilitating a conducive environment for professional publishing. It represents the interests of international, regional and local publishers in newspapers, magazines and new media in Asia, with a view to fostering better cooperation and understanding among members.
Established in 1999, the annual “SOPA Awards for Editorial Excellence” aim to encourage outstanding editorial achievements in newspapers, magazines, newswires and websites. Entries can be in either English or Chinese. In 2009 we received a record 547 entries from across the Asia Pacific region, with 89 winning prizes awarded at a gala dinner in Hong Kong in June.
Judging will be conducted by more than 80 international judges under the leadership of Head of Judges, Professor Rusty Todd, Director of Business Journalism at the University of Hong Kong. Judges comprise journalists, designers and photo editors from leading newspapers and magazines, as well as notable academics from the media departments of prestigious universities.
The SOPA Awards are now open for nominations (closing date: Friday, February 5, 2010). Details of the awards such as rules and award categories are available at: http://www.sopasia.com/awards/2010/
Please find enclosed the SOPA Awards eDM, press release, rules and entry form for reference. We’d appreciate it if you could help relay the SOPA Awards information to your members and affiliates (please feel free to forward the attached eDM or put it on your website) so they can consider sending in their quality journalistic work and demonstrate their editorial talent in front of the regional audience.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. Many thanks and look forward to receiving entries from you.
Best regards, Lavinia Chan
SOPA Secretariat
2608-2610, Island Place Tower
510 King’s Road
North Point
Hong Kong
Following the KPI Forum held on October 13, 2009, NUJ-Star wrote a letter to Star Publications executive deputy chairman Datuk Clement Hii, who initiated the implementation of the KPI by engaging consultants to draw up a performance appraisal system for company employees. Also included with this letter, were documents listing the concerns and the generally negative comments from NUJ members, as well as an assessment made by an independent management consultant.
The letter, dated October 30, was also circulated to Group CEO/MD Datin Linda Ngiam, Group Editor-in-Chief Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, Managing Editor David Yeoh and HR manager Henry Asokan, Compensation & Benefits manager Terence Raj and Industrial Relations manager M. Anand.
Subsequently, HR manager Henry Asokan responded with a letter dated Nov 25, which I picked up after I returned from vacation in December. I regret that it’s taken me a while to get this letter uploaded as the other committee members and myself have been busy with preparing the proposal for the upcoming Contractual Agreement negotiations - you will understand that the CA naturally had to be prioritized, given that it is due to expire at the end of this month and our future salaries are contingent upon it.
I am currently in the midst of drafting a response to Management’s reply on the KPI issue and would welcome any additional feedback which members may wish to convey to Management. Please contact your union representative with your response or any concerns about the KPI which may not have been previously expressed. Please also feel free to contact me directly at tracy.toh@gmail.com. Again, confidentiality is completely assured.
I take this opportunity to wish all NUJ members all the best for 2010 and to thank you for your continued support of NUJ-Star.
You will all be aware of the terrible tragedy that struck the Philippines this Monday. The news is unfolding on a daily basis, but the latest information today is that 30 journalists and media workers have been confirmed killed with an expectation that this will rise to at least 34, the total number of journalist and media workers reported to have set out on the convoy that was subsequently ambushed and massacred.
This is the biggest single atrocity against journalists in recent history.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is working very closely to support our colleagues at the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) who immediately sent a mission to the scene of the massacre, arriving Wednesday. According to the NUJP 59 bodies have now been found in shallow graves, often beheaded and heavily mutilated.
Prior to this attack at least 75 journalists had been killed under the Arroyo government and only four cases have seen successful prosecutions. Outside of Iraq, the Philippines has become the most dangerous country for journalists this century.
A clear culture of impunity has been allowed to flourish under this government which must no longer be tolerated.
The IFJ is sending an international mission to Manila, 7 – 10 December, to support the NUJP, provide solidarity to journalists and the families of the victims, and to send the clearest message possible to the government that this is an outrage they will not be allowed to forget.
We need your help to reinforce this message, to demonstrate our sorrow, our anger, and our determination that such a crime will not go unpunished.
To do this the IFJ is calling on all affiliates to join a global day of solidarity on 9th December to coincide with the mission press conference on the 9th, the day before International Human Rights day.
Join us!
Yours in Solidarity
JIM BOUMELHA
IFJ President
AIDAN WHITE
IFJ General Secretary
NUJ Star is behind our fellow Philippines journalists and condemn the massacre at Maguidanao.
Mr Loh Choke Nam, the new canteen operator, began operations at Menara Star on Nov 2.
He will serve food from 8am to 6pm. Mr Loh serves economy rice during lunch time, and a variety of kueh and snacks for breakfast and tea. You can also specially order noodles and more. Look out for the “specials” such as wan tan mee and Barley water.
There is also free Chinese tea.
Do give Mr Loh your support by patronising his stall during lunch time.
What do you think about the food in the canteen? Give us your feedback by dropping a comment below this post or e-mail nujstarmail@gmail.com.
The following is feedback from the KPI forum held on Oct 13. This feedback has been channeled to management.
Reporter #1, Menara Star
·The KPI form does not reflect the amount of work we’re doing. The KPI form is very basic and very business oriented and doesn’t take into account the day-to-day business that takes place in Editorial. The KPI form has obviously been done by a person who has a business background and no editorial background.
·Management should give us guidelines and not make us put down absolutely everything
we do. Right now, it’s just too difficult. Some things can’t even be substantiated – one can make it up things such as the start and end time.
·We don’t know how to fill the form. We even put in weekends, just in case. Should journalists be spending time logging work they’ve already done? We have enough work to do without having to record the details of the work we’ve done.
·If I have a 6pm assignment and I write it at home at 10pm, would they believe me when I record that on the form (since it’s not recorded in the system)? Will I be queried as to whether the information I’m inputting is genuine?
·Indicating number of words – is that before or after the copy is cleared? It would seem that the target is (to generate) the maximum number of words – it doesn’t matter if it’s of bad quality.
·Even ad space in a page could affect the length of our stories. Is that (if story is cut to fit) any reflection on the quality of my work?
·There’s a disconnect between top management and staff. There’s no direction in how the KPI is being implemented – it’s not a bad idea to find out how your employees are working but this is not the way to do it.
The Star-NUJ Jumble sale will be returning at the end of this year after a two-year absence!
Do you have books, CDs, DVDs, bags, jewellery or old clothes that you no longer want? Donate it to us so that we can use it to raise funds to keep the Star branch of NUJ going, towards continuing to champion members’ rights and interests.
We would also appreciate special items such as electronic goods or gadgets that can be auctioned off.
Venue: Cyberhub Date & time:Oct 13, 2009; 2.30pm to 3.30pm
About 40 NUJ members attended the forum to express what they think about the KPI evaluation system that began for certain sections in August.
The feedback was generally negative. Members are open to being accessed, preferably individually, but they want the whole KPI system in its present form to be retooled.
We want to know what you think - so add your comments below this post or e-mail us at nujstarmail@gmail.com.
From left: Yap Chee Hong, Carolyn Chew (Penang representative), Schave, Teh Eng Hock (Treasurer), Tracy Toh (chairperson), Lisa Goh (secretary), Adeline Ngui, Noorsila Abdul Majid (Asst Secretary) and Elizabeth Tai.
If you have questions or union-related problems, do contact any of the committee members via their extensions or drop an e-mail at nujstarmail@gmail.com.
From left: Asst. Secretary Noorsila Abdul Majid, Treasurer Cecil Fung, Secretary Jacobus Raj, Chairperson SS Yoga and committee members Teh Eng Hock and Elizabeth Tai.
On June 19, the National Union of Journalists Star Branch held their biennial general meeting.
The BGM achieved quorom around 4.15pm.
During the BGM, the union briefed members about the recent CA and NUJ secretary general Hong Boon How spoke of how the 41% hike of petrol prices will effect the current and future CA.
The union also answered queries from members.
Members were also briefed about the Union’s new committee members.
No doubt, with the recent hike of fuel prices, car-owning employees may be curious to know what is the new transport allowance.
It’s pretty straightforward. Just refer to your CA 2007-2010, Clause 30 (iii)a.
It states:
For an employee who is in possession of a motor-car and is utilising it on the Company’s business, an amount of RM300.00 and a sum equivalent to 238 litres of petrol per month.
