Lesbian & Gay Journalists Descending On Dallas.

Debates will be no holds barred, ranging from disputes about how the media covers critics of gay rights to controversy on whether God belongs in the newsroom, at the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association annual convention in Dallas.

The 2001 NLGJA Convention will take place September 6-9 at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas. Pamela Strother, NLGJA Executive Director, noted that up to 400 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender journalists are expected at the convention, and reported, “Our sessions promise to make this one of the most vigorous and challenging conventions ever.”

NLGJA President Robert Dodge, national economics correspondent for the Dallas Morning News, said, “NLGJA is a growing force in the news industry. I am proud of our members’ determination to ensure that coverage of our communities is balanced and that newsroom workplace policies are fair and inclusive. The big Dallas welcome I expect for this convention is sure to inspire more of this important work.”

Top news executives from around the country will share their views and predictions after a year roiled by an unprecedented presidential election and economic turmoil from the media industry. Dallas Morning News Executive Editor and Vice President Gilbert Bailon will be joined by Newsweek Editor Mark Whitaker, and New York Times Magazine Editor Adam Moss.

“Are we guilty of bias in covering critics of gay rights?” is one of the first questions to be addressed at the Lone Star State gathering. The discussion will include gay and lesbian journalists as well as panelists known for their opposition to gay civil rights issues. Washington Post columnist and former ombudsman Geneva Overholser will moderate.

For more than a decade, the trail-blazing NLGJA has advocated for fair and accurate news coverage of lesbian and gay issues as well as for improved workplace conditions for all journalists facing discrimination and bias.

This year’s convention’s theme is, “Deep in the Heart: The Inside Track on Community Coverage.” Journalists also are strongly encouraged to go to the NLGJA website at any time — http://www.nlgja.org — to review the convention program and speaker list in detail.

Founded in 1990, the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association works from within the news industry to foster fair and accurate coverage of lesbian and gay issues and opposes newsroom bias against lesbians, gay men, and all other minorities. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., NLGJA currently has more than 1,000 members and 21 chapters in the U.S., with affiliates in Canada and Germany.