Memories of the Las Vegas convention are still fresh but it’s time to look forward to the 2011 Excellence in Journalism conference in New Orleans. Got a great idea for a program? Then check out the call for programs at http://excellenceinjournalism.org/content/programs

Check out the video DePaul SPJers shot in Vegas as part of a Project Watchdog video. It’s available here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5pPOoo7t6E&feature=youtu.be

As SPJ Headquarters has reported already, ALL SPJ chapters with an Employer ID number (EIN) must now file an annual return with the Internal Revenue Service. For complete details on filing requirements, visit irs.gov.

Your return must be filed by December 15, 2010

With the enactment of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, small tax-exempt organizations whose gross receipts are normally $25,000 or less that previously were not required to file Form 990 or Form 990EZ will now be required to file an electronic informational notice to the IRS: Form 990-N.

Who Must File:

You are required to file on an annual basis Form 990-N if your gross receipts are normally under $25,000 and you do not already file a Form 990 or Form 990EZ.

What information should be included:

— Organization’s legal name
— Any other names your organization uses
— Organization’s mailing address
— Organization’s website address if applicable
— Organization’s employer identification number (tax ID)
— Name and address of principal officer of your organization
— Organization’s annual tax period (the chapter’s fiscal year)
— A statement that your organization’s annual gross receipts are still normally $25,000 or less
— If applicable, a statement that your organization is terminating

How do I file Form 990-N?:

Form 990-N, also known as the e-Postcard, must be filed electronically. There will be no paper forms. There will be no charge to submit this report.

When will the e-Postcard (Form 990-N) be due:

The e-Postcard will be due by the 15th day of the fifth month after the close of your tax period/fiscal year. SPJ’s fiscal year ends on July 31; the e-Postcard is due December 15th, 2010. As a subordinate chapter of SPJ, your chapter’s fiscal year is the same as the national organization. You cannot file the e-Postcard before July 31.

The Pension Protection Act requires the IRS to revoke tax exempt status of any organization that fails to meet this annual filing requirement.

If you would like additional information about this new filing requirement, including notification when the filing system is ready, or information about other new developments, subscribe to Exempt Organization’s EO Update, a regular e-mail newsletter that highlights new information posted on the Charities pages of irs.gov. To subscribe, go to irs.gov/eo and click on EO newsletter.

It is the Society’s opinion that this is a new filing requirement for those of our chapters who do not already file an informational return with the Internal Revenue Service and the failure to do so will result in revocation of your tax exempt status.

If you have any additional questions, please contact your local tax/legal advisor, or visit the IRS Website: irs.gov.

SPJ DePaul’s inaugural “Social Media and Ethics” Twitter chat drew 79 participants from the United States, Canada and Europe on Nov. 4. The 90-minute chat focused on ethical issues in today’s changing online media, with a specific focus on Twitter. More than 650 post were filed under the #spjchat hashtag.
Steve Buttry, community editor for TBD.com in Washington D.C., was the featured panelist along with Scott Leadingham of The Quill and Craig Kanalley of the Huffington Post.
For more on the chat, visit http://spjdepaul.com/2010/11/05/spj-depaul-social-media-and-ethics-twitter-chat/

What: SPJ DePaul Ethics and Social Media Chat with Steve Buttry of TBD.com

When: Thursday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Central Time.

Who: Join Buttry, Craig Kanalley of the Huffington Post, Scott Leadingham of SPJ and several SPJ DePaul student journalists for an ethics discussion. Mike Reilley of SPJ’s The Journalist’s Toolbox will moderate the chat. Anyone can join the online chat through a Twitter account (see instructions below).

How: We will use the Twitter hashtag #spjchat during the discussion. You can submit questions, retweet others’ comments and post your thoughts on various social media ethics issues. You can submit questions by DM’ing @journtoolbox on Twitter before or during the chat. We recommend you use the free Twitterfall.com site and the #spjchat hashtag in the search to monitor and participate in the discussion.

For more information, visit http://spjdepaul.com and follow @spjdepaul and @journtoolbox for more details!

There’s little that’s higher on the minds of the American electorate this fall year than taxes. It’s a hot topic – but it’s hard to know what’s fear and what’s reality when it comes to taxes. Let the Kentucky Society of CPAs and the Society of Professional Journalists educate you on the latest changes in tax law and how they’re affecting charitable giving, small business and the spring 2011 tax season during an informative evening program for journalists.

In preparation for the 2011 legislative season, presenters will also be prepared to discuss the basics of sound tax policy as a primer before the 2011 legislative session.

The program will be held Thursday, November 11, at 6 p.m. at the Kentucky Society of CPAs, 1735 Alliant Avenue, near the corner of Blankenbaker and Bluegrass parkways. The program is free and open to the public. A light dinner will be served.

To RSVP for the program, call SPJ Louisville Pro Chapter President Robyn Davis Sekula at (812) 981-8223 or e-mail her at robynsekula@sbcglobal.net.

The deadline for RSVPs is November 8.

SPJ Region 5 Director Liz Hansen was elected to a second two-year term at the Region 5 meeting at the SPJ national convention in Las Vegas. 

Hansen and new Region 4 Director James Pilcher are planning a join super-regional in Northern Kentucky for April 1-3, 2011. Stay tuned for details of what promises to be a SUPER super regional.