RamblingDyna

The National Ethnic Media Expo is over. My company (Inquirer.net) won best media kit. I met some talented journalists outside of California and re-united with my journalism professor. Now it's time to put the business cards away and enjoy some real fried chicken from Atlanta! On my last night in Atlanta, I went to Mary Mac’s Tea Room in midtown for dinner. Political dignitaries and celebrities (President Bill Clinton and actor Richard Gere) have frequented this 60+ year old landmark. I’ve eaten at so called soul food joints in San Francisco, of various price levels, even the ones that get rave reviews but I was never impressed. Either the chicken was too greasy, overcooked, or bland, or the heavy breading/crust was too hard or dense. The first thing that caught my attention of Mary Mac’s was the wall to wall framed photographs, black/ white, and colored. It looked like a museum full of history of the popular faces that dined at this very simple and hospitable restau...

My company, Inquirer.net, a 24/7 Philippine online news site, beat 80 other media and marketing organizations at a national ethnic media event in Atlanta recently. Click on title link for my complete news story. P.S. I just signed up on www.condron.us, an online blog channel surfing site which posts the latest blogs. Instead of sifting through blog posts, blog entries are shown for a couple of seconds consecutively. Like a remote control, just click on the post to capture and read in its entirety.

The last day of the National Ethnic Media Expo was the day where publishers and media folks display their work and network. There were approximately 80 tables showcasing newspapers, magazines, and brochures of the various ethnic publications. Television and radio were also present, as well as online where my company was the minority. This is my first attendance and my company’s fourth. I heard this year was a smaller turnout compared to past expos, especially last year’s New York, which had the largest attendance. But it’s still encouraging that know that tight economy did not quell or discourage editorial passion. I didn’t think I would know anyone at this national event. Was I surprised when I saw my college journalism professor, Juan Gonzales, present a video that chronicled 200 year history of Latino papers in the U.S. His table was located across from my company's table, Inquirer.net, and my boss pointed me out to him as one of his former students. When he ca...

I took a picture with CNN's 360 anchor Anderson Cooper! Well ...I took a picture with a poster of him reporting in the field but it’s good enoug h for me. Anyway, he’s based in New York City and he ne ver re turns my call. :o) I did witness, w ith about 50 other ethnic journalists, Dr . Sanjay Gupta, CN N’s Chief Medical Correspondent and Brain Surgeon, do a taping at CNN's Atlanta headqu arters. The free ($12 value) two ho ur tour was part of my two day ticket to the National Ethnic Media Expo and Awards event at the Hyatt Hotel. Thousands of ethnic news organizations reach out to over 60 million ethnic Americans acc o rding t o a recent poll conducted by Ne w America Media (NAM), the main organizer of the annual event. Even as print newspapers continue to shut down or shrink its staff, it's great to know that ethnic newspapers continue to survive. I hear time and time again from ethnic journalists from California to Michigan that the Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese...

My company, Inquirer.net, had a booth at two Asian festivals last month in celebration of Asian Pacific Heritage Month. We baked in record temperature weather in San Francisco Civic Center –Little Saigon and the next day in Sacramento, Old Sacramento district. You can read my complete festival news stories on: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/news/view/20090522-206481/20000-join-Sacramentos-Pacific-Festival http://globalnation.inquirer.net/features/features/view/20090525-207041/Filipinos_join_San_Francisco_Asian_Festival I attended similar cultural events before for fun. Professionally, I managed and worked the Sega of America booth at professional trade shows such as the Licensing Show in New York. Totally (first time typing and saying "totally") two different scenes, environments and subcultures. I definitely found the Asian festivals more fun so it didn’t feel like work. I interviewed two professional athletes, Mark Munoz (“Philippine Wrecking Machine”), an up and c...