Freedom of the Prez

Ethical journalism is not lost; let me help you find it

2008-05-04T22:33:00Z

We’re journalists and we’re here to help you. Trust us.That is essentially the line American media companies have been using since the dawn of television. Each year, however, that message is received with increasing skepticism from news consumers.The studies detailing the American public’s distrust of the media — and of journalists — are too numerous to count. But instead of heeding that warning, many traditional news entities bend to pressing market forces. With each passing year, they blend in...(read more)

Shield Law Slam Dunk

2007-10-17T04:25:00Z

What a day. What an amazing day for journalism and democracy. In a historic, landslide victory, the Free Flow of Information Act of 2007 sailed through the U.S. House of Representatives on a 398 to 21 vote Tuesday, enjoying clear bipartisan support. It was a long day of political maneuvering and some drama brought on by a move to see the bill sent back to committee. SPJ Communications staff and our attorneys from Baker Hostetler monitored the debate live from the floor and via C-Span...(read more)

Tatum's random thoughts on her way out the door

2007-10-08T00:48:00Z

If you missed SPJ's 2007 national conference, you missed what very well could be the best wingding this great organization has staged in years. As USA Today Editor Ken Paulson put it Saturday night, "The star power was here in full force." It was a glorious end to a wonderful year packed -- absolutely packed -- with accomplishment. Very soon, you'll find my annual report on SPJ.org. Please take a look at it because I think you, too, will be mightily impressed with the ground covered since August...(read more)

Shield Law progresses -- and SPJ was there!

2007-10-04T16:43:00Z

This morning, a proposed federal shield law that would help journalists protect confidential sources sailed out of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee by a vote of 15-2. One of the dissenters: Sen. Jon Kyl, the Arizona Republican SPJ members also known as "Senator Secrecy." The other? Republican Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas. Some things to note: Several people deserve credit for this important legislation. I have been referring to this Senate version of the shield bill as the Specter...(read more)

Come to terms with the trouble we're in

2007-09-24T16:38:00Z

MarketWatch's John Dvorak's Sept. 22 column is a must-read. It's harsh, but his assessment of the newspaper industry is dead on. These are snippets I particularly appreciate: "As more newspapers make the mistake of eliminating reporting jobs, they fall into the pit of redundancy with nothing special to offer." "The only papers or news organizations that can expect to survive will be those with lots of original content available only at their individual sites. The operations that rely more on universally...(read more)

Free speech, Responsible journalism NOT synonymous

2007-09-24T06:04:00Z

I have watched with great interest two controversies spinning in the last week out of college campuses. One is practically in my backyard -- Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo. -- and the other is at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Conn. Obviously, different publications, different students and different journalism are involved -- but both conflicts illustrate why I firmly believe that free speech and responsible journalism are not synonymous. I’ll be explaining...(read more)

Still laughing at FOX lawsuit ...

2007-09-20T17:04:00Z

The next time you need a video MP3 player to help wile away all those hours you anticipate being stuck in the car, on the train or in the airport, you must download "The First Amendment Project." This 2004 production from the Sundance documentary collection (and co-produced by Court TV) is priceless if for no other reason than the 20-minutes-or-so segment titled, "Fox vs. Franken." Some quick background: Fox network filed suit against Al Franken after network commentator Bill O'Reilly's angry-looking...(read more)

It is ethical to question the news business

2007-09-13T05:32:00Z

Amen, Amy Gahran! I, too, am sickened by layoffs of highly qualified journalists when it's clear -- crystal clear -- that many news organizations actually could afford to boost their editorial ranks (and, in turn, deliver more great journalism) if only they had a better handle on technology. Gahran is absolutely correct that many news companies are losing out on big bucks because they haven't built -- or bought -- the systems that would allow them to make the most of online ad sales. C'mon....(read more)

Help push SPJ into exciting, new territory!

2007-09-12T03:43:00Z

Video-conferencing technology isn't new -- but it's new to SPJ. And wow, does it have the power to help this organization do amazing things. On Sunday afternoon, I visited with SPJ members in Knoxville, Tenn. While sitting in my home. In Denver. I even got a chance to show off my 2-year-old daughter, Tatum Elizabeth, who insisted on saying, "Hi, Tennessee!" A small camera built into my MacBook Pro laptop was trained on my face (very carefully trained because I didn't want everyone to see my...(read more)

Will Owen Wilson get to heal in private?

2007-08-28T19:05:00Z

The breathlessness of many of today's stories recounting actor Owen Wilson's reported suicide attempt has made me cringe. (Full disclosure for the Us-Weekly-magazine conspiracy theorists among you: No, not because I have a secret crush on him. No, not because I secretly hope to interview him one day. And no, not because I want to use Mr. Wilson to win the affections of actor Vince Vaughn.) Today, I'm seeing anonymous sources dishing this, that and the other about a Hollywood star who clearly has...(read more)

Anchorwoman: More bomb than bombshell

2007-08-24T20:46:00Z

Fox has pulled the plug on "Anchorwoman," one of the dumbest reality shows concocted yet (and that's really saying something). This reaction arrived in my e-mail inbox from Michael Drudge of San Antonio: "Amazing. How refreshing to see there IS a limit to the depth of low taste in this country." Indeed. ...(read more)

The Bourne Ultimatum and Journalism

2007-08-24T16:22:00Z

The hubby and I watched "The Bourne Ultimatum" last night, and it reminded me of discussions swirling in journalism/newsroom/SPJ circles. We're buffs who love to discuss over dinner a film's every detail. For years, without fail, my husband always has gotten the conversation rolling with one simple question: "Why did they make that movie?" I'm no spoiler, so I won't recount too much here, but the final(?) installment of the series about a young black-ops CIA agent included themes journalists typically...(read more)

Go ahead! Plug your blog!

2007-08-19T17:15:00Z

Certainly no news flash here: a blog can have serious reach. I launched Freedom of the Prez in September 2006 with hopes that SPJ national presidents for years to come would log on occasionally to document important issues/events, generate discussion and generally connect with SPJ members and the public. Perhaps, over time, this blog's archives will help inform everyone's perspective about where SPJ is, how it got there and where it needs to head next. It's also my hope that Freedom of the...(read more)

Global attacks on journalism: Do you really care?

2007-08-18T17:03:00Z

The news this week out of the International Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX) was especially depressing. Journalists worldwide are literally fighting for their lives. I have written about how checked out American journalists can be where matters of global press freedom are concerned. A few new connections might snap more of us out of our complacency. Speaking with journalists from foreign countries never ceases to amaze, disturb and inspire me. During a recent SPJ event, I chatted with...(read more)

Andy Schotz makes a great point

2007-08-13T19:53:00Z

If you haven't read National Ethics Committee Chairman Andy Schotz' column in this month's edition of Quill magazine, please do so. In a nut shell, Andy challenges what is becoming a common practice: newsrooms are permitting anonymous posts on their Web sites. He writes: "The standards should be high. Anonymity may be granted, in a news story or for a letter to the editor, if there’s a compelling reason. We explain why. "With online comments, we do the opposite. We let people hide behind a...(read more)