Maria Trombly in the News

Facebook says China not blocking access
By Steven Schwankert, IDG News Service
Media and technology blogger Will Moss reported no interruptions Tuesday or Wednesday. In Shanghai, business owner Maria Trombly said Facebook was available there Wednesday morning local time.
Crafting the Local Angle to a National Business Story
By Kevin Sweeney, BusinessJournalism.org
When a major financial story hits the national press, there are some correlations all journalists should try to piece together. There are also several sources you should have in your rolodex who can be a phone call away from splashing your story with a local perspective on what national happenings mean to your community. While the approach to every article is a unique one, messages can be gleaned from national stories. Maria Trombly, a correspondent for Securities Industry News, suggests that reporters ask the following questions...

Journalist’s trial in Indonesia to begin Wednesday
Aspen Times -- William Nessen, a freelance journalist and the son of an Aspen couple, is scheduled to go on trial in Indonesia Wednesday, a month after he was arrested as a suspected spy for separatists is the island nation’s province of Aceh. “There’s no reason for him to be in jail,” said Maria Trombly, chair of the Society of Professional Journalists’ international journalism committee. Trombly called Nessen’s arrest “an obscene violation” of the basic protections offered to journalists in most countries.

Society of Professional Journalists Calls on Indonesia to Release Journalist, Ease Press Restrictions
INDIANAPOLIS, June 6 (AScribe Newswire) -- The Society of Professional Journalists calls on Indonesian authorities to immediately release American freelance journalist William Nessen and ease restrictions on media coverage of the separatist Free Aceh Movement. "We understand that military authorities may feel that they have legitimate reasons to keep people from entering a particular area," said Maria Trombly, chair of SPJ's International Journalism Committee. "Restricting media coverage of a conflict is not a legitimate reason, however."
Society of Professional Journalists Calls on Occupiers of Iraq to Avoid Censorship
INDIANAPOLIS, June 6 (AScribe Newswire) -- Leaders of the Society of Professional Journalists said today that occupation forces in Iraq should adhere to the ideals of democracy and freedom of expression, and not impose any official controls on the content of the news media in Iraq. In addition to hurting U.S. standing in the world community, official control of Iraqi media could also hurt American journalists working abroad, said Maria Trombly, chair of SPJ's International Journalism Committee.  "If the U.S. starts putting restrictions on Iraqi journalists, it would give ammunition to other countries that restrict American journalists working within their borders," said Trombly, a veteran international reporter and a columnist for Securities Industry News. "It could also encourage repercussions against our foreign correspondents, many of whom regularly risk their lives to get important stories."
Story also appeared in: SPJ News

Society of Professional Journalists Calls for Immediate Extension of Visa Waiver Program to Journalists
INDIANAPOLIS, June 3 (AScribe Newswire) -- The Society of Professional Journalists today called on the federal immigration service to make it as easy for foreign journalists to enter the United States for a short stay as for any other traveler. Under the Visa Waiver Program, visitors from 27 friendly countries may enter the United States for business or pleasure without a visa if they intend to stay for less than 90 days. Journalists, however, are required to obtain a visa. This inequity led to incidents on May 10 and 11 in Los Angeles, when six French journalists on their way to cover a video game trade show were denied entry into the United States. Four of these journalists were initially allowed to pass through customs but were detained after they returned to inquire about their colleagues. The journalists were handcuffed, fingerprinted, searched, and held overnight in holding cells before being sent back to France.        According to the Department of Homeland Security, three British journalists were similarly sent home. "It is unconscionable that journalists are considered a higher security risk than members of other professions," said Maria Trombly, chair of SPJ's International Journalism Committee.
Story also appeared in: SPJ News | The Hindu (India's National Paper)

Tip: Guide to the Geneva Conventions
Cyberjournalist.net A service of The Media Center at the American Press Institute
Now that the United States and Iraq are accusing each other of violating the Geneva Conventions in the handling of prisoners of war, journalists should familiarize themselves with the international humanitarian standards. The full texts are available online in many places, but they are long and complicated, particularly for journalists on deadline. So be sure to check out a fantastic new guide the Society of Professional Journalists launched online this week. [3/28]

Media Studies: Geneva Conventions
CNN Student News: News You Can Use
The treatment of prisoners of war (POWs) has been an important issue in the war in Iraq and its aftermath. The Geneva Conventions govern the treatment of prisoners, but they are long, tedious documents. To assist journalists and students of journalism, the Society of Professional Journalists created the "Journalist's Guide to the Geneva Conventions." Funded by a grant from the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation, the work was authored by Maria Trombly, a freelance journalist, former war correspondent and now the chair of SPJ's International Journalism Committee. It was edited by former committee chair John Hopkins of the Miami Herald. This resource offers an easy-to-use alphabetical reference guide to the Geneva Conventions, as well as the full texts of the conventions themselves. The guide entries are cross-linked to the relevant portions of the conventions, providing an easy way to look up hundreds of topics, such as "orphans," "war crimes," and "wounded prisoners of war." Patterned after the AP Stylebook, the "Journalist's Guide to the Geneva Conventions" can be found online at no charge at www.genevaconventions.org. Printed copies are available from the Society of Professional Journalists by calling 317/927-8000. Paperback editions are available for $12; special waterproof editions are available for $25. Shipping is $6.

Journalist's Guide to the Geneva Conventions
PoynterOnline, from The Poynter Institute
Now that the United States and Iraq are accusing each other of violating the Geneva Conventions in the handling of prisoners of war, journalists should familiarize themselves with the international humanitarian standards. The full texts are available online in many places, but they are long and complicated, particularly for journalists on deadline. So be sure to check out a fantastic new guide the Society of Professional Journalists launched online this week. You can find the guide, written by former war correspondent Maria Trombly, for free online at www.genevaconventions.org.

War over war plan
By Margo Kingston, Sydney Morning Herald
There's lots of discussion about the rules of war and the Geneva conventions at the moment. Jozef Imrich writes: Now that the United States and Iraq are accusing each other of violating the Geneva Conventions in the handling of prisoners of war, journalists should familiarise themselves with the international humanitarian standards. The full texts are available online in many places, but they are long and complicated, particularly for journalists on deadline. So be sure to check out a fantastic new guide the Society of Professional Journalists launched online this week. You can find the guide, written by former war correspondent Maria Trombly, online at www.genevaconventions.org.

The major story that usually gets away
What every journalist needs to know about war
By Jacob Rudolph, Spot News Nov. 2000
Two foreign correspondents discussed the problems associated with reporting war crimes on Saturday, Oct. 28 at the Society of Professional Journalists National Convention in Columbus, Ohio. Tom Rosenstiel, an independent journalist, and Maria Trombly, an assignment editor in Moscow, Russia, have reported during countless civil uprisings in war-torn regions such as Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Many problems arise for foreign journalists during such times, the two panelists said, including accurately reporting crimes of war.

This Month's Hottest Media News
Key editorial changes and new opportunities
As compiled by the Press Access Research Staff, The Scoop June, 2001
Computerworld: Maria Trombly, reporter, left. A direct replacement has not been hired. Lucas Mearian, reporter, has taken over the financial services beat.

Deutsche Welle
Maria Trombly was interviewed in October of 2001 as an expert on the Afghan conflict and the Geneva Conventions by the Russian Service of the Deutsche Welle radio broadcasting company.

Vremya Moskovskiye Novosti
Maria Trombly was interviewed after the events of September 11 by Madina Shavlokhova, the daily newspaper's political correspondent.

Radio Rossiya
Maria Trombly was interviewed in June 1994, after her return from covering the civil wars in Afghanistan and Tajikistan for Sky TV and Reuters.