SCOTT R. SINES 2136 Wentworth Lane,Germantown, Tennessee 38139
scott.sines@greenrocketnews.com
OPINION EDITOR, AL.com, (Alabama Media Group) March 2015 to current.
Responsibilities: Tasked with bringing vision, focus, context and cutting edge commentary to the Opinion pages of the Birmingham News, Huntsville Times and the Mobile Press-Register. Specifically:
• Identify topics rising in the news, local, national and international. Curate staff, community and wire reports to bring depth and context to a diverse report.
• Perform original research and write topical essays that explain why topics in the news matter to Alabamians.
• Increase impact and understanding of current events by curating storytelling visuals and using alternative story formats.
• Increase community interaction by re-inventing the “letters to the editor” as a weekly conversation with the editor.
• Transform the Sunday Opinion section to magazine style journalism. A cover story, fewer topics in greater depth, more reader interaction and short-story formats.
FOUNDER, The Green Rocket News, January 2013 to March 2015.
Accomplishments: The Green Rocket News is a digital start-up dedicated to improving environmental and public health. It is targeted toward the booming market of greater environmental awareness, from food deserts, to school nutrition to energy, The Green Rocket News established a vision, for local environmentalism in the Mid-South. Specifically:
• Designed concept for a state of the art website then worked with developers to build the site from the ground up.
• Created original reporting and photography on energy issues from Arkansas to Michigan.
• Researched, wrote and photographed the efforts of Delta farmers to access markets in Memphis, and better connect growers to consumers.
ASSOCIATE EDITOR: The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal. January 2009 to October 1, 2012.
Responsibilities: Led the editorial effort in creating a paid digital strategy for the newspaper including: developing mobile apps for Android and Apple phones and tablets, and a paid digital subscription strategy across all platforms including the website. Specifically:
• Daily management of the copy, design and photography departments.
• Created training programs for the installation of Tera, and Saxotech front-end publishing systems.
• Developed and edited all aspects of “Going Green” an innovative digital magazine devoted to sustainable lifestyles and business practices. The Going Green effort included community outreach, forums and collaborations on activities with community groups.
MANAGING EDITOR: The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal. January 2006 to January 2009.
Responsibilities: Directing all aspects of a 140 person newsroom including daily and project work. Chaired morning and afternoon daily news meetings and helped section editors build coverage plans for breaking news and projects. Accountable for placement and play of stories and project work in the newspaper, including headlines and space management. In two of three years in the post The Commercial Appeal was named the best newspaper in Tennessee.
Creative Director: The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal. July 2003-January 2006.
Responsibilities: Leading and managing the design/copy/wire desks, photography, art and online departments. Hired specifically to coordinate the simultaneous implementation of a new publishing system, a redesign of the newspaper and training for both print and a new website.
Managing Editor: The Spokesman-Review. May 2002 to February 2003.
Responsibilities: Managing all aspects of a 130 person newsroom including: selection and play of front-page stories, pictures, and headlines, shaping and editing project work, interfacing with the publisher and other departments.
During his tenure the newspaper was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Six times The Spokesman-Review was recognized by the University of Missouri as the best newspaper in the country for its use of photography: four times the Society for News Design named the newspaper one of the “World’s Best Designed.” Twice Sines was named editor of the year by The University of Missouri. Columbia University named The Spokesman-Review one of the top twenty-five newspapers in the country and a newspaper to watch.
Education
• Bachelor of Business Administration
• University of Cincinnati, June 1977
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
• Tennessee Press Association: Led newsroom to two first place finishes in the General Excellence category in the statewide competition.
• Unity Conference: Honorable Mention, “In it Together, Too great to hate.”
• Pulitzer Contest: Finalist, Siege at Ruby Ridge, daily coverage of the Randy Weaver/White Supremacists confrontation with Federal Authorities at Ruby Ridge, Idaho.
Pictures of the Year Contest
• First place — Best Use of Photographs, 2001, 2000, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1994
• Judges Special Recognition, Community Service, 2001
• Angus McDougall Overall Excellence in Editing, 1999
• First place — Newspaper Picture Editor Portfolio, 1993, 1992
Society of Newspaper Design
• World’s Best Designed Newspapers, 1998, 1997, 1996
Other professional experience
• Director: The Stan Kalish Picture Editing Workshops held annually at Ball State University, widely recognized as the pre-eminent picture editing/management workshop in the industry.
• Faculty member: The Mountain Workshops hosted annually by Western Kentucky University and funded by a grant from the Knight Foundation.
• Faculty member: Poynter Workshop for visual journalists at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
• Judge: Pictures of the Year contest, sponsored by Canon, the National Press Photographers Association, and the University of Missouri.
• Judge: The Creative Competition sponsored by the Society of News Design at Syracuse University.
• Presenter: Hearst Fellows workshop, Seattle, Washington. Hearst newspapers from around the country nominate young staffers to attend a two-day seminar. Topic: finding your way in the newsroom, July 2000.
• Presenter: Newspaper Association of America, Digital Connections Conference, Denver, Colorado. Topic: Multi-media for medium-sized newspapers, July 2002.
• Presenter and consultant: Knight-Ridder newspapers annual meeting of editorial page editors. Topics: reader involvement/strategies for bringing new voices to opinion pages.
• Presenter: The Flying Short Course, sponsored by the National Press Photographers Association. Topic: the relationship between the newspaper and its community.
• Presenter: The Society of News Design annual conventions in Boston, Washington DC, and Phoenix. Subject areas included project management and developing good working relationships between departments in the newsroom.