INBA's membership will meet on Saturday, April 17, 2010 at the Oak Brook Marriott Resort, as part of its Spring Convention.  Click here to download the agenda.

The INBA Board of Directors will meet on Friday, April 16th at the Oak Brook Marriott Resort.  The meeting will be held in the Windsor room starting at Noon... all members are welcome to attend. You can download a PDF version of the agenda here.

Here are the finalists for the 2010 SINBA Awards.  Students are listed by category in no particular order.  Winners will be announced Saturday night at the awards banquet.  Congratulations to all our students!

How Close is "Too Close": Can an Accident Victim Cover the Toyota Recall?

by Jennifer Fuller, WSIU Radio Morning Host/Reporter

We've all covered stories that affect us directly. As journalists, we have to draw a line separating ourselves from the story, and maintaining integrity without a conflict of interest. But how do we continue to do this as newsrooms across Illinois (and across the nation) shrink?

Congratulations to all of the winners of the 2009 Illinois Associated Press Broadcast Awards! The awards will be presented at the dinner on the evening of Saturday, April 17th during the INBA Spring Convention at the Oak Brook Hills Marriott. Register today for the dinner (cost - $65) by clicking here.

Want to join us for the entire weekend?  Or staying Saturday night?  The deadline is fast approaching to book your hotel room! You have until 5:00pm on Friday, April 2nd to make a reservation with the hotel and receive our discounted rate of $99, plus tax.  Click here for instructions to book your room online.

Former Assistant U-S Attorney and chair of the recent Illinois Reform Commission Patrick Collins will deliver the Keynote Address during the INBA Spring Convention Awards Banquet on Saturday, April 17th.

Mr. Collins was a federal prosecutor in Chicago for 12 years before joining Perkins Coie in Chicago in 2007. He played a leading role in a number of high-profile cases while at the U-S Attorney’s office, including the Operation Safe Road Investigation and the subsequent conviction of former Illinois Governor George Ryan. Mr. Collins will talk about this case and others, including the ongoing corruption probe against ousted Governor Rod Blagojevich.

The INBA Spring 2010 Convention in Oak Brook will include a Saturday morning session on finance and business reporting.

Stock analyst for David Brady is President of Brady Investment Counsel in Geneva, IL. He will join WBBM-AM anchors Kris Kridel and Sherman Kaplan, who host the Noon Business Hour. Their producer Andy Giersher, who is a former trader, will also take part. Brady will be on hand to offer perspective from the financial world.

Online convention and hotel registration are now open.  Click here to sign up!

This week, INBA President Melissa Hahn voiced the organization's concerns to Illinois Senate President John Cullerton about a recent closed-door meeting.  Read her letter here.

Once again, Illinois' professional broadcast journalists will honor student excellence with the annual SINBA Awards.  The contest is open to broadcast news and sports students in the state currently enrolled in radio, television, and related graduate-level programs. 

Deadline for entry is March 12, 2010.  Winners will be announced at the annual awards banquet, part of the INBA Spring 2010 Convention in Oak Brook.

Links to download awards materials:

2010 SINBA Awards - rules and categories - entry form - payment/entry instructions

You don't need to be a student member of INBA to enter the contest... but why not join INBA today and get the full benefits of membership, including discounts to conventions, the monthly TuneIN newsletter, and access to a network of radio and television professionals?  Contact the SINBA (Students in the Illinois News Broadcasters Association) chapter at your school or sign up online.

Applications are now online for the 2010 INBA Scholarships.  This year, up to four scholarships will be awarded to student broadcast journalists at $1,000 each.  Applications must be postmarked by March 3, 2010.