Thursday, June 17
Columbia University Lerner Hall
115th St & Broadway (Manhattan)

SUPER WORKSHOPS
(longer than Thursday & Friday workshops)

• WORKSHOP: Computer Assisted Reporting (IRE)
  9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
  Presented by Investigative Reporters and Editors, the National Institute of Computer Assisted Reporting
  An introduction to Computer Assisted Reporting - Ever wonder what those folks in that dark corner of the newsroom are doing with those spreadsheets? This is your chance to find out. IRE and NICAR will put on a mini computer assisted reporting boot camp. Instructors will show how reporters can incorporate basic CAR skills into beat reporting. The workshop will cover data analysis in Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, retrieving data from Web sources and a brief introduction to database software applications such as Microsoft Access. The all-day session will be conducted in a computer lab at Columbia Journalism School and includes a break for lunch ¶For journalists of all levels
  This is an all-day session; you may NOT sign up for other workshops on Thursday.
  Instructors: Tom McGinty and Jo Craven McGinty of Newsday
  Manager: Vikas Bajaj, Dallas Morning News
  [ pre-select when you register ]
  
• WORKSHOP: Environmental Reporting (SEJ)
  10 a.m.- 2 p.m.
  Presented by the Society of Environmental Journalists
  Tips and advice on covering one of the most important issues of our time ¶For journalists of all levels; non-journalists welcome
  Instructors: Dale Willman, executive editor, Field Notes Productions & NPR; Dan Fagin, environment writer, Newsday; Adam Glenn, senior producer, ABCNews.com
  manager: Sree Sreenivasan
  [ pre-select when you register ]
  
• WORKSHOP: Radio as a Creative Art Form
  11 a.m.-3 p.m.
  The session will be a mix really for the novice as well as the advanced radio journalist--a philosophical inquiry into realizing the potential of radio as a creative art. The workshop will seek to cover how to use the language of sound to tell a story ¶For journalists and non-journalists
  Instructor: Julian Crandall Hollick, independent senior radio producer, NPR's "Living Islam" and "Passages to India."
  manager: Deepa Donde
  [ pre-select when you register ]
  
• WORKSHOP: Photojournalism
  9 am-4 pm
  Photographers of all levels will make their way to Jackson Heights, where the visual challenge will be to capture a day in the South Asian enclave. You will be back in time for the opening reception. Work will be showcased at a later point of the convention, More details... ¶For photographers of all levels and non-photographers who want to learn photography
  This is an all-day session; you may NOT sign up for other workshops on Thursday.
  Instructor: David H. Wells, photojournalist
  manager: Seshu Badrinath, ESPN
  [ pre-select when you register ]
  
• WORKSHOP: Breaking Into Journalism - for for students and newcomers
  10:30 a.m.- 1 p.m.
  Talk one-on-one with pros in broadcast, print and online about breaking into the field of journalism.  Bring your resume and/or videotapes for review. ¶For students, beginning journalists and non-journalists
  Workshop leaders:
  Gitika Ahuja, producer, ABC News, Boston Bureau, Sabrina Clay, producer, NBC's The Today Show, Ernabel Demilo, anchor/reporter at Fox 5, NYC; Sally Farhat, editorial assistant, Parents magazine & former reporter, Detroit Free Press; Eric Wee, former staff writer, The Washington Post and founder, JournalismNext.com
  Moderator: Milanee Shah, reporter, Bloomberg TV
  manager: Asha Beh, SAJA students coordinator
  [ pre-select when you register ]
  
• WORKSHOP: Opinion Writing
  1-3 pm
  Learn how to be a strong and successful opinion writer ¶For journalists and non-journalists
  Instructor: Tunku Varadarajan, editorial features editor, The Wall Street Journal
  manager: Sree Sreenivasan
  [ pre-select when you register ]
  
• WORKSHOP: Journalism as a Second Career
  1-4 pm
  Considering being a journalist or writer on the side? Considering leaving your current profession and becoming a journalist? Confused about the options --staff jobs, freelancing, books? Wondering how to use your professional experience as a springboard to a
  writing career? You will gather tips and develop and action plan ¶For non-journalists & beginning journalists
  Instructor: Marci Nusbaum, lawyer-turned-journalist and writing teacher
  manager: Sree Sreenivasan
  [ pre-select when you register ]
   
• WORKSHOP: Turning Your Story into a Documentary
  1-4 pm
  Do you want to turn a story into a documentary? This class provides an overview of how it's done from conception to production to distribution. ¶For broadcast and print journalists and non-journalists
  Instructor: Thom Powers, filmmaker
  manager: Deepti Hajela, Convention Chair
  [ pre-select when you register ]
  
• ALSO: Resume & Resume Tape Critiques
  2-4 pm
  Get your resume (and resume tapes) critiqued from professionals - informal, just get in line ¶For print and TV journalists of all levels; you must have a resume for a crtitique; you must have a tape for a tape critique
  Critiques by Dianne Doctor, news director, WCBS;Eldra Gilman, CBS News; Miles Merwyn, G+J Magazines and Hoda Kotb, correspondent, Dateline NBC
  Does NOT count against your two workshop registrations
  managers: Kiran Khalid
  
• SAJA General Membership Meeting
  4:15-4:45 pm
  All paid members of SAJA and those who'd like to become members are welcome
  manager: John Laxmi

THURSDAY
6-9:30 pm
Asia Society 70th St & Park Ave (NOTE DIFFERENT ADDRESS)
Sponsored by Merrill Lynch

Opening Reception hosted by Asia Society
Drinks, light food, networking; cash bar
Special of museum galleries - staying open late
sponsorship available!

FRIDAY, June 18
9 am -5:30 pm
Columbia University Lerner Hall
115th St & Broadway (Manhattan)

Registration
Badge and bag pickup
Networking room open

9-9:45 am

10 am-11:15 noon
Columbia University Lerner Hall
115th St & Broadway

Opening Session
Deepti Hajela, SAJA VP & Convention Chair
S. Mitra Kalita, SAJA president

PLENARY: A Decade of Desis: South Asians Changing America
Senior journalists, newsmakers and experts look at how the South Asian community has changed and how it has changed America over the last 10 years
Panelists: Aladdin, standup comic and actor; Bhairavi Desai, executive director, NY Taxi Workers Alliance; Jonathan Foreman, senior film critic, NY Post; Farooq Kathwari, chairman & CEO of Ethan Allen; Aroon Shivdasani, executive director, Indo- American Arts Council
Moderator: Sreenath Sreenivasan, co-founder, SAJA & WABC-TV reporter
manager: Sumathi Reddy, Newsday

11:15 am -11:30 am

Friday
11:30-1 pm

Panels

• PANEL A: Wanted: Ethics in Journalism
  From Jayson Blair to Jack Kelley, what’s going on in journalism? ¶For journalists and non-journalists
  Panelists include: Peter Bhatia, executive editor, The Oregonian, former president, American Society of Newspaper Editors; Rich Galant, managing editor, Newsday; Arlene Morgan, assistant dean at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and former assistant managing editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer; Jay Rosen, press critic and journalism dept chair, NYU; Joe Strupp, senior editor, Editor & Publisher magazine; Richard C. Wald, Fred Friendly Professor of Journalism at Columbia University and veteran consultant on editorial standards for print and broadcast news organizations
  Moderator: Nina Mehta, freelance writer and SAJA secretary
  manager: Nina Mehta
  
• PANEL B: Moving Into Magazines (ASME)
  Presented by the American Society of Magazine Editors
  Senior editors from leading magazines will tell you how to make the move into magazines from other media ¶For journalists in newspapers
  Panelists include: Albert Kim, asst. managing editor, People; Romesh Ratnesar, world editor, Time; Emil Wilbekin, editor-in-chief, Vibe
  Moderator: Cyndi Stivers, president and editorial director, Time Out New York
  manager: Sree Sreenivasan

Friday
2-3:30 pm

Workshops

• WORKSHOP 1: TV News Production
  Hey, Producers: Don't be afraid to take ownership of your show.  Trust your news judgment, don't be afraid to make a decision that you think will grab your audience and hold them to stay in tune with your newscast.  Come to this workshop and you'll learn all this and
  more to become a great producer.  ¶For broadcast journalists who want to be newscast producers.
  Instructor: Indira Somani, former CNBC producer and assistant professorwith American University.
  manager: Indira Somani
  [ pre-select when you register ]
   
• WORKSHOP 2: Play Writing
  Turning a journalism story into a play¶For journalists and non-journalists
  Instructor: Shankar Vedantam, Washington Post correspondent and playwright
  manager: Deepti Hajela
  [ pre-select when you register ]
  
• WORKSHOP 3: Long-form Writing
  Learn how to write longer - and better. Tips that will help you work on your long-form newspaper and magazine projects by dissecting a major story from The Washington Post - back by popular demand! ¶For journalists and non-journalists of all levels
  Instructor: Paula Span, staff writer, Washington Post Style section
  manager: Sree Sreenivasan
  [ pre-select when you register ]
  
• WORKSHOP 4: Business Writing with Flair
  Tired of writing simplistic business stories? Then this is the workshop for you. You will learn from great examples and take home tips and advice you can use. ¶For beginners and intermediate business journalists.
  Instructors: Pallavi Gogoi, BusinessWeek correspondent & Vandana Sinha, associate editor, Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism
  manager: Deepti Hajela, AP & Convention Chair
  [ pre-select when you register ]

Friday
2:15-3:30 pm

Panels

• PANEL C: Blogging, Anyone?
  Blogging: the basics, the pros and cons, its impact on journalism and how reporting is being done ¶For journalists and non-journalists
  Panelists: Seshu Badrinath, Tiffinbox.org, Jen Chung, Gothamist; Mark Dery, new media professor, NYU and commentator on the digital age; Anil Dash, AnilDash.com; Prashanth Kothari, Finding My Voice; Nimesh Patel, Badmash.org/MahootMedia.com
  Moderator: Mimi Hanaoka, InTheFray.com
  manager: Seshu Badrinath
   
• PANEL D: Foreign Reporting: Do We Need Swords With Our Pens
  A look at the new dangers in international correspondence ¶For journalists and non-journalists
  John Berman, correspondent, ABC News; Joel Simon, deputy director, Committee to Protect Journalists
  Moderator: Zain Verjee, anchor, CNN International
  manager: S. Mitra Kalita, Washington Post & SAJA president
  

Friday
3:30 pm -3:45 pm

Friday
3:45-5:15 pm

Workshops

• WORKSHOP 5: Radio Reporting
  Learn tips on improving your radio reporting ¶For journalists of all levels; non-journalists welcome
  manager: Deepa Donde
  [ pre-select when you register ]
  
• WORKSHOP 6: New York Times Writing Workshop
  Struggling to push your writing beyond dull, predictable prose? Have a conversation with NYT reporters about making a story -- and the people in it -- come alive through the use of voice, detail, color and imagery. Presented for the fourth year in a row ¶For journalists of all levels
  Instructors: senior reporters from the New York Times
  manager: Sreenath Sreenivasan
  [ pre-select when you register ]
   
• WORKSHOP 7: Art of the Interview
  Tips on becoming a better interviewer ¶For journalists of all levels
  Instructor: Brian Ross, chief investigative correspondent, ABC News; Prof. Sandeep Junnarkar, Indiana Univ and freelance writer
  manager: Sandeep Junnarkar
  [ pre-select when you register ]
  
• WORKSHOP 8: Photojournalism Workshop: Visualizing Globalization
  Sponsored by The Subcontinental
  Spend an afternoon with David H. Wells, a freelance photojournalist and Alicia Patterson Foundation fellow who recently finished an extended photo-essay exploring globalization in India. Wells will first show his work, starting off with two earlier photo-essays, one on the pesticide poisoning of farm workers in California and the other exploring complexities of Palestinian-Israeli interaction. In each of these projects, as in the project on globalization, identifying the issue was relatively easy while pre-visualizing, locating, accessing and actually photographing visually interesting aspects of the story was much harder. These are the special skills that Wells brings to all of his projects and it is the skills he will share with you. More... (scroll down)
  ¶For journalists and non-journalists
  Instructor: David H.Wells, award-winning photojournalist
  manager: Seshu Badrinath, ESPN
  [ pre-select when you register ]

Friday, June 18
4-5:30 pm

Panels

• PANEL E: Nonfiction Books
  How to make the transition from reporter to writer, how to develop a book premise off of a story or beat ¶For journalists and non-journalists
  Tara Bahrampour, author of "To See and See Again: A Life in Iran and America" and former New York Times reporter; Zia Jaffrey, author of "The Invisibles: A Tale of the Eunuchs of India" and a professor of Creative Writing at The New School; Christine Cipriani, an editor at Penguin; Anna Ghosh, a literary agent with Scovil Chichak Galen Literary Agency
  manager: Prof. Sandeep Junnarkar, Indiana U.
  
• PANEL F: ASNE Panel: How to become the Boss
  Presented by the American Society of Newspaper Editors
  Learn how to advance your career and transition into management from leading editors ¶For journalists of all levels
  Panelists: Peter Bhatia, executive editor, The Oregonian, Vindu Goel, business editor, San Jose Mercury News, Henry Freeman, editor and vice president/ news, The Journal News, Westchester, NY
  Moderator: Milton Coleman, deputy managing editor, The Washington Post
  manager: Deepti Hajela, AP & Convention Chair

Friday, June 18
5:30-6 pm

Friday, June 18
6-9 pm
Columbia University Lerner Hall
115th St & Broadway

Reception with Salman Rushdie & Padma Lakshmi
Come listen to two South Asians making waves
Drinks, light food, networking; cash bar
Free for convention attendees; $25 for all others; pay at the door

SATURDAY, June 19
8 am - 5 pm

SATURDAY, June 19
8-8:45 am
LOCATION: Lerner Hall Columbia University
115th St & Broadway

SATURDAY, June 19
9 am-10:30 am
LOCATION: Columbia Journalism School - across from Lerner Hall (note change)

PLENARY: Indra Nooyi & Nikhil Deogun
- A Conversation
Two of the most prominent South Asians in business and business journalism, respectively, will reflect on their careers and the challenges they have faced in reaching these pinnacles ¶For journalists and non-journalists
Indra K. Nooyi is president and chief financial officer of Pepsico and Nikhil Deogun is deputy Washington bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal (and used to cover Pepsi in his reporter days)
manager: Sreenath Sreenivasan

SATURDAY, June 19
10:30 am -10:45 am

SATURDAY, June 19
10:45 am - 12:15 pm

Panels

• PANEL G: Elections 2004: Road to the White House
  Learn from top political journalists and political experts about how the race is shaping up and what it means for the South Asian community and US-South Asia relations ¶For journalists and non-journalists
  Panelists include: Ken Cooper, national editor, The Boston Globe & former South Asia bureau chief, The Washington Post; Sandy Endo,
  political reporter, NY1; Sylvester Fernandes, South Asian candidate for Congress from NJ
  Suleman Din, reporter, Newark Star-Ledger
  manager: Suleman Din
• PANEL H: Media for a Second Generation
  New publications & broadcast outlets are popping up all over, wanting to reach out to young South Asians. Who is the audience, how can they be successful? ¶For journalists and non-journalists
  Vinodh Bhat, principal, [212] Media; Naeem Mohaiemen, editor, Shobak.org; Nimesh Patel, Badmash.org; Shruti Reddy, EW Woman magazine
  Moderator: Nirav Desai, editor, The Subcontinental
  Manager: Nirav Desai

Film Program
Presented by 3rdI NY
Free for SAJA conventioneers; non-conventioneers: $6 for one set, $10 for both.
Throughout the day 3rdI has organized a series of works designed to provoke film-goers and journalists alike. Some of the filmmakers will be in attendance and available for comments/ conversations and interviews.
The first set from 11am-1pm is called "Under The Gun" featuring topics like terrorism, crime and interrogation. Films include "Kyaari" by Sebhan Zaidi (Urdu w/ subtitles), The Meeting by Shakil Hannan, and "Muslims or Heretics" by Naeem Mohaiemen (both Bengali w/ subtitles).
The second collection titled "Under the Covers" 2-5pm deals with one of the most important topics in South Asia today; HIV and AIDS. Films include "Conventional Urge Management (C.U.M.)" by Matias Gerardo Grieck, "Go.To ASA: Gen Om Takes On Aids in South Asia" by DK Khambata & D Burns and "Tales of Night Fairies" by Shohini Ghosh (Bengali w/ subtitles) More on the films and the filmmakers and how you can meet them

Lunch on your own / Networking

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! You are invited to taste what The New York Times called "the best street food in NY"... By special arrangement, "Trinidad-Pakistan United Nation Food," a cart serving South Asian food in midtown will be available outside the convention building. You are in for a real treat. Or you can eat at one of the neighborhood restaurants.

SATURDAY, June 19
1:15-2:45 pm

Workshops

• WORKSHOP 9: Financial Investigative Reporting
  Tips on doing the most important and rewarding investigative work - investigative financial reporting. Learn how to look at and beyond the numbers - even if you aren't a business reporter
  ¶For journalists of all levels
  Instructor: Tom Contiliano, accounting consultant and financial trainer, Bloomberg News
  manager: Nina Mehta, SAJA Secretary
  [ pre-select when you register ]
  
• WORKSHOP 10: Washington Post Writing Workshop ¶For journalists of all levels
  Instructor:Michael Powell, New York bureau chief
  manager: S. Mitra Kalita, WP & SAJA President
  [ pre-select when you register ]
  
• WORKSHOP 11: Broadcast News Writing
  90 minutes guaranteed to improve your TV and radio writing skills, taught by the newswriting guru who has worked with some of the biggest names in broadcasting - back by popular demand!¶For journalists of all levels; non-journalists welcome
  Instructor: Mervin Block, America's leading broadcast writing coach
  manager: Hari Sreenivasan
  [ pre-select when you register ]

SATURDAY, 1:30-2:45 pm

Panels

• PANEL I: Outsourcing: Beyond the Hype & the Myths
  A panel discussion of journalists and experts about the offshoring of jobs to India and elsewhere; hear from both sides of the debate ¶For journalists and non-journalists
  Sponsored by Kirkland & Ellis LLP
  Panelists: Mark Kobayashi-Hillary, author, Outsouring to India, first major book on the topic; Lakshmi Narayanan, CEO and president, Cognizant Technology Solutions; Daniel Pink, author of Wired cover story on outsourcing;Sanjay Puri, executive director, USINPAC, US-India Political Action Committee; Sona Shah, Indian-American programmer and outspoken critic of outsourcing; Sangita Singh, chief marketing officer, Wipro
  Moderator: Mukul Pandya, editor, Knowledge@Wharton
  See SAJA Outsourcing Resources
  manager: Sree Sreenivasan
   
• PANEL H: Making It As a Freelancer
  Tips and advice from top freelancers about how to get ahead in the freelancing game. Topics covered include: Do's and Don'ts, networking, freelance unions, legal aspects, freelancing on the side, how to enter new markets, how to break into bigger and better magazines
  ¶For journalists and non-journalists
  Daylle Deanne Schwartz  (book/general freelancing); Sondra Forsyth (mazine freelancing); David Jones (print freelancing)
  Sanjay Singh (TV freelancing)
  Moderator, Sital Patel, CNN
  manager: Sital Patel

2:45 pm - 3 pm

SATURDAY, 3 pm - 4:30 pm

Workshops

• WORKSHOP 12: Freelance Contracts
  If you are a freelancer or are thinking of becoming one, you must attend this session. You will learn how to protect yourself and your work
  ¶For journalists of all levels
  Instructors: Fernando Pinguelo and Sona Patel, lawyers at Norris, McLaughlin & Marcus who specialize in enentertainment/media contracts
  manager: Sital Patel
  [ pre-select when you register ]
  
• WORKSHOP 13: TV Tape Critique
  ¶For journalists of all levels
  Gitika Ahuja, senior producer, ABC Boston Bureau
  Allison Gibson, asst. news director, News 12, New Jersey
  Madhulika Sikka, senior producer, ABC News Nightline
  manager: Kiran Khalid
  [ pre-select when you register ]
  
• WORKSHOP 14: Tips for Print reporters who need to appear on TV or radio
  ¶For journalists and non-journalists
  Instructor: Liz Dribben, veteran producer
  manager: Deepti Hajela, AP & Convention Chair
  [ pre-select when you register ]
  
• WORKSHOP 14: Poynter Workshop on Future of News
  Presented by The Poynter Institute
  What are the trends affecting the news media?  How new technology and delivery are changing the nature of journalism. What you need to know about the Internet and beyond ¶For journalists and non-journalists
  INSTRUCTOR: Howard Finberg, Interactive Learning Faculty, Poynter.org's NewsU
  [ pre-select when you register ]
  
  

SATURDAY, 3:15-4:45 pm

Panels

• PANEL J: Writing Fiction Books and Stories
  ¶For journalists and non-journalists
  Authors Bapsi Sidhwa, Meera Nair, Siddhartha Deb and Geoffrey Coll; and Christine Cipriani, a book editor formerly with Penguin India
  Moderator: Aseem Chhabra, freelance writer
  manager:Aseem Chhabra
  
• PANEL K: What's Next for South Asia?
  Experts look at recent developments in the region and discuss how they will affect citizens there, the diaspora and US-South Asia relations -- and how journalists can improve coverage of South Asia ¶For journalists and non-journalists of all levels
  Panelists: Hannah Bloch, former Islamabad correspondent, Time & CNN; Philip Oldenburg, editor, India Briefing series and veteran South Asia watcher; Daniel Sneider, foreign affairs columnist, San Jose Mercury News.
  Satinder Bindra, CNN South Asia bureau chief
  manager: Aparna Mukherjee, Bloomberg

4:45 -6:30 pm

SATURDAY, 6:30 pm-midnight

SUNDAY, June 20
11 am-2 pm
NOTE VENUE: Maharaja Restaurant, 230 E. 44th St (btw 2nd & 3rd Aves), two blocks from Grand Central Station and UN

Networking Brunch & Standup Comedy
Sponsored by BharatMatrimony.com
Informal networking. The comedy stylings of London's Shazia Mirza - as seen in the New York Times Magazine and on 60 Minutes! Closing festivities, come meet others in a very casual atmosphere.
Delicious South Indian food & cash bar.

Pay at the door:

• Student SAJA Members: $10
• All others registered: $15
• Non-Convention attendees: $20

RSVP: sajarsvp@yahoo.com (subject line = "Brunch") -- you will pay at the door.
manager: Aseem Chhabra