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Fall 1980 UA68/13/5 The ourF th Estate, Vol. 5, No. 1 Sigma Delta Chi

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Recommended Citation Sigma Delta Chi, "UA68/13/5 The ourF th Estate, Vol. 5, No. 1" (1980). Student Organizations. Paper 146. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/stu_org/146

This Newsletter is brought to you for free and open access by TopSCHOLAR®. It has been accepted for inclusion in Student Organizations by an authorized administrator of TopSCHOLAR®. For more information, please contact [email protected]. IIlJfI1UtY I"' ·~ -·- - v:;""tRSIlJ Interns find summer iob s--n~'fe' I By Linda Dono major. was originally selected job before summer began. after hours with no overtime to go to the Times. Lisa Beaty said that the Park "'Y· Margaret Shirley applied for " I was in limbo from City Daily News had hired her in "Sometimes 1 had to cover her internship 85 a joke. December to April," Shirley the spring on the condition that Ci ty cooncil meetings at night. She ended up working (or The said. "I started applying she work full-time as a summer It was kind of volunteer work," Louisville Times. everywhere from SLPetersburg intern. she said. "Sure they gave comp "When I applied, my goal was (Fla.) to Las Vegas (Nev.)," In the spring and this fall she time, but in the short time 1 was to get an interview," she said. "All the other interns (a t The worked parHime as a court there I didn't take any." "I'd never had an Internship Courier.Journal and Times) got reporter for the Bowling Green She said that she went to before," a copy of the paper for about a newspaper. Muldraugh to cover the train Although Shirley was month before their internship, "I got the routine junk like derailment after working more managing editor of the 1980 and they got a little packet obituaries, police reports, than 12 hours. Talisman, the senior from Bliss telling them what they would be weather stories- but in t he "I had just gotten home, and had worked at a camp the doing. summer I did a lot of feature my editor called and asked me if previous summer. "I didn't get anything," stories, too," she said. "I guess I'd like to go to Muldraugh-" "1 expected to start at the top Shirley said. I could have worked harder If I The story of the derailment and work toward the bottom," But in April when Fish had wanted to, but a lot of times and its resulti~ evacuations she said. decided to accept another job at there was just nothing to do." gave Shirley a chance to write She was lucky to get her in­ Forbes magazine in New York She said she had a regular her biggest front-page story, tership becasue she was an City, Shirley was notified of her schedul e to pick up court news that of the returning evacuees. alternate for t~ job, she said Times job. and other information. 11m Fish, a senior journalism Even so, another intern had a Some of Shirley's work was -Continued to page i- The Fourth Estate Vol. S, No. I, Fall 1980, Department of Journalism Western Kcntucky Un lversily, Bowling Green, Ky.

Courier reporter speaks of Cambodian experience

By ~rk H.. ttI Their four-part series, "Living the Cambodian Nightmare," Joel Brinkley was sitting earned them the 1980 Pulitzer quietly at his desk in The P rize for International Courier-Journal's newsroom Reporting. one day last fa ll , trying to look Using slides of Mather's busy, when his city editor photographs, Brinkley related . wa1ked over and tapped him on his experiences In Cambodia to the shouJder. members of t he Western "Do you have a passport?" chaoter of the Society of Brinkley didn't. But that was Professional Journalists, Sigma quickly remedied, and Brinkley Delta Chi on Sept. lB. was soon on his way to Southeast Brinkley began his career at Asia , and to a Pulitzer Prize. The Associated Press in North Brinkley and Courier.Journal carolina, where he attended P'aotographer Jay Mather went coUege. He later worked for The to cambodia for several days Richmond (Va.) News-Leader last fall to chronicle the plight of and has been at The Courier­ millions of cambodian refugees. Journal for about two years. Brinkley had spent most of his ti me at The Courier.Journal J oel Brinkley recounts his covering the Jeffenson Co unty Cambodian experiences. Board of Education. As a Becklly -Continued to page 2- Page 2 The Fourth Estate , .. , ! .• ~ __ u.' Brinkley'recalls Cambodian experiences

-Continued from page 1- story. He read clippings on camps. run, and conditions for refugees Cambodia from The Courier's Brinkley said that at first they were considered good. reward of sorts for his putting up library and called an expert on went to a government-operated The two followed a group of with such a time-consuming Cambodia at the State Depart­ camp to find their Kentucky food sellers who lelt the village beat, Brinkley's editors chose ment in Washington (or a quick angle Dr. Kenneth each day to the border. After him (or the Cambodian lesson about the country. He Rasmussen of Louisville, who {allowing them to a dirt plaza, assignment. said he wishes he had had more was treating refugees in Brinkley said, some government Brinkley had three days to time for research. Thailand. trucks carrying water arrived. prepare for his trip. He was Brinkley and Mather first Mter staying at the camp for The area was suddenly filled inoculated for three viral went to Bangkok, Thailand, and two days, Brinkley and Mather with refugees who came from diseases - but not for typhoid, rented rooms in a hotel. Then decided to find the worst camps. over a hill, he said. This was his which he caught while on the they began to visit refugee The government camps are well and Mather's first encounter with the real refugee problem. After' a while, a man orfered to take the two to the camp, and they crossed a river to a camp called Samet. Brinkley later learned that the river was the border and that the camp with 300,000 inhabitants was actually in Cambodia. "You think you have done it all until you see something like that," Brinkley said. "Never anything like that." Brinkley said he learned something about journalism when he was at the plaza. He said that as he was trying to describe the sight as the people lined up toget water, he realized words could never describe the scene as well as Mather's photographs. "I learned if you are doing something with a photographer, let him carry half the load. "It is hard to describe them (the refugees). So many years of adversity have left them numb. ''They have had it from aU sides," he said. ''The Thais would come over and rape the women. On the other side were the Vietnamese; they tried to find the last of Pol Pot's anny. They attacked during the day and sheUed the camp at night." Brinkley said be didn't expect to win the Pulitzer after so many other papers and magazines bad covered the refugee situation. On the day the awards were announced, he thought it was a joke wben one of his editors told him to look at a video display terminal that bad a wire story about the prizes on it.

Joel Brinkley, si lhouetted by a slide by Jay Mather, talks about their experi­ ences in Cambodia.

&.ekl,y The Fourth Estate Page 3 Western buys VDTs

By Jim Highland The College Heights Herald newsroom may not look exactly like the electronic newsroom at The Courier.Journal yet, but it's well on its way. The Herald and the Depart· ment of J ournalism have acquired a computerized video display editing system that is expected to be in full operation by the end of the semester. David B. Whitaker, depart­ ment head and university publications director, said six video display terminals (VDTs) and a central computer unit were bought this summer. The new system will be used in both production of the Herald and for instruction in journalism classes such as basic and public affairs reporting and newspaper editing. The system is connected to a Compugraphic 4961 typesetter donated to the journalism department by Robert Carter, publisher of the Kentucky New Era in Hopkinsville and former president of the Kentucky Press . Association. The university also made available to the department money for the purchase or more computer equipment to be used in either classroom instruction or newspaper and yearbook production. Whitaker said journalism faculty are evaluating whether the department needs more reporting terminals, whether to "" add on to the master computer Mike Lee, an employee of Newspaper Electronics Corp., uses a schematic to lo-.... or whether to purchase more reporting-editing terminals. cate a problem)n a video display terminal. That decision should be reached within the next few He said it sbou1d give students editing system from Newspaper reporting and editing functions, weeks, he said. a slight advantage in seeking Electronics Co. oC Kansas City, and it has a split-screen editing Whitaker said the system media jobs because they will be Mo., the same company that feature that allows easy com­ brings newsroom production familiar with video display supplied editing and reporting pilation of wire and local copy. facilities and classroom in­ terminal reporting and editing . 'equipment for the Ashland (Ky.) It allows for direct feed and struction to "state of the art" and computer tectmology. Daily Independent. editing of wire copy. level. The department bought the The system has all normal Dickson speaks on reporting ideas

Getting the facts is not all Sigma Delta Chi, the Society of magazines and news papers. visually, it won't get on the air." that's involved in television Professional Journalists. Television pictures fill in gaps But Dickson said that being news reporting, Dan Dickson, "There are theatrics involved that regular journalism leaves fair in reporti~ the news Is weekend anchorman and in television," Dickson said. " In out. " important. reporter for WHAS-TV in fact, the reporter often shows up Dickson said one criticism of "Reporters must train Louisville. told about 35 Western the news story. television newsmen is that they themselves to be objective," he Kentucky University students in "Television news offers an "go too much for the visuals. said. "You've got to get your a recent speech. sponsored by added dimension you can't get in Often , if a story isn't good personal views out or the way!" Page 4 The Fourth Estate Delivery service supports chapter By Mark Hellth Hall , Go rdon Wilson Ha ll, that can accommodate the large space for a stuffer. Stuffers are Garrett Conference Center and bundles of papers that must be advertising inserts that the Each Tuesday and Thursday Science and Tecimology Hall is delivered in that area. This Herald staff and SDX members members of the Western Ken­ the most diffi cult to deliver. It route is also the hardest to must 'stuff' into each copy of the tucky chapter of Sigma Delta involves either a long walk from convince members to deliver. paper. This can set back Chi discover the another side of the Downing University Center Delivery usuall y proceeds delivery time anywhere from journalism. where the papers are redeved, smoothly un less the Herald one to three hours . Western students, on those or a car with large trunk space advertiSing department has sold days, deliver the Coll ege Heights Herald to do rms and classroom buildings on the Western campus. The project is the chapter's main source of income, as it receives .over_ Sl,OOO from the Herald for the service, chapter adviser Jim Highland said. Because of this fund raising effort, Western's SDX Chapter does not charge a campus membership fee . This money is used for sponsoring chapter activities from national and regional conventions to contributions to SPJ·SDX's Reporter Legal Defense Fund. Approximately 15 members of the chapter are involved in the di stribution of the more than 9,000 copies of the Herald. The campus is divided into routes of two to four buildings each. Each route is designed so the members can carry the papers to their destinations by hand or cart. Special attention is given to classroom buildings earlier in the day while dorms are more likely to be delivered later In the day .By 2 p.m. all of the papers are usually delivered. The amoWlt de1i vered to a building is determined by the number of people that are likely to pass through the buildi ng. Cherry Hall, Thompson Com­ plex-Center Wing , Downing University Center and Pearce­ Ford Tower are the top four delivery points. Marian Kirtley, circulation manager in charge of organizing the delivery for the chapter, counts the bundles of papers coming in and then divides them among the 39 dorms and classroom buildings. Kirtley , a so phomore, public relations major from Bardstown, Ky ., then posts a Jist in the Herald office designating how many bundles each person should take on his or her route. Routes are designed to include buildings that are clustered togethe r. Even so, some peole R_ may have more trouble Spec ial printing problems made it necessary to remove a section of the Herald and delivering than others. The rou te includill.l!: Cherry replace it with a corrected sect ion. Severa l SOX members helped in t his process. The Fourth Estate Page 5 Western graduate discusses layout A Western graduate spent his Call used its profits to improve swnmer helping a Permsylvania the quality of the newspaper. It newspaper experiment with has pioneered the use of graphics different layout styles. in newspapers. Don White, a 1979 gra

By Mike Collins said , "and we obviously don't that reprinted '76 book," Baker do," said Frank. "It's unfair to agree." said. Printing problems found give them (the students) a Printing problems have in­ Delmar printed and reprinted by the 1980 staff in an advance product we know is not up to par. definitely delayed delivery of the Talisman in 1976. Although copy of the book include "I'd hate to see it not come, Western's 1980 yearbook, ac­ another company printed the - Black and white material but I'd hate to see It come the 'cording to a sign on the way it is. It's too hard a question Talisman office door. to answer .. It's like which of the Bob Baker, Talisman adviser, two poisons you're going to take. and his staff would like the "I'd hate to see it nat come .... lt's like which "I hate to see It go down the books reprinted. "We're not drain like that. The book has just satisfied with the Jlrinting job," of the two poisons you're going to take." done too well over the past few he said, "We know Delmar is years to fold now," Frank said. capable of doing better." Other books have not done 80 The printer, Delmar Printing - David Frank well. Northern Kentucky Co. of Charlotte, N.C., feels University and Austin Peay differently. State Unversity in TeMessee no According to Baker, Delmar's 1977·1979 books, Delmar was lacks contrast. No solid blacks longer • publish yearbooks position is that reprinting the awarded the 1980 contract by are evident. because of a lack of money. book is not a consideration. virtue of being the la.west bid­ - A major portion of the book The cost of producing the "They consider this printing job de,. has dirt and dust marks on it. Talisman has iilcreased 25 to be a superior commercial "When we selected Delmar -Spot color used in the book percent in two yean, said David printing job as far as the for the '80 book , we expected does not match the colors or­ Whitaker, director of lDl.ivenity yearbook industry goes," he nothing less than the quality of dered. publications. He said it is too -Four-color photos are flat, early to tell what the 10 percent . tacking clarity and crispness. decrease in state spending - From a binding standpoint might do to the Talisman. the gutters are not lined up "What I'm hoping is that the Carter wins logo contest p'operly, causing poor align. money will be there (in state ment of Iiaotos laid out across revenue) and that we get that 10 . Robert Carter has won the gutters. percent restored. Then we'll be SDX logo contest. ''The photographs are flat. in business," Whitaker said. Carter, a jlDl.lor journalism Contrast is very important for ''The book is an excellent major from Glasgow, submitted viewing pictures," said David journalistic effort," he said. the logo which shows all three Frank, managing editor in C8boratory work - like the phases of reporting, the charge of photography for the Her1(td and Talisman- is a university initials, and the 1980 Talisman. "1 would be strong point of Western's chapter's Greek initials. embarrassed to see the come out program, and loss of the The design will be used as a the way it is ." Talisman would weaken the journalism degree programs. letterhead and possibly for "Quality is the nwnber one silkscreening T-Shirta. "I hope the drop in state concern. We're all striving for revenue is not as substantial as the best quality work we can they thought," Whitaker said. Page 6 The Fourth Estate

Interns fi~d summer jobs 'no joke'

-Continued from page 1- that it was different to work on a which is kind of nice," he said. more stable. "It's like going to university publication be<:ause " The place is away from an office 7 to 3:30, five days a Many photographic interns of the deadlines. "At LBL they everything. I lived in Louisville, week," he said. voluntarily spent their overtime woold want your work almost and when it was clear, you could Shirley, an admitted copy in the darkroom. immediately, but here yoo can see onJy one or two stars. There editor at heart, said she had " I spent a lot of my nights at have a week between assign­ you could see everything." wanted to work on the Times the paper, but some of that was ments." Tom Beshear also liked copy desk all summer. because I had nothing else to Schweinhart said he was so Virginia's beach area where he "I kept bugging them, and do," Todd Buchanan, who busy during the summer that he worked. finally the last four days I got to worked at the Advertiser­ edit cOPY," she said. Tribune in Tiffin, Ohio, said. "I like the way words look "The atmosphere here is together. I had a really rough rushed with going to classes and "I spent a lot of my nights at the paper, time learning to dictate stories taking pictures. There you can over the phone because I work without as much but same of that was because I had COUldn't see them." pressure," he said. But some of those stories were Buchanan's duties for the front page. material,_ an ·-ac­ paper included shooting half· nothing else to do," -Todd Buchanan complishinent she likes to tones for final production as well remember. as taking pictures. After Back at the college, these morning meetings he was free to rarely spent time in his trailer at "The Tidewater area was students are continuing their go around Tiffin to look fOr Golden Pond. really nice for the most part, but work through the Hearld and feature pictures. "There were four of us living I spent most of my time inside," Talisman. " It was a good paper to work there, but it wasn't too bad he said. "But working on a broadsheet with," he said. "They gave because most of the time we is totally different. The picture pictures a lot of play, and I were out on assignments," the Beshear, a senior from size, content-everything never had to take the 'grip-and· senior said. The pay was low, Dawson Springs, was a changes," Buchanan, a grin' shot." Buchanan was $65 per week, but he said that he Newspaper Fund intern for the sophomore from Iowa City, referring to an award presen· liked the atmosphere and the Norfolk Ledger-Star. "It was an Iowa, said. tation or ribbon·cutting environment of the area. editing internship; I might have "In a town you have all dif· ceremony. The nearest toYo-'n is 20 miles written one story all summer." ferent kinds of people. In Rick Schweinhart, an intern at away, " but the interns would get college you have college-age Land Between The Lakes, said together for potluck suppers, Consequently, his hours were kids who throw Frisbee, study or party," he said. "I'd do it all over again in a se<:ond," Beshear said. "It was Speakers highlight convention the best summer of my life." Linda Dono, a junior jour­ nalism major from Nashville, By Lisa Beaty thoroogh research for a story, Brian Foote, a sophomore Tenn., was an intern at the how to improve photographic from Louisville will be Grayson County News-Gazette. About 1000 Sigma Delta Chi techniques and how to inject Western's chapter entry in the members are expected to meet humor into writing. An af­ "Run for the First" a race which in the new Ohio Center in ternoon panel will discuss the contributions' go to the Legal Columbus, Ohio, Nov . 19 to 22 for performance of the press during Defense Fund, an organization the national convention. the Iranian hostage crisis and set up to provide legal Sessions will allow con· the U.S. Olympic boycott. assistance to journalists. ventioneers to learn everything Reese Schonfeld, tl"esident of from press performance during cable News Network in Atlanta, The convention will conclude ele<:tion year to how to conduct a and Katharine Graham, Saturday morning with a good interview. chairman of the Washington business session and installation A day-long meeting of the Post Co., will speak Friday. ci new officers. President-elect national Board of Directors and Syndicated colUmnist David . Howard Graves, bureau chief of an evening reception Wed­ Broder and Carl Leubsdorf of the Associated Press in Por­ nesday, Nov. 19 will begin the lhe Baltimore Sun will analyze tl and, will become national convention. press coverage of the entire president. John Henry Faulk, an author, election year. The Central Ohio professional humorist, social critic, political Jerry W. Friedheim, chapter will be hosts for the commentator and constitutional exe<:utive vice president and convention, and Ohio University expert, will deliver the con­ general manager of the and Ohio State University will vention's keynote address American Newspaper be student hosts. Thursday. David R. Brink, Publishers ASSociation, will president elect of the American discuss the latest developments Weslern's campus chapter Bar Association, will speak at in computer technology. will not be allowed a travel Thursday's luncheon. Bill Small, president of NBC subsidy this year, as Bowling Non·Proflt Panel discussions Tl1irsday News, will give the final speech Green is within 400 miles of the Organiu tion include how to conduct a of the convention at this year's convention site. Registration u.s. Post18e productive interview, how to do banquet. for the convention is $50. Bulk. Rate Permit 398 10/80/1.SM/J - The ron of prin ti ng this publication by Western Kentucky Un l ~ er$ilY paid from SU le fund s KR5 51.375. LB_'_W_'_"c'_G_'_"C,_,_K_'_'_'_'_'_O_' _ --l -:;; '.? 0 'j 3