The Online News Association, the world’s largest membership organization of digital journalists, and the University of Miami’s School of Communication today opened the call for entries for the 2012 Online Journalism Awards, emblematic of the best in digital journalism.

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Eight awards come with a total of $33,000 in prize money, courtesy of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Gannett Foundation, including two $2,500 awards for innovative investigative work.

This year, ONA introduced changes to keep pace with rapid innovations in the field.

The Sunshine in Government Initiative (SGI), a coalition of media organizations that includes the Online News Association, the world’s largest membership organization of digital journalists, sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) expressing concerns about its new Press Lock-ups Policy, which could inhibit the quality, accuracy and independence of news reporting.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Online News Association, the world’s largest membership organization of digital journalists, today announced its fourth year of free digital training, thanks to a renewed grant from the Gannett Foundation.

The $50,000 in funding enables ONA to continue one of its most popular and valued programs, ONACamp, which so far has visited nearly 1,000 journalists in communities throughout the United States to update their media skills.

ONA Local meet-ups abound this week, including a first — ONA Pittsburgh. Don’t see one in your area? Check out the ONA Local Locator or think about starting your own group.

Members and friends, 

We’re delighted to announce the latest addition to our staff — Branden Smith, who takes on the vital role of Senior Manager, Business Development and Sales.

As ONA, its membership and programs grow in size and scope, Branden will build on and seek out partnerships and sponsorships, focusing on digital media and technology, with the end goal of expanding benefits, training and knowledge for journalists around the globe.

The Online News Association, the world’s largest membership organization of digital journalists, announces a call for applications for the 2012 MJ Bear Fellowships for early-career digital journalists, in honor of founding member MJ Bear.

For the second year of the Fellowships, the search committee will again select three promising, up-and-coming digital journalists — two in the United States or Canada and one internationally, in partnership with MSN International — who are just beginning to make their voices heard in the industry.

Selected Fellows will be paired with a digital news leader as a mentor; receive a free three-year ONA membership and an expense-paid trip to the Online News Association Conference & Awards Banquet, Sept. 20-22, in San Francisco, where they’ll have a chance to share their fresh perspectives.

San Francisco Skyline Sunset by Curtis Fry

Registration is officially open for the 2012 Online News Association Conference & Awards Banquet, Sept. 20-22, San Francisco. Tip: The earlier you register, the lower your fee.

Starting today, members and non-members will have eight weeks to sign up for the conference at early-bird prices. Then the cost goes up incrementally to avoid that last-minute crunch. There are 1,000 registrations available for ONA12. Once they’re sold out, they really are sold out.

Register now.

The AP-Google Journalism and Technology Scholarship Program fosters new journalism skills in undergraduate and graduate students developing projects at the intersection of journalism and technology. Kevin Schaul is one of six inaugural Scholars.

Hometown: Gurnee, Ill.
Current location: Minneapolis, Minn.
Current gig: Computer science and journalism double major at University of Minnesota: Twin Cities, Web programmer/intern at MinnPost.
Six-word memoir: Embracing the inner nerd since 1991.
Quick and dirty resume: Founded the Nap App as a sophomore in high school, worked as a copy editor and online manager at the Minnesota Daily, did research on the intersection of journalism and computer science with Dr. Seth C. Lewis, and will be a digital news production intern at the Seattle Times this summer.
Favorite fictional character: Woody from “Toy Story”

The AP-Google Journalism and Technology Scholarship Program fosters new journalism skills in undergraduate and graduate students developing projects at the intersection of journalism and technology. Reginald James is one of six inaugural Scholars.

Current location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Current gig: Travel Correspondent, Reach the World
Six-word memoir: Have Pen, Paper, Pictures — Will Travel. 
Quick and dirty resume: Producer and host of The Black Hour internet radio show. Co-founded Harambee News, a publication for California Community College students. Former Editor-in-Chief of the Laney Tower at Laney College. Contributing editor to Oakland Local, and photojournalist for the Oakland Post and San Francisco Bay View. Awarded Chauncey Bailey Scholarship in 2010 by Bay Area Black Journalist Association.
Favorite fictional character: Taste-T from the film, “Fear of a Black Hat.”

The AP-Google Journalism and Technology Scholarship Program fosters new journalism skills in undergraduate and graduate students developing projects at the intersection of journalism and technology. Emily Eggleston is one of six inaugural Scholars.

Hometown: Marshalltown, Iowa
Current location: Madison, Wis.
Current gig Graduate student pursuing Master’s degrees in journalism and geography.
Six-word memoir: Interested, in everything. Too curious? Impossible.
Quick and dirty resume: I grew up in Iowa and earned a bachelor’s degree in agronomy and environmental studies from Iowa State University. The issues that spoke to me most in that learning experience were ones of food security and sustainable food production. I moved to Madison on a whim and found it to be my favorite city in the Midwest. Currently, I am finishing my thesis for an M.S. in geography and excited to begin my second year of a professional-track M.A. in journalism in the fall. This summer I will be an intern on the investigative team at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Favorite fictional character: “Anne of Green Gables.” I read and loved the entire series when I was in elementary school and cherished the dream of visiting Prince Edward Island until 2009, when I actually made the trip.