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Watching the Watchdogs: Defining Journalists in the United States Wendy Marie Weinhold Southern Illinois University Carbondale, [email protected]

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Watching the Watchdogs: Defining Journalists in the United States Wendy Marie Weinhold Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Wmweinhold@Yahoo.Com Southern Illinois University Carbondale OpenSIUC Dissertations Theses and Dissertations 5-1-2013 Watching the Watchdogs: Defining Journalists in the United States Wendy Marie Weinhold Southern Illinois University Carbondale, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/dissertations Recommended Citation Weinhold, Wendy Marie, "Watching the Watchdogs: Defining Journalists in the United States" (2013). Dissertations. Paper 707. This Open Access Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at OpenSIUC. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of OpenSIUC. For more information, please contact [email protected]. WATCHING THE WATCHDOGS: DEFINING JOURNALISTS IN THE UNITED STATES by Wendy M. Weinhold B.A., Hastings College, 2000 A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree. College of Mass Communication and Media Arts in the Graduate School Southern Illinois University Carbondale May 2013 DISSERTATION APPROVAL WATCHING THE WATCHDOGS: DEFINING JOURNALISTS IN THE UNITED STATES By Wendy M. Weinhold A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Degree in the field of Mass Communication and Media Arts Approved by: William H. Freivogel, Chair Angela Aguayo Janet Fuller Uche Onyebadi Aaron Veenstra Graduate School Southern Illinois University Carbondale March 19, 2013 Copyright by WENDY M. WEINHOLD, 2013 All Rights Reserved AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF WENDY M. WEINHOLD, for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in MASS COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA ARTS, presented on MARCH 19, 2013, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: WATCHING THE WATCHDOGS: DEFINING JOURNALISTS IN THE UNITED STATES MAJOR PROFESSOR: William H. Freivogel The word journalist, and the domain of producers and texts that inhabit its boundaries, often lacks a clear and agreed definition. The dominant body of literature looks at journalists in the United States through a remote lens, locates them within a cadre of journalists operating out of a newsroom, and overlooks the multiple roles they inhabit at once. This dissertation represents an attempt to build on and extend the depth of definitions afforded the American print journalist offered in literature that dominates journalism studies. This dissertation utilizes critical textual analysis to analyze journalists’ letters to editors of journalism trade magazines and identify the patterned ways journalists define journalists. Deuze’s (2005, 2007b) theory of the ideological definitions of journalists provides a framework for the analysis. Journalism trade magazines perform a special role as watchdogs of the press. Journalists who write letters to editors of these magazines are watching the watchdogs. This dissertation looks to those journalists’ words to craft a nuanced ii understanding of the factors that shape the forces defining these journalists, their labor, and their pursuit of democratic ideals. Drawing from the corpus of letters published in American Journalism Review, Columbia Journalism Review, and Editor and Publisher, critical textual analysis identifies how discourses in the letters reflect or reshape traditional print journalists’ self definitions. The result is a catalog of information that shapes an understanding the letters within the individual ideological framework of the community of people who volunteer their opinions for publication in these journals. The dissertation works to develop a more complete picture of the ideology of traditional print journalists as it is defined in their own words. iii DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my future. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation has been a long time coming, and many people merit my gratitude for their help in this project. And so, a little background begins this section. I study journalism because I love writing. I learned to write because Dorothy Miller was once my teacher, and for this I am very fortunate. Milestones along this path also merit mention. I began graduate school in 2005 certain that I possessed the ability and knowledge to answer the question: Who is a journalist? After all, the previous five years of my life were dedicated to my career as a professional journalist. Newspapers in Nebraska and South Carolina ran my columns and stories on arts and entertainment, business, local and state government, college and professional athletics, crime, education, and more. Nebraska Public Radio broadcast my recollections of a childhood embellished by L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables. The Associated Press ran my stories and photographs. It seemed only fair that my work gave me authority and credibility to define who was in and who was out when it came to journalism. Thus, I owe Steve Frederick thanks for giving me the job at the Scottsbluff Star-Herald that started me down this merry path. Thanks, Mom, for encouraging me to apply for that job. The faculty of Southern Illinois University Carbondale and cadres of journalists working at the Daily Egyptian, my v newspaper home away from home, shaped my ideas as a scholar. I specifically thank Eric Fidler for his mentorship. I am indebted to my chair, Bill Freivogel, for his many contributions to my career at SIU. Bill made it possible for me to teach the subjects I enjoy, challenged me to write what I mean, supported me, and stuck with me through a lot, and for that I will be forever grateful. He worked with me at a pace that only a journalist (or a former one) has the stamina for, and it was a pleasant experience to work under and remember journalistic timing and deadlines. Thanks also to the members of my committee, Aaron Veenstra, Uche Onyebadi, Angela Aguayo, and particularly Janet Fuller, who has read many iterations of this document and offered valued encouragement. This project began under the guidance of John Downing, and JD’s guidance is deeply appreciated. My family molded me to be the human being I strive to be, and I am deeply thankful for my parents and siblings, whose love and care nourished me. I love you all. Additionally, my family of friends helped me endure the dissertation experience. I would be utterly remiss if I did not thank Jessie Stewart, who is the best cheerleader a friend could want. Finally, I thank David Miller, who made me laugh when I needed it most. David helped me find levity in life’s challenges. David gave me hope. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE ABSTRACT........................................................i DEDICATION ...................................................iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS................................................iv LIST OF FIGURES..............................................viii CHAPTERS CHAPTER 1 – Introduction...................................1 CHAPTER 2 – Literature Review and Theoretical Framework...19 CHAPTER 3 – Methods.......................................58 CHAPTER 4 – Results.......................................74 CHAPTER 5 – Discussion...................................130 REFERENCES ...................................................145 APPENDICES Appendix A – Letter from Sturm (2006)....................169 Appendix B – Letter from Downes (2001)...................170 Appendix C – Letter from Downes (2008)...................172 Appendix D – Letter from Stevens (2008)..................173 Appendix E – Letter from Thomsen (2000)..................174 Appendix F – Letter from Thomason (2008).................175 Appendix G – Letter from Young (2007)....................176 Appendix H – Letter from Roberston (2008)................177 Appendix I – Letter from Effron (2008)...................178 vii Appendix J – Letter from Record (2008)...................179 Appendix K – Letter from Inglis (2008/2009)..............180 Appendix L – Letter from Grigoriev (2008/2009)...........181 Appendix M– Letter from Quart (2001).....................182 Appendix N – Letter from Steadman (2004).................183 Appendix O – Letter from Mickey (2003)...................184 Appendix P – Letter from Maizell (1998)..................185 Appendix Q – Letter from Parker (2003)...................186 Appendix R – Letter from Kimmel (2008)...................187 Appendix S – Letter from Jacobs (1999)...................188 Appendix T – Letter from Tierney (2001)..................189 Appendix U –Letter from McKenzie (2008)..................190 Appendix V – Letter from Smith (2001)....................191 Appendix W – Letter from Brown (2008)....................192 Appendix X – Letter from Brody (2006)....................193 Appendix Y – Letter from Bendix (1998)...................194 Appendix Z – Letter from Morgan (1999)...................195 Appendix AA – Letter from Roesgen (2000).................196 Appendix BB – Letter from Wettenstein (1999).............197 Appendix CC – Letter from Pittman (2000).................198 VITA .........................................................199 viii LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE PAGE Figure 4.1 Bound copies of Editor & Publisher.................77 Figure 4.2 Example of an American Journalism Review cover.....78 Figure 4.3 Example of an American Journalism Review Letters...78 Figure 4.4 Example of Columbia Journalism Review cover........80 Figure 4.5 Example of a Columbia Journalism Review Letters....80 Figure 4.6 Example of Editor & Publisher cover................82 Figure 4.7 Example of an Editor & Publisher Letters...........82 Figure 4.8 A pie chart showing
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