Fall 2005 • Volume 40, Number 1 notes AMONG THE MEDIA from the head Newsletter of the History Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Conducting relevant, Secrets of the Penny Press if not ‘useful,’ research by Susan Thompson (which doesn’t have to be either) University of Montevallo Several years ago, a controversial resulted was my dissertation, “The By Dane S. Claussen article appeared in one of the leading Antebellum Penny Press,” and later, Point Park University journals regarding the “mythology” my book, The Penny Press (Northport, This past spring, when I was this of the penny press. According to AL: Vision Press, 2004). division’s vice-head/research chair, I the article by John Nerone, a num- I found that with all the hoop- noticed one paper that was rejected ber of facts normally associated with la surrounding objectivity and the for presentation at the AEJMC con- the history of the penny press were penny press, many historians had vention in San Antonio was criticized unsupported by data and possibly overlooked other important journal- by at least one judge for supposedly inaccurate. The association between ism practices that had developed on not making clear the significance the development of objectivity in the pages of the penny newspapers. of the research was. Apparently, the news reporting and the penny press These practices included the sudden judge thought, the paper had not was one of the “myths” identified. appearance of crisis news and crime answered the “so what?” question Several penny press authors news, staples of journalism from that that at least some of us academics responded to the article, some favor- time forward. It’s always dangerous demand of at least some research. ably and others not. What seemed to point to “firsts” in history, but Such attitudes always catch my to be missing from the discussion in the case of the penny press, the attention, because my latest book is was evidence based on rigorous, his- preoccupation with crime and crisis about magazine coverage of high- torical research with a reliance on events and continuing reports on the er education, specifically about primary source material. So, under same story were new to American evidence of anti-intellectualism in the careful guidance of David Sloan, journalism and marked a turning that coverage. (One factor that can- I rolled up my sleeves as a doctoral point. What’s more, these events not be overlooked is how extensive student at Alabama and blissfully were, for the first time, being report- anti-intellectualism is within higher dirtied my hands examining archives ed to tens of thousands of people on education, a phenomenon discussed from the antebellum period. What the same day. at length in The Last Intellectuals, In addition to crime and crisis by Russell Jacoby.) One manifes- news, the penny press introduced tation of U.S. anti-intellectualism, On the inside news stories that constitute the very as theorized by sociologist Daniel lifeblood of modern journalism. Rigney (based on historian Richard • History Division minutes page 3 The activities of the stock market, Hofstadter’s book, Anti-intellectual- • Calls for papers, page 8 the doings of high society, the antics ism in American Life) is “unreflec- of actors and entertainers, the move- tive instrumentalism,” which I have continued on page 4 continued on page 6 Florida historian wins 2004 book award by Patrick S. Washburn “The book surprised me with its Ohio University revelations about black radio’s role. Brian Ward, who teaches It’s an important story, well told,” history at the University she said. of Florida, has won the Ward is the author or editor annual History Division of three other books on African Book Award for 2004. American history. They are: Media, Ward won for his latest Culture, and the Modern African work, Radio and the Struggle American Freedom Struggle. His for Civil Rights in the South, other books are Just My Soul published by the University Responding: Rhythm and Blues, Press of Florida. Black Consciousness and Race One judge noted the Relations and The Making of book was “well written” and Martin Luther King and the “exhaustively researched” and Civil Rights Movement. draws from a “huge number of The History Division book sources.” award award is given for the “Ward shows a resourceful- best book on journalism and ness, a creativity, and a level of mass communications his- persistence and confidence greatly tory published in a given to be admired,” the judge wrote. year. It was presented at “Our knowledge of radio in the the History Division Civil Rights movement, without business meeting at the this book, would have scarcely AEJMC convention in been anything but fading memo- San Antonio. The win- ries. Ward brings a truly impressive ner receives a plaque and a understanding of African-American cash prize. and Southern culture and history to Seven books were nominated every paragraph.” ling scholarship” with impressive for the award, which the History Another judge called it “compel- depth and breadth in the research. Division has been giving since 1998. Committee seeks best book nominations The History Division of the Asso- gardless of whether he/she belongs to Entries must be postmarked no ciation for Education in Journalism AEJMC or the History Division. later than Feb. 4, 2006. and Mass Communication is solicit- Authorship is defined as the per- Three copies of each book must be ing entries for its award for the best son or persons who wrote the book, submitted, along with the author’s journalism and mass communication not just edited it. Only those books mailing address, telephone number history book of 2005. with a 2005 publication date will be and e-mail address, to: The award is given annually. The accepted. winning author will receive a plaque Compilations, anthologies, articles Patrick S. Washburn and a cash prize at the August 2006 and monographs will be excluded AEJMC History Book Award Chair AEJMC conference in San Francisco. because they qualify for the Covert E.W. Scripps School of Journalism The competition is open to any Award, another AEJMC History Di- Ohio University author of a relevant history book, re- vision competition. Athens, Ohio 45701 2 Clio Fall 2005 History Division had a good year With the exception of a few dis- The best attended panel was a Division, “The WLBT Case: Toward appointments, the History Division teaching session. More than 50 peo- Free Expression and Diversity in the had a good year in 2005, according ple gathered at the Alamo for a ses- Media,” addressed the landmark case to the annual report. sion that included film clips and mu- that established the need for broad- The Division built new relation- sic from the Davy Crockett movies casters to hire more minorities and ships with several other divisions, and series. cover news of interest to the entire including Entertainment Studies, Ginger Rudeseal Carter of Geor- viewing population they serve. The Graduate Studies, and Law, and con- gia College and State University or- case centered on whether the station tinued to nurture older relationships ganized the panel. Her co-panelists had fairly covered civil rights issues. with other divisions, 2005 Division included Bruce Winders, historian Other panels examined the history Head Pat McNeely wrote in the an- and curator for the Alamo; David R. of women journalists in Texas, pub- nual report. Davies of Southern Mississippi Uni- lic relations history beyond the usual The biggest disappointment was versity; and Randy Miller of the Uni- considerations of Edward Bernays the low number of paper submissions versity of South Florida. and P. T. Barnum, and the question received for the San Antonio confer- Two sessions co-sponsored by of what the core knowledge in jour- ence. Usually, at least 60 papers are the Law Division were also well at- nalism history should be. submitted to the History Division. tended. “Decisive Years in American The most popular session was the This year, the Division received only Journalism,” organized by W. Joseph research panel on war and war cor- 50 submissions. To maintain an ac- Campbell of American University, respondents moderated by David ceptance rate of 50 percent, only 25 addressed important years in journal- Copeland of Elon University. Other papers could be accepted for presen- ism history. In addition to Campbell, panelists included Patrick Washburn tation, and one “high density” slot panelists included Susan A. Thomp- of Ohio University; Bradley Hamm had to be given back to the organiza- son of the University of Montevallo; of Indiana University; and Shannon tion for use by other divisions. Kyu Ho Youm of the University of Martin of the University of Maine. However, attendance at history Oregon; and Debashis Aikat of the Between 10 and 25 people at- panels and research sessions increased University of North Carolina. tended each of the History Division- from 332 in 2004 to 388 this year. The second session with the Law sponsored research sessions. Nominees sought for research awards The AEJMC Standing Committee people who have devoted substantial award. Late submissions will not be on Research is seeking nominations parts of their careers to promoting re- accepted. The packet should also in- for two important awards. search in mass communication. It is clude the nominee’s resume and let- The Paul J. Deutschmann Award named in honor of its first recipient, ters of support from colleagues who for Excellence in Research recognizes Eleanor Blum, a long-time commu- vouch for the candidate’s qualifica- a body of significant research over the nication librarian at the University of tions for the award. course of an individual’s career.