NIEMAN REPORTS the NIEMAN FOUNDATION for JOURNALISM at HARVARD UNIVERSITY VOL.57 NO.4 WINTER 2003 Five Dollars

NIEMAN REPORTS THE NIEMAN FOUNDATION FOR JOURNALISM AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY VOL.57 NO.4 WINTER 2003 Five Dollars

Can Newspapers Reach the Young?

Journalist’s Trade: California Recall Coverage

Words and Reflections: Coverage of War and Terrorism “… to promote and elevate the standards of journalism”

—Agnes Wahl Nieman, the benefactor of the Nieman Foundation.

Vol. 57 No. 4 NIEMAN REPORTS Winter 2003 THE NIEMAN FOUNDATION FOR JOURNALISM AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Publisher Bob Giles Editor Melissa Ludtke Assistant Editor Lois Fiore Editorial Assistant Elizabeth Son Design Editor Deborah Smiley

Nieman Reports (USPS #430-650) is published Editorial in March, June, September and December Telephone: 617-496-6308 by the Nieman Foundation at Harvard University, E-Mail Address: One Francis Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138-2098. [email protected]

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Please address all subscription correspondence to POSTMASTER: One Francis Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138-2098 Send address changes to and change of address information to Nieman Reports, P.O. Box 4951, Manchester, NH 03108. P.O. Box 4951, ISSN Number 0028-9817 Manchester, NH 03108. Vol. 57 No. 4 NIEMAN REPORTS Winter 2003 THE NIEMAN FOUNDATION FOR JOURNALISM AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY

4 Young Readers

6 When Teens Own a Part of the Newspaper BY LISA SCHEID

10 Approaching the End of the ‘Monomedia’ Era BY THOMAZ SOUTO CORRÊA

12 Are We Reaching Da Youth? BY DANNY SCHECHTER

14 Solving Some Mysteries About the Habits of the Young BY JOHN K. HARTMAN

16 Lessons Worth Learning About Young Readers BY TOM CURLEY

17 The Washington Post Reaches Out to Young Readers INTERVIEW WITH STEVE COLL

21 Retaining the Core While Reaching Out to the Young BY HENRY B. HAITZ III

24 How a Newspaper Becomes ‘H.I.P.’ BY COLLEEN POHLIG

27 Drawing Young Urban Commuters to a New Tabloid BY JOE KNOWLES

29 Meshing Young Ideas With Older Sensibilities BY ELAINE KRAMER

32 Connecting What Is Learned With What Is Done BY JENNIFER CARROLL

34 Targeting Young Women as Newspaper Readers BY NICOLE CARROLL

37 Writing Stories to Reach Young Adults BY LESLIE KOREN

39 Practicing Journalism in Elementary Classrooms BY LEAH KOHLENBERG

42 Opening Up to Kids BY SHAWN MOYNIHAN

43 L.A. Youth Partners With the Los Angeles Times BY DONNA C. MYROW

45 Mixing Young and Old to Create a New Approach BY ELLIN O’LEARY

47 Journalist’s Trade Reporting California’s Recall Election

48 The Campaigning of Political Reporters BY MARK SIMON

50 The Anger Journalists Never Fully Understood BY JIM BETTINGER

53 Campaign Coverage Without the Candidates BY MARJIE LUNDSTROM

56 Celebrity Transforms Political Coverage BY DAN WALTERS

58 Scuttlebutt and Speculation Fill a Political Weblog BY DANIEL WEINTRAUB 59 Lights, Camera, Recall BY CECILIA ALVEAR AND GEORGE LEWIS

WATCHDOGWATCHD61 Tracking Money in the California Recall Election BY DAN MORAIN

64 Covering the Recall for a Spanish-Speaking Audience BY PILAR MARRERO

66 Wondering What a Political Story Is BY ELLEN CIURCZAK

69 Words & Reflections War and Terror

71 Dissent: Public Opinion, Media Reaction BY MARVIN KALB

74 How and Why Leaking of Secrets Happen EXCERPTS FROM A BOOK CHAPTER BY JACK NELSON

75 Reporting From Baghdad During the War EXCERPTS FROM A BOOK BY ANNE GARRELS

77 An Oral History Tells Stories Seldom Heard During the War BY BILL KATOVSKY

82 Patriotism and Journalism EXCERPTS FROM A BOOK BY DANNY SCHECHTER

83 ‘Baghdad Blues: A War Diary’ BY DAVID TURNLEY

87 A Documentary Examines Cable News War Coverage BY MARGIE REEDY

89 Reporting From the Battlefield EXCERPTS FROM A BOOK BY HAROLD EVANS

89 When Journalists Report in Dangerous Places EXCERPTS FROM A BOOK BY THE COMMITTEE TO

PROTECT JOURNALISTS

91 International Journalism

91 Lessons From SARS Coverage BY SUN YU

93 Pressures for Media Reform in Korea BY KWANGCHOOL LEE

3 Curator’s Corner: The New Knight Center at Walter Lippmann House BY BOB GILES

96 Nieman Notes COMPILED BY LOIS FIORE

96 The Watchdog Journalism Project Moves to the Web BY BARRY SUSSMAN 97 Class Notes

102 End Note: Exploring the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge BY RICHARD READ

2 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Curator’s Corner The New Knight Center at Walter Lippmann House ‘To the Niemans, there is no stationary state.’

By Bob Giles

ohn Kenneth Galbraith, the Paul M. Warburg Professor of Center. Hodding Carter III, president and CEO of the Knight Economics Emeritus at Harvard University and a friend Foundation, said: “Nothing could please us more than to be Jto generations of Nieman Fellows, once observed that associated so closely with the Nieman program. Its objec- “There is nothing about this program that can be consid- tives are ours and help further exactly the kind of journalism ered finished. Nothing that can be considered normal. To that the Knight brothers supported in their newspapers for the Niemans, there is no stationary state.” Galbraith brings a so long.” Carter was a Nieman Fellow in 1966 and his father, long perspective to this matter. He was a young economics Hodding Carter, Jr., was in the second class of fellows in instructor when the program began in 1938 and, through 1940. the years, has had more discussions with Nieman classes The Knight Foundation’s gift is particularly meaningful than anyone at the university. for its exemplary vision and support of education for jour- This spirit of “no stationary state” is reflected in the recent nalists and the innovative programs that fulfill this mission. addition to Walter Lippmann House, which was completed John S. Knight was the editor of the Akron Beacon Journal this fall and has quickly become the center of activities for the and a powerful influence in my early days on the paper as a current class of Nieman Fellows. reporter and later as executive editor. J.S.K. was a plainspoken The idea for expansion grew from the reality that Lippmann Ohio editor who became a national figure as chairman of House simply didn’t have enough room to accommodate a Knight Newspapers. He was much admired for his virtue as growing staff and the expanding activities of the Nieman an editorialist who spoke his mind with clarity and honesty program. As our thinking evolved, Charles Sullivan, execu- and as a newspaper executive who put journalism ahead of tive director of the Cambridge Historical Commission, cau- the bottom line. The Nieman Foundation will formally tioned, “Don’t attempt to replicate an 1836 house.” The dedicate the Knight Center on May 24, 2004. At that time, we architects listened and proposed a garden room design, expect to recognize other major contributors for whom which has emerged as a graceful complement to the original rooms in Knight Center might be named. Greek Revival building that became the home of the Nieman Fundraising is a skill that does not come easily or naturally Foundation in 1978. to journalists. Each of my predecessors has struggled with The new wing has created an improved learning environ- this reality as he tried to meet the obligation of adding to the ment for the Nieman Fellows. The seminar room, with high Nieman endowment from time to time in the interest of ceilings, wood paneling, comfortable seating and a multi- enlarging the program and providing a richer experience for functional audio-visual center, is already demonstrating its the fellows. The task before us now is to pay down a versatility as a place for seminars, dinners, film and video mortgage of four million dollars. At a university where the showings, small conferences, and social gatherings. On the endowment exceeds $19 billion and fundraising is an art, lower level, the Bill Kovach Library is now a quiet place for this amount might seem small. But for a journalist, raising reading and talking that brings together in one place the that amount is a daunting goal. books that have been scattered on shelves throughout The Nieman legacy and the opportunity it offers 24 Lippmann House. It also provides a place to display special journalists each year is now strengthened by the splendid collections, such as bound volumes of the newspaper PM new setting in the Knight Center at Walter Lippmann House. and books that came as gifts from Nieman Fellows. Next to For many who remember the Nieman experience as a gift the library is the computer learning center, where fellows beyond measure, a donation is an opportunity to help can check e-mail, work on the Internet, and participate in extend this legacy for new generations of midcareer journal- training programs such as the computer-assisted reporting ists who have demonstrated accomplishment, a deep com- class that is offered every January. mitment to excellence, and leadership potential. ■ A new structure of this kind has to be paid for, of course, and the foundation has made a strong start toward this goal. [email protected] The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation of Miami provided the lead gift for the Lippmann House project. To honor this generous gift, as well as recognize the Knight Foundation’s long support of both the Nieman Foundation and Harvard University, the wing will be known as the Knight

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 3 Young Readers

Newspaper reading isn’t a daily habit for most young people. Instead they catch headlines on Web sites, share opinions on Weblogs, and see breaking news alerts along TV scroll bars. Nor do they think they should pay for news reporting. “Deliver the newspaper to me free, and I’ll take a look,” typical young readers tell focus groups as news organizations look for ways to unlock the mysteries of how to connect with these reluctant consumers. At the Reading (Penn.) Eagle, Lisa Scheid, editor of Voices—the newspaper’s weekly outreach to teen readers—explains that Voices “has built its reputation on showing teens as they really are, not how someone wants them to be or thinks they should be.” Teens write for Voices about their lives and what interests them and, as Scheid says, Voices “needs to reflect their life, or they won’t read it.” From Brazil, former magazine editor Thomaz Souto Corrêa reminds us of the international nature of this big gap that separates older generations from younger ones. “We are ‘monomedia’ when they are ‘multimedia,’” Corrêa writes. “These kids want us to be multimedia, too, and to reach them we will need to stop thinking in ways that are ‘monomedia.’” With his CD “Media Wars,” Mediachannel.org founder Danny Schechter combines media criticism with music. This, he says, flows “out of the theory that believes that if the news business is to reach this audience, it will have to speak its language and echo its concerns.” John K. Hartman, a professor of journalism at Central Michigan University, has examined much of the research done on young adult newspaper readership. Among the myths he takes on is that “publishers used to cling to the notion that people acquired the newspaper habit as they got older: Just wait, they’d say, for the kids to grow up.” Tom Curley, president and CEO of The Associated Press who worked for several decades at USA Today, turns to French editor Francois Dufour for guidance about how to attract younger readers. Make it quick, newsy and useful, is among the advice he passes on. Then Curley adds some of his own: “Make it free, or nearly so.” Steve Coll, managing editor of The Washington Post, talked with Nieman Reports about how and why his newspaper recently launched two publications—Express, a free daily newspaper created for commuters, and Sunday Source, a section designed with the sensibilities of younger readers—and about how the Internet fits into the paper’s strategy. Henry B. Haitz III, president and publisher of the Centre Daily Times in State College, Pennsylvania, writes about connecting with Penn State students by hiring a young staff to publish Blue, a weekly youth-oriented wraparound section, and figuring out how to market this new product. When its consumers were asked, says Haitz, “[they] let us know that they didn’t like being stereotyped as only caring about sex, drugs and rock’n roll.” Colleen Pohlig edits Next, a youth publication at The Seattle Times. As she puts it, “To compete with the Internet and have a chance at attracting young people, newspapers must offer a combination of goods: authentic and edgy news coverage, more international news, stories with more young voices, fresh writing and designs, interactive options such as blogs and forums and, perhaps most importantly, flexibility.” Joe Knowles coedits RedEye, the Chicago Tribune’s weekday newspaper for young commuters. “The biggest challenge

4 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 remains getting people to simply make the effort to pick up a paper—any paper,” he writes. At the Tribune Company’s Orlando Sentinel, Managing Editor Elaine Kramer learned what younger people want from newspapers, then put some of those lessons to work. In time, she believes, newspapers “will have to figure out how to deliver a newspaper for free.” Jennifer Carroll, who directs development at Gannett Company, Inc., highlights the extensive research her company has done and points to approaches some Gannett papers have taken to attract young readers. These newspapers are “revamping content and presentation, experimenting with new sections, launching free weeklies … improving online content, and expanding delivery.” At Gannett’s Arizona Republic, Deputy Managing Editor Nicole Carroll writes about her newspaper’s challenge to create a product that would “move the needle” with a young female audience that wasn’t reading the paper. Yes—Your Essential Style, became the paper’s weekly vehicle. And at The Record in New Jersey, staff writer Leslie Koren had just turned 30 when she took on a new challenge of writing stories with people her age and younger in mind. “I want to speak to that part of the young readers that is still developing and coming into its own. I want to help them make sense of their world and encourage them to think for themselves.” Journalist Leah Kohlenberg engages elementary school students in journalism as she teaches them how to report and write stories. “It was evident that if these students were going to write for a newspaper, they had to learn to read one,” she writes. Editor & Publisher managing editor Shawn Moynihan’s work as a substitute teacher taught him how kids look up to journalists. “… kids are not going to come to the newspapers—so newspapers must go to the kids,” he writes. In Los Angeles, Donna C. Myrow, founder of L.A. Youth, a newspaper written by teens for teens, writes about the paper’s important partnership with the Los Angeles Times. And Ellin O’Leary, president and executive producer of Youth Radio, describes how young people working in their newsroom with experienced journalists produce shows geared toward young audiences. ■

The belief that as young people grow older, they adopt the newspaper reading habits of their elders is a myth. As this chart shows, members of each generation tend to maintain their reading habits as they get older. Data: General Social Survey of the National Opinion Research Center, University of Chicago. Analysis: Phil Meyer, Knight Chair in Journalism, Uni- versity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 5 Young Readers When Teens Own a Part of the Newspaper By featuring teen voices and experiences, a newspaper gives younger readers a place to call their own.

By Lisa Scheid

Convince me,” the editor said, It depends. Some do. The one I date research brief says 64 percent of while we waited for our dinner. edit—a 20-page tab called Voices that teens looked at a newspaper within the ““Convince me I need to have a is published once a week in the 70,000 last week; a study done locally showed teen section, written by teens.” She daily Reading (Penn.) Eagle—doesn’t 66 percent of teens in our county had was directing her challenge at a group pay for itself, at least in dollars. And I read the section in the last five days. of editors—all of us adults who over- was having a hard time convincing her “Why not just have a youth reporter?” see teenaged newspaper sections. We of its nontangible benefits. she suggested. were gathered in Reading, Pennsylva- Her questions kept coming. “Does it Not the same, we replied, because nia for the annual Youth Editorial sell newspapers?” then there is no ownership by the teens. Alliance’s (YEA) conference and sitting Of this, none of us could be 100 Without teens feeling that this section in a restaurant where peanuts are an percent certain. From where I sit, I belongs to them, it becomes—in their appetizer and customers are expected can’t say circulation has skyrocketed mind—just another adult (and any col- to toss the shells on the floor. But this during the eight years since we lege graduate is an adult to them) per- editor piled her used shells neatly on launched the section. I know that petuating stereotypes about them. the table and told us she couldn’t bring people tell me that they’ve held onto But as the evening’s conversation herself to throw them on the floor. copies of the newspaper because of the went on through dinner, I felt increas- “Does your teen section make teen section. And the Newspaper Asso- ingly stymied in my attempts to convey money?” she wanted to know. ciation of America’s (NAA) most up-to- the incredible value this section brings

Covers of the Reading (Penn.) Eagle teen publication, Voices.

6 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Young Readers to a newspaper. It probably didn’t help metaphor for the way journalists tend surd, my love of music, and my hunger when many of us talked about some to stick to their ways, follow conven- to understand the world. problems we face in doing this. We tions, and adhere to their worldviews. My greatest lesson occurred when I shared stories about discovering fac- Without being willing to change and was about a year into Voices. At that tual errors just before a section was to explore ways of reaching out to new time, at the age of 35, I was the adult be published. I talked about having to readers, I realized it was hard for this reporter assigned to Voices. My re- publish mediocre writing when it was editor to see this step as positively as sponsibilities included coordinating needed to fill a page. those of us who’d taken it do. photo shoots (often wacky and/or As this editor listened, she also kept posed ordeals involving costumes), asking us questions, and with each one Letting Teens Tell Their teen artwork, and the writing of sto- she seemed to be challenging the very Stories ries. I had already written a narrative premise of what we were doing. Her story about teens facing the end of high questions lingered with me through It was writing for teenagers, not writ- school and one about auditions for the the rest of the conference, creating ing about teenagers, that really changed school play. In the course of a year, I’d more and more questions in my mind, my views about journalism. It opened talked to lots of teenagers, some of until finally I saw an image that helped me to exploring different ways of tell- whom were quite taciturn. Along the me to better understand this editor’s ing stories. As I worked on connecting way, I’d discovered I was no longer resistance. with teens as the editor of Voices, I terrified to walk into a room of 100 In my mind, I saw those peanuts, so rediscovered my sense of humor, my teens because I now knew I was not the neatly piled in front of this editor, as a appreciation for irony and for the ab- focus of their attention, even when

Conventional Views a Teen Section Editor Must Break

1. Good journalists don’t put section. Don’t write down to teens— are watching you. their opinions in their writing. In- or make teens write down to them- 9. Metaphors are for poetry and stead of teaching teens to keep themselves. The Scylla and Charybdis refer- novels. Good journalists use meta- selves out of articles, editors need to ence comes from something written by phors, but often adults don’t expect teach them when and how they should an advice column writer at Voices. that teens are capable of producing write first-person pieces. We should 4. Personal writing is a lower them or understanding them. encourage them how to augment their form of journalism. See Number One. 10. A diverse section has many opinions with reporting. Start with the 5. Nostalgia is for old people. teens of color. Look beyond color assumption that teens can be experts Faced with growing up and responsi- when thinking about diversity. Differ- in many things, especially with their bility, teens can have great nostalgia ence is found not just in skin color but peers, and that the teenage years are for their childhood. Television shows, in teens’ economic backgrounds, their ones marked by many epiphanies and music or toys popular just a few years seen and unseen abilities, disabilities lessons, all of which is fodder for col- ago seem to teenagers as if they were and interests, religion, politics, the umns and first-person written and re- ancient history. makeup of their family, and the kind of ported pieces. 6. You need the best and bright- school they go to. Voices has broad 2. You will pay your teen writers est teens. GPA and excellent writing appeal because we cast a wide net with experience. They will respect skills are no indication of passion for through the community and because their work with your teen section if journalism. Some people don’t know the students write so personally. A Jew- they are paid, and it doesn’t have to be they have the passion until they expe- ish girl wrote about converting to Ca- much. It shows respect for the time rience it. tholicism and a homeschooled boy, and effort they put into their journal- 7. News happens, you can’t plan who is liberal, broke through the ste- ism, and it puts less pressure on the for it. You can plan a section a month reotypic assumption of homeschooled editor to find other ways to compen- in advance and still be flexible and kids being conservative Christians. sate and motivate reporters. My experi- timely. We’ve had articles written by gay stu- ence is that teens appreciate the pay 8. You have nothing to learn from dents, jocks and artists and by jocks and stick around for the experience teens about writing. If you can’t who are artists, by kids who can’t af- and through that they learn the impor- handle the idea that a teenager could ford to have e-mail and those who can tant lesson that journalism is about write better than you, consider that afford to hire a personal college coach. more than a paycheck. each question they pose, each critique To me, that’s diversity. ■ —L.S. 3. Scylla and Charybdis and you do, helps you hone your craft and Kierkegaard have no place in your makes you walk the walk because they

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 7 Young Readers

they were listening to me. the voices and through the experiences ach turn. I pictured the marketing per- Then I volunteered to do a story for of teenagers. Access didn’t make the son weaseling out of these teens how the Reading Eagle; it was a Sunday difference; rather, it was the questions to sell them the latest gadgets and stuff piece about competition among the asked and the willingness to listen to they liked to use. Instead, as I listened top students. I knew there was a story the teens and let go of adult bias. Teens to the teens, I heard them articulate because I had listened to some of are the experts in their own lives— some of the same lessons I’d learned Voices’ teen writers—all of whom are which is why their first-person, reported with Voices: Teens want to feel impor- paid freelancers—talk about the stress essays that appear in Voices can be so tant. They want to be part of a group of staying at the top of their class. And compelling. I’ve met many teens who but also thought of as individuals. They we’d done a Voices section—about are experts in topics beyond fashion, want respect, and they want help. eight articles each week are built around sex and angst. I’ve met some who are These lessons were echoed again at a theme to create a Voices section— experts in dog training, golf, ice hockey, the YEA conference in Reading in Octo- about finding relief from stress. losing weight, beating the system, and ber. There we heard from Vivian Lin, For the Sunday story, I interviewed addiction recovery. president of 180 Enterprises, Inc., counselors and experts who were very which specializes in marketing to teen- concerned about the toll such compe- Teen Topics and Newspapers agers. Her research tells her that teens tition was taking and what it said about are searching for significance. As I heard our society. Fresh from these inter- Another lesson for me about journal- this, I hoped the editor who had been views with experts, I started to call ism came shortly after I became editor quizzing us about starting a teen sec- teens who had been recommended by of Voices last October. As part of my tion was listening. our Voices correspondents. (Our job, I met with the newspaper’s adver- My learning continues. In October, newspaper’s policy bars adult report- tising and promotions departments. Voices published a photo of children ers from interviewing our teen writers As a reporter, I’d never talked with and teens who benefited from the phi- for articles.) And there I hit a brick wall: anyone from these departments. For lanthropy of another group of teens. They wouldn’t talk. Well, they talked me, the idea of having to also think The photograph accompanied an ar- but I knew what they ticle written by one of our were saying to me wasn’t two Voices’ interns. Three their real experience. In- As I worked on connecting with teens teens in the photo were stead, they were telling making hand signs and, to me what they told most as the editor of Voices, I rediscovered me, the gestures appeared adults—all is well, not a my sense of humor, my appreciation to signal West Coast, vic- big deal. for irony and for the absurd, my love tory and peace. From The Voices’ editor, where I sat, the photo was Wendy Zang, offered me of music, and my hunger to about rap and hip-hop, but a great suggestion. “Try understand the world. some adult readers saw the asking them how they hand gestures as signify- stay on top.” ing gang signs. They I followed her advice weren’t gang signs, but that and set aside the experts’ views. And I about selling stuff seemed so disgust- didn’t stop adults from calling and e- kept my mouth shut and just listened. ing; before I’d thought of my job as mailing. And I know these adults meant What I learned is that some teenag- only pursuing “the truth.” Yet I soon well in expressing their concern, but ers go to school feeling physically sick learned that convincing colleagues at by jumping to conclusions they in- because of the pressure. They track the paper of the value of a teen section sulted those teenagers. carefully what classes their peers take, involves selling them on the idea that Some editors might have decided and they quibble over grades just to teens have buying power. (The NAA’s not to run the photograph, fearing just raise their grade point average by hun- recent research brief finds that teens such a reaction from adult readers. But dredths of a point so they can get a spent $172 billion on products and Voices has built its reputation on show- ranking that will get them into an elite services in 2001.) ing teens as they really are, not how college or university. And as it gets In January of this year, my awkward someone wants them to be or thinks harder to be admitted to these elite feeling of being a truth-seeker in an they should be. For us that means print- schools and pay the cost of going there, advertising land came to a head at a ing reviews of R-rated movies. (Our parents are putting more pressure on newspaper marketing conference in paper’s policy states that it is the teen’s some students to do activities that might Florida where I went to talk about responsibility to get parental permis- lead to scholarships. Voices. As I prepared to listen to the sion to see the film.) It means running This story has been told in many teen panel discussion, facilitated by a reviews of films such as “Jackass,” de- publications, but what made my story marketing expert, I was expecting that spite having adults say that by doing so different was that it was largely told in the discussion would make my stom- we are promoting that kind of behav-

8 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Young Readers ior, and referring to high school students who are in the marching band as Seeing the Holocaust Through a Child’s Eyes “band geeks.” (One of the school’s principals told Voices assistant editor Stacie Jones that is a putdown he The following excerpt is from a longer piece, “Seeing Devastation Through a wouldn’t participate in.) While we don’t Child’s Eyes,” written by Kayla Conklin and published in Voices in April 2003. advocate illegal activities such as un- Conklin is a former Voices’ intern who is now in her first year at Temple derage drinking or violence, we do University in Philadelphia. show teen life from the inside. I am not a teenager, nor do I pretend to be, but the section I edit needs By Kayla Conklin to reflect their life, or they won’t read it. And so, as its editor, I walk a fine Gia drew a picture in crayon. No smil- heart. An estimated 1.5 million chil- line: At what point does reporting as- ing sun with sunglasses shone upon dren died in the Holocaust, their po- pects of the youth culture to teenagers multicolored flowers and a village of tentials unfulfilled. The next Einstein, become an endorsement of that cul- little pink houses, all identical to one Kafka or Wagner could have been ture? And what if I, as a parent, don’t another. Gia didn’t see that very much. among that group; when one consid- like it? Each week, and with each issue, From the barracks where she spent her ers all of the theories left unthought, I try my best to answer such questions. days, little light was visible, except the canvases left blank, the words never I might prod a teen writer to do thor- through cracks in the poorly con- written and symphonies never com- ough and fair reporting, but I try not to structed cabin. posed, the weight of what was lost impose my opinion. So Gia drew what she knew: open- seems worse than what was done. Each week, adults involved with top trains, carrying dead bodies with I walked to a wall, considering this, Voices (the editor, assistant editor, X’s for eyes away from a gas chamber. and stared at pictures: Stars of David, designer, graphic artist, and assistant She was born more than 60 years ago, concentration camp barracks and other design editor) get together to plan the and she shares my birthday. She suf- things that children, in an attempt at look of a future issue. Often we grapple fered through something I can’t begin therapy, depicted on 8.5 inch by 11 with stereotypes and the message of to fathom, and that’s all I know about inch paper with colored pencils, mark- images and with the challenges of be- Gia, except that she had the amazing ers and watercolors. I scanned over ing diverse and being cool. We also strength to survive. This faceless little names and birthdays and paused at a consult with managing editors on sub- girl has become my new hero. picture of a crayon train, carrying bod- ject matter; when we take on topics On March 13, my Governor Mifflin ies away, and underneath it, only Gia’s such as sexual issues or being gay, our High School class spent three hours in name, and August 27, the day I was work requires intense scrutiny from the United States Holocaust Memorial born. editors at the newspaper. Museum in Washington, D.C., on its Two short lines of text and her crayon Working for a newspaper can be an senior trip. We were free to wander the picture are all I know of Gia, but the uncomfortable place—even for teen corridors and peruse the museum’s entity of her existence and the gravity writers. A girl who wrote a story about overload of information, both visual of her experience will stay with me teens and sex was demoted from her and emotional. … forever. I’ve never seen the horror that leadership role in her church because Finally, I proceeded to the children’s Gia had, and most haven’t, but there’s she mentioned she might not wait un- area. As a playground leader and aspir- truth in the statement that history must til she was married. Perhaps this ten- ing teacher, I love children and admire be understood and remembered, lest sion between the adult and teen their innocence and unaffectedness. A it repeat itself. If we reject silence in worldviews is what keeps us fresh with- movie was playing in a small theater, in favor of speaking up, if we refuse to out resorting to reliance on clichéd which a father was telling a story about hate even in the face of evil, and if we lingo or celebrity interviews. It might his son. His father knew that his family remember that every person born in also be what attracts readers—adults would be taken, so he tried to leave his the world is equal and that nothing can and teens—to the section. Or it may be son where the son would be safe. The alter this fact, we can honor the vic- that we have convinced everyone we’re child steadfastly refused to comply with tims’ memories daily by never allowing totally cool. ■ his father. As the father recalls, the hate to foster and manifest itself in the child asked him later, “What does it complete destruction of human life Lisa Scheid, who is the editor of mean to be Jewish? Why am I here?” that was the Holocaust. In short, if Voices, has worked with this teen Such remarks, from a child yet un- adults can manage to view the world as section of the Reading Eagle since aware of the fact that anyone was dif- children do, history surely can never 2000. ferent from anyone else, broke my repeat itself. ■

[email protected]

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 9 Young Readers Approaching the End of the ‘Monomedia’ Era Why do young people insist in not understanding what we, the press, do for them?

By Thomaz Souto Corrêa

his scene happened recently in dience. My young reader is 15 years girls; rock music, sports and beautiful, São Paulo, Brazil, where I live. As old, but could be 12 or 18. But let’s stay provocative young ladies for the boys. TI approached a young man typ- with the 15-year-old boy. He does not There is already a new factor in their ing in front of a computer, he was read. Now, why is that? Let’s have a reading experience that makes all the writing: blz, bró, vamo tcl? If anything, look at this problem, step by step. I difference: They go online because their I can guarantee that those words are divide humankind into two main magazines invite them to. A bridge has not Portuguese, the language we speak groups of people: the “paper readers” already been built between the maga- in my country. and the “electronic readers.” There are zine and the Web site. Under the same “What is that?,” I asked, showing lots of people in between those two brand, they read (or watch) in paper what I discovered later to be a sign of groups, but they don’t need our help: and play online. Girls can try online the unrecoverable ignorance. This is Por- they read papers and magazines and same dress they see in the pages of the tuguese, I was assured, and this is how books, they navigate the big net, etc. magazine. They build their virtual body we write to each other—we have no Each day we lose an important num- on the screen and try as many jeans or time for spelling the words, so we ber of “paper readers”: When people skirts or colors as they want. Some- contract them. Translation of the mes- who are more than 60 years of age die, times they buy the clothes online, in- sage: “How is it going, brother, every- they’ve spent two-thirds of their lives stantly. thing nice? Do you have any time to reading books, newspapers and maga- There are not many magazines do- exchange a few words with me now?” zines. And each day we gain what I call ing that in the world, and they are It came to me as a vision: If these “electronic readers”: Kids coming to already late. But most publications al- kids are communicating in that lan- this world will read much more through low readers to create communities guage, it is no wonder that they don’t electronic devices than from paper. around their own interests, hosted on read what we write for them. Have I Computers in the house and at the their site, and in these virtual commu- seen a text written like that in a teen school, electronic games and cellular nities they chat and chat. Some maga- magazine? No. Have I seen a text writ- phones—those will be the primary com- zines put the fashion editor online to ten like that in a newspaper supple- munication vehicles in their lives. Even answer questions. The online publica- ment for young readers? No. Have I before the time they enter school, these tion is the extension of the publication seen it in a book? No. kids are already multimedia people. in paper. They coexist. The general idea—research shows Will they read books, newspapers But these magazines are publishing it, friends and colleagues share their and magazines? Probably, but as a kids’ stuff. They give them what the stories, and we all have our own—is complement to the electronic media. young want to see and read. Mean- that kids don’t read. (Let’s not mention The difference is that today we comple- while, no newspaper and no magazine Harry Potter, please. J.K. Rowling has ment the print media with the elec- is reaching this audience in ways that written many books, and kids love them tronic media. This generation (and discuss with them issues they’ll be fac- all. And no one has been able to write subsequent ones) will do the opposite. ing in their adult lives: social, political, the way she does. She is unique. I don’t Why don’t we in print media attract economic and cultural issues. accept her books as a generalizing evi- these young kids? Because we don’t dence that kids read. They don’t. They understand the simple truth that young Bridging Gaps Between Us read her Harry Potter books.) kids are multimedia people, and that’s why they don’t read the supplements As these younger readers age, more Young People and Print we publish for young people. A supple- and more electronic readers will reach ment is an anachronous device and to the age when usually they would turn I am forcing an argument here, but them a newspaper is an odd object. to newspapers and magazines. But will let’s accept it, to make it easier to They relate better to a magazine be- today’s 10-year-old boy read a newspa- understand my point: We, the print cause it’s a friendlier object, smaller per when he gets to be 18? Or a maga- media in general, are not communicat- and colorful. But magazines they read zine? In his cellular phone, today, this ing with the young audiences. Period. talk about issues they are interested in: 10-year-old has fun exchanging mes- Let’s begin by defining a young au- fashion, beauty, stars and gossip for sages with friends. On this phone, he

10 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Young Readers also gets and sends e-mails, takes pic- the electronic one. To try to under- by adults and that adds credibility to tures and sends them immediately, lis- stand the way they think, we ought to the stories. tens to music, watches videos, and watch them as they write, “uozzzup, Maybe we shouldn’t care so much checks his schedule as if it was a palm- bro?” and read their Weblogs. We’ll about paper. Is our real concern top. If he wants to, he can watch the need to follow their discussions about whether magazines and newspapers news. He can even use it as a tele- issues that concern them as we try to disappear, or is it that we want kids to phone. capture a sense of their needs and read? Does it really matter if they read How much more multimedia can a interests, and many times they do this from a paper page or on a screen or person be? And in a multimedia world online. Then we can produce vehicles behind a piece of plastic? To me, if they such as this, with gadgets that are also for them, done in ways they under- read, then the object in which they fun to use, what becomes of the role of stand and not in the way we think they exercise their intellect is of no impor- print media? In this boy’s life, paper should understand. tance. As long as they read. has become almost nonexistent. Why? It is important to remember that This will not be a simple challenge In part, it’s because young people don’t differences between paper readers and to solve, but it is not impossible, either. like the way we write, and An electronic newspaper they don’t like the look of and the electronic maga- our pages. In print, we’ve zine targeted for a young been doing basically the audience are still waiting same thing for decades, and to be invented. As we older this generation is letting us editors continue to try to know it will not accept the attract younger people way we do our job. with our paper objects and We are “monomedia” Web sites, I suspect they when they are “multime- are still waiting for an elec- dia.” These kids want us to tronic publication that will be multimedia, too, and to combine newspapers, reach them we will need to magazines and what we call stop thinking in ways that “the rest” and will feel like are monomedia. it belongs, like it fits, in Prestigious brands and their lives. credible publications have An image from the Colorado Kids Web site. Either we invent this to engage young readers publication, or they will both in print and on the do it without our help. And Web, using different media to offer electronic readers are much more than this second option is what terrifies me. what they expect from us. Young people about how they read. There is a cul- Are we, editors, condemned to a differ- should be able to get whatever infor- tural gap between us that is perhaps ent mission? If so, what is going to mation, analysis, or opinion they need larger than the technological gap that happen to our role as the eyes and or want from their favorite paper/elec- separates us. Technology is available watchdog of the society? But this is tronic publication as part of a large to all of us, but in the ways we relate to another serious discussion. multimedia system. The paper and elec- it we are very far apart. Nor will we Uót’u tink, bro? ■ tronic publications must complement attract younger people by using ob- each other, but doing this can prove jects they are rejecting, mostly newspa- Thomaz Souto Corrêa, a Brazilian difficult since younger brains do not pers but magazines, too. journalist, worked for 40 years as tend to relate to words and images in I see little experimentation being editor and editorial director for the the same way older brains do. While we done with the younger crowd concern- largest magazine publishing com- tend to separate out the ways in which ing journalism, but there are a few pany in Latin America, the Abril information is delivered, younger good examples. Though I’ve said that Group. He is an editorial consultant brains tend to blend these various com- supplements for young readers don’t and member of the Management ponents—paper, online, news, mes- usually work, what The Denver Post Board of the International Federa- sages—together with less effort than does is an exception. It publishes a tion of the Periodical Press. we do. supplement called Colorado Kids, done With kids’ minds and experiences by a staff of kids seven to 13 years old. [email protected] being so different from ours, we’ll never They do the interviews, asking ques- succeed without inviting them to join tions adults would not. And they write us in figuring out ways to bridge the the text. Other teens instantly recog- gap between the paper generation and nize that these pieces were not written

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 11 Young Readers Are We Reaching Da Youth? Young adults’ ‘rejection of “the news” might be a reaction to big journalism’s rejection of them.’

By Danny Schechter

irst, a scene setter: Please don’t tionship from the hunk-like Bachelor now get their “news” from late night call it a screed. Journalism tends or, if you are a “Bad Boy,” delight in TV, the Comedy Channel or “The On- Fto look up. Most news is about those 15 seconds of fame outrunning ion.” Attitude is what excites them, not older people. It is about people in “Cops.” information. For most, it’s not even power. Presidents and potentates. Cor- Reality television is anything but re- cool to read newspapers or vote. The porations. Celebrities. The Rich and ality. turnouts prove that. Famous. It is about the people running This is the media environment all in There are so many distractions, so things and the people who little time: DVD’s video games, want to run things. And when comic books and video games. it’s not about their glories, it’s The channels are many. The about their darker sides, their choices are full. The voices scandals and deceits. And are few. They don’t watch when it’s not about them— news. How do I know? Watch the Innies—it’s about es- the ads. The advertisers, tranged outsiders, losers and whose business it is to watch the lost-lone gunmen, suicide who is watching, know. That’s desperados, corporate crimi- why there are so many com- nals, everyday crooks, and or- mercials for Viagra, stomach dinary victims. Body counts remedies, and arthritis medi- galore. cations. In TV jargon, news- Victims are roadkill on the casts “skew old.” electronic highway to ratings That’s why Al Gore, who heaven. started out wanting to launch On TV, there’s a daily pa- a liberal TV alternative, has rade of sound bites and press been persuaded that a youth- conferences brought to us by oriented channel is the way to news guys who look like jocks go. His new TV venture will with great haircuts and perky use stealth “lifestyle” program- blondes standing in front of ming to politicize by appear- buildings yakking through ing not to. If Fox News is the thick makeup like political The cover of a CD about media coverage of terror. stern, finger-wagging Archie science majors. Presidential Bunker-like, patriotically cor- candidates compete with movie stars. the know concede has been dumbed rect party-liner on the right, Gore, who Madonna is writing children’s books. down for years. Even serious people has greened, pastel shirts and all, has Cookbook connoisseur Martha Stewart can’t take it seriously. As news biz become a permissive do-your-own- is arranging flowers in courtrooms. A merges into show biz, Time magazine thinger. For him, depoliticizing poli- rap mogul is now a black political calls war “militainent” and politics tics is the only hope. He will learn that leader. Howard Stern is the King of All “electotainment.” Facts are what they pandering won’t work. Honesty and Media. Don Imus has become a carica- say they are like WMD’s in Iraq or a fair authenticity might. ture of himself. Jay Leno offers a launch- vote in Florida. News-lite does not make ing pad for candidates. Americans very bright. A recent study Meshing News and Music And Fox News is anything but news. took note of pervasive misperceptions Even the dream machine on the among TV news viewers. I’ve written books, such as “The More small screen has been reduced to in- When younger people are not down- You Watch, the Less You Know,” to spiring us to survive “Temptation Is- loading libraries of recorded music explain what is going on with news land,” not get thrown out of the “Big from the Internet, or piercing their these days. But I have also collaborated Brother” House, win a rose and a rela- noses and tattooing their behinds, they on some music projects hoping to zone

12 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Young Readers into this apolitical zeitgeist to try to You cannot satiate what you can’t sound bites have—in no way—been reach younger people who seem to negotiate manipulated to create a context differ- have tuned out on so many fronts. Your will’s been snatched, The bill’s ent from that which was intended. The (This does not include a whole genera- attached off-the-cuff remarks made by many of tion of young activists crusading on the Flim-flam diagram, data-jam, handi- our leading, highly influential TV environment, human rights, peace and cam Caught it, Yo, ya bought it infotainers, who pass for presenters of global justice issues.) A mind is a profitable thing to waste. news, reveal much about the current As the father of a hip media-savvy 20- Ya want another taste, baby? We got state of a once vigorous press. Fox something, I have had an up-close and News’s ‘fair, unbiased’ commentary personal education about why my ori- CHORUS: speaks for itself in the pride it takes in entation towards big ideas and politi- News Goo—What we need to know being ‘unafraid’ to serve as propagan- cal engagement doesn’t always con- News Goo—What we want to know dists for Washington’s right wing po- nect. (“If it’s too loud, dad, you’re too News Goo—What we think we know litical establishment.”2 old.”) When I was her age, I believed Got remote control to choose the Songs like these won’t transform with Abbie Hoffman that “you can’t show. the media or “elevate” a generation of trust anyone over 30.” Now it some- But the more we watch, the less we news rejectors. How many will even times feels like you can’t trust anyone know hear them? They are an expression of a under 50. Ignorance grows on the spirit like a dissenting point of view that tends to Over the years, from my days in rock tumor … till freedom is a rumor1 get marginalized anyway. But they do ’n’ roll broadcasting, I have seen the flow out of the theory that believes that way popular culture leads politics. As a The song is provocative and hard if the news business is to reach this result, I’ve been involved with charging, but getting it on the air in this audience, it will have to speak its lan- multiartist music benefits to promote awareness on important issues: from “No Younger people ‘now get their “news” from late night Nukes” in 1979 (about TV, the Comedy Channel or “The Onion.” Attitude is nuclear power) to “Sun City” in 1985 (against apartheid), what excites them, not information. For most, it’s not from “Give Peace a Chance” even cool to read newspapers or vote.’ in 1991 (trying to stop the first Gulf War) to “We Are Family” in the immediate aftermath of September 11th (an appeal age of hyper media consolidation in guage and echo its concerns. Far too for tolerance). radio is, shall we say, problematic. It much of our news ignores young people As the editor of Mediachannel.org, a has been played on alternative radio or puts them down. All too often they global media Web site, I am now focus- and Internet radio stations worldwide. are stereotyped as troublemakers to ing on media issues by creating CDs Boston’s WBCN, the radio station fear, not learn from. Their rejection of with the musician/producer Polar where I spent a decade dissecting news “the news” might be a reaction to big Levine, who records as “polarity/1.” that is now owned by Viacom, which is journalism’s rejection of them. Our first, in l997, used hip-hop to take one of the companies crusading for Ya dig? ■ on what we call “News Goo.” Here is a larger media monopolies, won’t play sample lyric: it. No surprise there. Danny Schechter, a 1978 Nieman In 2003, at the height of the Iraq Fellow, writes daily on media issues Communication Breakdown! Pause War, we went another way, making for Mediachannel.org. His latest for this message. Wake up! “Media Wars,” named after another of book is “Embedded: Weapons of Every station is identification my books. This track is an audio col- Mass Deception” (Prometheus Books Global syndication is shaping the lage to a funky electronica groove track 2003) on the coverage of the war on nation. ABC-Disney, NBC-GE. that uses comments of mine and some Iraq. A new Web site featuring his Murdoch is Foxy and we’re the hen, “rapping” that is intercut with bits of body of work can be accessed at He owns the pen, the camera, the TV news broadcasts and presidential www.newsdissector.org. sword. pronouncements. Levine explains on Buy a Coke, buy a Ford. Gettin broke? his popCULTmedia Web site: “The TV [email protected] Getting bored? Selling attitude like food for the masses. Junk consumption. We’re 1 From “News Goo” (“The More You Watch, the Less You Know”) © 2000 Polar Levine-sine lumpen language music/BMI. You can download the song at: http://www.polarity1.com/fcwd9.html A bumpkin to the corporate state. 2 To download “Media Wars”: http://www.polarity1.com/mediawars.html

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 13 Young Readers Solving Some Mysteries About the Habits of the Young The keys to turning young adults into newsreaders are out there.

By John K. Hartman

s newspapers work hard to fig- Young adults hurry through your penings in the community, education, ure out how to attract younger product. On the isolated occasions environment, things to do, health and Areaders, there are some things when young adults do read newspa- fitness, families and parenting. Gannett we already know about why they aren’t pers, they spend about the time it takes recently announced its “real life, real there already and what might need to to listen to two songs on the radio or news” initiative, and this bears watch- change to lure them in. A lot of studies the CD player. According to a 2002 ing as well. offer guidance and, though the news study by The Pew Research Center for might seem disheartening at first the People and the Press, 18- to 24- The young love the Web. Two Cali- glance, there are answers to be found. year-olds averaged nine minutes read- fornia newspaper industry groups coming newspapers out of the 48 they missioned a survey by MTV Networks Memos to the Newspaper spent each day in “newsgathering.” The that showed a big gap between what Industry 25- to 29-year-olds and 30- to 34-year- teenagers and young adults looked for olds both spent 11 minutes with news- from newspapers and what newspa- The numbers are bad and getting papers. The number went up to 16 pers gave them. The survey found that worse. Daily newspaper readership minutes for those between the ages of 14- to 24-year-olds wanted, first and among 18- to 29-year-olds slipped to 35 and 49, 21 minutes for those ages 50 foremost, news about music, then lo- 16 percent in 2000, according to a to 64, and 33 minutes for the over-65 cal news. Projecting a culture of diver- survey commissioned by American Jour- crowd. sity is important to the young, the sur- nalism Review (AJR). This percentage vey found, along with more color, was a new low, and the trend line The young will not age grace- pictures and entertainment news. Ink heads to single digits by the end of the fully. Publishers used to cling to the rubbing off on hands and clothes was a decade. The number had been in the notion that people acquired the news- turn-off. “Minimize the old, white dudes 20-25 percent range a decade before. paper habit as they got older: Just wait, on the front page,” MTV research ex- By contrast, the AJR survey showed they’d say, for the kids to grow up. Not ecutive Betsy Frank said. The young that daily readership among 30- to 59- true. Researcher John Bartolomeo considered newspapers “important, year-olds was 42 percent and, among wrote that a generation’s newspaper but just don’t read them.” Frank said 60 years and older, it was 69 percent. consumption habits are established at the development of Web sites was the Judging from students in my jour- age 30 and that the younger generation most important thing newspapers nalism classes at Central Michigan Uni- reads less. In other words, a decade could do to reach out to the young. versity, readership by young adults may from now 16 percent of people in their A survey done in 2000 by the Round be below 16 percent already. Most of 30’s will be newspaper readers every Table Group echoed the importance of them don’t read a daily newspaper. I day. Two decades from now, the per- Web sites. It found that 18- to 24-year- must order them to read one and test centage of newspaper readers in their olds preferred getting their news online them on it and then they might take a 40’s might be counted in single digits. rather than in print. Two-thirds liked look at a newspaper Web site just long The best effort to address the de- the Internet for gathering information, enough to do a report or pass a quiz. In cline came from Gannett editors, who and three-fifths said the Internet of- my advertising classes a decade ago, put together the X Manual in 2001. It is fered better information than print. when I began offering my students a a 300-page compendium of how to Another study found that young people discount subscription to The Wall Street draw young adults into the newspaper. turned to the content-specific sites on Journal, about 10 percent of them sub- [See Jennifer Carroll’s story about the Web, such as those devoted to scribed. Over the years, the number Gannett’s efforts to attract younger sports, music, fashion or dating. News- declined despite my impassioned plea readers on page 32.] Among its sugges- oriented sites operated by newspapers that reading the business daily is good tions: Beef up front page design and were at a disadvantage. for future advertising professionals. In entertainment guides; increase busi- Yet general interest Web sites (so- the spring 2002 semester, I had one ness coverage; try new sections; boost called entry portals) such as Yahoo, taker out of 150 students: a nontradi- outdoor coverage; improve Web sites, AOL and MSN are thriving by providing tional student, around age 30. In 2003 and promote more. Suggested areas access points to what the young adults I quit offering the discount subscrip- for greater coverage included local, are interested in. They establish brand tion. It was a hopeless cause. world and national news, positive hap- loyalty that tethers young adults to the

14 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Young Readers sites for life while newspaper-operated puses in single-copy sales, too. It often view with Washington Post managing sites were casting around unsuccess- outsells local newspapers, regional editor Steve Coll on page 17.] No read- fully for young adult visitors, not un- newspapers, and even national com- ership data there, either. The Tribune’s like what was happening with their petitors from two-to-one to 10-to-one. parent company started a mini-daily in print products. Its handlers understand, like the major New York City called amNewYork in Web sites, that media consumption conjunction with its Newsday. Other Charging for Web access is crazy. habits developed while young last a metropolitan newspapers have started Despite the young’s affection for the lifetime. Surveys of Penn State also weekly, young-adult oriented, free tab- Web, increasing numbers of general showed that USA Today’s program in- loid-sized newspapers with limited interest daily newspapers are begin- creased readership of daily newspa- success. The Centre Daily Times in ning to charge for Web access. The Wall pers in dormitories as much as seven- State College, Pennsylvania, has begun Street Journal (1.8 million daily circu- fold without affecting materially the a young-themed section that wraps lation), a business newspaper, has readership of the campus newspaper. around the traditional daily, having charged from the beginning. The Co- Yet student newspaper publishers, tried and failed with a weekly free prod- lumbus (Ohio) Dispatch (250,000 daily, advisers and student journalists con- uct six years ago. [See story by Center 370,000 Sunday) began charging in fall tinue to fear incursions by daily news- Daily Times publisher Henry B. Haitz 2002, becoming the largest general papers onto their campuses. Many— III on page 21.] More attempts by the interest newspaper to do so. Its editor, including my employer, Central newspaper industry to woo the young Ben Marrison, wrote that the “milk” Michigan University—are successful in are on the drawing board, including would no longer be free. Dispatch.com defeating efforts to offer the dailies-in- new weeklies in Cincinnati, Ohio and lost a large chunk of its audience over- dorms program on their campuses. Louisville, Kentucky. night. The approach is wrong because, Newspaper companies deserve an A as noted above, young adults like the Follow the Reds. The Chicago Tri- for trying, as well as an A for admitting, Web as much as they disdain the print bune took seriously the research by the through their somewhat desperate ac- product. So much for newspapers Media Management Center’s Reader- tions, that they lack the affection of the reaching out to young adults via the ship Institute about disaffected young young. At long last they are trying indi- Web and eventually winning them over adults and in October 2002 started a vidually and collectively to do some- to the print product. The Dispatch’s Monday-through-Friday newspaper for thing. The owners of the Reds have action was more like a death wish than young adults called RedEye. [See been savaged by critics over the con- a marketing strategy. It seems unlikely RedEye story on page 27.] The rival tent and format of their publications. that the rest of the newspaper industry Chicago Sun-Times followed suit with But so were the founders of USA Today will follow suit. the Red Streak. Both papers deserve 21 years ago. It took USA Today 11 credit for “trying something” in the years and more than one billion dollars The USA Today approach works. wake of young adults rejecting their in losses to achieve profitability and USA Today has done the best job by a core products, though the Sun-Times the better part of 15 years to be ac- newspaper of reaching out to the young does better with the young than the cepted as a respectable journalistic through its print and online products. Tribune. Part of the Tribune’s motiva- product. Give the Reds, the Express, The national newspaper’s dailies-in- tion was to keep out the Metro, a for- amNew York, and other new daily, dorms program provides prepaid, dis- eign-owned commuter tabloid that has weekly and wrap-around products com- counted copies of newspapers avail- invaded the major East Coast markets parable time and money before pulling able for first come, first served pick-up of Boston and Philadelphia. Another the plug. by students. It added 30,000 additional Tribune motivation was to try to drive daily sales and two million dollars to the Sun-Times out of business since The magic key is out there. Some- the bottom line. The program, piloted the paper is experiencing severe finan- where out there is the key to unlocking at Pennsylvania State University in 1997, cial difficulties. the young adult market. The key ap- has gone nationwide. Other newspa- For a while, the Reds were given pears to be based on free (no cost) pers participate in the program de- away. Now the attempt is to charge 25 products and easy access. College stu- pending on their proximity to the col- cents for the purchase by their target dents read campus newspapers because lege and universities involved. Beyond audience—young adult professionals they are free and easy to obtain any- providing a better-rounded education who commute. So far the watered where on campus. Young adults read to students (its stated purpose at Penn down, tarted up, things-to-do laden alternative weeklies because they are State), the program encourages a life- Reds have failed to achieve critical mass. free and easy to obtain around town. long newspaper reading habit. The Readership figures are kept under Both groups eschew traditional dai- Penn State program expanded in 2000 wraps, which is an indication that their lies. to 20 of the 24 campuses of Penn State, audiences are blip-sized. The Washing- Therefore, I suggest that daily news- reaching 70,000 students. ton Post copied the Reds and launched papers create a free weekly product USA Today does very well on cam- its Express in spring 2003. [See inter- aimed at young adults in their circula-

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 15 Young Readers

tion area. This new weekly product of journalism in the United States. “The the newspaper industry to confront in should be twinned with the News About the News: American Jour- the early 21st century than winning newspaper’s free Web access, perhaps nalism in Peril” detailed the public’s over the young. Think Red. Think Web. under a different, hipper name than diminishing appetite for hard-hitting ■ The Daily Bugle. Young adults like the journalism. Other recent books have Web because it is virtually free and easy echoed the same theme that entertain- John K. Hartman is a professor of to navigate. Newspapers can use the ment values are pushing journalism journalism at Central Michigan weekly readership and Web site visits aside in many mainstream media. This University in Mount Pleasant, Michi- to sell the merits of the daily print is awful. Yet unless the most main- gan. He is the author of two books, publications. Some young people might stream medium of them all—newspa- “The USA Today Way 2: The Future” grow into users of the Web, the weekly, pers—can find a way to attract the (2000) and “The USA Today Way” and the daily. If not, two out of three young to their print and online sites, (1992). He has examined much of ain’t bad. Pulitzer Prize-worthy journalism is go- the research done on young adult ing to go unnoticed and unheeded, newspaper readership and is a Newspapers can still do journal- and the mainstream press eventually widely quoted source on the topic. ism. Washington Post executive editor will lack the resources to do good jour- Jacqueline Hartman provided edit- Leonard Downie, Jr. and Associate Edi- nalism because advertising support will ing assistance to the author. tor Robert Kaiser wrote a well-meaning have gone elsewhere. book in 2002 about the deterioration There is not a bigger challenge for [email protected].

Lessons Worth Learning About Young Readers Young people will read newspapers and creative minds are figuring out how to reach them.

By Tom Curley

really like something that the French draw readers of high school and col- I have a fourth nugget of wisdom, editor Francois Dufour said about lege age. Again I turn to Dufour. I’m gleaned from The Collegiate Reader- Igetting young people interested in familiar with Dufour because at USA ship Program that USA Today under- the news. Dufour is pioneering the Today we made a careful study of what took in partnership with community development of successful newspapers he was doing as we looked for ways to newspapers and nearly 200 U.S. col- aimed at particular age groups, and he make our own publications more ap- leges and universities: Make it easily made an important observation about pealing to younger audiences. Here accessible and cheap. In fact, make it teenaged readers: “Sports and music are some of his prescriptions that I free, or nearly so. A small surcharge on news are very difficult to cover because consider right on target: tuition and fees subsidizes the pro- the audience is split among many dif- gram, and the papers are stacked near ferent passions. You can’t say ‘I’m do- • Make it quick. Teenaged readers will dormitories or wherever they’re easy ing a newspaper for teenagers.’ You give you 10 minutes if you’re lucky, to pick up. have to remember you’re writing for a so your paper better offer fast-paced The results are encouraging. News- segmented audience.” writing and easy layouts to navigate. paper readership on these campuses That’s excellent advice. It wasn’t so • Make it newsy. Of course sports and grows by multiples, and many students long ago that most newspapers had entertainment are important. But start reading more than one. An inde- “women’s” sections, until it dawned your target is young readers who pendent study shows that the newspa- on editors that the label stereotyped, might pick up a newspaper, and per habit leads to greater interest in patronized and risked alienating half those are most likely to be readers public affairs, which in turn spurs fur- their readership. We shouldn’t have to who have a genuine interest in world ther growth in newspaper reading. That learn that lesson all over again with news. might be a good reason to hope for the young readers. • Make it useful. Information that helps success of the free commuter tabloids But having said that, there are some them succeed at school, in or out of that are now showing up in train and general things that can be said about class, will bring these readers back subway systems of U.S. and European the kind of news publications that will for more. cities. These publications might kick-

16 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Young Readers start reading habits where none ex- your paper while they’re still in grade expanding the services and features we isted and perhaps whet the appetite school. offer that will help our members attract for more. There’s plenty for the news busi- young audiences. ■ Another observation from the colle- ness to cheer about in all this. Despite giate program is that male college stu- all you might have heard about the Tom Curley is the president and CEO dents read more than their female class- indifference of young people to news of The Associated Press. Prior to this, mates, mainly because of higher interest and public affairs, the facts show that Curley was president and publisher in sports news among young men. But they will read newspapers and that of USA Today. In 1982, he became Dufour’s work with younger readers creative people in our industry are the original news staffer of USA shows that school-age girls and boys figuring out how to turn that basic fact Today after being asked in 1979 to are equally interested in newspapers. into future subscriptions. Some of that study the feasibility of a national So there’s a fifth recommendation: Start important work is now under way at newspaper. working on enticing women readers to The Associated Press, and we will be

The Washington Post Reaches Out to Young Readers ‘Put the journalism first, put the readers first, put the reporters first. And start to move.’

In September Melissa Ludtke, editor of cause it is so large. It’s larger than the pass, and we know for a fact that the Nieman Reports, talked by phone with baby boom generation. baby boom generation is going to read Steve Coll, managing editor of The And so, the first thing I struggle to newspapers well into its 80’s and do so Washington Post, about his experi- understand is how these changing loyally, and that’s very important for ences in trying to interest younger media use habits connect to the kind of the future of newspaper-based compa- people in his newspaper’s work. Ex- journalism we produce, not just in the nies. And the generation that comes cerpts from this interview follow. newspaper, but also on the Web. And after them, the evidence suggests they then, as this generation ages, how can are going to have a less deep and less Melissa Ludtke (editor, Nieman we capture them across all of our plat- loyal relationship with newspapers. But Reports): As managing editor of The forms while sustaining the business they’re going to have some relation- Washington Post, what have you been model that makes the journalism we ship as they age as well. So that plat- most interested in learning about do possible in the first place? It’s not form and the journalism, and the news- younger audiences and how their lives enough to just find an audience as all room culture, and the resources, and intersect or don’t intersect with what of the dot-com venture capital inves- the organizational charts that serve it newspapers do? tors discovered. We have to find an must continue even while you con- audience from which we can sustain struct the transition. That’s what makes Steve Coll (managing editor, The journalism that matters and that in- it so interesting. Washington Post): The first and most volves resources. It’s not a radical break. It’s a really important question is media use. And energetic and creative evolution that clearly, there are generations rising M.L.: Are there distinct fundamen- tries to hold both fronts together—the whose patterns of media use and infor- tally different challenges now? defensive and the offensive front—and mation retrieval are really quite differ- really pull them together, so they’re ent from generations who have gone Coll: Yes. And most of those involve not fighting with each other but you before them. And it’s not just the young the breakout of the Web as the ubiqui- are really just moving in the right pat- adults that the newspaper industry tous medium. But I think it’s important tern in both of these directions. understandably concentrates on, but to see these challenges as a kind of the generations coming immediately synthesis, that is to say you have to M.L.: Both directions at the same behind them, whose use of instant conquer the new while you manage time. Is that physically possible? messaging and search technology is the inheritance in a successful and ra- altering in profound ways their rela- tional way. If you think about it in Coll: This is a big advantage of the tionship with information and media. generational terms, it is a duty and a Web. In comparison to previous revo- That younger generation is crucially need of newspapers to serve the baby lutions in media technology, the Web important to newspapers in part be- boom generation effectively until they is much friendlier to newspapers than

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 17 Young Readers

the last couple of media. ture that we’ve built up. So it’s more important in that sense M.L.: Do you mean broad- than the unproven model of cast media and cable? the Web. On the other hand, if you don’t invest in the Web Coll: You start with radio, and discover what its potential then television, then cable tele- is, then you are absolutely fore- vision, and each of those me- closing the possibility of mak- dia changed the way Ameri- ing this transition successfully. cans and the world interacted In a historical sense, we’re with news and media. And they really very early in this story. certainly undermined the pre- It’s only five years since the vious primacy of newspapers. Web broke out, and here’s what But each of those media was we know: The Web has be- narrower and much less com- come ubiquitous in American patible with what newspapers society. The rate of take-up is do journalistically. Broadcast just astonishing in compari- news across television, it’s son to other technologies of about the pictures first of all. its kind. The rate of penetra- Secondly, the delivery system tion is just huge, and the pace of television news is really quite at which that take-up has oc- narrow. It’s a small pipe to curred is mind-boggling. There pour information into; it’s what is no way that’s going to re- you can fit onto a screen over verse. Secondly, we know that time. Thus even the best of the the audiences that have par- network news programs at the ticipated in this revolution height of the networks’ power want to use this medium for in the mid-60’s were pretty lim- news. And so they are turning ited as sources of information to Web news sources in very about what happened in the large numbers. At The Wash- world yesterday; only 27 min- ington Post, the total audience utes of what a newsreader or across all platforms that con- scattered correspondents sumes our journalism has could voice in that period of roughly quintupled in four time. years. That accounts for an By contrast, the Web is infi- enormous new Web audience nite in its spatial characteris- that we’ve attracted. So that’s tics. It much more resembles another lesson we’ve now The Washington Post Sunday section for young readers. the supermarket that a news- learned: There is a large audi- paper is. It has no constraints ence that wants to consume on time or space, yet it has many of the current audience. journalism on the Web, the kind of properties that make a newspaper at- journalism we and other newspapers tractive as a source of news. It’s con- Coll: Right, and that’s at the heart of produce. tinuously available, it’s easy to update, the matter in a sort of medium-run Now there’s one other big piece of and so forth. And the Web is not that sense because part of the problem when this that we don’t know: What kind of expensive to operate in comparison to you think about the synthesis we’ve business model is the Web piece going a television network. So in some sort of been discussing is what is the scale to produce by way of scale, and what is big picture sense, I think the Web and ultimately of the Web business? No- the pace at which that business model newspapers are more compatible than body knows. How much revenue ulti- will emerge? And what are going to be some other technologies trying to part- mately will it generate, and how effec- the limits? Is this going to scale to ner and win allegiances of audiences. tive will it be in supporting the basically the size of a radio station, in newsgathering resources that we’ve which case over 30 or 40 years it’s M.L.: That brings me back to the inherited? going to be difficult to support the conundrum you face in terms of retain- We know that the newspaper plat- newsroom outside my glass window? ing the business model that allows you form, while eroding in some long-term Or is it going to be the first in a series to be a generator of news reporting in structural sense, is very supportive of of ways in which news organizations a way that you want to be for your the newsgathering resources and cul- like ours deliver quality journalism of a

18 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Young Readers traditional type across multiple plat- Anyway you have this enormous audi- Coll: To see how it fits in you kind of forms to large audiences and in doing ence on the Web that is just very excit- have to start where it began and then so are rewarded by the marketplace ing to be in touch with, and when you follow its evolution. About five or six amply to continue with that kind of start to engage with them they stimu- years ago a Swedish company called journalism? I don’t know. I don’t know late you as a journalist. They push you, Metro rolled out the model that Ex- what will happen over the next 20 they give you feedback, they respond press represents. They began publish- years, but I think that’s the question. to your work, they consume what you ing in Europe a commuter-oriented do with real relish, and that energizes free sheet that is now given away on M.L.: Can you take one news prod- the newsroom. subways in some American cities. And uct and successfully put it across these It’s not easy. I don’t mean to sound these papers have certain characteris- different platforms? tics, a kind of structure of circulation and advertising and a Coll: Well, you have to business model in which you evolve. You have to continue to could produce a quick read operate in ways that serve the newspaper that was not tab- next day’s newspaper without loid in its journalistic sensibil- yielding an inch. That is still the ity and yet would appeal, by first priority. But in doing so its brevity and its graphic de- you have to change to deliver sign and other characteristics, simultaneously to this new and to public transportation rid- crucially important medium. ers who were nonreaders of This is where management newspapers. comes in—figuring out how to The key facet of the Ex- do both of those things best not press model, from my point by operating from some theo- of view, in terms of reader- retical manual, but by using ship, is that every free sheet of common sense and a close ad- this kind—in the United States herence to the journalism. Put and in Europe—has suc- the journalism first, put the ceeded because it appeals to readers first, put the reporters nonreaders of newspapers first. And start to move. You who are nonetheless attrac- have to insist on change be- tive to advertisers. These tend cause if you don’t you won’t to be younger males commut- evolve, and you’ll miss this op- ing on public transportation portunity. But you also have to to jobs early in their careers. work from the ground up. Sometimes it appeals to im- One of the problems with The Washington Post’s free newspaper for young commuters. migrants and others who rely the Web is that it’s always on, on public transportation in and a newspaper is used to operating Pollyannaish about it, and I know there big metropolitan areas like ours. But once a day. So in starting to produce are tensions between the two missions, when we looked at the available re- journalism for a Web site, you need to but most of the time those tensions are search across a variety of companies move across the clock in ways that you minor in comparison to the sense of and models, we concluded that even didn’t before and initially in doing that energy and excitement that this kind of though there is an overlap around the it can be disruptive and cause anxiety journalism injects into the newsroom. edges, these papers succeed without in the newsroom. But once you get cannibalizing in a serious way the read- your feet under you, you realize that in M.L.: This past August The Washing- ership of existing broadsheet quality many respects, but not all, it’s quite ton Post launched Express. It is a news- newspapers. compatible with what you would wish paper created with younger readers in Overall these are not readers of news- to do to make a great newspaper the mind. It’s not a Web-based experience, papers. Now why does that fit into our next day. You end up having colleagues but readers hold it in their hands, and earlier conversation? In part, it’s an who are paying attention to the news it reads like a tabloid. It’s a quick news attempt to capture generations and earlier in the day than anyone else at read, particularly appealing to those just find different platforms to deliver the newspaper used to be. You have who are maybe college age up to prob- to different audiences, but we think cycles of coverage that push you to- ably mid-30’s. Can you explain the edi- there’s maybe more of an opportunity wards the edge of the story earlier in torial thinking behind Express and how than just that. Perhaps by operating the day than you might have if you were it fits into this kind of discussion we’ve intelligently, Express can cross-pro- only going to write once at six o’clock. been having? mote the Post’s Web site and the news-

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 19 Young Readers

paper, and over time we can migrate graphics and charts that you were tion pioneered by USA Today and oth- some meaningful minority from the quoted as calling “webby and experi- ers. And also fundamental to this sec- nonreader status on the subway to mental.” tion, in a more traditional way, are habitual users of the Web site and per- pages of listings and sort of calendar haps, even over more time, subscribers Coll: We launched a section called and entertainment functions that we to the newspaper. I don’t know how Sunday Source. It is a straightforward thought were missing in our paper on many nonreaders of newspapers will newspaper section. In content terms, Sunday. ultimately migrate to The Washington in many respects, it is derived from the Post through an Express strategy, but it mainstream of service journalism that M.L.: What mechanisms have you can’t hurt. We certainly won’t lose any- we and other newspapers do. It was put in place at the Post to assess and one by trying, and I do think that in the developed in part to address a struc- measure ways that these approaches research there is evidence that audi- tural problem in our Sunday newspa- are working or not working? ences that connect to Express are likely per, which was kind of a historical to be Web users for news and informa- accident. Monday through Saturday we Coll: We’ve got a terrific research tion. At a minimum we can migrate a have all of these vertical sections that department and we do quite a lot of significant number of people from Ex- provide really rich lifestyle and service research both on a sort of project basis press towards washingtonpost.com and journalism: We have a broadsheet and on a continuing basis to measure towards its search functions. And once health section on Tuesday, a food sec- perceptions of the paper and the Web they become part of our community on tion on Wednesday, a home section on site. the Web, then that’s good. From there Thursday, a very robust entertainment they may deepen their relationship with section called Weekend on Friday, and M.L.: Is this done through focus the newspaper in some respects. we do real estate on Saturdays. groups? On Sundays, we have a travel sec- M.L.: With some of these subway tion, but these resources we’d built up Coll: No. We do scientifically publications, there has been criticism in the newsroom that produced all of grounded quantified research of the that they are dumbing down the news this exciting service journalism were sort where you need a pretty large to appeal to these younger audiences underrepresented in the Sunday pa- sample size to get to some level of and thereby not upholding the stan- per. So part of what we were trying to validity. dards of journalism. Is there a concern do was to pull them together into a that you are introducing a different news section in a Sunday paper that M.L.: Have you gotten any feedback kind of news reporting to a younger could draw on all of this expertise and from this yet? generation, somehow diluting what staff that we’ve built up over the years journalism is? to deliver something extra on Sundays. Coll: Yes, we’ve gotten some feed- So that was step one. Then step two back, which is very positive. We did Coll: In the case of Express, this was, okay, let’s execute this in a way research before we launched Sunday doesn’t worry me. I think it’s a legiti- that is designed to try to include, if not Source to make sure we weren’t deliv- mate question, but it doesn’t worry me directly target, younger readers. Let’s ering “new Coke” in some way that we because what’s in Express are wire not execute it in a way so that it is couldn’t perceive. It’s sort of not sur- service stories. It does not have a tab- designed and presented with sort of prising that an organization of this size loid sensibility. The content in Express baby boomer design and journalism with all the talent can get something is quite hard news driven and derived sensibilities only in mind. Let’s try to out the door that people would gener- from The Associated Press primarily, think about presentation, format, look ally like. from the Los Angeles Times, and off of and feel that tries to go down a genera- The more important question is over the wire service secondarily. It’s not a tion or two. And what would that mean, time, where does it lead us? How does different kind of journalism. It’s very and how do you connect it to the it help us, or to what degree does it solid journalism. I think of it more as sensibilities that seem to attract large help us? Because of the ownership we headline news. It’s just a sense of scale young audiences on the Web? have and the resources we have the and brevity and graphic design. There’s And so we ended up with a section Post is very much of a long-run place. no question that time use is changing that in design and presentation terms This section’s place in the Sunday pa- in our culture and the need that every- is closer to the Web than anything else per is something that we will all mea- one feels, even people who are very we publish or design. It’s more graphic- sure more in the long run. seriously interested in news, for effi- driven. There is less pure text, more ciency and speed is greater than it was stories broken down into component M.L.: As these younger generations a couple of generations ago. parts and presented through graphics get older, can you envision 20 years and captions and boxes and such. Ob- from now how they’re going to look at M.L.: The Washington Post has viously, this look and feel is derived in the newspaper as part of the way they launched a Sunday section with lots of substantial part from design innova- will take in news?

20 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Young Readers

Coll: I wouldn’t pretend to see the live until 2020, so newspapers are go- When your local government interacts future in 20 years out, but I think you ing to be a part of the delivery system with you, what role does The Washing- can start to sketch it. Some of this is just for at least 20 years. Can you connect ton Post play in helping you to evaluate my hope, but I think that if you look the community of readers and the jour- your government’s performance? Is it backward 200 years and ask what val- nalism and resources that produce it only going to be the story that we write ues and needs of an open society like over those 20 years to other platforms in the newspaper the next day, or will ours are likely to endure, then you that are equally ubiquitous and excit- our journalism across other platforms would say that the American people ing and attractive—the always-on Web including the Web also be a part of the are always going to want to be well- delivery, mobile Web delivery, news way you live as a citizen and as a curi- informed by independent journalists and information that arrives in your car ous American? who hold government accountable and without causing you to drive into a Journalism is going to survive. The who report on the exercise of power tree, and news and information that trick for people who have jobs like and the world we live in. And they will arrives across your cell phone? Or will mine is to muster it and manage it so support organizations that deliver the news and information be customized that we can preserve the quality and news they need in attractive and accu- for you in an intelligent way so you can traditions we’ve inherited, and they’re rate and reliable formats. take advantage of the Post’s indepen- certainly under pressure. And I don’t And what’s the delivery system? And dent reporting about your school dis- know that we’ll succeed, but I certainly where do newspapers fit in that? The trict to go deep on the subjects that don’t take failure for granted, either. ■ baby boomer generation is going to matter to you and your neighbors? Retaining the Core While Reaching Out to the Young What is needed is a talented young staff, fresh ideas, and a solid business plan.

By Henry B. Haitz III

he numbers speak for them- There is Trib pm in Pittsburgh, Express ur/newspaper—see Pulse) has shown selves. During the past 20 years, in D.C., and other serious efforts. ESPN, that students find the program valu- Ttotal newspaper readership has The Magazine has a median reader age able and, not surprisingly, it turns out declined, and the younger the reader, of 30.7, while at Sports Illustrated (SI) that accessibility, proximity and a low the faster the decline. At newspapers, the comparable figure is 38.1. Realiz- price are the major factors affecting executives are working to keep their ing this, in the fall SI began the weekly readership. products relevant and meaningful to SI on Campus that has become part of On an average weekday, students their potential audiences. But even college student newspapers through- usually pick up 2,300 copies of the though newspapers provide a huge out the country. And ESPN2 is joining Centre Daily Times, 2,400 copies of variety of news, advertising and infor- the weekday morning show competi- The New York Times, and 3,300 copies mation, often they do so while speak- tion with Cold Pizza, aimed at young of USA Today. And this reading has not ing relatively the same way to all read- male sports fans. stopped them from also reading their ers. To increase our value to young college newspaper, The Daily Colle- adults—for purposes of this article, University Readership gian, which has a press run of about those between the ages of 18 and 24— Program 18,000 copies. So much for young we will need to speak to them differ- adults not reading newspapers! ently. By speak, I am talking about Six years ago Graham Spanier, presi- It is important to place this effort in finding different ways to present our dent of Pennsylvania State University, the context of our region’s demograph- news, advertising and information to pioneered what has become the model ics and our newspaper’s history and them. Spend time with young people university newspaper readership pro- mission. Centre County has a popula- today and you’ll know what I mean. gram. In dorms and from racks around tion of 140,000; 32 percent of the In cities and communities across the campus, students can pick up The county’s adults and 44 percent of State this country, new approaches are be- New York Times, USA Today, and the College’s 42,000 adults are 18 to 24, ing tried to attract young adults to Centre (Penn.) Daily Times every week- compared with the national average of newspapers. In Chicago, each of the day. The cost to students is discounted 13 percent. We know that about 55 major papers now publishes a subway by the newspapers and paid for as a percent of adults in the county read tabloid: RedEye from the Tribune, Red part of every student’s tuition. Inde- our newspaper each weekday, while Streak, the product of the Sun-Times. pendent research (available at psu.edu/ just 21 percent of those between the

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 21 Young Readers

ages of 18 and 24 do. coming content around newspapers tells us that entertainment and sports These young non-newspaper read- for those staying at participating ho- are related to high readership among ers present us with a great challenge tels. Both were traditional broadsheet this age group, and we knew their and opportunity. The Centre Daily wraps. And we’d had success with a interest in local news. Our newspaper’s Times has a 25,000 daily readership weekly entertainment tabloid called vice president and executive editor, (34,000 on Sunday) and has been Weekender and More. So as we consid- Bob Heisse, has been instrumental in named the best of the state’s newspa- ered what we’d do next, the idea sur- making this a reality. Because we knew per of its size for six consecutive years. faced of combining the best of each of involvement of young people is critical Last year it was named Newspaper of these in a colorful tabloid section that to its success, Heisse hired very tal- the Year by the Pennsylvania Newspa- we would wrap around the core news- ented staff members in their 20’s to per Association Foundation. At about paper. produce content for what would be this same time, we engaged Urban & We also appreciated that this new called Blue (Penn State’s color). The Associates to help us do some strategic section had to be available to our target editor of Blue is in her mid-20’s and planning. Our key initiative: to create audience at all the places they were— most of the other staff members are in content tailored to the 18 to 34 age which meant providing it off-campus, their early 20’s. Heisse continues to be group, primarily at those between the too. Initially we decided on selling the the seasoned top editor who these ages of 18 to 24, and young people need, as he improve our paper’s provides leadership and accessibility to that age guidance required to pub- group as well. Dan lish a daily section. And he Cotter, Urban’s COO, does this while still over- provided strong guid- seeing the rest of the news- ance to us during our paper. exploration. In our planning process, The university read- we envisioned that out of ership program had our newspaper’s local news shown us that this age coverage would emerge the group had an interest top local issue of the day, in our newspaper. as seen from young adults’ Then, using our own perspectives, with refer- independent research, ence made to other local we learned that stu- coverage inside the Centre dents regarded our Daily Times. A standard fea- paper as the best ture of our prototype wrap- source for finding a job, around was that it referred a place to live, and buy- readers inside to our core ing a car. No other pub- product. On the entertain- lication came close on ment beat, we planned on those measures, and featuring an “around town we were rated number guide” to let students know one in other key areas A cover of Blue, the Centre (Penn.) Daily Times’s wraparound. what’s going on that night as well. Learning this and the next, as well as made us feel it was im- other related features. portant that we continue to reach them papers (with the wrap-around section) Sports was designed to include infor- through our newspaper, but we at single copy locations located down- mation about Penn State athletes and thought it was also important not to town, across the street from campus, athletics. And we developed partner- make changes to our core product and in and near apartment complexes, and ships with The Philadelphia Inquirer possibly endanger our strong existing along bus routes. While geographic and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to get daily relationship with current readers. zoning happens routinely in larger sports commentary from them. This markets, our strategy involved creating served to link students to hometown The Newspaper’s New a combined geo-demographic prod- news; the majority of Penn State stu- Approach uct. dents are from Pennsylvania and fol- To develop ideas for the wrap- low their hometown sports, especially What had brought us success was wraparound’s news and information, a task pro sports. ping our newspaper with a section force was created and then, a while Once a prototype was developed, about football content on Penn State later, a new staff was brought together we held a series of focus groups. We game days. We also had wrapped wel- to make these ideas happen. Research were somewhat surprised. Practically

22 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Young Readers every young adult was enthusiastic portray the benefits for readers to move tion in almost all single copy locations about Blue and its tabloid size. They inside, Blue’s cover is a critical piece. in the two zip codes closest to campus. were most interested in the “around We received some helpful tutoring from We’re not sure what is going to hap- town guide” and the hometown news a designer for the Philadelphia Daily pen, but we believe it’s worth a solid features, which includes two pages of News. But we also learned that our try. short articles from towns around the cover’s look needs a different feel from state. These focus group participants the tone of most newspaper pages. Challenges Ahead also let us know that they didn’t like We’re now getting feedback from pub- being stereotyped as only caring about lications like Maxim so that we can While I believe our news staff will con- sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll. Though better understand the formula they tinue to provide strong content, and interested in those things, that didn’t use to attract readers. our covers are improving, my biggest define all of their interests. For us to do Another big lesson is in marketing concern remains our ability to gener- so felt patronizing to them. and awareness. It’s not enough to put ate greater awareness for this venture’s Comments made during the focus Blue on the street and expect the audi- benefits. It’s an expensive enterprise groups also revealed that they liked ence to know what’s inside and pick it that requires a business plan in which coupons and any information that up. The marketing of something new the revenues exceed its costs. Another would help them to important consideration identify where good with our younger readers deals could be found. is the transient nature of They also said that in- their lives. This means that formation about jobs we continuously need to was important to them, find ways to remind our not just jobs for careers potential audience about but also jobs to earn the value of our product money while they were and this section and do so in school. Because of more than needs to be done our research, we knew in an average, less transient, that more than half of market. Penn State’s students Despite the challenges are employed, so hear- we face, I’m quite optimis- ing these comments, as tic. So far this semester the well, made us decide pickup rate for the Centre to have a job page Daily Times is up 10 per- theme two times each cent from before Blue was week. with our newspaper. The They also told us New York Times is up they didn’t want the slightly and USA Today is tabloid cover to appear now down in double dig- in the vertical “portrait” its. Young adults who read format because that’s Blue offer positive feedback not the way it sat in the A Blue cover image. and advertisers are starting rack. They preferred a to catch on. It’s also been horizontal “landscape” invigorating to see a young, format, so that is what we use. They or different is expensive and time con- talented news staff that is so enthusias- also said they wouldn’t read the stu- suming. I won’t venture too far astray tic about its work. It will require that dent newspaper any less if Blue was into the business side, including adver- kind of sustained passion if we’re go- published. They felt that the two prod- tising, but without a solid business ing to succeed. That is just one of the ucts were different enough—and each plan a newspaper is not going to make things that can make newspapers such of value to them—that they’d still want something like this work in the long fun and fulfilling places to work. ■ to get their campus news. run. We’ve spent as much time on all of these marketing issues as we have on Henry B. Haitz III, president and Lessons Learned developing its content. Along the way publisher of the Centre (Penn.) Daily we discovered, for example, that some Times, is to become president and Once Blue got going, we learned home delivery customers were upset publisher of the Bradenton (Fla.) quickly how good its cover needs to be. that they couldn’t get it. And our down- Herald in January 2004. Along with how our inside references town single copy sales have gone so are presented and if they adequately well that we plan to distribute the sec- [email protected]

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 23 Young Readers How a Newspaper Becomes ‘H.I.P.’ To attract younger readers, a newspaper needs to be ‘human, interactive and personal.’

By Colleen Pohlig

ove over, boomers. At 78 mil- tions? In the newspaper business, all of what we’d call “the solution.” This is lion between the ages of 39 us are asking these questions and scram- perhaps because I don’t believe there Mand 57, you used to be the bling to implement different solutions, is one, in the sense that a newspaper most coveted population in America. usually partial ones—a teen page here, can do any one thing to capture young Until Generation Y, that is, who have a tabloid section there, an entertain- readers’ attention. What connects this you beat by about 10 million. At 16 to ment spread somewhere else. generation to information and news is 24 years old, the older part of the Gen- I don’t think anyone has yet found too complex to fit into our formulas. Y’s are a powerful, cash- They are too savvy about mar- wielding, get-it-while-it’s-hot keting and too sophisticated group of 32 million young to fall for a moderate tweak of adults, who spend about the passive service most of us $200 billion annually and provide in our print product. influence another $300-400 It’s no longer enough to offer billion in spending. news and expect people to While the 2003 accept what we offer as the Scarborough Report tells us last word. Nor is it enough to that a healthy number of 18 allow the usual politicians and to 24-year-olds regularly read loudest voices to dominate the a newspaper—38 percent ink. Or to believe that “con- nationally—there is no guar- necting to the community” antee this will continue or only means printing a dozen the percentage will increase letters to the editor each day. as they get older. In fact, This generation craves— there’s plenty to suggest it no, demands—debate and won’t. Newspapers are up participation in the news. In- against a behemoth we all stead of waiting for news to know about, the Internet. reach them, often they deter- There is also a potentially mine what “news” is in their ruinous trend that most of own blogs, in chat rooms, and us are just waking up to: in online forums. How they This generation uses news use news is all about hands- differently than their parents on debate and involvement in and grandparents. If they a continuous and evolving can’t interact with it, they marketplace of ideas. By be- will go—and are going— coming pundits about issues elsewhere. affecting them and their peers, by being observers and com- Searching for mentators, they are breaking Solutions down what they perceive to be the elitist attitude of too What, then, will attract them many newsrooms. And they’re to newspapers? What is the doing it all with the click of a future of newspapers if they mouse or the tap of a stylus don’t start subscribing? Why and with a steady discourse are this generation’s news- about political and social is- paper reading habits so dif- sues and trends in their daily ferent from previous genera- Next appears every Sunday in The Seattle Times. lives—trends most newspa-

24 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Young Readers pers show no indication of knowing down for young, old and in-between race; of those, 42 percent are under 18, anything about. what the latest news means for them. according to the Yankelovich’s sum- An unmistakable example of this Write shorter but with substance mary of 2000 Census data. They realize new communication tool is Weblogs. and authority. This generation is all they are part of the global system and, Most blogs are written by your average about quick-hit information gather- as such, want to know how they fit into Jane or Joe who take on a pundit’s role ing—not dumbed-down news, mind it. Since the September 11th terrorist by reading and thinking in a way that you, just shorter, smarter news stories. attacks, a majority in every generation newspaper “experts” or usual sources Many in this crowd stick to opinion indicate they are more interested in rarely do. The few newspaper blogs pages where they can get both a sense international news than two years ago, that exist are hugely popular, largely of what happened and a point of view, but it is members of Gen-Y who show because they allow the reader to see so they can form their opinions and the highest jump: 74 percent of them the journalist as a human being, con- debate with peers, on and offline. say “it is important to me to keep up necting with them without the stiff, This crowd also craves more inter- with international news,” up from 65 imperial we voice that turns so many national news. It is the most ethnically percent prior to the attacks, according younger people off. And most blogs diverse generation of any—6.8 million to Yankelovich. allow—indeed, thrive on—reader in- people in the United States describe Young people care about social is- teraction. themselves as being more than one sues and politics and want to know in particular how events in What Can Be Done? these realms relate to them. This is a smart bunch; they To compete with the Internet know the world is full of war and have a chance at attract- and crime and injustice, but ing young people, newspapers they also want to read about must offer them a combina- real people—locally and in- tion of goods: authentic and ternationally—who are try- edgy news coverage, more in- ing to make a difference. ternational news, stories with As newspaper editors and more young voices, fresh writ- managers, make some or all ing and designs, interactive of these changes. But don’t options such as blogs and fo- expect newspapers to ever rums and, perhaps most im- be able to cultivate the same portantly, flexibility. loyal readers who turn only Letters to the editor? Lose to your paper as the day be- ’em—unless you print almost gins. And this is a good thing. all of them online, allowing The world is too complex the collection of comments to for anyone to read one pa- morph into a marketplace of per, or look at one Web site, ideas instead of today’s typi- or listen to one news pro- cal practice of selecting a few gram. letters worthy enough to make the one page allotted daily to The Seattle Times’s community dialogue. Approach Young reporters in the newsroom? Stop shunting At The Seattle Times, we’re them off to school board meet- trying to attract and serve ings and teaching them to more young readers in a va- write to the same 50-year-old riety of ways. One piece of white homeowner whom our strategy is Next, a fresh newspapers have always writ- new opinion page written ten to. Encourage them to by and for young readers weave whimsy into their news every Sunday in The Seattle stories along with the facts, to Times’s op-ed section. On write something they would the Next Web site, readers enjoy reading. Instill in all re- find an expanded—and in- porters the need to consider teractive—version of what different generations when re- appears in the newspaper. porting and writing, breaking Next features opinion pieces by young writers. We are also starting a blog

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 25 Young Readers

on the Next site called Nextopia. I am The writers aren’t afraid to get per- relevant information. the editor of Next and, at 31, am close sonal about everything from the In January 2004, Next will celebrate enough in age to the Next writers that struggles of living in a ghetto to being its one-year anniversary. We recently we agree on much of what we’d like to a young gay male and a practicing took a hard look at what works and, see in Next and in newspapers in gen- Catholic to one young minority’s fear more importantly, what doesn’t and eral. of becoming “whitewashed” at a mostly are implementing some changes this Another piece is a companywide white college. winter. We believe the stories need to group of young people who examine Interestingly, Next freelancers often be edgier and more locally focused, the paper and look for ways to make it write about many of the same issues and we’re tweaking the page design more appealing to youth, whether that members of older generations are and pushing more flexible layouts. through specific story ideas, design concerned about. The main difference Next is a work in progress. And if suggestions, or bringing in young for our mostly young readers is not progress means transforming valuable people to give us their opinions. Once what they want to read about but how space in the paper one day each week the newspaper’s budget picture bright- they want the story told: They want and everyday online to create a place ens a bit, we plan to conduct more stories that help them understand what for young people to communicate with research on local young people’s read- a particular issue means to them. each other and the world, then we’re ing habits and desires. Social Security is a good example. succeeding. After all, how many 22- Next is not the entire answer, but it’s year-olds’ opinions are respected—and one approach. And we’re seeing some printed—in a major metro paper? And good results. Close to 400 young people We believe the how many older readers have a chance applied for 25 paid freelance positions. stories need to be to understand and connect with the Healthy numbers of visitors check out edgier and more ideas and opinions of Gen-Y, told by the Next Web site and interact in online members of Gen-Y themselves? polls. Dozens of people send e-mails locally focused …. However, yes, Next is merely one each week responding to Next stories page, one day a week dedicated to and/or they submit guest columns for youth issues and opinions (though a consideration. Nearly 300 high school few Next columns have appeared in and college educators use Next in the Normally this topic seems incredibly the rest of the op-ed section). And it is classroom each week through our remote to these younger readers, on, as some of our writers lovingly Newspapers in Education program. largely because much of the coverage refer to it, the “ghetto page,” the back Once a month, over greasy pizza is written with those 50 years old and page of the Sunday op-ed section. and cold pop, I meet with the Next older in mind. But here are some lines Next is one piece of the puzzle. It’s team of freelance writers, all of whom from a November story in Next about a start to seeking out and including are between 17 and 25 years old. These Social Security: “Generation Y has a youth voices and issues throughout writers come armed with well-re- problem—a voting problem. And this the paper, to creating a more interac- searched column ideas to present and is troublesome when politicians’ deci- tive experience for readers, and to con- debate with their peers and with sev- sions today greatly influence whether necting on a human level with a huge eral young Seattle Times’s staffers. We Gen-Y will be able to rely on having sector of the community that other- help them to focus their topics and Social Security pensions.” The writer wise might not pick up The Seattle steer them to sources. They have about goes on to explain how few young Times. three weeks to research and write each people vote, which allows politicians To borrow a phrase from one of our opinion column. I edit them and typi- to make Social Security promises to Next writers, newspapers need to be cally offer suggestions for revisions. boomers, who do vote. The writer goes “H.I.P.”—human, interactive and per- Each Sunday, we print two to three on to break down the declining fund- sonal. We will never be able to com- columns on the page and run up to ing picture of this entitlement pro- pete with the Internet on a level play- eight more a week online. We run gram. “This means,” she writes, “that ing field. But we can—and nearly every letter on the Next Web Generation Y is paying into the system must—become H.I.P. if we want to site. now, but won’t receive its fair share of continue to serve and cultivate read- What sets Next apart from the rest of benefits.” ers. ■ the paper are the personal perspec- This is a good example of what Next tives of this diverse group of young tries to accomplish: writers breaking Colleen Pohlig is assistant editorial writers. Readers don’t come to this down complex political and social is- page editor and Next editor at The page or the Web site for the freelancers’ sues that matter to young people with- Seattle Times. writing or expertise; they come to hear out losing substance or dumbing them from peers about issues that matter. down. Even as they include personal [email protected] Others come to these pages so they can perspectives, opinions are always connect with this younger generation. backed up by credible sources and

26 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Young Readers Drawing Young Urban Commuters to a New Tabloid ‘Even the name had to say, “Look at me. I’m not like the other papers.”’

By Joe Knowles

outh is not the only thing wasted much different publication than its study after study, focus group after on the young. Newspapers have older, more established sibling. focus group, readers kept telling us Ysquandered mountains of re- From these ideas, RedEye began to they hated turning pages in midstory, sources in attempts to capture the at- take shape: a smartly edited, general- especially while on a bus or train. Why tention of young adults, but so far most interest newspaper that would be easy not listen to them? If people have 20 of the effort has been in vain. Reader- to consume on mass transit, a new minutes at most to spend with a paper ship statistics among this coveted de- breed of newspaper with its own dis- on their way to or from work, why do mographic group haven’t budged—ex- tinct identity. Even the name had to so many papers still write and edit the cept to move further downward. say, “Look at me. I’m not like the other news as if everyone is leisurely reading This is troublesome to all of us ink- papers.” it in an easy chair? on-paper people, who don’t have to To get attention in an increasingly look far to see a future where the only RedEye’s Look and Feel cluttered landscape of media options, people reading newspapers will be re- RedEye’s cover has a billboard format, tirees. Rather than give up the fight, RedEye’s visuals are bold, its stories designed for maximum impact in a however, the Chicago Tribune decided are quick and to the point. There are street-sales environment. The back to engage it head-on. The result, intro- no “Continued on page …” lines. In page isn’t sports, as it is in many tab- duced in October 2002, is loids, but instead is a des- the RedEye, a tabloid edi- tination space for the most tion aimed at young, urban buzz-worthy stories we commuters in Chicago. Af- can find. This way, you ter learning of the Tribune’s have something to read decision to launch RedEye, on the train even if you the Chicago Sun-Times be- don’t have enough gan working on a youth elbowroom to actually oriented paper of its own open the paper. Sports called Red Streak. takes its place inside the Thankfully there is still a book, serving as the robust market full of read- bridge from the news to ers who want a full-service, the features section. That full-size paper, and they are feels natural. Sports, by well served by world-class definition, fall somewhere newsgathering organiza- between reality and en- tions such as the Tribune. tertainment. RedEye’s mission was not Celebrity and people to give those readers a “Trib news compete with “im- Lite” or a “Tribune on Train- portant” stories for prime ing Wheels,” but rather to display space in RedEye. rethink the traditional Stories are judged on their newspaper and edit it in a relevance and the level of way that it would be more interest they are likely to attractive and compelling create. If everyone is talk- for these young nonnews- ing about Britney Spears paper readers. There were kissing Madonna at the some concerns that a new MTV Video Music Awards, paper might cannibalize ex- the RedEye should be talk- isting Tribune readers, but ing about it, too. Newspa- we were confident we pers that ignore these could keep these losses types of stories are look- small by making RedEye a A cover from the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye. ing down upon their read-

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 27 Young Readers

ers from a very shaky perch. not to mention its own cadre of colum- and then fumble for a quarter—well, The stars of RedEye’s universe tend nists, a fashion writer, a TV critic, and a that’s too much trouble, they tell us. to be younger and more diverse—a movie critic who goes by the name of They want the news, but they want it reflection of our readers. In RedEye’s Mr. Cranky. when they want it, where they want it, world, Jam Master Jay’s passing trumps Still, it remains to be seen whether and how they want it. Bob Hope’s. John Ritter vs. Johnny RedEye or any of its numerous imita- RedEye wrestled with this dilemma Cash? That turned out to be a decision tors will win this campaign. Perhaps when it came to defining what role our we didn’t have to make because the young people who have never been Web site (www.redeyechicago.com) two celebrities died on a day outside of exposed to a daily newspaper habit should play. We knew young people our weekday publishing cycle. If we within their households will never de- had an affinity for electronically deliv- had to make the call, we’d have played velop one on their own. I asked a ered news, but if we followed the domi- the sitcom star over the music icon. young journalism student if she felt nant newspaper model and put all of Why? Ritter’s death was more unex- newspapers were an essential part of our content online, how would that pected, he was the star of a current her daily routine, and her answer was help us build a daily newspaper habit? show, and he meant more to a greater telling. “I feel the need for informa- We chose to make the site a “teaser,” number of our readers, many of whom tion,” she said, “but I don’t feel the with just a reproduction of the day’s only knew Cash from his recent re- need for a newspaper.” cover and a few summaries of our best make of a Nine Inch Nails song. The biggest challenge remains get- stories. This might not be the ultimate ting people to simply make the effort solution, but giving away valuable con- Challenges Ahead for RedEye to pick up a paper—any paper. When a tent for free in one format and asking RedEye lands in their lap, they’re happy people to pay for it in another didn’t Our approach to RedEye put off a lot of enough to read it, even downright en- seem like a viable long-term strategy, media critics, who quickly dismissed thusiastic about it, but if they have to either. Most newspapers, the Tribune RedEye and said it was just “dumbing cross the street to find an honor box included, have adopted a free access down” the news. They model for reading the probably said much the newspaper on its Web site, same about USA Today or but if news organizations CNN’s Headline News, two were to begin anew—as other vehicles—and suc- we were doing—I’m not cessful ones, I might add— sure they would make the for delivering information same choice now that they to people in a different did then. format. It’s nice to know This nexus of news de- that as times and habits livery, in my opinion, is change at a frenetic rate, where the battle for future we can count on media readers will be won or lost. criticism to be a depend- Perhaps the newspaper able source of inertia and subscription of the future traditionalism. is a bundled product: The critics also chided print, Internet and custom- RedEye for recycling Tri- ized e-mail, to fit the chang- bune content. Maybe they ing needs and preferences would have been happier of this new breed of con- if we used The Associated sumer. This notion of “my Press like most other pa- news, my way” is why pers like ours do. In any RedEye initiated a home case, RedEye’s reliance on delivery program last sum- nonunique content has mer, even though it wasn’t diminished as we’ve part of the original busi- grown. No, we don’t have ness plan. We’d thought a Baghdad bureau yet, but of street sales, but when we are producing a sub- some readers told us “just stantial amount of origi- put it on our doorstep, nal local stories and fea- and I’ll write you a check. tures. RedEye has Don’t ask me to make a three—soon to be four— decision everyday. Let me reporters covering the city, RedEye finds most of its readers on the subway. make one decision and be

28 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Young Readers done,” we offered home delivery. The and where we want to be sure we reach audience effectively, based on Gallup cost for five days delivery is a dollar our desired audience. The idea of an Poll figures. And so far the only mea- each week (a 20 percent discount), all-free paper was seriously considered surable cannibalizing of existing read- and the Sunday Tribune can be in- in the beginning, but the company ers has come at the expense of our cluded for another dollar (it normally decided that the news and information competition. costs $1.79 for home delivery). So far we were providing had value and read- RedEye’s success won’t really be about 600 people have signed up for ers would recognize this and pay for it. measurable for years. We won’t know home delivery of RedEye. Surprisingly, or maybe not surpris- for sure if this experiment worked un- Young people are also accustomed ingly, advertisers have embraced til another upstart publication comes to getting much of their news free, or RedEye more readily than readers. along to attract the next generation, for next to nothing. RedEye’s circula- RedEye has picked up 250 new adver- the one that no longer finds the tired tion model is an adjustable mix of free tising accounts from clients who had old RedEye relevant. ■ and paid; currently the mix is about 90 never before been in a Tribune prod- percent free, 10 percent paid. Retail uct. I’d like to think the ad folks are Joe Knowles is coeditor of RedEye. outlets and honor boxes are gradually ahead of the curve, but more likely Before his work on RedEye, he was being converted to paid-only, but we they’re just as desperate as newspa- the Chicago Tribune’s design and will continue to offer free papers in- pers are to reach new customers. Cir- graphics editor for two years and definitely at certain transit stops and in culation numbers are inching upward, associate sports editor for 10 years. places like college campuses where though not as quickly as we had hoped. transactions can be difficult to conduct We are, however, reaching our target [email protected]

Meshing Young Ideas With Older Sensibilities At the Orlando Sentinel, reaching a younger audience is happening without alienating their older one.

By Elaine Kramer

he young woman sat, chin rest- reflect their lives more than it does two points. Sunday readership in these ing in both hands, at a focus now. They hate the idea of having pa- age groups showed an even bigger Tgroup session for 18- to 24-year- pers stack up unread. And they want— drop over the same period. Yet this age olds from Central Florida. The mod- and expect—their news to be free. group represents—for newspapers just erator had asked whether the panel The observing journalists grumbled as for all consumer products—our long- members typically get their news from at the focus group from the other side term future. We need them to be cus- TV, the Internet, radio or the newspa- of the one-way glass, as their reaction tomers for what we produce. per, in this case the Orlando Sentinel. moved from resentment to resolve: We The solutions are out there, and I “The newspaper is almost, like, out- have to figure this out. The job of believe they include: dated,” the woman said, “because there turning the 18 to 34 age group into are more entertaining ways to get the regular newspaper readers is complex • New publications, sections or fea- same information.” and confounding. But it is in the hands tures that address increasingly niche It was a discouraging and ironic of newspaper people, who are cre- interests moment, as the journalists watching ative, competitive and not easily dis- • Adding to staff diversity by hiring the focus group recognized the un- suaded from a task they believe in. younger journalists and doing more wanted truth before them: This group Reaching the 18 to 34 demographic to incorporate their ideas into our of long-shot potential readers gener- group is a strategic priority for the coverage ally felt it managed just fine without Sentinel and its corporate parent, The • New pricing strategies recognizing the paper. Read it online? A slightly Tribune Co., as circulation numbers at that, increasingly, people think news better possibility but still a slim one. papers nationwide continue to slide. should be free The panel members said they want In Orlando, the percentage of people • New delivery methods or formats. their news provided to them while 18 to 24 who read the weekday paper they do other things: multitasking is fell 10 percentage points over the past We need to make these kinds of important. They want their news to five years and of people 25 to 34 it fell changes while not alienating our ha-

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 29 Young Readers

bitual readers, who become incensed to keep up with what’s relevant in a • All staff members were invited ear- and vocal when we tamper with the changing world. They continue to count lier this year to a half-day informa- way things are. And we must maintain on newspapers for this information, as tional and brainstorming session on our standards and integrity to remain they always have. This wouldn’t neces- attracting younger readers, and ap- the most credible, reliable news source. sarily work in reverse—young readers proximately 60 people from a staff with less life experience are unlikely to of 340 showed up, most of them Something for Everyone have interest in niche content for older under 35. The group’s most resil- readers. ient ideas were to write stories with Attracting younger readers in itself is a An example at the Sentinel of older more voice and personality—in challenge: They don’t have the newsreader interest in niche youth content other words, narrative accounts and paper habit, are more comfortable with is a weekly page in sports called Rush, vivid stories told through the expe- other media, and have interests and which covers extreme or “action” riences of real people. Participants priorities that newspapers tend to un- sports. We added the page early this also felt the paper’s front page der-cover, possibly because most news- year because of the subject’s growing choices and design should be more paper decision-makers belong to an popularity nationwide and because of vibrant. older age group. its appeal to younger readers. A new • Out of that exercise we created a And what kinds of content do young feature, its readership probably hasn’t Young Readers Task Force, which adult readers want? They tell us through settled yet, however early results show observed focus groups, did report- readership surveys and just for the ask- it is doing fine with young readers— ing in the community, and collected ing that they like writing that has per- but it is most popular with readers ages best practices from newspapers and sonality and voice. They also want to 55 and older. other media around the country. see their lives reflected in our pages. In Papers should change their con- This group’s most influential ideas fact, they don’t want content targeted tent—create new publications, sections were to add a beat specifically for to them as a single, like-thinking group, or features—to attract younger read- this age group’s interests, to cover and they don’t want their diversity ers. In fact, we must do this and fast. our colleges better, and to revamp masked by a label such as Generation Y However, the task only appears to be our weekend Calendar section. They or Z. They get annoyed if we pigeon- complicated by a fear of alienating our said we should write more stories hole them as wanting only short and traditional readers. The opposite is that reflect the lives of younger simple stories, emphasizing that they true: They’re counting on us. adults, such as practical information appreciate complex issues, too. for first-time experiences (apart- Many of their statements are com- A Seat at the Table ments, cars, marriages, children, patible with what older readers say. home-ownership). These sections Both groups want lively writing and a Newsrooms sometimes get fat and and features are in the works. A yet- broad range of topics. They like to be stodgy about what is news; we cover to-be-completed recommendation is surprised, informed and entertained. things we’ve always covered, with many to add a younger metro columnist. Young adult readers as well as older of the same beats and priorities we’ve The task force also recommended ones count on the newspaper as the had for years. Yet as the Readership adding at least one younger journal- most credible source, considering it Institute’s data from a couple years ago ist at each morning’s news meeting more thorough than TV or radio and told us, readers want to see their lives— to contribute ideas for coverage or more accurate and reliable than online. regular people’s lives—better reflected specific stories. That participation As one 18- to 24-year-old focus group in the newspaper. This is true for all was begun in November. participant said, the paper may not readers, including those in the 18 to 34 • This follows a guest editor program have a youthful image, but it has a age group. we initiated in 2002 to rotate staff credible one: “I have an image of a An important step toward greater members into the afternoon Page professor. You have a high opinion of relevance is a more diverse staff of One news meeting for two-week pe- him; you know he’s smart—but he kind journalists. Most U.S. newsrooms have riods. The guest editor contributed of dresses funny.” worked hard to improve their cultural ideas for the Page One story list and Newspapers can and should feel safe and ethnic diversity to enable us to led a daily critique of the paper. developing sections or features they cover our communities better. The next About one-third of the participants know will appeal to young adult read- important step is to include fully our in the first year of the program were ers. Content that generally “skews increasingly diverse newsroom staffs between 18 and 34 years old. Their younger” will also attract older read- in story idea generation and news deci- specific interests were as diverse as ers. This is simply because older read- sion-making. One group that needs to the participants, but generally they ers have children or grandchildren who be heard is young journalists. thought our front page should be are younger or at least because they The Sentinel has tried a couple things less predictable and our writing used to be young themselves and want to encourage participation. much more lively.

30 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Young Readers

Those main points are consistent bills or the cost of a new TV. They also listening to news on the radio. “I can’t with what readers of all ages have been get their news and information online, lay sod and read the newspaper while telling us. Again, we can take these at home or at work, and they also I’m laying sod.” A younger woman said, steps recommended by and for younger consider that free, without counting “A daily Sentinel TV show would be people without fearing an exodus by the cost of Internet service providers good.” Guess she hasn’t seen the 24- older ones. This younger age group or a computer. Then there’s the Senti- hour local news station the paper co- has the capacity and capability of en- nel, which costs 50 cents daily or $1.50 owns. hancing our coverage, and it is in the on Sunday. This feels like real money, Second, people are really irritated staff and readers’ best interest for edi- particularly to people ages 18 to 24. about all the paper going into the trash. tors to tap this expertise. That’s the cost of a few beers a week. Of course they recycle, but the whole This group is happy to read the idea of papers piling up bugs them. Can News Be Free? paper when they can find one sitting They feel particularly bad if they paid around, and they like feeling informed. for the newspaper, didn’t have much Content ideas that are purely news- As one focus group participant said: “It time and then had to toss it away, room-based are easiest for editors to gives you something to talk about. Then unread. “Every day would just be too nurture or implement. Grander ideas things that are related to it, you start much,” a young male reader said. “It come to fruition through collabora- talking about. You start talking about would just be piling up.” tion with other newspaper depart- one thing and then it changes.” This sense of overload and waste is ments. One idea that would re- something we’ve heard from quire newspaperwide—or readers of other ages as well, industrywide—exploration is an Can we give readers the paper particularly from the groups who analysis of papers’ pricing struc- have children, aging parents, two tures: Can we give readers the for free? Should we return to jobs, and a house. Once again, paper for free? Should we re- that newspaper financial what the younger readers are turn to that newspaper financial model with which we began saying is in sync with what we model with which we began in have heard from their older com- the 1700’s? in the 1700’s? patriots. But the younger read- I heard this expectation loud- ers don’t have the habit of news- est and clearest from those 18- paper readership and will need a to 24-year-old focus group participants, But they don’t want to buy the pa- lot of targeted content to attract them. but it was consistent with the informal per, so they read pass-along copies at The additional news and informa- reporting by the Sentinel’s Young Read- work, at school, or at the coffee shop. tion designed for the niche interests of ers Task Force. I wonder if it’s an ex- “I’ve never bought the Orlando Senti- diverse readers is the first step and in pectation that will take hold in other nel or any other paper,” a focus group some ways will be the easy part, par- age groups or if it will spread, over participant said, “unless I needed it for ticularly if we successfully tap the think- time, as these younger readers age. a school project.” ing of younger reporters and editors. The Tribune Company’s new paper The cost isn’t that high, they ac- The harder parts will be new delivery aimed at young commuters in New knowledge, but if they can get it free, methods that fit into readers’ lives and York City, amNewYork, is free, as is why bother paying for it? “You can a cost structure these readers can ac- The Washington Post’s Express [see generally hear information from some- cept. But it all starts with reliable, cred- Express article on page 17], called a body else. If it’s really important, you ible, engaging stories, photographs and paper for “local residents on the go.” will find out,” a woman in an 18 to 24 graphics. Without the content, the rest RedEye [see RedEye article on page focus group said. The paper’s Web site, won’t matter. ■ 27]. published in Chicago by the Chi- www.orlandosentinel.com, now re- cago Tribune and designed for younger quires registration, but is free and of- Elaine Kramer is managing editor of adult readers, costs 25 cents, as does fers nearly all the newspaper’s cover- the Orlando Sentinel. During 2003, the competing Red Streak, published age. Use of the Internet site is growing she headed up the paper’s Young by the Chicago Sun-Times. rapidly. Readers Task Force, whose mission People in this age group most fre- Newspapers, I suspect, will have to was to make recommendations to quently get their news and informa- figure out how to deliver a newspaper help improve the Sentinel’s reader- tion from electronic media. They tune for free but also will have to get a lot ship among young adults. in radio while they’re driving or getting better with other delivery channels as ready in the morning, or they watch TV they become more portable and af- [email protected] while they’re folding wash or catching fordable. dinner. They consider this news to be First, people want to multitask. One free—they don’t factor in monthly cable man between 25 and 34 said he likes

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 31 Young Readers Connecting What Is Learned With What Is Done At Gannett, different strategies aim at the same goal of attracting younger readers.

By Jennifer Carroll

From: Gen-X reader tion. Young adults are Internet-savvy, family room where a 50-inch TV screen To: Boomer journalist multitasking and a headline-scanning is center stage in front of a comfortable Subject: Why should I read your newspaper crowd, accustomed to getting free in- chair and computer. The man enjoys anyway? formation where they want, how they watching ESPN while surfing the Web Date: Not too late to change. want, and when they want. for other scores and sports updates. It is imperative that our newspapers A young woman took a picture of So I guess my question is this. Why is your keep and grow these young adults as the magazines to which she subscribes. newspaper so boring? You’ve got tons of info readers, if not in daily print then online, She also goes to several Web sites daily, that I really like when I actually have time to sit in free niche weeklies targeted at these including the online local Gannett and wade through it all. And your local news young adults, and with other forms of newspaper. She has two children and a and sports are great. But you’ve got no style. delivery. full-time job. There is scarce time in You’ve got no edge. You certainly aren’t much This younger generation’s willing- her daily routine to read a newspaper, fun to read. ness to alter the ways they approach though she makes time to look through work, play and use of media is signifi- her magazines. Her photos were of her cant when we think about how to reach children, her favorite restaurants, and uch. So began a Gannett task them. This tells us that we need to offer neighborhood. Friends call her “the force report, culminating both the right content and presenta- Internet Queen.” She is a typical young Omonths of review, discussion tion, including advertising. And the adult in her ability to get information and introspection by a 19-member content needs to be available in the instantly and share it just as quickly. group of 25- to 34-year-olds. Task force way they want to receive it and when Suh told us that these young adults members dissected newspapers, read they want to have it, whether in print, “have a strong interest in hearing from magazines, watched broadcasts, shared on the Web, or broadcast. And newspa- their peers or other ‘real people’ voices, ideas, pored over research, and shared pers need to promote their content shaped by the availability of voices on their views with journalists through- across print, online and broadcast bet- the Internet.” As Suh observers, “Be- out the company. At issue: Young adults ter so young adults know that the cov- cause they are accustomed to navigat- are reading fewer newspapers, less of- erage and information is there. ing through so many media messages, ten. Adults 25 to 34 years old are less Brad Robertson, a Gen-X Task Force questioning the source is a reflex re- likely to subscribe seven days a week member who is now director of busi- sponse.” and are more likely to use multiple ness development for The Des Moines forums of media for news, including Register, observes that “a black-and- Confronting the Challenge the Internet, radio and television. white headline with a long story is not Issued in June 2000, this report was enough anymore. Media habits taught David Daugherty, Gannett’s vice presi- one of Gannett’s initiatives to give new us we need poignant photos, art, break- dent of research, describes the indus- urgency to understanding and attract- out boxes, charts, strong headlines, try challenge as transitioning from a ing young readers. During the past full color, Web links, cool ads, organi- daily newspaper-driven business to a four years, we’ve spent countless hours zation and attitude.” multiple-media news and information reviewing the data on young adults’ In summer 2003, Gannett researcher delivery business. “Our most daunting reading habits, especially those be- Anne Suh conducted in-depth inter- challenge is producing a newspaper tween the ages of 25 and 34. We’ve views with 30 young adults from differ- every day that appeals to a general listened to focus groups, studied news- ent communities about their lifestyles audience. If we intend to remain a papers in print and online, evaluated and media habits. She also asked them mass medium—and into the foresee- available research, and tried out new to take photos of the places and people able future we do need to remain a gadgets including personal digital as- relevant to their lives. Pictures they mass medium—we have to cast a wide sistants with text messaging, e-books took were revealing, offering a valu- enough net to draw in a large and and more. When we asked whether able window into the very customized diverse audience. Our readers and, as adults were really interested in news— and constant way young adults get in- important, our potential readers, are especially local news—we confirmed formation and news. One young man changing faster than we are. We need they are avid consumers of informa- took a picture of his favorite place—his to be quicker in adjusting to their news

32 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Young Readers and information needs, and we need news approach on Page One and the wide, in-depth review of print and to be more innovative with our prod- first page of local news. But she em- online coverage appealing to 25- to 34- ucts, including how we deliver news phasizes that: “trend stories and so- year-olds. Young adult editors joined and information to them,” says phisticated news features improve our others in examining content and pre- Daugherty. mix and also help us appeal to readers sentation. Particular focus was given to Who are these potential readers? of all age groups, including 25 to 34’s. the question of whether newspapers This year about 45 million Gen-Xer’s On Page One, that can mean a look at include coverage of issues of interest are turning 27 to 38 years old. The bulk Sixers’ fever during the NBA finals. Or to young readers in their pages and on of them are in their early to mid-30’s it can be a story about the growing their Web sites. Five newspapers were and more likely than ever to be enter- number of single homeowners, refer- given cash awards, and examples of ing a time in their lives when news ring back to a package in Life & Lei- their work were distributed through- events usually matter more and infor- sure.” out the company. [See an article about mation newspapers provide can be seen In The Idaho Statesman newsroom, the award-winning work of The Ari- as useful. But research shows they won’t editors have a new term—alternative zona Republic on page 34.] Editors simply pick up a daily newspaper and presentation—for incorporating com- from these papers led companywide read. Then there is the huge Gen-Y pelling design techniques into routine online training sessions to share best group, numbering some 77 million. coverage. This is shorthand for break- practices in print and online. Similar Born between 1977 and 1994, the old- ing large passages of text into readable online training sessions also targeted est among them turned 26 years old in blocks. The emphasis on interesting, young readers. 2003, based on American Demograph- lively pages is a priority for a news- Since the fall of 2002, free weeklies ics research. room group of 25- to 34-year-olds who aimed at young adults have been Throughout Gannett, we’re work- meet regularly to discuss coverage. launched in several Gannett newspa- ing to understand and respond to the Young adult readers “want deep local pers, with prototypes of others in the significant changes in the way mem- news, and they expect hard-hitting in- works. The key to these launches has bers of these younger generations use vestigative coverage, but they say the been more research into the needs, media. As part of our response to what more serious and complex stories get, wants, interests and lifestyles of young we’re learning, newspapers are revamp- the harder we should work to break adults. In focus group comments, 25- ing content and presentation, experi- them up,” notes Executive Editor to 34-year-olds reminded editors that menting with new sections, launching Carolyn Washburn. “We’re aggressively most of them were beyond college and free weeklies geared toward the inter- turning sidebars into graphics,” she that many had started families and ca- ests and sensibilities of young adults, said. For example, a recent front-page reers. What they want: Lively presenta- improving online content, and expand- breaking news story on a local Boise tion, irreverence, photos and perspec- ing delivery. business was augmented by a package tives of people their age, information The Detroit News, for example, tar- of shorter breakouts with clear labels, about places to go and things to do. gets young adults with an array of spe- color screens, photos and bar charts. They also said they wanted authorita- cial sections covering such topics as tive content and depth. health and fitness, eating and drinking, Learning Never Stops Rich Ramhoff, the 36-year-old edi- and personal finance. Its Money & Life tor and general manager of Noise, a section includes among its mix of sto- Our ability to continue to attract free lifestyle and entertainment weekly ries the concerns and interests of young younger audiences means we cannot readers. A recent section featured stop learning about them and their Money Makeover, in which a local fi- media preferences. That is why our 25 nancial planner offered advice to a 27- to 34 task force report was soon fol- year-old engineer; 10 tips for smart lowed, in December 2001, by The X shopping were given, showing how Manual. This 300-page manual high- families can trim $100 a month from lighted research on young adult read- their grocery bills, and Nine to Five ers and displayed extensive examples featured workplace issues that included from every section of Gannett newspa- advice on “real life resumé mistakes to pers. A recurring theme was that young avoid.” adults expect relevant, hard-hitting lo- The News also has a deep local Web cal coverage from newspapers, includ- site with extensive coverage and infor- ing sophisticated coverage of their lives mation on where to go and what to do and lifestyles. The manual went to all throughout the area and in Michigan. Gannett newsrooms and was posted Jill Fredel, assistant managing edi- on a special company Web site. The accompanying Web site to a free tor at The News Journal in Wilmington, Within a year after The X Manual was weekly in Lansing, Michigan. believes strongly in the need for a hard issued, Gannett conducted a company-

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 33 Young Readers

in Lansing, Michigan, offers readers ries, briefs and at-a-glance information tinually discuss readers’ suggestions relevant content by ensuring that his are all great, some stories need more and have implemented standing fea- young staff (aged 23 to 29 years old) depth,” Lux said. THR!VE has published tures—such as a bar review and movie stays tuned into what young people stories about environmental issues, picks and pans, because of their sug- are doing in that city. “Creating a maga- such as fallout from chemicals used to gestions.” zine that caters to people in their 20’s kill mosquitoes and a clash over snow- The ongoing challenge for the pub- and 30’s, who are diverse in everything mobile rules in Yellowstone National lications is to continue to evolve. In but geography, is a hard mission,” Park. But it also has plenty of stories Boise and in Lansing, staff constantly Ramhoff said. Noise is produced sepa- about places for young people to go brainstorm and seek improvements. rately from the Lansing State Journal and things to do. It is written in a Said Lux: “The challenge now is to newsroom, and it maintains a separate conversational style and is presented keep innovating, keep challenging our- Web site (www.lansingnoise.com) with with colorful, high-impact layouts. It is selves and keep listening, so we can a colorful magazine-like feel. Noise has intensely local and packed with names evolve to keep up with what young done stories on how to undo tattoos and faces of young residents. “We con- readers want.” ■ and about bands with ties to a famous local guitar store, as well as regional Jennifer Carroll is the director of travel and music profiles. Each edition news development at Gannett Co., contains ratings for best videos, books, Inc. She served as mentor on music, DVD’s, trends and new prod- Gannett’s Gen X Task Force, directed ucts, and invites readers to weigh in the publication of The X Manual, with their choices. An election-week conducted the 25- to 34-year-old edition included an in-depth look at Reader Review, and is a consultant young reader views on local and state for Gannett’s free weeklies targeted issues. “Our greatest challenge has been at young adults. Previously, she was to balance the interests of readers who managing editor of The Detroit News want a quick, fun publication with those from 1997-1999, executive editor of who want a more in-depth look at the Burlington (Vermont) Free Press issues,” Ramhoff said. from 1994-1997, and managing Bridget Lux is the 30-year-old editor editor of the Lansing (Michigan) of the free weekly THR!VE in Boise, State Journal from 1990-1994. Idaho, and her experiences echo many of those in Lansing. “While short sto- A free weekly in Boise, Idaho. [email protected] Targeting Young Women as Newspaper Readers The Arizona Republic uses a magazine-style tabloid focused on fashion to bring younger women to the paper.

By Nicole Carroll

ast year we began to ask young young women in the door. However, to read a newspaper? To meet these adult women, “Why don’t you the sheer size of the 18- to 34-year-old challenges, we knew we’d have to move Lread the paper?” Here’s some of female age group in the Phoenix, Ari- beyond traditional newspaper inser- what we heard: zona market was huge—400,000 plus tion and promotion, and to do that “I don’t have time to focus, I browse.” and growing—and meant we could meant using every asset our company “I want to read about new things … not ignore them without putting at risk had. hints on how to do things.” our paper’s future. Deciding what sto- “I read magazines, but usually I’m ries to cover and what information to What Young Women Want just looking at the pictures.” convey to win them over as readers was “I’ll read a magazine if it has celebri- only part of our challenge. Even if we Republic publisher Sue Clark-Johnson ties.” created the right kind of publication, challenged us to come up with a break- Clearly, our traditional newspaper how could we get it into the hands of through product that would truly reso- content was not going to get these people who tell us they aren’t inclined nate with these potential readers, a

34 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Young Readers product that would, in her words, stay on top of trends and fashions. what young women love most about “move the needle.” One clue was that Most importantly, they wanted some- national fashion magazines in one fast- magazines like Lucky, In Style, and thing that’s worth their time to read. paced, easy-to-read, local weekly edi- Real Simple were doing great with this They wanted a payoff. tion. age group. After learning what we could While these desires don’t necessar- from their approaches, we decided to ily add up to what we think of as seri- The 10 Rules of Yes appeal to our region’s young women ous journalism, women in this target with a weekly local magazine-style tab- audience were saying they would de- We knew what we wanted; now we had loid with the credibility and flavor of vote the time to reading if what they to produce it. We gathered young these magazines. were reading was authoritative, cred- women from around the newsroom To do this, we began talking to young ible and relevant. Some magazines do and asked them to envision the prod- women—at parties, at the gym, while this well, but they also write about uct. In true magazine style, they came they were dropping off kids at pre- products from boutiques in Los Ange- up with 10 things a reader must know school. They told us they are interested les, Chicago and New York. A focus on about Yes: in national and local news, but we lifestyles and styles that aren’t relevant knew the paper was working to present to young women who live in Phoenix 1. Reading it is like talking to that news in useful, relevant and lively doesn’t do us a lot of good; even the your best friend. Yes must act and feel ways. That wasn’t enough. As we fashion seasons in these national maga- like someone who shares your secrets, thought more about this challenge, zines are wrong for us. Here we wear revels in your finds, and shares your what became clear was that something sandals in February and shorts into passions. bold had to be done to attract this November. What this told us is there 2. Everything in it will be quick segment of the population to the pa- was a need for local fashion news. and to the point. No story would be per. So we listened more and, over We decided that our new publica- more than 10 inches long and no story time, we realized they were telling us tion, called Yes—Your Essential Style, would jump. This product would be exactly what they want—something would be all about our local style: our driven by quick bits of information and easy to read; something they could style of fashion, shopping, beauty, deco- strong visuals. browse; something with photos and rating, entertaining, relationships, fit- 3. Yes doesn’t talk to young visuals to tell the story; something that ness and parenting. It would also have women but with them. Often we write is helpful and relevant; something that a healthy dose of celebrities and the about Gen-X and Y like they are some- helps them look good, feel good, and local young stylish scene. We would be thing different than “us.” This section

Published by The Arizona Republic, Yes—Your Essential Style attracts young female readers.

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 35 Young Readers

would be written from the perspective metic counter who picks your perfect in a market of this size. But research of a young woman. Headlines would lipstick on the first try. tells us that young women who see Yes be full of “you” and “how,” “our” and 10. Advertising is content. We like it and that they say they’d buy the “we”: “Five sandals you must have for know young readers buy magazines as paper just to get it. And women of all spring.” “Throw a shower for under much for the advertising as the edito- ages have told us how much they like $75.” rial. We recognized that the ads in this this new approach, even though it’s 4. Every story must have a payoff. section must match the tone of the clearly targeted at younger readers. Our time is precious, we demand a stories. In addition to the right ads, Nearly a year into Yes, this maga- payoff such as: learning about a new sales reps must get the right advertis- zine-style tabloid is still evolving, and product or trend (“the one skirt you ers. so are we. It hasn’t been all easy going. must have for fall”); picking up a new To make this work, a newspaper staff skill (“how to make handmade paper”); Yes Is Launched had to learn how to do magazine-style getting useful, real-life information writing and design. And some staffers (“five questions you must ask at your Yes launched on November 15, 2002. questioned whether this type of prod- next annual exam”); getting in on a Readers can get the magazine either in uct belonged in the newspaper at all. secret (“how the experts throw dinner the newspaper, at one of 1,200 free But as we’ve grown more accustomed parties”), or getting research done for rack locations around the city, or online to our mission, lessons from Yes have us (“10 romantic day trips”). at yes.azcentral.com. Twice a week, we begun to be applied to other parts of 5. It will offer instant gratifica- send Yes e-mail newsletters to online the newspaper. New education pages tion. Yes wouldn’t just tell you that subscribers, and our partner NBC tele- are consumer driven with narrowly coral is the new color for jewelry. It vision station, KPNX-Channel 12, pro- focused stories and lists and charts that would show you three cool coral pieces duces weekly Yes segments for its morn- provide easily accessible and helpful we found locally, tell you exactly where ing news show. In April, we also information. A new Sports page called we got them, and provide Web links, if broadcast a prime-time television spe- Quick Hits—with an ESPN The Maga- available. On our Web site, hot links cial, Yes Next, that ran after “Friends” zine kind of attitude—is layered with would take you right to the product and before “Will & Grace.” bits of news and talk from and about you were reading about. What has been the reaction? We’re sports personalities. 6. It can’t contain “old” news. Just bolstered by what we’re hearing from Targeting young readers isn’t a one- like your best friend, we must be the young women now, which is much time push. As the current group ages first one to tell you something. News is different than we heard just over a year and the next generation emerges, their never so exciting the second or third ago: needs and wants will change, as well. time you hear it. So we’d be quick. Real The only way to stay relevant is to quick. If we printed something out of • “I love this new section of the news- change with them. This is exhausting style, out of fashion or out of touch, paper. I look forward to reading it for some, invigorating for others. For we’d do more than print a bad story. each week.” me, it’s a great challenge—one we all We’d weaken the credibility of the en- • “I am a self-professed magazine need to find ways to meet. ■ tire section. And credibility is every- junkie and fashion-aholic … and I thing. really enjoy your publication. The Nicole Carroll is deputy managing 7. It will be local. We’d run celeb- identification of the challenge of editor/features of The Arizona Re- rity pictures, but then we’d tell you making the fashion of L.A. and N.Y. public, which won first place in where you could get their look locally. available and accessible to Arizona Gannett’s 25 to 34 Review for out- We would take fashions from New York and even So Cal fashionistas was standing achievement in tareting and show you how to wear them in dead-on.” younger readers. Carroll was the key Phoenix. • “I love reading Yes. I never looked in editor in the Yes—Your Essential 8. We can’t be snarky. We would the paper until my mom showed me Style section’s development and be hip, but not exclusive. We would the fashion section. Now I actually continues to supervise the publica- advise, not lecture. look forward to seeing The Republic tion. 9. We will be trustworthy. If we on Fridays.” said something would be all over the [email protected] clubs, it had to be. When we said pink And our quantitative measures are was the new white, readers had to trust showing positive responses, too. Week us. To help us in this mission, we after week, virtually all of our 1,200 would form a “Style Council.” This free rack locations are emptied of cop- group would include “official” people, ies. Our Web site has had tremendous like department store buyers. But it traffic, and each week Yes slideshows also would include “real” people, like draw more than 200,000 page views. It the woman at the Nordstrom’s cos- takes some time to grow an audience

36 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Young Readers Writing Stories to Reach Young Adults ‘I put more of myself in stories by integrating my experiences and my thoughts and preferences in what I write.’

By Leslie Koren

devoured Anna Quindlen’s New stories and how to incorporate these fortable and friendly voice. To do this, York Times’s columns as a teen- stories into a daily newspaper. I address the reader directly. I put Iager. I knew which days they ap- There are many days when I wonder more of myself in stories by integrating peared and ran to get the paper. I read what young readers want to hear from my experiences and my thoughts and about AIDS, motherhood, politics and me and my paper, if anything. preferences in what I write. In my role feminism—definitely not light topics. I Though I hear of many new publica- as a feature writer, I want to speak to don’t suspect they were written spe- tions offering short snippets to younger that part of the young reader that is still cifically for suburban high school stu- readers, my gut and some reader re- developing and coming into its own. I dents, but they helped me make sense sponse instruct me to move in a differ- want to help them make sense of their of a world that seemed terribly confus- ent direction. So I try to craft well world and encourage them to think for ing. written, informative pieces in a com- themselves. I am now a journalist working at the heart of my New Jersey newspaper’s effort to reach young readers. Last December I moved from The Record’s Excerpts From Leslie Koren’s Stories crime beat to its features section with the nebulous charge of writing for people in their 20’s and early 30’s. I My editors told me I’d need to lose the ens of other women, many of whom often reflect back on what lessons I can formal newspaper tone and spice up also had the forethought to put their learn from that young reader sitting at my stories when I took on this assign- so-called expertise into a book pro- the kitchen table reading Quindlen’s ment. Now I write using the first per- posal, land an agent, and get it pub- words. son, directly address the reader, and lished. I wanted this assignment because, just try to have fun. Some excerpts having just turned 30, I knew what an from my stories: • More than 40 years later, the book, interesting and complex time this can including [Helen] Gurley Brown’s be, especially with so many in my gen- •I don’t even remember exactly what advice on finding, attracting and eration delaying marriage and families. my boyfriend had done wrong, only enjoying men, is going back on the We are searching in different ways for that it made me very unhappy. Now market. In a new introduction, she our right career path, our great love, I can see that the relationship was writes about the great strides all and for a more complete understand- regrettable from the start. But at the women, including those without a ing about ourselves. Along the way, we time, I was new to the area and husband, have made since her tell- are creating new types of relationships desperate to be anything but single. all was first published, particularly with friends and parents, within com- And so I did as generations of fe- in the career world. It’s perfect tim- munities, and in our homes. males, faced with similar and noting. We modern single girls could so-similar quandaries, have often use a dollop of this 81-year-old’s Writing for Young Adults done—I asked a girlfriend what to feistiness. We may have come a long do. A week later, after following her way—and there may be a lot more of As a reader and staff reporter, I didn’t guidance and giving him the silent us out there—but being solo, espe- see these issues reflected in our pages treatment, we officially broke up. cially in your 30’s, still means slough- and, in the spring of 2002, I wanted a Another girlfriend told me never to ing off friends, family and cowork- new challenge. So I proposed writing a seek that friend’s advice again. ers who pity you for the lack of a ring column, profiles or features directed at Women, it seems, are pro- on your finger and self-help gurus my peers. Eventually our editor, Frank grammed to solicit counsel. Nature proffering the quickest way to get Scandale, combined all three and of- or nurture, I can’t say, but I’ve spent one. In Gurley Brown’s world— fered me a shot. Almost a year later, I enough hours on both ends of the where pink colors the walls and a am still trying to figure out how best to telephone to qualify as an expert on needlepoint pillow proclaims, hone such a broad idea into specific the issue. Apparently, so have doz- Continued on page 38.

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 37 Young Readers

Some of my first stories were about citing such stories among the main important issues that one of our edi- notable young people—the 25-year- topics I use to connect with younger tors asked if we had given up trying to old photographer who’d become the readers. They are a far cry from make serious news appeal to young star of the New York art world, a mar- Quindlen’s columns. readers. Few were willing to accept keting guru who was Sean “P. Diddy” In late spring, top editors at The this premise and, in fact, the paper is Combs’s right-hand man, a young maga- Record established a young readership going to start publishing a weekly op- zine publisher and a novelist who had committee to examine what additional ed column in November, written by a struggled for 10 years to finish a short- steps the newsroom could take to re- rotating group of young staffers, about story collection. I also wrote about verse the ebb of young readers. A group topics ranging from the high cost of more challenging and serious aspects of about 10 young reporters, myself housing to the future of altar girls in of dating and sex and about books included, along with one of our Internet the Catholic Church. meant to help young women sort it all content providers and three editors Will this op-ed column—written in out. have met almost weekly to decide on a young voice—appeal to young read- Amid this kind of coverage, I also our recommendations. In our initial ers? I hope so, but then, I love news, found myself veering towards lighter meetings, as my colleagues talked about and I like being informed. Newspapers “fun” topics such as fake tans (prob- what young readers want, hard news didn’t have to force news on me when ably the story that garnered the most was rarely included. Stories about state I was younger because my parents read response), style and shopping. I love and federal budgets and school boards two newspapers, and social and politi- fashion and think it’s important to write were shunned in favor of celebrity pro- cal issues of the day were common about it—getting dressed is a big part files and news about local bands. dinner conversation. To take part, I of our lives—but I still struggle with So noticeable was the absence of had to be informed.

“Good girls go to heaven, bad girls downs his tequila. Two large body- dex is—frankly, it doesn’t exist. But go everywhere”—there is glory for guards flank the table. Hip-hop there is hope. “I grew up in the the bachelorette. pulses in the Chelsea club. The time suburbs,” said hipster aficionado is 4 a.m., and Spencer’s work is Robert Lanham. My, how far he has • According to the literature, the spray- finally done. come. The 31-year-old Virginia na- on tan lasts for about five days, It began at 8 a.m., 20 hours ear- tive is now ensconced in a hipster’s though mine faded significantly af- lier, and in another four hours, he haven, Williamsburg, New York. He ter three. But boy, were they three will wake again and drive his two wears long sideburns, old-school glorious days. “Did you go on vaca- children to school. But sleep doesn’t mustard and burgundy Adidas (with tion or something, you look nice concern this man. He’ll do that when a gray suit, no less), and suggests and tan,” said the first colleague I he dies, he says. Being well rested is meeting at a café that offers free saw upon returning to the office not what got him where he is to- Buddhism classes. And he has come post-tanning. “You’re tan. What did day—right-hand man to the former to the service of hipster wannabes you do to yourself?” asked my boy- Puff Daddy, head of a lifestyle and everywhere. His new treatise, “The friend as soon as I walked into our marketing company, and ushered Hipster Handbook,” is an unautho- apartment that night. “You are through velvet ropes from New York rized, tell-all ethnography of those sooooo tan. Where did you go?” to St. Tropez. If he is tired, he doesn’t stylishly evasive and elusive follow- asked my yoga teacher as she ad- show it. He follows his boss out of ers of indie rock bands. More than justed my triangle pose two days the keyhole-shaped door, onto a an anthropological study, Lanham’s later. My response—“A new tropical well lit Manhattan street, and into book offers vital information for the island called Paramus”—was not his sporty silver Mercedes, which he hipster in training. Besides eating at entirely convincing. But the tan was. will steer across the George Wash- Denny’s (it has enough kitsch ap- No one could believe it was fake. ington Bridge and into his two-car peal to qualify, says Lanham, who “You definitely have that glow,” said garage in Closter. This is living life in especially likes the menus), you have another coworker. the hottest part of the flame. Speak to be up on styles and then you have no excuses, offer no doubts, and to pretend you aren’t. No self-re- • Near the end of the 25-foot catwalk, show no fear. specting hipster would ever admit past the dancers in white hot pants he or she is a hipster. ■ —L.K. and under the neon pink lights, • Well, fellow suburbanites, take heart. Jameel Spencer clinks shot glasses There’s always Denny’s. Otherwise, with Sean “P. Diddy” Combs and I’m afraid, our collective hipster in-

38 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Young Readers

What stunned me about our paper, use “women.” In the profile of a pho- On the day when we shared our once I started to pay particular atten- tographer, I described one of his more reviews, Tara Kane, my 24-year-old tion to these issues, was how often we risqué photographs: semen splattered colleague, held up the front of our missed opportunities to connect with on a man’s pants. My editor deferred to paper’s entertainment section. I saw young readers. School-related stories the higher ups. I argued that it was a the headline for a Q & A that I had are written for parents, not students, telling and important detail about his written about Patricia Field, the cos- yet we write about teenagers in rela- work and his willingness to push the tume designer for HBO’s “Sex and the tion to school and to little else. Many of limits. I also thought young readers City,” and my heartbeat quickened our stories are “traditional” newspa- want frankness. The editors heard my noticeably. When you are talking about per stories, and those do not seem to argument and respected it, but left out younger readers, “Sex and the City” is acknowledge the needs, interests and the line. a pretty safe bet. But Field is an older concerns of a younger reader. In the recent meetings of our young woman. Would Tara connect with her? My editor, Barbara Jaeger, has been readership committee, we have been She did, and I relaxed. She’s just one very supportive of my attempts to write trying to come up with a more concrete young reader, and it’s just one story, less traditionally and with a different definition of what we think young read- but at least it’s a start. ■ voice. But at times, these efforts came ers want. To help us, each of us was up against our style and standards. assigned a specific date of the paper to Leslie Koren, formerly a crime re- [See Koren’s sidebar on page 37 for review for articles that might and might porter, now writes features for The examples of her style of writing.] I not be of interest. I was eager and Record in North Jersey. wanted to use the word “ladies,” for nervous to hear what others thought example, but our stylebook dictates we concerning my work. [email protected] Practicing Journalism in Elementary Classrooms ‘Could eight-, nine- and 10-year-olds, who had trouble sitting still for more than 10 minutes at a time, develop the skills to become reporters?’

By Leah Kohlenberg

I’d like to speak to a doctor,” the Hayes, a veteran administrator hired as Could eight-, nine- and 10-year-olds, young reporter said, biting his lip principal three years ago at North Beach who had trouble sitting still for more “and rolling his eyes skyward as he Elementary School, a small public than 10 minutes at a time, develop the listened to someone on the phone from school located in an affluent Seattle skills to become reporters? And even the county public health department. neighborhood with an active Parent more importantly, would those skills “What, you don’t have doctors Teacher Association. Despite strong fi- make them better learners and more there?” the reporter asked. Another nancial support and parental involve- likely to become sophisticated news pause. ment, Hayes was surprised to discover consumers—or news consumers, pe- “You’ve got what? Epi-what? Look,” the school’s test scores were faltering, riod? explained the reporter, a little impa- especially in writing: Only 36 percent We had no idea, then, what was tiently, “I just need someone who can of North Beach’s fourth graders had possible. give me a quote about the new flu passed the writing section of the Wash- going around.” ington Assessment of Student Learn- The Experiment Begins Welcome to the North Beach ing (WASL) the previous year, a test Chronicle, a monthly student newspa- soon to become a requirement for stu- September 12, 2001: I was in a North per not unlike other student publica- dents to graduate in Washington State. Beach classroom and had asked fourth tions around the country, with two Hayes, a former journalist, took a graders to open The Seattle Times and exceptions: North Beach is an elemen- gamble that newspapering skills would point out anything they found interest- tary school, and all the third, fourth boost the test scores and reinvigorate ing about the previous day’s devastat- and fifth graders—not a select journal- the school’s writing program. To get it ing news that featured the terrorists’ ism class—write, illustrate, photograph done, she hired me, a former Time destruction of the World Trade Center. and sell advertising for the paper. reporter/writer, as the school’s jour- The kids gravitated, naturally, towards The all-inclusive newspaper pro- nalist-in-residence—a task I entered photos, in particular, two that were on gram is the brainchild of Nakonia (Niki) with trepidation and enthusiasm. opposite but facing pages inside the A-

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 39 Young Readers

section: “This,” said one of them, pointing to a picture, “is Osama bin Laden.” Then he pointed to the second picture, Pal- estinians waving their arms. “And these,” he continued, “are his men.” When I first started teaching, I found that though the students could read the words of news stories, they weren’t always comprehending what they were reading and seeing. This is probably connected to the fact that the United States is one of the few countries that does not require teachers to offer media literacy to their students. This absence of media literacy was a problem vividly illustrated in virtually all the current events presentations I witnessed at North Beach that year and at others I’ve seen at dozens of schools since. Typically, students would stand This photograph of a salmon—taken by a fifth grade student—was used in a classroom in the front of the room reading frac- exercise to help children determine the difference between facts and assumptions. Stu- tured versions of the “five Ws and one dents were asked to list what they knew as facts from looking at the photo and also list H” of a news story. At the end of the assumptions they might make. The only verifiable fact was that a man was holding a fish. presentation, listeners often still had Assumptions included that the person was a fisherman, the fish was dead, that the fish no idea what the story was about. was scared. At the end of the lesson, students learned that the man who was holding the It was evident that if these students fish is a wildlife biologist, and he was showing fifth graders how he harvests eggs from a were going to write for a newspaper, dead salmon, like the one he is holding. Photo by B. McFarlane. they had to learn to read one. I started by putting transparencies of news stories on overhead projectors and re- than one journalism teacher sigh with appeared. Students must be able to viewing the different elements of a frustration over trying to teach kids introduce themselves fully, state their news story. Before they could go past how to write a good news lead. I always intention, ask the right question, iden- the first sentence, they had to identify tell them to start at the beginning: tify a good direct quote, and write it the five Ws and one H answered in the “Make sure they know how to read one down. No wonder Matt started crying. headline and the lead. That’s actually before asking them to write one.” Matt’s teacher looked over from quite a lot of information, by the way, where she was helping another stu- and required repeated group story as- The Chronicle Comes to Life dent type in a story. “Are you having sessments before students were ready self-esteem problems, Matt?” she asked to identify those elements in the sto- Fourth grader Matt P1 had a plum as- gently. He nodded, lifted his head up, ries by themselves. signment: North Beach’s person-on- and took a few gasping breaths to com- We did other assignments in the the-street column, in which students pose himself. She then led him over to classroom to get children accustomed in every grade and one adult are asked another journalism assistant, who to reading and scanning the news. We the same question and direct quotes wrote a script for him, took him out to analyzed what we could factually sur- are put under their pictures. But his recess, stood over him as he got his mise, and what we could assume, about question “What do you like best about quotes, and jumped in with helping news photos. We held weekly news school?” offered up only lackluster an- questions when he needed them. quizzes, where students had to find the swers at best. And when I sent him back In 10 minutes, Matt had four great answers to questions in news stories. to reinterview a fellow fourth grader in quotes written down, was high-fiving And though the first time students his classroom for the third time, he put his adult helper, and had totally forgot- struggled through the exercises, by the his head in his hands and burst into ten his tears. “I’m doing person-on-the second, third and fourth times around tears. street, and you wouldn’t believe the they’d made quantum leaps. Actually this assignment, and any great quotes I have,” I overheard him Reading and comprehending the news story, was much harder than it telling a friend as they toted their news, by the way, is an often missed concept in junior and senior high 1 The students are identified in the newspaper by their first name and last initial due to a ruling by school journalism classes. I’ve had more the Seattle school board that last names could not be used in the paper.

40 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Young Readers lunchboxes towards the cafeteria. like the movie?” the stories? Predictably, not one. Nearly Part of what teaching journalism to He thought about it for a second. everyone started the same, with a chro- young students taught me is to recog- “Because usually it’s kids who are afraid nological summation of the event: “We nize that there are a multitude of skills of monsters,” he said. “But in ‘Mon- got on the school bus and went to the coming into play and that people will sters Inc.,’ the monsters are afraid of a park.” get stuck at predictable places. At the baby.” That assignment would have pro- elementary level, particularly, a teacher “That’s your lead, Kyle,” I explained. duced more diverse and interesting can assume nothing. Most students “You tell us why you like it, not that you results if the teacher had first led stu- forget to bring their notebooks, paper like it.” dents through the exercise of identify- and questions to their first scheduled Showing your story’s importance vs. ing exciting details, then instructed interviews. They have trouble intro- telling it is a mantra in most news- them to write about the most exciting ducing themselves and what they are rooms. It’s also a powerful writing tool thing they saw on the field trip. That doing. They can’t talk and write at the in the classroom. Asking students to would bring out both individual stu- same time. Their note-taking skills are offer details to buttress their observa- dent voice and offer more structure to slow and painful—as they try at first to tions and opinions does two things: It stories that would otherwise never take down every word. They are afraid forces them to evaluate whether those break out of the chronologically told to ask if they don’t understand some- opinions and statements are true, but story mold. thing. Phone messages will often leave it also offers them the chance to find them tongue-tied. their voice as a writer because the de- Journalism and Writing And that’s all before they start writ- tails they might chose are different ing. than someone else’s, but equally valid. Niki Hayes’s gamble ultimately paid What we found at North Beach is Before each newspaper comes out, off: The WASL scores have climbed that it’s important for them to hit the teachers walk their students silently dramatically, from 36 percent of fourth wall and equally important for an adult around the school. At the end of the graders passing the WASL the year be- to expect this and be prepared to prop trip, they list what they’ve noticed that’s fore we started the program to 58 per- them up and move them forward. That’s interesting or different. Often, those cent the next year, to 72 percent the when the learning takes place. observations can be turned into news next year, and to 79 percent last year. Take the following example: Three stories. It encourages kids not only to We’ve also found that the different fifth graders were conducting a phone notice what is around them, but also to jobs of the newspaper can engage stu- interview with a children’s theater ar- find out what is happening and why it’s dents who otherwise wouldn’t want to tistic director by speaker phone for the happening. “It’s kind of like a detective write: An Attention Deficit Hyperactiv- Chronicle. The call was monitored by a mystery,” one teacher told me, the first ity Disorder student turned out to be a journalism intern from the local uni- time we let 150 kids loose on the school brilliant photographer; a highly func- versity, but still, one girl looked up at to start their reporting. tioning Asberger’s syndrome child me in the middle of the interview and These writing skills don’t need to be helped seal envelopes and file con- mouthed frantically “she’s talking too confined to newspaper articles. They tracts, and our first-year advertising fast” and quit writing. apply to virtually every school writing team of fifth graders hit the pavement At the end of the interview, the in- assignment and can boost a student’s nearly every day after school, earning tern sat them down. “What do you writing abilities. Once in a third grade an average of $500-$800 per issue. At remember about what she said?” she classroom, I was scheduled to teach a year four, advertisers contact North asked the girls. As the ideas came out, journalism lesson just after the stu- Beach in the fall, eager to get into the the girls could write them down with- dents had returned from a field trip to newspaper. out the pressure of having to ask the a local park. “We wrote little stories More importantly, though, I’ve had interview subject to wait. They got their about our field trip, would you like to some great reporters and writers. story and even some accurately spoken hear them?” the teacher asked me. There’s Andrew F., a gifted fifth grader direct quotes. “Not yet,” I said. “First, kids, tell me and avid skateboarder, who became the most interesting things you learned the school’s skateboard correspondent. Showing vs. Telling: An on the field trip.” His first story, on skateboard tricks, fell Adaptable Writing Mantra I wrote their observations on the apart, but his next three stories worked: board: We learned about nurse trees, a news story about new skateboarding When fourth grader Kyle W. brought a and different kinds of snakes, and that rules; a story on skateboard fashion, movie review he’d written for me to some frogs look like they are dead, but and a review of Seattle’s skateboarding review, it started predictably like most they aren’t; they are just catching flies. parks. “He didn’t like writing last year, book or movie reports throughout his- Other ideas flew out, with some excel- but he can’t stop this year,” his mother tory: “‘Monsters, Inc.’ is a great movie lent detailed descriptions. confided to me. That’s probably be- with something fun for everyone.” “Now read me the stories,” I asked. cause he’s writing about what he likes “Hey Kyle,” I asked. “Why did you Did any of these details make it into to do, rather than some random as-

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 41 Young Readers

signment. dered that question, I said “How about tinuing education training and And there’s Luke M., a fifth grader this one: Phones and networked com- writing/journalism lesson plans for who decided to find out why “guys puters will be added to classrooms K-12 teachers. For 13 years, she were on ladders and wires were hang- soon.” worked as a reporter for Time in ing out of the ceiling.” It turned out to Luke looked at me with disdain. Hong Kong, ABCNews.com and be a great story, as the classrooms were “That’s the same news lead you sug- several daily newspapers across the all getting phones to call outside the gested last month, when we wrote country. She has trained and building and computers were being about new playground equipment,” he coached journalists in Mongolia, networked together. said. “Let’s keep thinking.” ■ Slovakia, Armenia and the Republic “I’m doing OK,” he told me, after of Georgia. presenting a surprisingly well re- Leah Kohlenberg is the founder of searched draft, “but I’m having trouble Specialized Education Training [email protected] thinking of a good lead.” As we pon- Company (SETC), which offers con- Opening Up to Kids Working to close the generation and credibility gap, post-Jayson Blair.

By Shawn Moynihan

rior to accepting the position of become cool, that because I was asso- opportunity to reach young people by managing editor at Editor & Pub- ciated with “the paper,” they grew in- showing them (at an impressionable Plisher, I worked as a substitute terested. The things I had to say carried age) not just what newspapers pro- teacher in Collingswood, New Jersey a new weight. It was then that I realized duce, but how they work. and in my hometown of Staten Island, how important, and powerful, news- In articles urging the press to re- New York. Working in the classrooms papers are to kids. I had thought they form newsroom policies and our pub- made me realize how much kids still had little regard for newspapers and lic image in the wake of the Blair scan- believe in newspapers—and that now, anything that we had to say, particu- dal, many former editors and media more than ever, it is crucial for report- larly in this Internet and video game critics have advised newspapers to of- ers and editors to make their presence age. Attention spans are shorter than fer readers a clear view of how they felt in the classroom and not just ever, making it increasingly hard for operate—to become “transparent,” as through Newspapers in Education teachers—and print journalists—to the saying goes. In an Editor & Pub- (NIE) programs. reach youngsters. lisher article, for example, [former I’m no expert on the world of educa- It’s not much of a stretch to believe Nieman Curator] Bill Kovach advised tion, but once I stepped into the public that teens will always think of newspa- that there was “only one way to fix” our school system, albeit briefly, I quickly pers—despite current efforts to court current credibility problem: “Be open, discovered that a great many students younger readers—as little more than a be transparent and explain all of the are learning much less than we think forum in which grown-ups regularly time what we do. We are in a world of they are. It was shocking. provide disinformation to each other interaction right now. I don’t know Many of my days were largely spent and to young people, especially in light why news organizations don’t set up trying to discipline students who were of the Jayson Blair scandal and other more mechanisms for the public to pleased to see someone other than well-known episodes of journalistic come into the organization.” their usual teacher at the front of the wrongdoing. Obviously, kids are not going to room—and equally eager to make my But after the umpteenth episode of come to the newspapers—so newspa- life miserable. But no matter how badly getting a wide-eyed look from kids pers must go to the kids. If we do, the behaved or disaffected the students when I told them I’d written for the payoff could be big. Contrary to our seemed, every time I mentioned that I Advance, I found out just how wrong self-image, journalists are often viewed had spent years as a writer and editor at that assumption might be. What be- by kids as just one step removed from the Staten Island Advance—the popu- came clear to me is that newspapers the pop-culture media they really love: lar local paper of the “forgotten bor- have both a responsibility and an op- rock and hip-hop music, movies and ough”—the chaos subsided, and I had portunity. We have a responsibility to television. After all, we write about all the students’ attention, if only for a few improve education and awareness of those things, sometimes even meet a minutes. current events by remaining dedicated star or two, and that rubs off on us, It was as though I had suddenly to NIE programs. But we also have an positively.

42 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Young Readers

Scheduling visits to schools would ally interacting with younger readers— Who knows? Given the opportunity, not be easily accomplished at a time of responding to their questions, help- we and the kids just might learn some- when resources are stretched thin at ing them understand what journalists thing, too. ■ papers across the country. Some can do—are real. If young people grow up barely afford to send a bunch of report- believing they can’t trust reporters and Shawn Moynihan, managing editor ers out into the field, while holding editors to tell the truth and respect of Editor & Publisher, worked at the others back to answer those nagging their audience, will they turn to these Staten Island Advance from 1989 to newsroom phones. It’s far too easy for newspapers when they are older? Tak- 2001. A version of this article first us to get caught up in the next deadline ing time to reach out to young people appeared in Editor & Publisher on than it is to give this “transparency” and showing them, in person, that we’re June 16, 2003. idea some honest consideration. not all a bunch of grinning liars is an But the potential benefits of person- investment in our future as a medium. [email protected] L.A. Youth Partners With the Los Angeles Times Its experiences offer valuable guidance for attracting younger readers.

By Donna C. Myrow

here aren’t many cities where students in public and private schools, Laventhol listened. When the meet- teenagers have their own news- by those who attend nearly 400 coming ended, he offered the Times’s sup- Tpaper to write and read, but in munity-based youth programs, and can port. He asked me how many copies Los Angeles they do. It’s called L.A. be found at most libraries. Every issue we print. I picked a nice round num- Youth and, since 1988, it has given is posted on our Web site ber, 100,000, when we actually could teens more than a voice. With it, they (www.layouth.com), and a Teacher’s only afford to print 35,000. He agreed have had a megaphone. Guide is mailed to 1,200 teachers who to help us. I made my decision to publish a use L.A. Youth in their classrooms. Printing our newspaper was just the newspaper for teenagers in Los Ange- beginning. Soon, former Los Angeles les on the morning of January 13, 1988, The Role of the Los Angeles Times senior editor Noel Greenwood the day when the United States Su- Times joined our nonprofit organization’s preme Court struck down student press board of directors. Then came the rights in Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier. That By 1994, L.A. Youth was publishing six Times’s donation of computers, cam- decision gave school officials broad times each year and, though the news- eras, scanners and other equipment to powers to censor student newspapers. paper was well received, the costs of assist our struggling newspaper. To- That afternoon a dozen teenagers sat producing it were escalating. We had a day, the Times’s newsroom operations around my kitchen table talking about full-time staff of four and 200 teens editor, Dave Rickley, serves on our issues that affected their lives. Together eager to join the staff. So I went looking board, and he encourages colleagues we wondered how we would publish for support from the newspaper indus- from the Times to work with our news- our own newspaper with no money. try. I approached then-Los Angeles paper. People who work in the pre- We didn’t even have a computer. Times publisher, David Laventhol, and press department, production and But we found some resources in the asked if the Times would contribute photo lab, the art director, and other community—grants from The James newsprint and printing. I explained folks involved with operations have Irvine Foundation and Bank of America how our young reporters were helping volunteered. And as our teens report Foundation, a few old typewriters from their peers have a better understand- stories, they have received mentoring the Los Angeles Times, and a meeting ing of the society they live in and the from Times’s editorial staff, too. place in a senior citizen center. These forces that act on them and showing were enough to launch the first issue. them ways to gain more control over Putting Out the Paper Starting small with 2,500 copies pub- their lives. I described ways in which lished twice a year for two years, then we do this, through news stories, self- The teenagers who write for L.A. Youth growing year by year, we now publish help articles and in personal accounts, gather after school and on Saturdays in six times each year, with 105,000 cop- and talked about how our stories are our mid-Wilshire newsroom for edito- ies each issue. L.A. Youth has a reader- written in an authentic teen voice and rial meetings. There they work with ship of more than 300,000 in Los Ange- how this gives L.A. Youth its street adult editors one-on-one to rewrite les County. Our newspaper is read by credibility with readers. their stories; some articles take up to

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 43 Young Readers

Los Angeles Times.” I took a deep breath, answered the dozens of calls from friends inquiring about this merger and hoped nothing would change. In fact, since that day the relationship between our two newspapers has grown stronger. Publisher John Puerner and Editor John Carroll have kept the presses rolling for L.A. Youth and assured us that the Times has a commitment to high school journalism. However, during the past two years I have missed seeing some of our best stories find a broader readership in the Times. As the war took place in Iraq, for example, I kept hoping the new edi- Teenagers create L.A. Youth, which reaches 300,000 young readers. tors would see the relevance of the teen perspective on the war. Who six months of reporting and rewriting see it as an opportunity to voice their knows better how teens feel about not before they are ready to be published. uncensored opinions and read their finding a summer job in order to pay L.A. Youth articles are often about names in print. Alum keep in touch for college than those facing this situa- traditional teen interests, such as sum- and return as mentors to the younger tion? Or who can speak better to the mer jobs, getting into college, educa- staff. impact of the ever-increasing classroom tional issues, and getting a date for the The teenagers’ personal stories are size on student learning? prom. But there is room for contro- often touching. One of our teen re- Each year newspapers spend lots of versy in the paper, too. When our teen- porters sleeps in a shelter and some- money and time on focus groups and agers set out to explore such topics as times on the streets, yet he/she man- readership surveys as they try to figure teen pregnancy, substance abuse, AIDS, ages to work on a story. Students who out how to attract younger readers. By race relations, homelessness, gangs and attend private schools gather in our looking closely at publications like other difficult topics, Los Angeles midcity office with teens whose lives ours—at our contributors and our read- Times’s reporters, editors and lawyers are very different than theirs, and to- ers—and supporting in various ways share their expertise. An article we gether they exchange story ideas with independent teen-written newspapers published in the summer of 1990 about one another. Most of the time, these like ours, those who edit and publish alleged police abuse of local teens drew young writers meet the L.A. Youth dead- newspapers could see how we’re grow- recognition from national media, in- lines while also coping with home- ing the next generation of critical think- cluding Time and “60 Minutes.” The work, family responsibilities, and per- ers, good citizens, and newspaper read- Times Sunday opinion editor, Sue sonal relationships. ers. ■ Horton, mentored teen reporter Josie A few years ago, when I wanted to Valderrama through the maze of inter- expand the youth voice to a wider Donna C. Myrow is founder and nal affairs police documents while she audience, I spoke with several Los An- executive director of L.A. Youth. Teen worked on this year-long investigative geles Times’s editors to ask if they’d writers at the paper have gone on to project. consider reprinting our articles. Former have internships at National Public There are no requirements to join Metro Editor Bill Boyarsky took the Radio, Sports Illustrated, Forbes, our staff. Teens bring friends, teachers idea seriously and reprinted Gohar TeenPeople, the San Jose Mercury refer students, and even parents call us Galyan’s riveting article on life inside a News, The Oakland Tribune and The looking for a summer workshop or a year-round, overcrowded school. And Philadelphia Inquirer, and other place for their son/daughter to improve one of our cover stories, written by a print and broadcast news organiza- his/her writing skills. On Newcomer’s homeless youth sleeping behind a tions. Day, every other month, prospective Hollywood Boulevard theater, made writers, illustrators and photographers the front page of the Times’s Metro [email protected] meet the adult staff. A give-and-take section. follows—about meeting deadlines; how we put together a newspaper; Newspapers Learn From Us who our readers are; how many re- writes, etc. Some find it a challenge, The headline on June 17, 2000 and we never see them again. Others screamed, “Tribune Co. acquires the

44 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Young Readers Mixing Young and Old to Create a New Approach Youth Radio succeeds by ‘balancing young producers’ insights and new ideas about content with the professionalism and knowledge of their adult counterparts.’

By Ellin O’Leary

outh Radio trains young people duced style and “the use of music” for including Youth Radio, were struggling to become journalists and to pro- the show’s longevity. Martin com- with how to cover the record youth Yduce content for a variety of au- mented that most public affairs shows homicide rate, high in many urban diences, in formats including newspa- jolt his station’s listeners with an im- areas, but particularly so in Oakland. pers, TV, radio and the Web. In our mediate break in format, a mortal sin in Many of our Youth Radio students live decade plus of operation, we have commercial broadcasting. in the affected neighborhoods; one of found that having young people as the our own students was shot and killed, voices and writers, as the producers Youth Plus Experience and others have relatives lost in the and columnists of what is produced, madness. Local news outlets were tired might initially attract a young audi- Youth Radio students often remind us of covering the story; the deaths of ence. But without something compel- that teenagers and young adults don’t young people became routine head- ling to say, listeners won’t stick around. usually think of themselves as part of a lines along with increasing body counts. And to engage young audiences, we particular audience. Rather they de- Our national editors weren’t sure we employ their vernacular and style. scribe themselves as avid consumers or “had anything new to say” from the In the Youth Radio newsroom, a media surfers on an infinite ocean of youths’ perspective. frequent challenge—as adult men- content. For many, this expectation In the Youth Radio newsroom our tors—is to follow the young produc- can be traced back to MTV, which be- students were also hesitant to report ers’ advice, especially when we’re not gan some 20 years ago. Having the on this very painful issue until one of sure they’re right. For example, for ability to choose from an ever-expand- our adult producers, Lissa Soep, added three years, Youth Radio produced a ing array of media content has defined the element of poetry to the produc- public affairs show on the largest com- this generation—just as “I Love Lucy” tion. A poem written by 19-year-old Ice mercial music station in San Francisco, Life told the story of a modern day KYLD. This was a great opportunity for Romeo and Juliet caught in the cycle of our kids’ work to reach a young audi- poverty and violence that so often leads ence since this was the number one to incarceration and death. This poem station in the Bay Area among 14- to 24- inspired the students to produce a year-olds. Our young producers in- feature that integrated poetry with field sisted music should play for the entire recordings and interviews with young two-hour show, as a continuous sound people living in these neighborhoods. under the features, interviews and even The sound collage also included the the call-ins. To the adult ear, the music perspective of youth who have escaped was distracting; it made it difficult to the cycle of violence by keeping a path- listen to what was going on in the way to education and a career. show. But the kids told us that “it’s the The Oakland violence feature these music that keeps young people listen- Youth Radio students produced was a ing to the talk, it makes the news and hit locally with both adult and youth information painless.” audiences. It also was broadcast on We deferred to the students since National Public Radio, after we they were familiar with the station’s and “Leave It to Beaver” left their indel- “shopped it around” and found a pro- programming from the perspective of ible mark with baby boomers. ducer, Charlie Mayer, who was as ex- listeners. And it turns out they were Young writers and producers not cited as we were about the artistic and right. For a public affairs show to last only present the views of their genera- journalistic merits of the piece. “Oak- three years on commercial radio is the tion, but they also identify stories and land Violence” won first prize in this equivalent of three lifetimes elsewhere. produce them with distinctive youth year’s National Black Journalists Awards KYLD’s program director, Michael Mar- style. In the fall of 2002, for example, and was honored this year at the Third tin, credited Youth Radio’s highly pro- newsrooms throughout the Bay Area, Coast Festival.

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 45 Young Readers

Why I Don’t Like Mainstream News Because Youth Radio’s goal is to bring diverse voices to the largest and Young people find a lot not to like about the way news is often most diverse audiences possible, we presented. produce lots of different kinds of programming. Our presentations run from one minute to two hours; they involve Nieman Reports invited some of Youth Prince William’s first girlfriend or Ben music, commentary and features as well Radio’s student journalists—past and Affleck’s birthday, it turns me off as a as talk shows; they appear mostly on present—to tell us what they don’t like viewer. They really don’t address or radio (public and commercial), but also about mainstream press. question the real problems that lead through the Web, TV and in print. up to big stories, like the terrible job Youth Radio’s senior producer, “I don’t watch mainstream news, that Oakland mayor Jerry Brown is Rebecca Martin, believes audiences but I do stay informed. Even if I didn’t doing.” — Josh Clemmons, 18 years respond to our programs because of want to know what’s in the news, old “the unique sensibility that young friends or family would tell me. My people bring to their reporting, giving parents have TV news chattering away “I still read the paper almost every audiences access to perspectives, truths while they’re in the kitchen preparing day, but it’s just to get the basics. I and trends that adult reporters just dinner. When I check my e-mail, head- know there’s a lot they’re leaving out, can’t reach.” When a Youth Radio re- lines pop up everywhere. But when I printing only the news that is consid- porter did a bedside interview with a want to find out what’s happening here ered acceptable when it comes to is- U.S. soldier who lost a leg in a battle in and around the world, I turn to smaller, sues like the Middle East or the realities Iraq, the soldier’s comments are re- independent news sources. They don’t of the juvenile justice system. All in all, vealing; what comes through is the have the kind of skewed priorities that I just try to look at any mainstream sense that this soldier is especially at mainstream news does, with so much media with a critical eye because I ease with the approach of a reporter of it being more entertainment than know there’s so much more than what who is just about his own age. real news and stories reported over we are presented.” — Sophie Simon- Youth Radio’s production and edi- and over again.” — Margarita Rossi, 20 Ortiz, 17 years old torial process becomes longer and a bit years old rockier (not to mention more fun!) “If I rely on the dominant news because of the side-by-side work of the “There might be a difference in the sources like NBC, CBS, Fox or ABC to youth-adult team. If young people col- details, but the stories are the same, give me all of my information, I won’t lected the tape, then handed it over to and all the news anchors look like learn about a lot of the issues that are adult professionals to write and pro- clones of each other. What they say is relevant to my life. Mainstream news is duce, getting the pieces broadcast so predictable; they make a fake com- just like another ‘Friends’ or ‘Paradise would no doubt be easier. The “youth- passionate statement about a bad inci- Hotel’: fun to watch, but nothing to only” and the “adult-only” producer dent, a very stupid joke, and then sign learn from. I’d like to see an alternative models each have value and are critical off … with voices that sound like they that I can trust, but I don’t know what models in expanding the involvement practice faking them all day. When a it would look like, since it doesn’t of youth voices. But we find that the multimillion-dollar news company seem to exist.” — Nora Harrington, 17 collaboration brings excitement and wastes money and airtime to talk about years old ■ authenticity to the work. For Youth Radio, collaboration is the way to go because of our commitment to training the next generation, who reflect a Collaboration and highest standards of quality, explain- diversity of economic and ethnic back- Authenticity ing to the students that programming grounds. ■ by and about youth must be better than Youth Radio’s success with mainstream first-rate to compete in today’s very Ellin O’Leary is president and execu- media outlets is built on this kind of competitive media markets. With this tive producer of Youth Radio, an collaboration. And to do this success- emphasis on journalistic quality and award-winning youth media organi- fully requires balancing young produc- cutting-edge youth style, Youth Radio zation, founded in Northern Califor- ers’ insights and new ideas about con- is in the fortunate position of receiving nia in 1990 and with bureaus in Los tent with the professionalism and assignments from major news organi- Angeles, Atlanta and Washington, knowledge of their adult counterparts. zations including National Public Ra- D.C. At Youth Radio, youth and experienced dio, the San Francisco Chronicle’s opin- staff producers work together through- ion section, Public Radio International, [email protected] out the editorial process. We set the Marketplace and CNN.com.

46 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Journalist’s Trade

Reporting California’s Recall Election

With its unusual purpose and Hollywood celebrity, California’s autumn recall election became an archetypal mix of entertainment and news reporting. Lessons from its reporters shed light on some of the changing realities of political coverage. After a 13-year break from political reporting, former San Francisco Chronicle columnist Mark Simon was back on the campaign trail. He reflects on changes he observed, most strikingly the impact of the Internet and the self-absorbed way the political press perceive their role and work. We are, he writes, in “an era in which the reporter has become more important than readers or voters.” Jim Bettinger, director of Stanford University’s John S. Knight Fellowships for Professional Journalists, contends that political reporters—by savoring and relying on the established political process—risk becoming irrelevant “to a political process that may be undergoing fundamental change.” The consequence: “the established media are seriously disconnected” from citizens, whose profound anger they failed to understand. In nine weeks of campaign coverage, Marjie Lundstrom, a senior editor and columnist with The Sacramento Bee, never saw or spoke with a candidate. Her assignment was to “go find people” and learn from them what this election was about. With photographer José Luis Villegas, whose images appear with her words, Lundstrom’s series illuminated “the essential truth about this election: Voters were steamed. The anger was palpable.” Meanwhile, the Bee’s veteran political columnist Dan Walters was seeing how Arnold Schwarzenegger’s campaign capitalized “on his celebrity … to go around us scribblers” and “convey his message of saving California so effectively.” Also at the Bee, Daniel Weintraub, the paper’s Weblogging political columnist, was finding the fast-moving campaign to be “a perfect marriage of medium and message,” as his blog continuously passed along “political scuttlebutt and speculation.” Cecilia Alvear, NBC News producer, and George Lewis, NBC News correspondent, who brought the campaign to a national TV audience, admit frustration at how “the image of the smiling superstar candidate was more powerful than the words.” Dan Morain, who reports on the influence of money on politics for the Los Angeles Times, writes about the enduring value of this watchdog beat. “Tracking money was an essential part of covering the recall race or, indeed, any campaign,” he writes. Pilar Marrero, political editor and columnist at La Opinión, reflects on how often journalists relied on her to report on what Latinos thought about the election, instead of reporting the story themselves. As she writes, “I’ve never seen a colleague of the mainstream media being asked, “What do Anglos think about this?” Photographers from La Opinión covered the campaign, and their images appear in this section. And Ellen Ciurczak, a longtime radio reporter, describes her difficult transition to becoming a freelance political journalist during the recall. “I found myself watching some of the worst partisan politics, hypocrisy and grabs for power I’d ever seen while covering state politics in California,” she writes. “This stirred strong feelings in me, feelings that caused me to lose faith in my news judgment.” ■

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 47 Journalist’s Trade The Campaigning of Political Reporters This is ‘an era in which the reporter has become more important than readers or voters.’

By Mark Simon

n early August, Arnold Schwarze- negger went to the offices of the ILos Angeles County registrar of voters to file as a candidate for governor in California’s recall election. He held a news conference the same day—what would prove to be one of only two free- for-all press events. A colleague covering the appearance for a San Francisco TV station counted more than 30 television cameras at the event. After several minutes, a press aide announced, “One more question.” Schwarzenegger, showing an understanding of his own campaign strategy that would dominate the recall campaign, called on a reporter from “En- tertainment Tonight” (ET). The hard- hitting question: When will actor Rob Arnold Schwarzenegger campaigns at California State University in Long Beach. Photo Lowe be making an appearance on by Aurelia Ventura/La Opinión. Schwarzenegger’s behalf? And so the news conference came to an end without any meaningful details from Schwarzenegger about how he Changes in Political I took a break from political reporting would balance the state’s deficit-rid- Reporting to write a general interest column, first den budget, protect spending on pub- at a local newspaper in Palo Alto, then lic schools, and reduce taxes. Instead, What was remarkable about the recall for the last 10 years at the San Fran- he managed to repeat what would be campaign had less to do with cisco Chronicle. Then this spring, wea- the only message of his campaign—he Schwarzenegger’s barnstorming can- rying of the sound of my own voice, I would be an upbeat agent of change didacy and more to do with how the surrendered the column and began to from the state’s do-nothing political political press corps has changed in a cover politics for the paper, unaware status quo. very short time from a small group of that a historic recall election was in the There’s nothing new about candi- veteran reporters with an abiding in- offing. dates or officeholders calling on re- terest in campaigns and issues to a What I found is that much had porters who are likely to ask softball massive multimedia experience in changed about how the political press questions. There’s nothing new about which huge and small information corps perceives and pursues its job a candidate, or a President, holding a sources overlap and interconnect and due to the increased importance of TV minimal number of news conferences. spend as much time attending to each and radio talk shows and the rising And there’s certainly nothing new about other as they do to the job of reporting impact of the Internet as a means of a candidate figuring out a campaign on a campaign. conveying information and as a vehicle strategy that essentially bypasses the What this campaign illuminated for for the public to observe and comment political news media. What was un- me were the sweeping changes in po- on political reporting. And while there usual was to see a candidate who so litical reporting that have happened had always been a notable self-aware- completely understood the nature of during the past decade or so. For more ness among political reporters—when modern political reporting and was so than 25 years, I have been involved in we could, we often read each other’s uniquely positioned to take advantage state and national political reporting at work to see who was ahead and whom of a new era in campaign information. newspapers. During the past 13 years, we had to follow—the Internet and the

48 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 California Recall airwaves have lifted that to an astonishing level of self-absorption. It’s that self-absorption that represents the biggest concern about the new era of political reporting—an era in which the reporter has become more important than readers or voters. Certainly, there was no Internet 13 years ago. Then, as colleague Robert B. Gunnison noted in a piece for the California Journal, a California-based monthly about politics and government, the press corps consisted of reporters—usually garbed in blue blaz- ers and khaki trousers—from a dozen or so newspapers around the state. The occasional TV station had a reporter assigned to politics, but those were few and far between, and much of the campaign agenda was set by a small, collegial group of middle-aged, white The press spotlights Governor Gray Davis during a rally to defeat the recall. Photo by males. Ciro Cesar/La Opinión. Clearly, the explosion of information outlets blew apart that old boys’ club and diversified the perspectives late rumors, and race to be first—a shout-fests. Earlier this year—before brought to politics, perhaps at the cost real-time blog can always be corrected the recall election emerged but long of expertise and institutional knowl- later—without the customary filter of after the development of the new mul- edge about both politics and govern- editors or time or further reporting. timedia era—the Chronicle established ment. And in just the last few years, there a new partnership with a Bay Area TV While the press corps might have has been an explosion of information station and a small studio was installed lacked many things, it also was absent distribution points among political in the newsroom, pushing aside a num- “Entertainment Tonight.” Obviously, junkies—dozens of individuals or or- ber of copyeditors. Routinely, in a break without Schwarzenegger’s melding of ganizations that post all or part of po- between deadlines, political reporters celebrity and politics, “ET” might not litical news stories or circulate through and columnists would sit down on the have been on the campaign trail this e-mail their own lists of the top stories studio stool and make a quick TV ap- time, either, but who’s to say there of the day, often reflecting the political pearance on one of the many cable won’t be future coverage of politics in perspective of the distributor’s special shows that must keep feeding the vora- a manner historically reserved for show interests. cious appetite of a 24-hour news hole. business? And if there was no “ET,” It has become a matter of daily rou- Often the participant would walk there also was no Romenesko, The tine to check a variety of Web sites to away from the studio muttering that Poynter Institute Web site that focuses see where the newspaper’s reporting the main requirement for such an ap- solely on journalists and reinforces a landed on the list of top stories. The pearance is an ability to shout over the hierarchy of media celebrities and big- more stories near the top, the more other guests. The cross-media partner- time news outlets. convinced we are that we dominated ship is not unique to the Chronicle, The National Journal’s Hotline, that day’s reporting. We could see if we and it could be argued that every news- which enhanced the sense in Califor- were first with a story—a scoop—and paper needs a strategy of integrated nia that the recall was a national story we could be sure that our competitors media. That’s a story for another time. and dropped our names in front of our around the state knew we were first But having this TV outlet for our re- national peers, was a fledgling phe- and that we had a chance to show off porting fed the growing sense that the nomenon 13 years ago. Thirteen years our work to news outlets around the coverage of the campaign was more ago, there was no Rough & Tumble, a nation and enhance our own national about what we were doing—our ability Web site (www.rtumble.com) that, like reputation. This cycle fed on itself: We to show off our expertise—than it was The Hotline, summarizes in a 24-hour all wanted to write stories that would finding out what was on the minds of cycle the leading stories on California top the list. the voters and providing meaningful, politics and government. There were At the same time, the recall election useful information with which they no Weblogs, in which reporters can brought to California the circus of na- could make an informed decision. describe their first impressions, circu- tional radio talk shows and cable TV There always has been the tendency

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 49 Journalist’s Trade

to cover the process, not the policies. Times’s stories in which women al- reporting should do—tell the public But now, increasingly, the process leged that they were sexually harassed something they didn’t know and put seems to be all that is covered because and abused and battered by into words for them those things they it’s the best way to make a good im- Schwarzenegger. Those stories, thor- can’t express for themselves. pression among ourselves. After the oughly and credibly reported, touched The recall was a unique opportunity election, Romenesko carried a report on an issue that gave the public mean- to reflect to readers what they were of some comments by a California news- ingful and timely insight into a candi- thinking, since it was an election that paper editor who asserted that the date. The result was a bombardment of was less about what people knew and state’s news corps did a poor job of e-mails and Internet posts concerning more about how they felt. The best covering the recall election. Too little the Times’s story, comments and reac- reporting in the recall election cap- attention was paid to what the voters tion that indicated the story touched a tured what was on people’s minds, was were thinking. That editor was right— nerve among readers, for better or for an early forecast of a public hunger for that newspaper fixated on worse. change, an anger at a mismanaged sta- Schwarzenegger’s immigrant status And that may be the last, significant tus quo that had badly tarnished the when he first arrived in the country. irony in the changing nature of politi- Golden State. It was classic “gotcha” journalism, cal reporting. The public now has more But more commonly, reporting an attempt to expose Schwarzenegger’s ways to reach the media, and we seem seemed to be driven by a desire to own positions on immigration as some- to listen less to them and more to each reflect ourselves to ourselves. A de- how hypocritical. It was never clear other. The public also has more ways cade ago, no one thought a political why the readers of that newspaper to comment, more means by which to reporter was a celebrity. Now it seems would find that information valuable. complain about bias or to offer up as though each of us wants to be one, But assuming one role of the media is independent analysis, or participate in not just cover one running for gover- to tell people things they might want to special-interest pressure tactics. The nor. ■ know, that doesn’t explain the reverse also is true—we can reach more newspaper’s focus on the story over people now, ask for a broader range of Mark Simon is a political reporter several days. That can only be explained opinion, and write stories that truly for the San Francisco Chronicle. He as an attempt to attract attention, not reflect the mood and attitude of the has covered California, Bay Area, from readers, but from other news people who are participating in the and national politics for more than outlets. political decision making. 25 years. That kind of reporting should be In short, we have a better opportu- distinguished from the Los Angeles nity to do the two things good news [email protected]

The Anger Journalists Never Fully Understood We must figure out ‘how to reach growing numbers of disillusioned citizens without pandering to them or jettisoning our core values.’

By Jim Bettinger

ournalism staggered away from the coverage didn’t seem to matter much Warnings to Political California recall election facing a and, in fact, it served to link journalists Journalists Jwitches’ brew of problems. Now to an established political order that journalists face the challenge of voters were determined to chase out of The warning I take away from the recall having an awful lot to learn about what office three years ahead of schedule. election’s coverage is that serious jour- happened, with perhaps not much time This linkage seems apt since by phi- nalism risks becoming irrelevant to a to learn what they need to know. losophy and in practice, journalists are political process that may be undergo- This challenge arises not because entwined in established politics. The ing fundamental change. For those of the coverage of the recall was bad. It recall election showed this graphically us who want to see journalism be a wasn’t. In fact, by measures that seri- and also demonstrated how angry a major force in democratic society and ous journalists use to evaluate political significant segment of voters are at that not just a constitutionally protected coverage, it was very good. But good established political order. license to make money, significant chal-

50 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 California Recall

tion—more than the number who voted for Davis in 2002—did not share these editors’ disdain for the recall process.

Reporting on a Celebrity Turned Candidate

Journalists worked hard to scrutinize Schwarzenegger. But he and his crew succeeded in appearing to be scruti- nized without revealing anything significant. In fact, they successfully turned most of the scrutiny on its head. Schwarzenegger appeared on entertainment TV and radio shows such as “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and “Howard Stern” and “Larry King Live,” while avoiding more informed questioners of the political press and traditional avenues such as meetings with newspaper editorial boards. As his cam- Governor Gray Davis loses recall election. Photo by J. Emilio Flores/La Opinión. paign chief said in August, two months before the election in early October, “This is not a position election. It’s a lenges lie ahead. The toughest one: of the campaign and election. character election.” Schwarzenegger figuring out how to reach growing That news coverage didn’t seem to proceeded to ridicule attempts to probe numbers of disillusioned citizens with- make much difference. According to his character and preemptively he out pandering to them or jettisoning exit polls, two-thirds of the voters made warned that Governor Davis would try our core values. up their minds more than a month to drag the campaign to the gutter. He One area where some very hard before the election, or about the time then coarsened his message with refer- thinking is necessary is the degree to of the first debate, in which Arnold ences to “puke politics” (his aides which established journalism really Schwarzenegger did not participate. handed out barf bags and plastic vomit savors and relies on the established Fifty-five percent of these early decid- puddles to reporters) and vows to “kick political process, when much of the ers voted to recall Governor Gray Davis, some serious butt.” public is sick of it. Let others complain and 47 percent voted for These contradictions were dutifully about the length of political campaigns, Schwarzenegger. For them, all those reported. And it didn’t seem to matter. especially presidential ones. Journal- news stories, all those profiles, all those Schwarzenegger’s name identifica- ists like long campaigns. In long cam- issue charts, and all those live TV stand- tion and celebrity trumped the tools paigns, political journalists participate ups evidently made no difference. that journalists had at their disposal. in the vetting. In a foreshortened cam- Major newspapers—the Los Ange- Schwarzenegger supporters had seen paign like the recall, name recognition les Times, San Francisco Chronicle, enough to make up their minds early, and celebrity matter more, and the The Sacramento Bee, and San Jose and no amount of standard journalistic press matters less, much to the irrita- Mercury News—recommended in edi- effort to shame him into fuller disclo- tion of journalists. torials a “no” vote on the recall and sure, either about his character or his The California reporters and editors recommended no candidate to replace positions on issues, had any impact. I talked with disdained the recall pro- him. (Under California’s recall law, the Many of these voters held a deep cess itself, not to mention this particu- recall question was a two-parter: First, and seething anger that mainstream lar election. In print and in conversa- yes or no on whether Davis should be journalists have a hard time tapping tion, the chances of the recall getting recalled and second, which of the 135 into or even recognizing. Michael Lewis, on the ballot were minimized. This candidates on the ballot—and not in writing in the New York Times Maga- gave an early hint that reporters might alphabetical order!—should replace zine, recounted chatting with Los An- not be on top of a story that was hap- Davis if he were recalled.) This was a geles talk-radio hosts John Kobylt and pening outside traditional political logically correct strategy, based on the Ken Chiampou about their top-rated bounds. Then, once the recall was a conviction that the recall was a Bad program in which they dialed in the reality, serious journalistic outlets com- Thing. But the election outcome shows political anger voters were feeling. mitted themselves to serious coverage that a huge segment of the popula- “‘The challenge is to hold onto the

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 51 Journalist’s Trade

tone,’ John says. Asked to describe the tone, Ken says, ‘Rabid dogs.’ John says: ‘I don’t know that part of the brain that shouts all these things you aren’t supposed to say in polite company, but that’s the part of the brain that we speak to.’ Ken: ‘People relate to the shouts. What differentiates us from a crazy man is that a lot of people agree with the shouts.’” Whatever else the tone of 21st century mainstream journalism is, rabid dogs and shouting aren’t part of it. It’s so alien to most journalists that they have a hard time fathoming it as legitimate, let alone plumbing its depths and writing about it with power. And when we—here I lump myself in with serious journalists—enmesh ourselves, The newly elected governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and his wife, Maria as political reporters, into the estab- Shriver, during his victory party in Los Angeles. Photo by Aurelia Ventura/La Opinión. lished political process, we become obvious targets of this same anger. While we might see ourselves as out- Schwarzenegger had groped them. The Impact of This Anger siders and watchdogs, keeping politi- When given a chance to respond to the cians honest and providing unbiased women before the story was published, Some intriguing consequences have information to readers and viewers, the Schwarzenegger campaign ignored emerged in the aftermath of the recall. the Kobylt-Chiampou audience regards the specifics and instead portrayed the One is that a lot of people got very us as part of an unholy cabal. women’s accounts as a tool of the Davis turned on by the campaign. A survey by campaign. (After all, earlier they had the Public Policy Institute of California Watching the Anger Grow successfully laid the foundation for this found that people were paying atten- kind of a response.) tion to the recall in numbers and inten- Five days after the election, I wrote an The campaign took on the newspa- sity similar to the September 11th ter- analysis in the San Jose Mercury News per, challenging its decision to publish rorist attacks. About half of them said about some of these issues, making the the story five days before the election. they were more interested in politics as same point: that the established media After a loose and unspecific apology a result and nearly half said they were are seriously disconnected from these from Schwarzenegger on the day the more enthusiastic about voting. Indeed, citizens. The vitriolic reaction I got story ran, the Schwarzenegger cam- about 1.675 million people more convinced me that I was right and also paign made scourging the Times its turned out to vote in the recall election that my analysis of all of this had hardly message of the day. Maria Shriver, the than had voted in the regular election calmed the seas. One person wrote candidate’s wife and a TV reporter her- less than 12 months earlier. Noting representatively, “You seem to be say- self, called the detailed and exhaustive this, at least eight California television ing, in a nutshell: There is a disconnect story “gutter journalism.” stations are considering reopening between journalists and the public. It was a tactic aimed at people pre- their state capital bureaus. Journalists This is bad for society. So voters better pared to believe the worst about the in other sections of the country might shape up and get with the program.” news media. And it seemed to work. find this amazing, but not since 1988 From another reader: “I want to thank Despite the swinish details, has a local television station had a Jim Bettinger for explaining to me why Schwarzenegger supporters whom I Sacramento bureau. I voted ‘yes’ on the recall and for heard calling talk-radio programs took My own thinking about the recall Schwarzenegger as governor. I believed every opportunity to explain away the has shifted since the election. I’ve gone I was doing the right thing, but it turns allegations. Others congratulated him from being opposed on principle to a out I was just plain too stupid to under- for his apology, saying it made them more ambivalent view. All the reasons stand what the Los Angeles Times, the more certain of their vote for him. For to have opposed the recall are still Mercury News, and other ‘Progressive’ some, the very fact of publication there. But, I ask myself, if that many newspapers were trying to tell me.” seemed to prove to them that their people are that upset about the way Near the end of the campaign came candidate was an upright man who the state is being run, is it good govern- the Los Angeles Times’s investigation threatened the establishment; the prob- ment to deny them a political voice for into six women’s allegations that lem wasn’t Arnold, it was the press. that anger for three more years?

52 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 California Recall

Serious journalists should have simi- ism to cover. cal establishment, rather than dismiss lar ambivalence about what happened But the fact remains that a signifi- this new political force as crazies who and what they’re going to do about it. cant segment of the public believes— just aren’t like us. ■ Yes, Schwarzenegger’s image ran to a moral certainty—that mainstream roughshod over nuanced and critical media work from an agenda of actively Jim Bettinger is director of Stanford coverage in this election. Yes, this was promoting liberal political goals and University’s John S. Knight Fellow- the clichéd “perfect storm” of an un- that they work in tandem with the ships for Professional Journalists popular governor, an international traditional political system. As journal- and a former newspaper editor. icon, and a short campaign. And yes, ists, we need to figure out ways to rabid dogs and shouting are exactly connect with these angry voters and [email protected] not what many of us got into journal- disentangle ourselves from the politi-

Campaign Coverage Without the Candidates A Sacramento Bee reporter and photographer discover the anger of California’s voters.

By Marjie Lundstrom

he assignment was straightforward enough: Talk to people. TTalk to people everywhere about California’s historic recall election. Not the pundits. Not the professors. Cer- tainly not the politicians. Just “go find people,” hear them out, and take their pictures—an extended man/woman- on-the-street assignment, with “the street” being the 156,000-square-mile state of California. So off we went. Beginning in early August, photographer José Luis Villegas and I steered away from the campaign trails—not once, in nine weeks of travel, did we cross paths with another journalist—probing the touchy question with voters of whether to throw Demo- crat Governor Gray Davis out of office and who, if it came to that, should Margaret Gillhan of Pelican Bay, California, where a maximum-security prison is lo- replace him. cated, voiced anger about what happened with the town during Davis’s governorship. As We talked to fishermen and farmers, Gillhan said, “This used to be a quiet little town,” but it has experienced “teenage bankers and beauticians, social work- troubles” from the children of the inmates’ families. Photo by José Luis Villegas/The ers and software execs. We met a Sacramento Bee. woman chain-saw sculptor who turned redwood burls into art and a wise- cracking small-town barber with a 99- Everyone, it seems, had an opinion. take long to uncover the essential truth year-old barber chair that came from a Unlike other news stories, whose spe- about this election: Voters were brothel. We met a disabled man living cifics often elude large numbers of steamed. The anger was palpable. There in a squalid shack in the Central Valley people, this story was as consuming to were the usual gripes—the budget defi- and a retired investment banker in San Californians as the O.J. Simpson trial cit, the tripling of the vehicle tax, the Francisco’s Pacific Heights with a mil- had been nearly a decade earlier. controversial granting of driver’s li- lion-dollar view. For all our diverse travels, it didn’t censes to illegal immigrants. But after

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 53 Journalist’s Trade

that it got personal, with Davis at the core of a laundry list of grievances. One mother held Davis directly responsible for her seven-year-old daughter’s special education class being cut. A community college student blamed him for her rising fees and inability to enroll in a chemistry class. A souvenir shop manager in Hollywood was ticked off about her lack of park- ing. On and on the list grew, but to each problem the proposed remedy was the same: Throw the rascal out. If recall backers were making Davis out to be the villain, to opponents of the recall, he remained almost an ab- straction. In rural areas and in cities, even diehard recall opponents were loath to say they actually supported the governor. Instead they expressed philo- Rosemary Dominguez, with her two-year-old daughter Vanessa, intended to vote for the sophical objections to the recall—its recall of Governor Gray Davis and for Cruz Bustamante for governor. Photo by José Luis expense, the Republican’s “power Villegas/The Sacramento Bee. grab,” the futility of leadership change, but would just as quickly add: “Not that I like Davis.” lenge seemed to be how to make the sketched out our targets before we left Hearing this chorus of complaint pieces unique and not repetitious—to home. began to pose a journalistic challenge: avoid the coffee-shop peril. All too of- There was Placer County in the Sac- to report what we were hearing might ten, it seems, journalists take the easy ramento region, for instance, a Repub- make it seem we were stacking the route on these kinds of assignments, lican stronghold that had collected the deck. So we looked harder for Davis blowing into a community, locating highest percentage of recall signatures supporters to provide some balance, the town “hang-out,” and quizzing a of any county in the state. Later, we but often came up short. We mixed up handful of patrons while discreetly would visit heavily Democrat San Fran- the story lineup, anticipating, for in- gathering colorful anecdotes about the cisco, the county that had returned the stance, that gay and lesbian voters in tablecloths and quaint wall hangings lowest percentage of recall signatures. San Francisco would likely voice strong to give each piece a sense of place. We traveled to remote Modoc County support for the governor, who had But this election, and this state, were on the Oregon and Nevada borders, supported them on key issues. Instead, far more complex than that. As the where median household income is when we talked with them, we encoun- nation’s most populous state, and the the lowest in the state. tered widespread ambivalence. Many third largest geographically, California And we spent time in Merced County said they weren’t terribly interested in is a place where diversity is measured in the San Joaquin Valley, where small the recall election. “San Francisco is a not just by race and ethnicity, but by dairy farms and lush orchards are giv- very colorful city. It’s hard to have a many other factors: socio-economics, ing way overnight to model homes and governor as flavorless as Gray Davis,” sexual orientation, language and cul- new Starbucks. As demographics have explained a lesbian attorney. ture, urban vs. rural, young and old, shifted throughout the Valley, Merced By early September, having logged newcomer vs. old-timer. remains one of the last counties where some 1,800 miles, one thing was obvi- To truly capture these wide-ranging Democrats still hold a slight edge over ous: Gray Davis was in trouble, big voices, and to distinguish the pieces, Republicans, though Republicans of- trouble. We didn’t have to say this—in we had to spurn the journalistic tradi- ten prove to be more reliable voters. story after story, the voters did. tion of the mom-and-pop café—of hit- These particular aspects about vari- ting the road and winging it. We had to ous locales helped frame the stories, Strategically Reporting on have a plan, a strategy for where we giving readers a fresh context for each Voters were going and why. With meticulous installment in the series. With Basofin’s front-end research by Bee librarian Pete help, the stories contained not only We knew none of this, of course, when Basofin, who crunched and re- colorful characters talking about the our reporting journey began in early crunched statewide data and rifled recall and what it meant to them, but August. Back then, the greatest chal- through dusty political annuals, we also plenty of rich detail about the

54 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 California Recall areas and their historical and political late, reasoned discussions about the significance. recall. Not all the pieces were defined by interesting demographics or political Moving Beyond Assumptions patterns. Some places were simply cho- sen as backdrops for specific subjects. The surfers went against stereotype— For instance, we wanted to talk with one of the biggest traps I believe jour- prison guards—one of Davis’s contro- nalists can fall into on these kinds of versial constituencies, as he upped their assignments. With limited time in un- pay during his leadership (then later known places, there is a tendency to tried to renege). For this we traveled to over-generalize—to make sweeping Crescent City near the Oregon border, conclusions about a whole region or home of the notorious Pelican Bay State group of people, based on a day or two Prison, where the maximum-security of interviewing. prison has not always enjoyed an easy As a 2001 Ethics Fellow at The marriage with the small coastal town. Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Meanwhile, women’s rights activ- Florida, I wrote a paper about what I ists, supportive of Davis, struggled to call “geographic bias,” an affliction suf- be heard over the clang-clang of voters’ fered most commonly by national re- fiscal alarm. For this perspective, we porters. The journalists, who parachute went to Fresno County in the Central into strange places at a moment’s no- Valley, where teen birth rates are the tice, routinely try to help readers and highest in the state—and actually cost viewers get oriented with scene-set- Jewell Charles blamed California Gover- taxpayers the most money. We used ting or contextual stories—a worthy nor Gray Davis and the U.S. Government San Diego as the backdrop for a talk- goal, except when the work ends up for the state of the economy. Photo by José radio story, focusing on conservative being one-dimensional or even twisted. Luis Villegas/The Sacramento Bee. talk-show host and former mayor, Roger Rural areas are the most suscep- Hedgecock, an early recall supporter tible, probably because they are the who whipped up local voters with most foreign to urban journalists— Never mind that Iowa’s political deci- “drive-by” petition signings. And just and seem so quaint and simple to the sions are driven by its urban areas. for fun, we hit San Diego’s popular untrained eye. As a native Nebraskan, I Never mind that Des Moines is one of Tourmaline Surfing Park, where aging cringe every four years during the presi- the world’s busiest insurance centers. surfers defied the loopy, checked-out dential caucuses in Iowa and the pre- Do we ever see Iowa people in suits dude image and plunged into articu- dictable romps around farm country. and ties? Instead, we are constantly treated to footage of folksy farmers and rippling ripe cornfields, despite the fact that a cornfield in Iowa in January is nothing more than frozen stubble. Where there is “geographic bias” by journalists, stereotypes abound. In rural areas, for instance, the regulars at the local steakhouse suddenly become the voice for the whole community or even state. The images from the bar- bershop or bingo parlor are portrayed as the sum of life here. On our travels, José and I vowed to avoid that trap and developed a mantra to keep us grounded: “It is what it is,” we said over and over. At first, it was a response to weariness as we crawled inside the car after another long day of stalking and stopping strangers or getting chased by farm dogs. But I think over time it reminded us not to over- Dara Morehouse, dressed like Marilyn Monroe and pulling a wagon, takes flyers to reach—not to even try to write the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Photo by José Luis Villegas/The Sacramento Bee. “definitive” piece about an area after

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 55 Journalist’s Trade

only spending a day or two in it. Yet it soaking up the buzz behind the cash Marjie Lundstrom is a senior editor, was our journalistic instinct to try and register and knew Davis was done-for. columnist and writing coach for The say something profound, to extract It was Maryanne, a waitress at a Los Sacramento Bee, where she has also some deeper meaning in every story, Banos lunch counter, who blamed been city editor, metro editor, and but the reality and time limitations of Davis for her customers’ inability to assistant managing editor/metro. In the assignment dictated otherwise. pay for a decent breakfast. And it was 1991, while a national correspon- It was what it was. Edwin, a Fresno State college student dent with Gannett News Service, she And it was important. People in Cali- mad about rising tuition and enam- won the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for fornia had a lot to say about this elec- ored with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s national reporting for a tion, and their voices added immeasur- “celebrity appeal.” groundbreaking series of stories ably to the overall coverage. Because in These voices mattered most because revealing how child-abuse deaths the end, it wasn’t the political experts they’re the ones who decided October went undetected because of mistakes or talking heads who decided Davis’s 7—all 8,984,057 of them. by medical examiners and coroners. fate. It was Rose at the General Store in The people had spoken. It was a Likely (population 200), who had been privilege to listen. ■ [email protected]

Celebrity Transforms Political Coverage The Schwarzenegger campaign capitalized ‘on his celebrity to make ordinary journalism so marginally relevant to the outcome ….’

By Dan Walters

e’d been there before—re- but one that altered everything we had to be equally vapid, focused more on porting on some rich guy assumed about what it took to run and process and inside baseball than sub- Wwithout political experience win in the nation’s most populous state. stance. Rather, I found it rather fasci- running for governor of California, Most of all—at least for those of us in nating that Schwarzenegger and his pretending to know something about the political scribbling trade—it altered advisers—political pros, all—could the intricacies of state government the meaning of “political media,” ex- capitalize on his celebrity to make ordi- based on what highly paid advisers panding it to include everything from nary journalism so marginally relevant were telling him and being subjected Internet bloggers to “Entertainment to the outcome, to go around us scrib- to withering journalistic scrutiny. This Tonight” and Oprah Winfrey’s daytime blers, and to convey his message of happened in 1998 when airline tycoon talk show. Schwarzenegger expanded saving California so effectively. Al Checchi garnered the nickname the term so much, in fact, that it almost Just as John F. Kennedy and then “Checkbook Checchi” for lavishing tens excluded those of us who actually cover Ronald Reagan redefined political com- of millions of dollars on running for and write about politics for California munications by using television so governor and losing to a colorless ca- newspapers. adroitly, the recall campaign against reer pol named Gray Davis in the Demo- Davis and Schwarzenegger’s campaign cratic primary. Transforming Political to succeed him might have created But this time, the rich guy was also Reporting another paradigm shift, if one may use one of the world’s most famous actors, an overused term. “A presidential cam- who had conquered bodybuilding and This is not resentment speaking. I don’t paign was happening inside the bor- motion pictures and now wanted to claim any divine right to exclusive ac- ders of California,” Schwarzenegger take his muscular physique and thick cess to politicians or to act as judge and adviser Don Sipple said in a post-elec- Austrian accent to Sacramento. Arnold jury of their qualifications, although tion conclave at the University of Cali- Schwarzenegger’s dramatic entry into some of my brethren act as if they have fornia, Berkeley. “It was about sym- the recall election directed at Davis— such a heavenly charter. I’ve always bolic message and messenger.” he announced it on Jay Leno’s late- found the pre-election part of poli- Any doubts about Schwarzenegger’s night television show after hinting that tics—campaigns, conventions, debates, new definition of political media should he had decided not to run—was not etc.—to be mostly boring and irrel- have been dispelled not only by his use only the political event of the decade, evant anyway and the media coverage of the Leno show to make his announce-

56 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 California Recall ment but by his first major news con- the frenzy is this: One day I got a call tinue after Schwarzenegger takes of- ference, staged at a hotel near Los from a field producer for a television fice. It will, for awhile. Los Angeles and Angeles International Airport on Au- crew from Jakarta, Indonesia, that had San Francisco TV stations might even gust 20th, two weeks after his Leno been dispatched to California to cover reopen the bureaus they shuttered in appearance. Schwarzenegger convened the recall—or more accurately, the the 1980’s after concluding that poli- a meeting of his economic advisory Schwarzenegger phenomenon simply tics is less interesting than freeway panel and then emerged with former because the actor is so famous in that chases. But as the Schwarzenegger Secretary of State George Schultz and country. And they weren’t alone. I had governorship begins, those of us in the billionaire Warren Buffett to answer calls, or interview requests, from pub- real political media will also have our questions. More than 30 television lications and broadcast outlets in a shot, because the nuts and bolts of crews and dozens of print reporters number of nations, including Austria, governance are far more complicated from around the world showed up— of course, Switzerland, Australia and and treacherous than selling a simplis- easily a record for any political event in Canada. I practically took up residence tic campaign message. California—and Schwarzenegger at PacSat, a Sacramento television stu- The reporters who covered the re- handled it all with aplomb. dio that specializes in interviews for TV call campaign for most of the larger Tellingly and perhaps fittingly, the network and cable talk shows. PacSat California papers (the Bee being a no- final question of the 40-minute session was running about a dozen journalists table exception) tended to be pure came from a carefully coifed “reporter” and politicians through its system each political reporters who specialize in for “Entertainment Tonight” who day and making a lot of money in the campaigns—and often know little wanted to know, breathlessly, what process. about, and usually ignore, the intrica- exalted role Schwarzenegger pal Rob The last gasp of the old political cies of government as they obsess on Lowe would play in his campaign. “He’s media in this campaign was a lengthy polls, television ads, and other forms a very good friend of mine,” article in the Los Angeles Times, pub- of political minutiae. But once Schwarzenegger replied coolly. lished five days before the October 7th Schwarzenegger takes office, he will It was a taste of the media feeding election, that alleged a pattern of sexual face the Capitol’s resident press corps, frenzy that would continue for two harassment by Schwarzenegger di- some of whose members have been months, until Schwarzenegger was in- rected at women in and around his tracking legislation and administrative troduced by Leno in a hotel ballroom movie productions. policy for decades, and he will have a on election night to claim victory. Later In the Times’s article, much more difficult time blowing academic studies were to demonstrate Schwarzenegger’s campaign spokes- smoke on the budget and other issues. that Schwarzenegger, by the sheer man suggested the charges were politi- Gray Davis could tell him about that. power of his celebrity, claimed so much cally motivated and untrue. But on the After all, it was the Capitol press corps’ attention that neither Davis nor any of day the story appeared, the candidate intense and critical news coverage of Schwarzenegger’s hapless oppo- acknowledged that he had behaved his actions as governor that sent Davis’s nents—there were 135 names on the badly toward women in the past and approval ratings on a tailspin from 60- ballot—could gain more than token apologized for it. Private polls showed plus percent to just over 20 percent attention. Just one Schwarzenegger that Schwarzenegger’s standing took a and set the stage for the public appearance a day was enough to serious hit for a day or two, but quickly Schwarzenegger phenomenon. He’s dominate television coverage. When rebounded as Republicans and pro- coming into our domain now, and we the first major debate of the campaign Schwarzenegger radio talk show hosts won’t tolerate campaign-style was staged and Schwarzenegger re- denounced the Times. Schwarzenegger sloganeering as a substitute for sub- fused to attend, most of the coverage won the election going away, with stantive action on the budget and other was devoted to that, rather than what nearly 50 percent of the vote despite critical issues. ■ the participants had to say. And when the huge field of candidates, and Davis he did attend one debate, it garnered was recalled by a wide margin. Dan Walters has been The Sacra- the largest television audience of any In retrospect, the Times did mento Bee’s political columnist California-only political event in his- Schwarzenegger a favor, however in- since 1984. In 1981, while at The tory. His adequate, if not inspiring, advertently. Had the charges surfaced Sacramento Union’s Capitol bureau, performance in that debate sent his earlier, especially before the one de- he began writing the only daily numbers up dramatically and those of bate in which he participated, they newspaper column devoted to incumbent Davis into the tank. “He might have done more damage. And if California’s political, economic and sucked all the oxygen out of the air,” they had been published after the elec- social events. His column now ap- admiringly observed the manager of a tion, they could have seriously dam- pears in 50 California newspapers. rival campaign during the Berkeley aged his governorship. postmortem. The question now, of course, is [email protected] My favorite personal anecdote about whether the media frenzy will con-

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 57 Journalist’s Trade Scuttlebutt and Speculation Fill a Political Weblog A newspaper columnist’s blog becomes a must-read on the campaign trail.

By Daniel Weintraub

fter 20 years writing about poli- Breaking News on My Blog analyze on my blog 18 hours or more tics and public policy to some before they would appear in the print Alocal note but no national ac- I was breaking new ground by combin- version of our newspaper. When I be- claim, I managed to become almost ing full-time journalism as a three-times- gan the blog in early April, it was read famous this year—by dispensing specu- a-week columnist for The Sacramento by a few hundred people each day, lation and instant analysis on the Bee and a full-time blog that I updated mainly Capitol staff, lobbyists, political Internet and punditry on cable televi- constantly from anywhere I had access consultants, and colleagues in the press sion. to the Internet—from my desk, home, corps. By the end of the campaign, the I owe it all to the California recall campaign bus, and other unpredict- blog was getting nearly 20,000 page and to my Weblog. able locations. When I wrote for the views a day. When I started the Weblog—known California Insider, I commented on the Some readers told me they would as the California Insider—I had no idea news and broke some, too. check the site eight or 10 times a day to that the attempt to remove Governor It was a perfect marriage of medium see if anything was breaking on the Gray Davis from office would take root and message. The recall was a fast- story. Those readers included people and evolve into the biggest political moving story from the start, first with from all over the world and many edi- story of the year. Or that the Internet the signature count and then the watch tors in newsrooms from Los Angeles to genre known commonly as the blog to see which candidates would file to New York. One day, late in the cam- would come to play such a prominent run. The final, 60-day sprint to Election paign when I was riding on the Arnold role in the coverage. Day was filled with unexpected twists Schwarzenegger bus tour, a reporter For the uninitiated, a blog is an and turns that I could report and then for another paper approached me after online journal of usually his editor had read an item I’d short, spontaneous items posted a few minutes earlier, updated frequently as called him, and asked him to events develop. Many check it out. blogs are personal diaries Ironically, the success of the read only by the author’s blog was based on skills I’d long family and close friends. shunned as a journalist. In my 20 Even the more prominent years as a beat reporter, I hated bloggers are usually daily news, or at least the kind nonjournalists who link to generated by politicians, which printed stories and cri- so often seemed artificial and tique them on their own often self-serving. Rather than time. Others are created staffing press conferences and and updated by college sitting through staged commit- professors or experts in tee hearings, I preferred enter- their fields. prise stories and analysis. Now I Blogs, then, represent found myself with a self-imposed a democratization of jour- deadline every minute, and I was nalism, or at least opinion filing items based not just on my journalism, because they reporting but also on press re- allow anybody, just about leases, campaign commercials, anywhere, to publish fundraising reports, and other themselves and gain read- routine developments. ers in relation to their tal- While as a columnist I prefer ent, their relevance and, policy to politics, my blog was ultimately, their accuracy, filled with political scuttlebutt regardless of their creden- and speculation, the latest polls tials. and observations on who was up

58 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 California Recall and who was down. Naturally, TV loved Schwarzenegger saying the actor had to governing has begun, I’ve returned it. I was soon in demand as a guest decided not to run and would be hold- to the pace I intended all along: I post pundit for all three major cable televi- ing a press conference to announce his a few items a day, some tidbits but sion networks, and halfway through decision. As it turned out, the press mostly analysis. Readers tell me they the campaign I signed on as an exclu- conference was postponed and ulti- are having withdrawal pains. But there sive analyst with MSNBC. I was be- mately canceled and Schwarzenegger, is simply no way to keep up the pace of mused if not surprised that family and of course, did enter the race. Such are the campaign and also publish three friends who had rarely if ever read one the hazards of reporting the news print columns a week and still find of my 850-word columns on state policy minute-by-minute as it develops. time to eat and sleep. were thrilled to see me on television I also became somewhat notorious The electronic media have also re- offering my latest sound bites on the after I posted a sharply worded com- treated. When, the day after the elec- recall race. mentary critical of Lt. Governor Cruz tion, they packed their bags and headed Even if I was going against my in- Bustamante, the major Democrat in for the Kobe Bryant trial in Colorado or stincts, I found that the blog helped the race. Protests from the newsroom the presidential campaign trail in Iowa, improve my column. The constant writ- led to a decision to have an editor pre- they also stopped calling for instant ing loosened up my style and made me clear my items. Before then, I’d posted analysis. My teenage son noted my ab- always ready to write whenever I sat directly to the Web with a simulta- sence from the tube and asked with all down to craft my newspaper pieces. neous copy sent to my line editor. the sincerity a 14-year-old can muster: The increased feedback from readers When the paper’s ombudsman revealed “What happened, did your 15 days of also helped, especially tips and analy- this change in policy, it caused an up- fame run out?” sis that flowed in as people responded roar in the “blogosphere” among my I guess so. But the blog, and the to my posts. I also was able to use the new colleagues who believe that column that begat it, continue. ■ Web site as a public drafting board, blogging and editing are incompatible posting segments that would grow into because the craft is supposed to be Daniel Weintraub opines on Califor- columns over a few days’ time. spontaneous and unfiltered, then re- nia politics for the editorial pages of vised as readers jump in for a sort of The Sacramento Bee. His Weblog and The Blog and the Newspaper interactive story session. Someone even column archive are at started a “free Dan Weintraub” move- www.sacbee.com/insider I did stumble along the way. My ment. newfound thirst for reporting break- By Election Day, I was liberated, but [email protected] ing developments led me to post an not from my editors. Now that the item from a source close to campaign has ended and the transition Lights, Camera, Recall Television news coverage could not get past a candidate’s star power.

By Cecilia Alvear and George Lewis

he California recall was a mix- embattled Governor Gray Davis, and a ment to Schwarzenegger’s interna- ture of historical event, high handful of other so-called “serious” tional prominence as a movie actor. Tdrama, and showbiz. In the be- candidates. But it was Schwarzenegger, In keeping with Schwarzenegger’s ginning, it was covered as a farce, with with his superstar aura, who domi- status as a former Mr. Universe, 135 candidates in the field. The first nated the story. Ironman Magazine was also present. week of stories profiled Larry Flynt, the His first news conference was an Teagan Clive, the Ironman correspon- self-styled “smut peddler with a heart,” event attended by 160 journalists from dent, granted numerous interviews to porn star Mary Carey, and former child around the world, representing out- her colleagues in the room, telling the actor Gary Coleman in pieces that rein- lets ranging from The New York Times Pasadena Star-News “Arnold is the forced every East Coast stereotype of to Variety, from the broadcast and cable modern day king” and adding, “He is California as a land of whackos. Then news outlets to the celeb-news shows strong, and he shoots from the hip.” Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his “Entertainment Tonight” and “Access The news conference offered a pre- candidacy on the “The Tonight Show Hollywood.” There was a huge contin- view of the campaign to follow: long with Jay Leno,” and from that moment gent of foreign journalists from Eu- on star power and short on substance. on the media focus narrowed to him, rope, Asia and Latin America, a testa- The candidate’s refusal to get into spe-

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 59 Journalist’s Trade

cifics prompted a question from an the state listening to the voters. So the longtime Ronald Reagan aide Michael NBC News’ producer about exactly campaign organized numerous “Ask Deaver, the man who raised the photo what cuts he would make in California’s Arnold” events, billed as town hall opportunity to an art form. Deaver’s budget to ease the state’s fiscal crisis. meetings with average Californians, theory: In an age in which most people “The public doesn’t care about fig- where citizens could question the can- get their news from television, show- ures,” he responded, prompting some didate. In reality, the participants were case your candidate in the most visu- pundits to criticize his lack of specifics handpicked by the campaign. The ally glorious setting possible, the leader while others called it a smart ploy to invitees mostly served up softball ques- surrounded by adoring citizens. Then avoid getting mired in a debate about tions that Schwarzenegger easily fielded no matter what the reporters say about financial issues. And so it would go with canned answers culled from his him, what sticks in viewers’ minds are throughout the campaign—a campaign standard stump speech. those triumphant pictures. that more resembled a Hollywood pro- At one of the “Ask Arnold” events in From the beginning, the Schwarzen- motional movie junket than a tradi- East Los Angeles, a group of political egger camp had to deal with allega- tional political contest. activists, including one of the icons of tions of his misbehavior toward women, the farm labor movement, Dolores something even he acknowledged The Candidate and Huerta, gathered outside, protesting when he announced his candidacy on Questioners Schwarzenegger’s promise to repeal “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” legislation granting driver’s licenses to Demonstrators from women’s groups In the early days, Schwarzenegger was illegal immigrants. When several of the would routinely show up at his cam- often not available to answer questions camera crews inside headed for the paign events as early polls showed from the press. There were the quickie door to photograph the protest, women had doubts about him. interviews with local TV anchors—10 Schwarzenegger’s press aides warned Schwarzenegger countered those at- minutes maximum, hard questions at a them that if they left, they would not be tacks with the help of his wife, “Date- minimum. He also took time for inter- readmitted to the event. line NBC” correspondent and anchor views on conservative talk radio shows Schwarzenegger’s training as a body- Maria Shriver, on leave from her job. where the hosts had already endorsed builder and actor—as someone accus- They went on “The Oprah Winfrey his candidacy, while the traditional tomed to the limelight—served him Show,” a show with an 80 percent political press was kept at arm’s length. well during the campaign. As he was female audience. Shriver talked about At one point, an NBC News’ pro- walking through a crowd of college the warm and fuzzy details of their ducer observed Schwarzenegger and students at California State University, private life, such as his habit of bring- his handlers conferring before a press Long Beach, somebody threw eggs at ing her coffee in the morning. Almost conference. The aides were pointing him. The pool TV camera was right in overnight, Schwarzenegger’s gender out the reporters who were consid- front of Schwarzenegger at that mo- gap in public opinion polls melted ered “friendly” and “unfriendly” and ment, and the footage showed that away. advising him to ignore questions from rather than flinching, he just kept smil- Then, late in the campaign, the Los the “unfriendlies.” ing and pressing the flesh as he plowed Angeles Times published its exposé One friendly reporter Schwarzen- through the crowd, eventually pulling about Schwarzenegger’s alleged grop- egger would always call on was Bar- off his egg-stained jacket. ing of several women. The charges ex- bara Gasser, the correspondent for the While police and security people ploded throughout the media, but they Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung. She were alarmed by the incident, didn’t seem to sway Californians. Polls would ask him questions such as, “Will Schwarzenegger later laughed it off by showed that they had made up their you establish an office of physical fit- saying of the egg-thrower: “This guy minds early in the campaign to vote for ness in California?,” or “How did you owes me bacon now. This is all part of the recall and elect Schwarzenegger. celebrate the 20th anniversary of your free speech. I think it’s great.” At the end of the campaign, U.S. citizenship?,” probing queries that Most of the images of candidate Schwarzenegger thanked us for “all made some of the hard-nosed political Schwarzenegger were flattering ones those wonderful pictures”—images reporters roll their eyes. Eventually the arranged by his staff. Arnold on the that his people arranged and that we Schwarzenegger campaign anointed steps of the California State Capitol, repeatedly broadcast to millions of her with a role similar to the one Helen broom in hand, promising to make a viewers. From Schwarzenegger’s stand- Thomas used to play at presidential clean sweep of state government. The point, all the free television exposure press conferences. Gasser got to say, gigantic smiling Arnold picture plas- was a boon to his campaign. Often “Thank you, Mr. Schwarzenegger” to tered on the side of his campaign bus, there were so many cameras present at end his question-and-answer sessions befitting a rock star on tour. Arnold his events that the TV crews were trip- with the press. surrounded by soccer moms and ping over one another repeatedly. “I will be the people’s governor,” schoolteachers holding up signs read- And no matter how hard we tried to Schwarzenegger often proclaimed, ing, “Remarkable Women Join Arnold.” put the pictures of those events into adding that he would go up and down It was straight out of the playbook of context, the image of the smiling su-

60 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 California Recall perstar candidate was more powerful stories or read newspaper articles about inauguration at the state Capitol and than the words. For those of us work- whether the candidate was short on now, in what some see as a positive ing in television news, this triumph of answers to the state’s fiscal crisis or impact of “the Schwarzenegger effect,” the visual is always a source of frustra- whether he misbehaved around local stations that closed their Sacra- tion when we’re up against politicians women. As reporters, when we did try mento bureaus during the 1980’s are and others skilled at manipulating the to focus on issues, we felt as though we reopening them as Governor medium. When we’d try to write were doing such pieces for one an- Schwarzenegger takes over. The show thoughtful words about the issues other, because the general public had must go on. ■ raised in the campaign, it often felt like all but tuned out when it came to that those words were drowned out by the kind of news coverage. Even so, we felt Cecilia Alvear, a 1989 Nieman Fel- hoopla. His campaign anthem, “We’re obligated to pursue the truth and tried low, is an NBC News producer. Not Gonna Take It” reflected the angry not to allow our frustrations to poison George Lewis is an NBC News corre- mood of voters who wanted change in the fairness or integrity of our report- spondent. Both covered the Califor- Sacramento and looked at ing. nia recall election full time. Schwarzenegger as the action hero who Schwarzenegger’s star power is now was going to deliver that change. influencing how television covers state [email protected] In the end, it was clear that the politics in California. An unprecedented voters didn’t want to see television number of media outlets covered his

WATCHDOG Tracking Money in the California Recall Election ‘Newspapers miss a major element of campaign coverage if they give short shrift to campaign money.’

By Dan Morain

alifornia’s first recall of a sitting campaign finance expert at the Univer- must answer to the voting public about governor was a populist upris- sity of California, San Diego, “You can their tactics, operators of independent Cing of historic proportions, an have a popular revolt—if you can find campaigns are all but unfettered. end to politics as usual, and a purging ten’s of millions of dollars.” “No matter what campaign finance of political insiders. Or so it was said. The million-dollar-a-day-campaign scheme you come up with, money is Campaign donors must not have been underscored several truths about always going to play a role,” said Sacra- told. money in politics. Six- and seven-fig- mento lobbyist Scott Lay, who created In a campaign that lasted 77 days ure checks were common even though a Web page to track money raised for and ousted Governor Gray Davis, the the recall was the first statewide cam- the recall. “Moneyed interests will find candidates who vied to replace him, paign in California in which there were a way to speak out.” political parties, and moneyed inter- contribution restrictions. Proposition ests operating independent campaigns 34, drafted by legislators and approved Reporting on the Money for and against the candidates, raised by the state’s voters in 2000, purport- and spent between $75 million and edly barred individual donors from giv- Here’s another truth: Newspapers miss $80 million. All the major interests ing more than $21,200 to a single can- a major element of campaign coverage chipped in: businesses, lawyers, didate. if they give short shrift to campaign unions, wealthy political patrons, In- As quickly became apparent, how- money. My editors at the Los Angeles dian tribes that own casinos, and more. ever, money seeps in, while laws limit- Times assigned veteran reporter Jeff The recall was supposed to be differ- ing donations can make money more Rabin, Joel Rubin and me, plus re- ent. It wasn’t. Money was a defining difficult for the public and press to searcher Maloy Moore and editor Linda issue, like it is in all campaigns. track. Additionally, if moneyed inter- Rogers, to track fundraising and spend- “This is business as usual, as far as I ests are restricted from giving large ing in the recall. Rabin has focused on can tell,” Democratic campaign con- sums directly to candidates, they can money in Los Angeles politics for years. sultant Bill Carrick told the Los Angeles form independent committees and I have covered money in politics as part Times after the election. Added politi- spend unlimited sums for and against of my assignments for the 10 years I cal science professor Gary Jacobson, a candidates. Unlike candidates who have been in the Times’s Capitol bu-

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 61 Journalist’s Trade

was particularly true in the 2002 election year. Newspapers reported that he offered to meet with students at the University of California, Berkeley, who donated $100, and that his administration authorized an oil refinery to dump dioxin in the San Francisco Bay after the refinery owner donated $70,500. The Times reported that he decided against regulating the dietary supplement, Ephedra, after a manufacturer gave him $150,000. After the San Fran- cisco Chronicle reported that Davis solicited a one million dollar donation from the California Teachers Associa- tion, the Times reported that Davis requested the money during a meeting in the governor’s Capitol office. Davis narrowly survived the 2002 re-election Governor Gray Davis addresses delegates at the California Democratic Party Convention against businessman Bill Simon, Jr. But with Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante (to Davis’s right, gesturing), also a candidate for tales of Davis’s fundraising exploits governor. Photo by Ciro Cesar/La Opinión. served to increase his vulnerability to the recall. “[Davis] has two ears and reau in Sacramento. about the donor’s employer and in- two eyes and knows that he was hurt in Money spent on presidential and dustry or interest, ranging from health the 2002 campaign by the perceptions congressional races attracts interest care, gambling, entertainment and tele- that he was a nonstop fundraiser,” from national media, campaign finance communications to labor and state Davis’s chief political adviser Garry reform advocates, and academic re- contractors. There were several sub- South said at a forum analyzing the searchers. But stakes are high in the classifications. Within labor, for ex- recall campaign, hosted by the Insti- states, as reflected by the findings of ample, there are state employee unions, tute of Governmental Studies at the The Institute on Money in State Poli- firefighter and police unions, building University of California, Berkeley. tics, based in Helena, Montana, which trades and others. counted $1.54 billion spent on cam- Using this accumulated data, my Tracking Campaign paigns for governor, lieutenant gover- colleagues and I could write about the Fundraising nor, and legislative candidates in 2002, number of donors from outside the up from $1.03 billion in 1998. state who gave to Davis and how many In California, retail politics is a quaint In California, the campaigns for leg- appointees on boards and commissions concept. Statewide candidates don’t islative seats and statewide offices rou- were donors and how much they con- hold barbecues or shake hands outside tinely cost a combined $200 million or tributed. This enabled me to report in factory gates. As a rule, local television more. Cumulative campaign spending the Times, with some authority, that 23 news provides little original campaign topped $500 million in 1998, when percent of Davis’s donations came from coverage. Statewide candidates gener- Californians elected Davis as governor organized labor. I could readily see ally seek to influence the 15.4 million and decided several high-priced ballot that $175,000 was contributed in 2003 registered voters by spending two mil- initiatives. There is, in short, no way to from the Mercury Insurance Group, lion dollars each week or so on televi- report fully on state government—or but it’s one thing to know that Mercury sion spots. The recall seemed differ- elections to it—without tracking the gave $175,000 to Davis this year and ent. News organizations—including flow of money. In many instances, $270,000 since 1999. It’s another thing local TV—showed intense interest, in money is at the confluence of politics to know that in 2003, Mercury spon- part because Arnold Schwarzenegger and policy. sored legislation beneficial to its busi- was running but also because there Starting in 1999, when Davis took ness, and Davis signed the bill before had never been a recall of a sitting office, I began building an Excel data- leaving office. Davis’s aides and Mer- California governor. base consisting of his donors. By the cury denied any connection between Given this level of media attention time he left office, the file contained their contribution and his signature. being paid to the campaign, political almost 12,000 entries. I could sort do- In his first term, as Davis was raising experts believed there would be less nors by name, city and state of resi- more than $70 million, fundraising need to raise large sums. From the dence, date of donation, and amount became a focus of much of the news start, they were wrong. Political gadfly given. The file includes information coverage of his administration. This Ted Costa proposed the recall last De-

62 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 California Recall cember, shortly after Davis narrowly • While Proposition 34 barred candi- during his first term. But in the recall, won reelection. Most experts doubt dates from loaning themselves more after the car tax was increased, their that Costa would have gathered the than $100,000, candidates could money flowed to Schwarzenegger. requisite 900,000 valid signatures of take out bank loans, so long as the Schwarzenegger promised to roll back registered voters to place the recall on terms were generally available to the car tax, thereby shaving the cost of the ballot without the infusion of two the public. Schwarzenegger used this new and used cars. Car dealers ac- million dollars by multimillionaire Rep- loophole to borrow $4.5 million, at counted for $500,000 in donations to resentative Darrell Issa (R-Calif.). Issa four percent interest. the new governor. Bert Boeckmann, paid petition circulators one dollar to who owns car dealerships that had $1.25 per signature and funded a di- Upon announcing his candidacy, donated to Davis in his first term, helped rect mail petition drive. Altogether, he Schwarzenegger portrayed himself as a arrange a fundraiser for Schwarzen- was responsible for 1.3 million of the political outsider who wanted to shake egger in the recall. Boeckmann told my 2.1 million signatures gathered in the up the establishment. He proclaimed reporting partner, Joel Rubin, that there drive, according to consultant David as he entered the race that he would were many reasons why car dealers Gilliard, who oversaw Issa’s petition accept no campaign contributions. He supported the new governor, but “the drive. Issa had planned to use the re- quickly withdrew that pledge, saying car tax was one of the issues that was call to launch his run to replace Davis, he wouldn’t raise money from “special very strong.” until Schwarzenegger muscled him interests,” which he defined as public Tracking money was an essential aside. employee unions and Indian tribes that part of covering the recall race or, in- During the recall, the public had own casinos. In both instances, he deed, any campaign. The flow of money more access to fundraising informa- would be in a position of negotiating in the recall likely affected the fate of at tion than in any past election. Califor- with them. “I take money from [the] least one major candidate, Lt. Gover- nia Secretary of State Kevin Shelley’s little grocery store, or the little shoe nor Cruz Bustamante. But reporting office expanded its Web site, making it store or the guy that owns the real on the influence of money on politics easier to search for donors and down- estate company or something like that,” shouldn’t end when the voting does. It load lists of contributors. Like Lay, the Schwarzenegger explained. “But most ought to be integral to government Sacramento lobbyist who knitted to- of my contributions, 90 percent of reporting in off years. Reporters may gether a Web site to track recall money, them, are just from regular people.” find that Internet disclosure of cam- California Common Cause set up a As it turned out, Schwarzenegger paign money will help, though the Web site allowing the public to con- led all other candidates in the money promise of Internet disclosure doesn’t duct more detailed searches. The Times race. He gave himself and borrowed yet match reality in many states. Groups and other papers published charts $10 million and raised $11.9 million such as the Institute on Money in State showing the amounts raised by each from outsiders. I have begun building Politics also can assist. major candidate. a new database on the new governor’s Reporters can make their own jobs But as the campaign took shape, contributors. It shows that much of easier by taking time to maintain an up- Proposition 34’s infirmities became Schwarzenegger’s money came from to-date and searchable database. To be apparent. The California Fair Political longtime Republican donors, many of sure, there’s not always a direct line Practices Commission, which interprets whom will have interests in legislation between donations and decisions. and enforces state campaign finance and decisions made by the governor Honest reporting on the doings in a law, carved some loopholes. Candi- and his administration. He took money state house or city hall should include dates found others: from farm interests, insurance compa- instances when politicians make deci- nies, the financial services industry and sions that appear to be in conflict with • There were no caps on donations to manufacturers, all of which have lob- the interest of their patrons. Still, in committees established to support byists in Sacramento. Real estate and almost any story about legislative and or oppose the recall, or on dona- development interests, which are af- administrative issues, a few paragraphs tions to and spending by indepen- fected by state environmental regula- describing the donations from the af- dent committees established to sup- tions and various fees, accounted for fected interests can provide added edge port or oppose candidates. 14 percent of the nearly 12 million he and give readers insight into the work- • The Proposition 34 provision restrict- raised. ings of their government. ■ ing donors to giving candidates no One of the hottest policy issues in more than $21,200 did not apply to the recall campaign involved the ve- Dan Morain is a staff writer for the the recall target, Davis. In his failed hicle license fee, also called the car tax. Los Angeles Times based in Sacra- attempt to beat the recall, Davis ac- After presiding over its decrease in mento. cepted at least 70 separate dona- 1999, Davis tripled the fee in an at- tions of more than $21,200; he re- tempt to help erase what was a $38 [email protected] ceived 46 separate donations of billion budget deficit. Car dealers had $100,000 or more. donated a combined $450,000 to Davis

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 63 Journalist’s Trade Covering the Recall for a Spanish-Speaking Audience The political editor of La Opinión found herself being interviewed by a lot of other reporters.

By Pilar Marrero

rom the beginning, minority com- the early 1990’s. Voter revolts haven’t voters, and older generation Latinos munities in California, which by come from the less affluent and ex- who’d never seen anything like this Fnow are the majority of the state’s panding minority communities where kind of political maelstrom and won- population, were not part of the move- economic downturns mean loss of jobs, dered how, in the end, this unique ment toward the governor’s recall elec- cuts in pay, closure of neighborhood election might affect them. As the cam- tion, the tremor that shook the Golden health clinics, and anti-immigrant ini- paigns got underway, they also won- State with a force reminiscent of peri- tiatives. They arise out of the anger of dered whether it would devolve into a odic movements of the San Andreas the mostly white middle class. circus or showcase democracy in ac- Fault. The decisions involved in the tion. What choices would they have as recall of Governor Gray Davis emerged Informing Potential Voters voters? from a small but dedicated group of Besides following the candidates, conservative activists and were later So it became our job, as journalists we struggled to explain what these fueled by the suburban voter who wor- from the state’s only Spanish daily news- campaigns were about. We dedicated a ries about raising taxes and the prolif- paper, not only to inform our commu- great part of our reporting resources to eration of benefits for those less fortu- nity about developments in this fast- civic journalism, which is often a strat- nate, including the largely faceless paced political story but also to try to egy used by newspapers that serve im- group referred to as “those illegal explain this odd election to our reader- migrant communities. By taking this aliens.” ship. Most of our readers had no knowl- approach, we are able to inform, ex- This pattern is in keeping with edge of the recall process. Is there plain, interpret and, at times, advocate Ronald Reagan’s election as governor relevant historic precedent? How will for the interests of our readership. In in the 1960’s, passage of the anti-tax the election work? What happens next? this election cycle, we found this harder Proposition 13 during the 1970’s, and Those who rely on us for news in- to do; even the experts often didn’t the voters imposition of term limits in clude a mix of recent immigrants, new know answers to our questions. To help bring the community in tune with the developing political dy- namic, we did some things we had tried during previous elections. We went out on the street and invited people to pose questions to candidates, which we used in our reporting on particular issues. We’d do articles explaining how the election would work—explaining what it is, its process and history. We encouraged political participation by letting our community members understand what was at stake for them in this election, pointing out the need to vote and reminding them of key dates for registering, re- questing absentee ballots, and other details related to voting.

Journalist as Spokesperson Former President Bill Clinton and Lt. Governor of California, Cruz Bustamante, greet crowds at the inauguration of a new school named after Clinton. Photo by J. Emilio In my job as political editor for La Flores/La Opinión. Opinión, I was pushed to do more than

64 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 California Recall just report, write, plan coverage, and edit—all of which I normally do each day given the smaller size of our paper. In addition to these roles, I became a source for other journalists, as more and more called to interview me. They were trying to better understand Latinos and to explain us, as Ameri- cans, to Spanish-speaking audiences throughout the world. Though this happens during every political campaign, the interviewing demands on me were especially intense during this election, and the time I spent doing them, of course, took away from my own reporting and editing hours. But I recognize that wearing this other hat—and becoming a source of news—is now part of my job. Other journalists want me to present the Latino perspective on news shows; of- Governor Gray Davis kisses his wife at a political rally. Photo by Ciro Cesar/La Opinión. ten I am asked to express the thoughts, feelings or trends in the Latino community, as if I can represent the With Arnold Schwarzenegger’s en- perspective on these issues. thoughts and feelings of this large and trance into the campaign, huge inter- diverse group. “What do Latinos think est developed worldwide about the The Immigrant Connection about this election?” I am asked repeat- political process in California. Along edly. Most of the time, such questions with other colleagues at the newspa- In California, the related topics of im- strike me as funny, because I’ve never per, I received interview requests from migration and demographic changes seen a colleague of the mainstream reporters in Latin America, Spain and find their way to the fore of nearly media being asked, “What do Anglos other countries in Europe, including every political debate, and this recall think about this?” the BBC’s world service in Spanish. My election proved to be no different. At While I understand that these re- ability to speak Spanish and English La Opinión, two major angles of cover- porters come to journalists like me and firsthand knowledge of the story age for our readers emerged early in because we are viewed as “experts,” I made me a valued source. the campaign: Lieutenant Governor often wish they would go out into the With these reporters I struggled to Cruz Bustamante, who became the communities themselves and find out explain that, in spite of the entertain- Democrat’s alternative candidate in the on their own about what issues the ment quality of the story and insistence recall of the governor of his own party, people care about and why. It makes by some that this was a circus, not a is the first Latino to be the gubernato- me realize that the lack of a strong serious election, this was a very seri- rial candidate of a major party in mod- Latino presence in newsrooms of most ous, legally sanctioned political event ern California history. And, in an effort mainstream publications presents a that would have real consequences for to win over Latino voters, Davis signed handicap to these news organizations. real people. controversial legislation favored by Still, I try to explain to these report- I was also invited to serve on the Latino activists and unions to provide ers what I know as best as I can. I look panel of journalists that conducted the undocumented immigrants with the at this as an opportunity to represent candidate’s first debate in San Jose, possibility of obtaining driver’s licenses. my newspaper in front of a different California. There I worked with other Bustamante’s campaign proved to and broader audience. And I use these political editors and reporters to pre- be lackluster, and his candidacy’s pur- platforms to try to foster understand- pare questions and topics for discus- pose was hard for people to under- ing about the political, social or eco- sion. As a Latina journalist, my per- stand because of his politically compli- nomic realities in the Latino commu- spective generated a few questions cated message of “No on the recall, Yes nity. What I find is that the mainstream about social and economic issues of on Bustamante.” With this campaign, population has very little understand- particular interest to the Spanish-speak- there turned out to be very little to ing—beyond its usual stereotypes—of ing community I serve. Because cover after an initial surge and a couple what certain groups of people are like Schwarzenegger did not show up for of good proposals. Instead, the dy- who live only blocks away from them. this debate, we were not able to get his namic of the campaign started to re-

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 65 Journalist’s Trade

volve around how Schwarzenegger economy turns against certain popula- ences to their coverage of these issues. would “terminate” Davis. tions. [The drivers license bill was re- There is no doubt that inflammatory The issue of permitting undocu- pealed in November.] immigrant issues, such as this one, will mented immigrants to get licenses is a Because La Opinión is a newspaper continue to be a large part of our politi- story we’re still covering. The bill, read by a Spanish-speaking audience, cal coverage during the months ahead signed by Governor Davis in early Sep- we will closely monitor what happens and probably into the presidential cam- tember, would benefit an estimated with these issues and do so more closely paign. In some ways, this is a legacy of one to two million people, but by be- than most mainstream publications. this odd political process we’ve just coming law it enraged a majority of the And the perspective of our coverage endured. In other ways, it is simply a state’s population, many of whom as- will also be different, since we will reminder that the more things change, sociate issues involved in immigration definitely look favorably on immigrants’ the more they remain the same. ■ with their concerns about terrorism rights. We know our readership and and porous boundaries. Right now, why they’ve come to this country. This Pilar Marrero is political editor and there are referendums and initiatives same perspective is found among the columnist for La Opinión newspaper under way that target the driver’s li- journalists who work for La Opinión. in Los Angeles, California. cense bill and other benefits for immi- The majority of them are immigrants, grants, as anger generated by a bad and they bring their own life experi- [email protected]

Wondering What a Political Story Is In this celebrity-driven election, a journalist questions her judgment about what should be reported.

By Ellen Ciurczak

hen it began to look like Cali- judgment. In retrospect, I let several the recall became official, Governor fornia Governor Gray Davis stories go untold that I believe might Davis announced he wanted those gam- Wmight lose his job, my reporter have served the public interest. ing tribes to contribute a percentage of friends told me I had it made. I had just their revenues to help reduce the state’s begun working as a freelance radio The Native American Gaming huge budget deficit. The tribes, which journalist, self-employed for the first Story had traditionally supported Davis, now time after 15 years of job security at saw an opportunity to throw their cam- successful commercial and public ra- About the same time that California’s paign contributions to a candidate who dio stations in San Francisco. I’d spent Secretary of State announced enough wouldn’t ask for their money, or at the past four years as one of the few signatures had been gathered to force least not so much of it. radio reporters covering politics at the a recall election, an organization called Two weeks after the race began, state Capitol in Sacramento. This “re- the Independent Native News in Alaska news organizations were reporting that call thing”—happening in my back- became one of my clients. The service Democratic contender Lieutenant Gov- yard—would surely mean a lot of busi- produces a daily five-minute radio pro- ernor Cruz Bustamante, who was trail- ness for me. gram focusing on news of interest to ing in the area of fundraising, had re- But that’s not what happened. In- Native Americans, and its stories run in ceived a $320,000 donation from a stead, I covered one major story—Na- states where there are high Native Southern California gambling tribe. tive American gaming campaign con- American populations, including Cali- Independent Native News asked me to tributions—and a few little ones. fornia. do a short report on this and, by the Because of my inexperience as a As it turned out, the managers at time I was done, I had broken a major freelancer, my uncertainty of how this Independent Native News helped me story. new role could work in the new cli- stumble onto a big story to tell. Califor- Looking for sources to comment on mate of political journalism, and what nia Indian tribes had become a signifi- the tribal donation, I called the Califor- I regarded as the extreme partisanship cant lobbying group ever since they nia Nations Indian Gaming Associa- and just plain silliness surrounding the negotiated gambling compacts with the tion, a lobbying group in Sacramento. recall, I began to mistrust my news state in 1999. But a few months before The public information officer sug-

66 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 California Recall gested I talk to Indian gaming consult- difficult for me to find stories to sell. my mouth closed until January,” he ant Michael Lombardi, who gave me Making independent judgments about said. I questioned him about tagging more information than I could have news coverage was new to me. Rather the measure “Arnold’s Law” and the hoped for. He told me that Bustamante than pitching ideas to my regular cli- likelihood the bill would be signed by was speaking to the gaming associa- ents and letting those editors decide if the governor, if it was Schwarzenegger. tion in three days to make his case for the stories were newsworthy or not, I I was surprised when he said he had tribal votes and that Davis and conser- became my own—very critical—edi- come up with the name in the heat of vative Republican candidate Tom tor. With Schwarzenegger in the race, anger and would consider changing it. McClintock would also appear. many of the stories focused on him But he also said, “If his Lombardi said candidate Arnold and, because of this, I found myself [Schwarzenegger’s] celebrity can help Schwarzenegger had also been invited, trying to impose some balance. The bring attention to what I think is up but had not yet responded. (He did not consequence: I ended up holding back until now an overlooked but very seri- attend.) And Lombardi made a bold on stories that perhaps I should have ous crime, I think all the better.” prediction—by the end of the week, suggested. Because I felt the partisan overtones Bustamante would have the biggest A story I covered, but ultimately were so strong, I decided not to pitch campaign war chest of all the candi- decided against offering to any news this story idea. As I look back now, I dates in the race. organization, was San Francisco Demo- wonder if the story was indeed worth I called back the association’s public cratic Assembly member Mark Leno’s reporting, precisely because of its par- information officer, who confirmed the announcement on October 5th, just tisan nature and Leno’s admissions. information she’d conveniently ne- two days before the election, that he I’ve talked with Assemblyman Leno glected to mention the first since the election. He says time. She told me, how- he’s still considering ever, the actual event It was also difficult to know how to sponsoring the legisla- would be closed to the report on Governor Davis’s official tion, but he will hold off press. I filed this story not for several months be- only for Independent Na- activities during the recall. cause he does not want its tive News, but also for importance to be diluted KCBS Radio, the all-news by those who might see it commercial station in San Francisco, was going to introduce a bill called as a political move against the new and for National Public Radio’s (NPR) “Arnold’s Law.” Leno held a confer- governor. newscast unit, which produces the ence call to discuss this. A reporter It was also difficult to know how to news that airs at the top and bottom of from The Sacramento Bee and I were report on Governor Davis’s official ac- each hour. the only two who asked any questions. tivities during the recall. Davis signed This was major news. Indian gaming (We appeared to be the only reporters many bills during the campaign and tribes were playing their biggest role even on the call.) Leno said allegations announced support for bills that had ever in an election in California. Candi- reported in the Los Angeles Times that not made it to his desk yet, something dates and the governor were coming to women who had worked with he’d steadfastly refused to do during them to make their case for votes. The Schwarzenegger had been groped by the previous five years of his adminis- next day, the only other news outlet the actor had convinced him the pen- tration. This, of course, garnered lots that published the information was the alty for fondling a woman in the work- of news coverage—in my mind, much San Francisco Chronicle, in its political place should be increased from a mis- more than he would normally get. news, talk and gossip column. As a demeanor to a felony. Leno said the When Davis announced support for freelancer, with especially limited ac- allegations had made him realize the a bill to give driver’s licenses to illegal cess to sources during those weeks, effect this kind of incident could have immigrants—one that was more lenient this felt like one of my better days. on female workers and their ability to than a similar measure he’d vetoed the As Lombardi predicted, five days later maintain their livelihood. year before—he was heavily criticized Bustamante received $2.5 million from When I asked Leno about the timing in the press—and by his political oppo- a Southern California Indian tribe, al- of his announcement, he admitted that nents—for pandering to the Hispanic most equaling the amount of money instead of waiting until the start of the vote. In an interview I did about the Schwarzenegger had contributed to his legislative session in January, he wanted recall campaign with an NPR station in campaign from his personal fortune. to publicize the measure now. “I won’t Boston, this issue was raised. I re- be disingenuous and tell you this isn’t sponded by mentioning another mea- Stories Not Told in the middle of a campaign, and I sure that in any other year the don’t have a political position on this, governor’s office would have dis- The remaining two months of the cam- but I think these are very serious crimes, patched with little fanfare and that I paign turned out to be much more and I would be the guilty party if I kept would not have reported. In this new

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 67 Journalist’s Trade

political climate, Davis’s office had put During the campaign, the California continued, as I was beginning to ques- out an enthusiastic press release cham- Republican Party leaned heavily on tion my news judgment and my politi- pioning his signature on what seemed McClintock to get out of the race so as cal savvy. But watching McClintock, another attempt to attract Latino vot- not to split the party’s vote with who like me spent most of the cam- ers. The bill allowed fried dough to be Schwarzenegger. He refused. He had paign on a solo mission, helped me to cooked on moveable food stands. The been a member of the state legislature gain some perspective. On Election headline of the Davis press release read, off and on since 1982, and since he had Night, after his concession speech, he “Governor Davis Signs Bill Permitting started to serve again in 1996 he’d was nearly knocked over by reporters Churros to Be Fried on Mobile Food steadfastly supported his fellow law- asking him about his plans. He said Facilities.” (A churro is a Mexican spe- makers in numerous conservative he’d given up any thought of running cialty, often sold at fairs, of fried dough causes. Despite this record, the Repub- for higher office again and would re- covered in cinnamon.) Davis was lican caucus in both the state senate turn to the state senate. As he said this, quoted in the release as saying “Churros and the state assembly announced they I was thinking about when he returned are popular in California. … And every- were endorsing Schwarzenegger. there and how he’d be working with one who has tasted one knows that After the announcement, I inter- colleagues who had abandoned him. freshly made churros taste better than viewed Assembly Republican leader His reply to the question about his warmed over ones.” Dave Cox. “I’m surprised that you future plans brought tears to my eyes. The recall election had come down would choose an inexperienced actor “I’m reminded of that old Scottish bal- to this: A governor’s power to give the over a member of your own legisla- lad,” he said. “I am wounded but not people hot churros. ture,” I said to him. slain, I will lay me down and bleed and “There comes a point in time when then live to fight again.” When a Reporter’s Feelings you have to look at more than just Now, as the campaign was ending, I Intrude legislative experience … you have to knew that I also had an internal fight of look at the ability to get things done, my own to wage. I’d need to learn to I also found myself watching some of and so it was a very difficult decision, trust my news judgment and be willing the worst partisan politics, hypocrisy but in the final analysis I believe that to endure the possible mockery by and grabs for power I’d ever seen while Arnold was the one who can and will editors of story ideas I put forward. covering state politics in California. defeat Gray Davis. Mr. McClintock’s And I’d need to invite colleagues into This stirred strong feelings in me, feel- numbers have not been rising as he my thinking process—editors and other ings that caused me to lose faith in my thought they would … and as I look at reporters—to create the kind of news- news judgment. It was during this time the numbers, the more important con- room environment I was now missing. that I began to greatly miss the daily sideration today is, can we win and can And in continuing to work on my own guidance of an editor and the conver- we win with whom?” as a reporter, I also needed to trust sations I used to have with my news- Cox’s admission shocked me. It more in my instincts and acknowledge room colleagues. My thoughts kept didn’t seem to matter to the Republi- my feelings. Now I know that all of this spinning round in my head, rather than can lawmakers if they had a governor goes into the mix of what I should being spewed out as part of the good- who’d worked with the legislature, share with editors so they can help me natured debate that happens among knew the key players, and understood report in a fair and contextual way the trusted colleagues. state government. They’d put their stories I see waiting to be told. ■ I reacted viscerally to what I saw weight behind an inexperienced but happening and became very disap- seemingly sure winner. I didn’t sug- Ellen Ciurczak is a freelance politi- pointed in how some of the politicians gest a story about this abandonment of cal journalist based in Sacramento, I’d come to know were acting. I was McClintock, but I should have. This California. She has worked as an dismayed by these feelings, and they seemed a calculation more about gain- anchor and reporter at KCBS-AM, the led me to think there were no stories ing power than serving the people of all-news commercial station in San worth reporting. I wondered if I was California. And the people of Califor- Francisco, and as the Sacramento seeing situations that I thought were nia might have wanted to know this. bureau chief for KQED-FM, a public unusual because I was naive and un- By the end of the campaign, I had radio station in San Francisco. duly surprised by the raw political cal- learned some things about myself. And culus that was so openly on display. In I learned them from the candidate I [email protected] addition, with one candidate in par- was most reluctant to report on be- ticular, Republican State Senator Tom cause I was identifying with him so McClintock, I began to feel compas- strongly. Even before the recall began, sion for his situation, and this caused I’d begun to question my decision to me to back away from doing reports on become a freelancer, to go it alone. I him at all. felt even more alone as the recall race

68 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Words & Reflections

War and Terror

As the Unites States’s military engagement continues in Iraq, dissent at home increases and news organizations wrestle with how to report on it, writes former CBS and NBC News correspondent, Marvin Kalb, now a senior fellow at the Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University. “The White House is determined to control the message,” he observes, “which means it must try to exercise more control over the messengers—a strategic goal that has been tested by many other administrations with results that have always left much to be desired.” An excerpt about the press and its coverage of dissent from a recent book Kalb coedited called “The Media and the War on Terrorism” accompanies his article. And from another book, “Terrorism, War, and the Press,” a collection of papers written by visiting fellows at the Joan Shorenstein Center, comes an excerpt from a 2003 paper by former Los Angeles Times’s Washington Bureau Chief Jack Nelson. In “U.S. Government Secrecy and the Current Crackdown on Leaks,” Nelson writes about a dialogue taking place among some of Washington’s top journalists and government senior intelligence officials “about the issue of protecting government secrets without infringing on the right to report on government.” In her job as a National Public Radio correspondent, Anne Garrels was one of the few American correspondents to remain in Baghdad and report to her radio audience as the Iraq War was being waged. Her account of this reporting experience has been published in a book, “Naked in Baghdad: The Iraq War as Seen by NRP’s Correspondent.” We are publishing excerpts from her book, which is written in diary style. In one entry, Garrels wonders about the value of a news organization “maintaining a presence at the cost of not reporting the whole truth,” and describes her reporting mission: “I am here to understand how the Iraqis see themselves, their government, and the world around them.” To publish an oral history of journalists’ wartime reporting, “Embedded: The Media at War in Iraq: An Oral History,” coeditors Bill Katovsky and Timothy Carlson sought out those who had covered the Iraq War and recorded their remembrances. As Katovsky writes about these interviews, “war correspondents spoke frankly—and subjectively—about their experiences.” In an accompanying excerpt from “Embedded,” New York Times’s chief foreign correspondent, John Burns, describes not only what it was like to report in Iraq during the war, but also during the difficult months preceding it. “Editors of great newspapers and small newspapers and editors of great television networks should exact from their correspondents the obligation for telling the truth about these places. It’s not impossible to tell the truth,” Burns observes. “I have a conviction about closed societies, that they’re actually much easier to report on than they seem, because every act of closure is itself revealing. Every lie tells you a truth.” In his book, “Embedded: Weapons of Mass Deception: How the Media Failed to Cover the War on Iraq,” Mediachannel.org founder Danny Schechter writes a posthumous letter to

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 69 former CBS news correspondent Edward R. Murrow, ruminating on what happened to the reportorial courage he personified in his coverage of Senator Joe McCarthy’s hearings during the early 1950’s. “Some things don’t change,” Schechter notes in his letter. “Media institutions remain citadels of conformity, conservatism and compromise. Courage is in short supply in our unbrave world of news because it is rarely encouraged or rewarded, especially if and when you deviate from the script.” Pulitizer Prize-winning photographer David Turnley spent time before and during the Iraq War working in the Gulf region for CNN as a correspondent, contributing to that network’s coverage a mix of video, photography and on-air reporting. He worked in Syria, Turkey and then in Iraq, transmitting his work daily to CNN in Atlanta. In a book, “Baghdad Blues: A War Diary,” Turnley weaves words and images together “to convey the immensely human story of life during the war in Iraq.” Photographs and an excerpt from his book appear on our pages. For 25 years, Margie Reedy has been a television anchor and reporter, most recently as the host of New England Cable News’s “NewsNight,” a news interview program. Early this year, as the Iraq War began, Reedy was a fellow at Harvard’s Shorenstein Center, working on a documentary film about cable news. How major cable news organizations covered the war became her focus. Reedy’s documentary tracks the approaches various cable networks took to their coverage and includes interviews with media observers about what implications there might be because of coverage decisions made during the war. Reedy notes that “there are profound implications for American television news if opinion—unidentified as such and masquerading as news—becomes the new paradigm for cable news or even the broadcast networks.” In “War Stories: Reporting in the Time of Conflict From Crimea to Iraq,” Harold Evans, former editor of The Sunday Times in London and former editorial director of the New York Daily News, U.S. News & World Report, and The Atlantic Monthly, explores the dangers and responsibilities that war correspondents assume and shows what about the job has changed and what has stayed the same through time. He also addresses some difficult questions about journalism and war: “Should a correspondent or the editor ever put truth second to his own country’s perceived national interests? What does history have to tell us about the consequences of evading the censor? … What public benefit is there—if any—in the firsthand picture of conflict, or does it amount to no more than voyeurism?” This fall the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) published an updated version of its guidebook to reporting on war and in other situations in which journalists’ lives might be threatened. Entitled “On Assignment: A Guide to Reporting in Dangerous Situations,” the information delves into a range of possible situations in which journalists find they need to report. Advice includes the warning that “journalists covering conflicts should never carry arms or travel with other journalists who carry weapons,” since doing so “jeopardizes a journalist’s status as a neutral observer and can make combatants view correspondents as legitimate military targets.” But as the CPJ guide points out, this advice comes at a time when some journalists are hiring armed guards to accompany them into dangerous territories. ■

70 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Words & Reflections Dissent: Public Opinion, Media Reaction Though dissent is a constitutionally protected right, to engage in it—sometimes even to report on it—is to risk having one’s patriotism questioned.

By Marvin Kalb

issent is so crucial to American his own wildest expectations. A tidal the administration’s problems. democracy that its spirit was wave of patriotism swept across the Critics who were very reluctant after Dwritten into the First Amend- land and much of the mood still re- September 11th to criticize the Presi- ment to the U.S. Constitution. After mains. It is everywhere and regarded dent, or his policy, for fear of seeming assuring citizens of certain other free- as a welcome relief from the dark skep- to be unpatriotic, have now emerged doms, such as the “free exercise” of ticism of the Vietnam era. During the from the woodwork, some with full- religion and “freedom of speech, or of seventh-inning stretch at a World Se- throated criticism of both. “What went the press,” the founding fathers were ries game, people rise in solemn unity wrong with the intelligence?,” they ask. very explicit about “the right of the and, with their right hands covering “Were we deliberately misled before people peaceably to assemble, and to their hearts and American flags flutter- the war about the extent of Iraq’s ‘weap- petition the government for a redress ing from poles, they sing “God Bless ons of mass destruction’?” “Was there of grievances.” America,” and they seem to enjoy every in fact an ‘imminent’ threat, as we had You may define dissent in many dif- cadence. Radio commercials extol the been told?” Simply put, “Were we lied ferent ways, often depending on virtues of giving your “extra” car to to?” whether it occurs in war or peace, but veterans who might need one, and you its essence has always been clear: get a tax deduction to add to the good Journalism and the Iraq War People in a democracy have an inalien- feeling of helping someone in uniform. able right to express their dissent, their Bridges are bedecked with flags; trucks The administration knows that the post- disagreement or disgust with a govern- and cars sport them on back bumpers. war reality of Iraq does not make for ment policy, and the government, in Not since World War II has there pleasant reading or viewing, and it response, cannot, or should not, take been such a warm rush of patriotism. does raise serious doubts about U.S. any step to curtail dissent, even if it is Yet not since World War II has dissent policy. In response, President Bush tempted to do so. President George seemed so problematic. It’s not that has led an administrationwide coun- H.W. Bush, aware of his terattack, playing on a limitations in this regard, widespread conservative once portrayed himself as The White House is determined to belief that the media, too “one man” in fierce battle control the message, which means it “liberal” in its orientation, with a horde of lobbyists cannot be trusted to tell on Capitol Hill objecting must try to exercise more control the truth. The President to an aspect of his Mid- over the messengers—a strategic goal proudly asserts that he east policy—they were, in that has been tested by many other doesn’t read newspapers, fact, “peaceably” assem- acknowledging that he bling and petitioning their administrations with results that have might occasionally glance government. The Presi- always left much to be desired. at a headline but “rarely” dent, taking advantage of reads the article. “The best his bully pulpit at the way to get the news,” he White House, was trying explained during a lengthy to paint the petitioners into an uncom- there hasn’t been dissent; in recent interview with Fox News, “is from ob- fortable corner of public opinion, as months, since the swift military victory jective sources. And the most objective though by disagreeing with his policy over Saddam Hussein’s brutal regime sources I have are people on my staff they were somehow engaging in an in Iraq, dissent has risen throughout who tell me what’s happening in the unpatriotic action. the land, as a wide range of problems world.” He wore a straight face while His son, President George W. Bush, unexpected in their breadth and depth making this outlandish comment. masterfully seized the tragic events of has erupted, leading to a slow but The President has been unhappy September 11th to rally the country in steadily corrosive effect on public sup- about news reports from Iraq that of- a global war against terrorism, and for port for the administration effort. The ten highlight the negative and rarely a time he succeeded, probably beyond daily casualty reports only compound accentuate the positive. “We’re making

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 71 Words & Reflections

good progress in Iraq,” he insisted, istrations with results that have always Iraq, to reduce the number of officials during this same interview. “Sometimes left much to be desired. Nonetheless, who talk to the media; another is to it’s hard to tell when you listen to the National Security Advisor Condoleezza limit access to normally newsworthy filter,” the use of the word “filter” be- Rice has been put in charge of a new places, such as hospitals, police sta- ing his way of refusing even to mention White House task force whose primary tions, and army depots. On one occa- the word “media.” responsibility is to turn negative news sion, ABC News’s footage in Iraq was The White House is determined to about Iraq into positive news—a daunt- confiscated on a flimsy pretext. Still control the message, which means it ing task, almost certain to fail. another approach is to send promi- must try to exercise more control over There are, of course, various strate- nent U.S. officials to Iraq for the pur- the messengers—a strategic goal that gies to try to address this task. One is to pose of doing TV interviews from has been tested by many other admin- tighten control over news sources in Baghdad joyfully proclaiming that the

The Press and Coverage of Dissent The Media and the War on Terrorism Edited by Stephen Hess and Marvin Kalb The Brookings Institution. 307 Pages. $22.95 Paperback.

Between October 31, 2001 and Sep- the question arose, after the United ghanistan collapsed so quickly that tember 19, 2002, 20 sessions were held States destroyed the Taliban regime in there was no time for dissent in the in which past and present government Afghanistan and prepared to fight United States to emerge and grow. officials, foreign and domestic jour- Saddam Hussein in Iraq: Where was Siegel noted that there were few pro- nalists, and scholars discussed topics dissent in this ugly and unusual war tests on campuses, fewer demonstra- related to the waging of and reporting against terrorism? … tions in central squares. If there was on war. This book contains edited “… He [Jurkowitz] then produced real criticism or anger, he said, NPR transcripts of those conversations. anecdotal evidence to support his view would cover it, ‘but that’s barely hap- What follows is an excerpt from the that reporters were trimming their edi- pening.’ This was a ‘fascinating mo- chapter called “Dissent,” in which a torial sails out of concern that critical ment’ of ‘near unanimity’ in American panel comprised of pollster Peter D. stories would kick up a patriotic back- public opinion. If the war continued Hart; Boston Globe media critic Mark lash against the press. Overholser for years, he projected, there still might Jurkowitz; journalism professor, 1986 agreed with the Jurkowitz line of analy- not be dissent of the type seen during Nieman Fellow, and former newspa- sis. She believed that too few tough the Vietnam War.” ■ per editor Geneva Overholser; human questions were being asked, too few rights activist Alex Arriaga, and Na- dissident voices being heard. The re- tional Public Radio anchor Robert sult, according to Arriaga, was that our Siegel discussed the press and cover- civil liberties were being jeopardized. age of dissent. The conversation took “Siegel provided yet another per- place on February 27, 2002. spective. Normally the journalist was the one who produced the ‘first draft “In wartime, dissent carries an addi- of history,’ said the NPR anchor. Now, tional nuance—it not only denotes a it was the Pentagon and its unorthodox difference of opinion, it suggests the spokesman, Defense Secretary Donald minority squaring off against the ma- Rumsfeld. By briefing almost daily, he jority, righteously arguing its case. Like controlled the message. Even if report- the Supreme Court justice who regis- ers ran contradictory stories, ters a dissenting opinion, the dissenter, Overholser said, the public tended to even the lone dissenter, has the right in believe Rumsfeld—he commanded the a free country to register his or her PR field. opposition to the majority opinion of “Patriotism was the administration’s society and to government policy. So it ally, building a protective wall around was during the Vietnam War, frequently its policy. Americans were outraged by enough that dissent in war came to be the terrorist assaults, and they over- seen as a natural appendage of public whelmingly supported the President’s opinion in recent American history. So response. The Taliban regime in Af-

72 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Words & Reflections progress they see everywhere is mighty Hess, a senior fellow at the Brookings by the Pentagon’s Defense Secretary impressive. Of course, the message Institution, we included a chapter Donald Rumsfeld, whose daily brief- loses much of its power when these called “Dissent.” Its content emerged ings have set the tone for national same officials are hustled to Kuwait in out of a seminar held on this subject on coverage of the war on terrorism. the evening for “security” reasons. February 27, 2002, six months after the In the bloody aftermath of the Iraq Once, when Deputy Defense Secretary September 11th terrorist attacks. With invasion, there is a strong sense this is Paul Wolfowitz decided to overnight in Iraq then on the horizon, the war in all changing. With serious problems in Baghdad, rockets slammed into his Afghanistan was a prime topic of dis- Iraq and with the economy hovering hotel, and a U.S. soldier was killed in a cussion; agreement existed among our between recovery and continuing un- weekend of violence. Yet another way five experts that the war was “so popu- certainty, the Bush administration no to sell the “positive” message, foolish lar, so swift, and so successful” that longer fully controls the message nor in the extreme, is to encourage troops there was no “room or time” for a the news, as it looks ahead and sees a in Iraq to sign and send the exact same “broad, vigorous dissent.” reelection campaign that months ago draft of a letter of support for the war Pollster Peter Hart, a participant in seemed like a cakewalk now appearing to different hometown newspapers, this seminar, asked in one of his public more like mortal combat. It sees spread- apparently in an effort to suggest that if opinion surveys whether dissent weak- ing dissent and open disagreement, the troops support the war, then every ens the nation’s defense or strength- even within its own party, and the American ought to, as well. media have begun to give The White House is more coverage of the learning that control of the … the media have begun to give more political opposition and message was easier before to antiwar critics. The the war. Then, reporters coverage of the political opposition administration might yet seemed reluctant to criti- and to antiwar critics. prevail, but if it prevails, cize the President or his it will only be after a vig- policy. Patriotism stifled orous debate with those the urge to ask penetrat- who are now taking fuller ing questions of senior officials or, on ens it. Forty-nine percent of those he advantage of their constitutional right the omnipresent talk shows, to voice polled said it strengthened the nation. to express their patriotic dissent. ■ skepticism about the buildup to the In a 1985 poll, 57 percent supported war. Now, in the aftermath of a brilliant the right of dissent, even during war. Marvin Kalb is a senior fellow at the military campaign, the Bush adminis- Hart felt the figures indicated little real Joan Shorenstein Center on the tration faces huge problems in Iraq difference. I disagree. There has been a Press, Politics and Public Policy and that were simply unanticipated by the noticeable drop in support of dissent faculty chair for Harvard’s Kennedy Pentagon’s civilian leadership. Each of during the war on terrorism. School of Government’s Washington, these problems, punctuated by vio- Other seminar participants spoke to D.C. programs. An award-winning lence, represents hard and unavoid- issues related to the media and dissent. reporter, he worked for 30 years for able news, and the tone of coverage Boston Globe media reporter Mark CBS and NBC News, as chief diplo- has decidedly changed—too much to Jurkowitz raised the question, “Who matic correspondent, Moscow bu- suit the White House—and the White should decide what should be pub- reau chief, and host of “Meet the House is fighting back. lished during wartime about military Press.” His most recent book, “The There is, undeniably, a rising chorus operations?” A Pew Center poll revealed Media and the War on Terrorism,” of dissent against the President’s poli- that two out of three Americans fa- coedited with Stephen Hess, was cies—abroad and at home. Critics might vored Pentagon oversight, in effect re- published by the Brookings Institu- argue that there is not enough dissent, vealing the obvious: Many Americans tion Press in the fall of 2003. that the administration has been suffo- didn’t trust the media. Columnist cating dissent, but it exists. Read any Geneva Overholser decried the fact [email protected] newspaper. Watch any television re- that in her view too few voices of dis- port. Listen to any radio talk show. The sent were being heard, too few ques- debate is everywhere, and it is intensi- tions being asked. She inferred that fying as the opening of the presidential when the voices are heard and the campaign draws near. questions are asked, it might prove to be too late. National Public Radio an- Questions About Dissent chor Robert Siegel noted that in the past journalists usually produced the In “The Media and the War on Terror- “first draft of history.” Now, he said, ism,” a book I edited with Stephen that responsibility has been assumed

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 73 Words & Reflections How and Why Leaking of Secrets Happen Journalists and senior intelligence officials are talking about ‘protecting government secrets without infringing on the right to report on the government.’ Terrorism, War, and the Press Edited by Nancy Palmer Hollis Publishing Company. 316 Pages. $19.95 Paperback.

In “Terrorism, War, and the Press,” the ernment is thinking and doing. Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, “Not surprisingly, the debate over Politics and Public Policy has as- leaks has become increasingly heated sembled papers written by visiting fel- since the September 11th terrorist at- lows, including those from the U.K., tacks and the showdown with Iraq over Northern Ireland, India, Israel and giving up any chemical and biological the United States. Each has lived weapons and abandoning its quest to through, reported on or studied these develop weapons of mass destruction. issues. In his contribution to this col- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld lection, first published in January called for jail terms for leakers and 2003, entitled “U.S. Government Se- President Bush joined him in denounc- crecy and the Current Crackdown on ing them. An intelligence official even Leaks,” Jack Nelson, former Washing- suggested sending ‘swat teams into ton bureau chief for the Los Angeles journalists’ homes’ if necessary to root Times and a 1962 Nieman Fellow, ex- out reporters’ sources. … plores the practice of government leaks, “Several participants said one of the their uses by journalists, and the im- most significant achievements of the pact they can have. Excerpts from his Dialogue1 meetings, aside from weigh- paper follow. The paper can be found ing in on Ashcroft’s decision not to at www.shorensteincenter.org. seek anti-leaks legislation, has been a recognition on both sides of the need for the media and the government to “In the never-ending sparring match be educated about both the dangers such as those attending the Dialogue between the government and the news and the values of leaks. ‘National secu- sessions say they clearly are more con- media, no subject produces more fric- rity leaders need to understand that cerned now about the dangers of such tion than the practice of leaking classi- some leaks are good for democracy disclosures. … fied information. Government offi- and the country even though others “In today’s climate, leaks undoubt- cials—at least those who don’t are bad,’ says Jeffrey Smith. ‘The press edly will become an even more burn- leak—denounce the practice. They say needs to understand more about the ing issue. With the war on terrorism it can damage intelligence operations sensitivity of national security leaks. raising serious concerns about viola- and reduce the government’s ability to Everybody understands you don’t pub- tions of press freedom and other civil detect and deter terrorists or other lish that the 82nd Airborne is planning liberties, the news media and the gov- enemies. to land somewhere, but not everyone ernment should continue the Dialogue “Journalists, on the other hand, say understands that it’s a national secu- sessions to broaden understanding on they couldn’t do their jobs without the rity problem to report that Osama bin both sides. Dialogue meetings make it leaks. Almost all leaks come from gov- Laden’s cell phone calls have been in- easier for both sides to avoid knee-jerk ernment officials, they point out. And tercepted.’ … reactions. Also, the more sophisticated in an era of managed news and whole- “The war on terrorism and the show- the news media’s understanding of the sale classification of government docu- down with Iraq clearly have given a problems, especially when dealing with ments, such back-channel information greater sense of urgency to the issue of sensitive intelligence, the greater the is often the only way the public can unauthorized disclosure of sensitive media’s ability to avoid needless dam- gain an understanding of what its gov- national security secrets. Journalists age.” ■

1 Editor’s note: A group of Washington journalists and senior intelligence officials have met since the fall of 2001 for an “informal, ongoing dialogue about the issue of protecting government secrets without infringing on the right to report on the government,” with investigative journalist Scott Armstrong and Jeffrey Smith, former general counsel of the Central Intellignce Agency, as facilitators.

74 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Words & Reflections Reporting From Baghdad During the War NPR correspondent Anne Garrels describes what she observed and thought while reporting from Iraq. Naked in Baghdad: The Iraq War as Seen by NPR’s Correspondent Anne Garrels Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 222 Pages. $22.

From October 2002 until April 2003, can’t see. This puts a lot of pressure on Anne Garrels reported from Baghdad them to pull their punches and ‘be- for National Public Radio. What fol- have.’ Myself, I don’t see the point in lows are excerpts from the book she self-censorship. The obvious stories, wrote in diary form about her report- press conferences, and official state- ing experiences as one of the few Ameri- ments that are now the fodder for most can correspondents to remain in news organizations can easily be had Baghdad during the war in Iraq. from outside Iraq. I am here to try to understand how Iraqis see themselves, their government, and the world October 22, 2002 around them.” Costs of reporting: “Some Western news organizations’ representatives October 23, 2002 have sat inside the Information Minis- Cultural divides among journal- try, refraining from covering the [pro- ists: “There are many cultural divides test march outside], fearing they could here, most obviously between report- jeopardize their Iraqi visas by docu- ers and Iraqis who are scared to speak menting a so-called ‘unauthorized dem- out. But there are also divisions be- onstration.’ They were right. Al Jazeera, tween the various journalists who have the Qatar-based satellite channel that come from around the world, each broadcasts across the Arab world, had with his or her own national perspec- its videotapes confiscated. A CNN cor- tive. Though friendships cross national respondent has been expelled after the boundaries, journalists tend to hang professional, while women open up in network carried the protests live. This out with their own. There is, however, ways that they would not with a man. is one of the few signs of bravery by another divide, and that’s between print Hard as it was to break into journalism CNN, which has curried favor with the and television. Their demands are dif- back in the dark ’70’s, and with few Iraqi authorities in order to maintain ferent. The way they cover stories is role models out there to follow, I have its substantial presence. different. And the means at their dis- only benefited from my sex, reporting “But is maintaining a presence at posal are distinctly different. Televi- from overseas especially, ironically in the cost of not reporting the whole sion folk have much more money, rela- societies where women are seques- truth worth it? Tonight there was a tively large staffs, and big feet, which tered. Whether in Afghanistan or Saudi raging debate among some journalists means they make a lot of noise wher- Arabia, I can walk both sides of the at the Al-Rashid [Hotel]. One Italian ever they go. They seem to live in street, talking the talk with male offi- television correspondent told me, ‘I another realm. As a mere radio corre- cials while visiting the women’s inner am here for the big story,’ meaning the spondent, I fall somewhere in between sanctums, which are often off-limits to war. Reporters have long played a re- print and video, and given that I work foreign males. And being an older grettable game, tacitly agreeing not to for National Public Radio, my feet are woman has its advantages, too. I would report on aspects of Iraq for the sake of small.” never have been able to interview a a visa. Among the issues that are forbid- mullah along the Pakistan-Afghan bor- den: the personalities of Saddam and November 1, 2002 der were he not assured in advance his sons; the fact that he is widely On being a female reporter inter- that I was an ‘old woman.’ He tutored despised and feared; the terror that his viewing women like Huda al-Neamy: the young American muslim John regime has instilled. “It’s at moments like this that I revel in Walker Lindh, who then went to fight “CNN and the BBC are seen in real being a female reporter, which on bal- for the Taliban until he was captured time by Iraqi authorities, who monitor ance has been a distinct advantage. by U.S. forces. However, I apparently the satellite channels normal Iraqis Men generally deal with me as a sexless did not look as old as the mullah had

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 75 Words & Reflections

anticipated, and on my arrival his aides needs to be done when it is all over. March 23, 2003 demanded I wear a burka for the entire Americans have shown that they have a The few left: “Press conferences are interview because ‘he had the natural very short attention span. My ambiva- now impromptu affairs held in the feelings of a man,’ which he apparently lence, however, makes it easier for me lobby of the Information Ministry, the could not control. Enveloped in the to cover the situation, to just listen to better to flee the building should it be burka’s stifling blue nylon pleats and what people here say.” hit, perhaps. Looking around at the peering through a square of mesh while reporters who are left in Baghdad I am trying to push buttons on the tape March 22, 2003 struck by how few Americans there are. recorder and take notes was not pleas- Stories that don’t add up: “The Who would ever have thought it would ant, but it certainly wasn’t impossible. command bus tours, announced on be pared down to 16, including pho- “As for covering wars, the dangers short notice, keep us on a very short tographers, with NPR, The New Yorker, are basically the same whether you are leash. Late at night the Information and The New York Review of Books male or female. Bullets don’t discrimi- Ministry rouses us for another trip. The among them? The absence of CNN, Fox nate, and while some of my bosses in bus meanders through the city, giving and the other large American networks the past have expressed concerns about us a glimpse of some of the damage. has created an intimacy and a lack of the risk of rape, my response has been We pass the smoldering Salam Palace, hysteria in the coverage. The percep- that men can be tortured just as badly, one of the most fanciful of Saddam’s tion that television is most important, if in different ways.” creations. Surrounding the central their money, their sharp elbows, their dome, which has now been hollowed need for pictures, and their shorthand March 15, 2003 out, are four huge busts of Saddam coverage all tilt the way a story is re- Naked in Baghdad: “Tonight I did dressed as Saladin, the Mesopotamian ported. I have to confess that this is a what I had to: I broadcast naked in the warrior who took on and defeated the precious time that will undoubtedly dark. Rumors swirled again about a Crusaders. never be repeated. Given what little late-night sweep for satellite phones. “Suddenly air raid sirens signal an- access I have to outside news (at eight My thinking went this way: if I turn off other attack. Being out late at night, at dollars a minute on the satellite phone, the light in my room it’s harder to see bombing hour, right next to Saddam’s I don’t log on for long), I really have no the antenna on the windowsill and palaces is about as dumb as it gets. I idea what the comparatively large num- from the corridor there will be no light just hope our minders wish to live as bers of Spaniards, Greeks, French, Brit- shining under my door. If someone much as I do. I swear off any more ish and Italians are producing. I feel as knocks, I can pretend they have woken midnight tours. if I am in a cocoon, documenting the me up, beg for a few minutes to get “We are taken to four houses that small world that I can see.” dressed, and then perhaps have enough have allegedly been hit by American time to dismantle the phone and hide bombs. Iraqi officials set up generators April 8, 2003 it. Not a great plan, but the only one I to illuminate the site. They talk of nu- Palestine Hotel hit by U.S. forces: could come up with. merous deaths. But once again the “While waiting to do a two-way for “I laid out a dress that I could slip on stories don’t quite add up. The officials Morning Edition, my editor, Doug Rob- in seconds, moved the equipment so it say the bombs landed at one time; erts, keeps me up to date. He tells me was close to the bed so I could quickly residents say they landed at another. that a correspondent from Al Jazeera push it under the mattress if I had to, The officials say several were killed and has just been wounded. Then he tells and filed my piece in the buff. Robert wounded. Residents say the houses me the man has died. He was caught in Siegel remained in blissful ignorance, were unoccupied. At a second loca- the morning’s battle while broadcast- and the whole exercise was totally un- tion, it’s the same confusion. ing from the roof of their office build- necessary as no one came to the door. “I gratefully happen into conversa- ing. As I get off the phone, there’s a But they could have, and they still tion with an Iraqi Russian speaker; huge blast that literally throws me from might in the future.” translators are nowhere to be found. my chair. The hotel shudders. I think He provided an elaborate picture of a another bomb has landed close by and March 21, 2003 happy family sitting down to dinner continue typing. The hotel phone rings. Ambivalence: “I am of many minds when an American bomb lands, killing It’s Amer. I assume he wants to tell me about the need and justification for them all. Others, who claim to be rela- about an upcoming press conference this war. I have seen how brutal tives of the victims, say no one was and I start to mutter that I’m about to Saddam’s regime is, but I am not con- killed but some were injured. Once go on the air when he interrupts with vinced that he continues to have weap- again the damage to the house itself is the words ‘Get out now. Hotel hit.’ … ons of mass destruction. The United not consistent with a missile or an “Most of us immediately assumed States has not made a persuasive case, American bomb. I retrieve a piece of a an Iraqi irregular, angered by Iraqi set- and American diplomatic efforts ap- shell and later show it to Amer [Garrel’s backs in the war and knowing the hotel pear lame. I also worry about the U.S. guide]. He says it is from an Iraqi anti- housed foreign journalists, had taken a government’s staying power to do what aircraft gun.” potshot at the building with a shoul-

76 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Words & Reflections der-launched, rocket-propelled gre- April 9, 2003 Saddam? How did they tolerate the fear nade. However, a television camera What the cameras did not cap- Saddam created? And where do they go had recorded the turn of a U.S. tank ture: “The street scenes are nothing from here?” turret, its aim at the hotel, and the like as joyous as the cameras make subsequent blast. News comes from them out to be. There are plenty of May 10, 2003 the hospital: two cameramen have died. people standing around, numb or Conclusion: “The reasons I stayed Three others remain in the hospital shocked at the events. Dr. Sa’ad Jawad, have been justified and ignored in ways with wounds. … an Iraqi political scientist, watches sadly I had not anticipated. It turns out that “At an early briefing at Central Com- as the Marines help topple Saddam’s Iraqis precisely predicted what would mand HQ in Qatar, Brigadier General statue, calling the scene humiliating. happen, and though many of us work- Vincent Brooks initially says the hotel No fan of Saddam, he nonetheless ing in Baghdad had long reported what was targeted after soldiers were fired warns of wounded pride. He acknowl- Iraqis thought and feared, the Bush on from the lobby, which would have edges that now the Americans are here, administration has apparently heeded been a physical impossibility. Later he they must be in full control, but he says little of it. So accurate from the air, its tells reporters, ‘I may have misspoken.’ their control will quickly be resented. initial reaction to events on the ground U.S. military officials then say a tank “When I get back upstairs, Amer has been slow and inept. Iraq is a from the 3rd Infantry had fired on the confesses that he wept as he watched complicated place, rife with contradic- hotel, after reporting that ‘significant’ the scene below. Though he too hated tions and divisions that the Iraqis are enemy fire had come from a position in Saddam, he says seeing American the first to acknowledge. I hope the front of the 18-story hotel. The Com- troops in Baghdad is more than he can United States employs the wits, wis- mander of the 3rd Infantry Division’s bear. He doesn’t want their help. dom, and patience to do what it can to 2nd Brigade, which deployed the tank, “Pulling down statues makes for ensure that this war doesn’t spawn eventually reports that the crew aimed good television, but as I saw in Moscow another. …” ■ at the Palestine after seeing enemy ‘bin- in 1991, it doesn’t ultimately signify oculars.’ This was the dozens of lenses much. It doesn’t begin to answer the Excerpted from “Naked in Baghdad” of TV and still cameras that were trained deeper questions. Wiping out the past by Anne Garrels, published by Farrar, on the battle. I have to go on the air, but doesn’t mean coming to terms with it. Straus and Giroux, LLC. Copyright © first I call Vint [Garrel’s husband] to let That’s what Amer is struggling with: 2003 by Anne Garrels. All rights re- him know I am not one of the victims.” Who are the Iraqis? How did they get a served. An Oral History Tells Stories Seldom Heard During the War In ‘Embedded,’ war correspondents speak frankly about their experiences in Iraq.

By Bill Katovsky

mbedding the press with mili- Timothy Carlson, I’d never written a ment liked my proposed title, “Embed- tary units, hatched as an innova- book nor had any experience as a war ded,” even though we proposed to Etive public relations experiment correspondent. While Tim worked as a include interviews with unilateral (non- by the Pentagon, allowed an immedi- reporter for a decade at the Los Ange- embedded) reporters. ate and intimate view of the Iraq War. les Herald Examiner and four years From my living room in the San Fran- with TV Guide, our recent work had Interviewing War cisco Bay Area, I became obsessively mainly been in sports magazines. I e- Correspondents immersed in the war’s coverage. This mailed a five-page book proposal to fascination with the experiences of war The Lyons Press, a publisher that spe- As the U.S. Army neared Baghdad’s correspondents I followed on the cializes in sports, adventure and mili- perimeter, I made arrangements for Internet, TV and in newspapers and tary history. And to my disbelief, I re- Timothy to fly to Doha, Qatar to inter- magazines triggered a desire to investi- ceived a response within 24 hours: “Go view reporters at U.S. Central gate their personal stories behind the for it,” the editor said in reply. “Here’s Command’s media headquarters—he news as part of an oral history book. a small advance to get you started.” He is a braver man than I—while I began Like my colleague in this project, also informed me that the sales depart- the lengthy process of tracking down

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 77 Words & Reflections

reporters and continued to monitor speak with were unilaterals who had frankly—and subjectively—about their war coverage. We feared that once the covered the war from rented SUV’s, experiences. Stored-up feelings were war ended in Iraq, worn-out journal- encountering fedayeen and armed mi- pried open. Seldom do journalists’ ists would immediately head home, so litia ambushes and stonewalling U.S. personal observations surface for pub- we needed to land interviews as soon and British forces trying to keep non- lic consumption. Peter Baker, The as possible. We had no guarantee that embeds out of harm’s way. Washington Post’s Moscow co-bureau these journalists would even talk with In all, Tim interviewed about a dozen chief, said that after watching a live U.S. us. Nor could we assume that the per- war correspondents and photogra- missile take out an Iraqi personnel sonal accounts they might share with phers, including several military pub- truck on plasma TV screens in com- us would be engaging or compelling; lic affairs officers in Kuwait. Interviews mand headquarters, he felt that “it was we suspected that many of them would averaged about an hour. Many were an odd disconnect. It’s hard to sit there save their “best stuff” for their mem- eager to discuss their experiences and and watch a video like that and really oirs. often remarked that they were still in a process what it meant. It’s easy to be Tim’s first day in Doha, Qatar—April transitional period of decompression, detached about it as they were and had 19th, 10 days after Saddam’s statue fell of trying to make sense out of what to be. It’s their job. But there is also a in Baghdad—proved uneventful. By they had been reporting. Their recol- humanity in that situation. Men are then, the media headquarters was thinly lections and reflections were fresh, vis- dying at that moment, and you are populated by low-level stringers from ceral and dramatic. The longer they watching it happen live in front of you. the major news bureaus. When we spoke with Tim, the more their wary That’s the problem with a high-tech spoke, he sounded demoralized, but journalistic guard lowered. They dis- war. In some ways it may appear more an interview the next day with an Al cussed personal feelings about con- bloodless than it really is.” Still, Baker Jazeera reporter who had recently de- fronting fear or facing death, watching sounded surprisingly calm when re- cided to no longer remain embedded enemy troops dying in a fiery attack, counting an incident when his wife, gave him hope. One of the more risky and crossing a wavering line of objec- fellow Washington Post correspondent of the Pentagon’s embedding decisions tivity in the desert sand. and Moscow co-bureau chief Susan was to embed this Al Jazeera corre- If the book’s goal was to excavate Glasser, was under fire at a Basra hos- spondent. The message behind doing the emotional cost borne by these wit- pital. Baker did ask command head- so was obvious: to demonstrate that nesses to war, these interviews were quarters to see what they could do to the U.S. military represented a demo- hitting pay dirt. Some were haunted by help. cratic, open society with nothing to what they saw. Robert Galbraith, a Embedded reporter Steve Komarow hide. freelance photographer from Montreal, of USA Today echoed this sense of What happened, however, was that Canada, revealed: “Lately, I’ve had estrangement from the human side of this Al Jazeera reporter, BBC-trained nightmares. Not the usual ones. Worse, war: “We’d be watching live video feeds Amr El-Kahky, claimed he had been far worse. I dreamed that bombs and at field command headquarters from given back-of-the-bus treatment and rockets were blasting into my home in hunter aircraft of night air strikes on suffered blatant discrimination from Montreal. I heard my children scream- Iraqi convoys. We’d hear them calling American officers in the field worried ing. They were being shot at, and I in the fires to take them out. Then the about security and believing that any- couldn’t move. Then I knew it was time screen would go black and white with one from Al Jazeera represented the to leave Baghdad.” Others compart- a flash. We’d just see the smoke. It was enemy. In time, El-Kahky left his em- mentalized their feelings. Voice of like a Tom Clancy movie. It sounds bedded position in frustration and was America’s East Africa bureau chief, horrible, but we didn’t see the people castigated by Arab media colleagues Alisha Ryu, said: “What makes it fasci- who were killed. It was more striking and even threatened with death by a nating for me is why people behave the when we came to a spot and there were Free Iraqi Forces militiaman in the field. way they do. In Africa, I have watched just bodies rotting in the sun. The Despite this revealing interview, Tim hands being chopped off. I’ve watched smell of human bodies rotting is an let me know in our dollar-a-minute cell a man being roasted alive and his heart awful thing. It just hits you. I soon phone call that: “No one is here. I must eaten. There is so much brutality I saw stopped looking.” travel to Kuwait.” I wired him more that after a while I became numb to it. money. After jumping through several It is terrible to say, but it’s true. Now I Moving on to Baghdad visa hoops, Tim flew to Kuwait City. have almost no reaction when I see During the next week, he camped out dead bodies.” After spending a week in Kuwait City, in the air-conditioned lobby of Kuwait Many reporters, in particular those Tim insisted on pushing closer to me- City’s Sheraton, from where he ap- from U.S. publications, try to maintain dia ground zero: Baghdad’s Palestine proached battlefield reporters on the objectivity and impartiality in the ways Hotel, home to news organizations such way home or seeking a welcome re- they cover events. But in these inter- as CNN and The New York Times. With spite. Many reporters he managed to views, war correspondents spoke his only daughter heading off to col-

78 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Words & Reflections lege in the fall, I felt awkward asking In our interviews, we didn’t adhere to questions removed), and it also con- him to go into Iraq to track down more our original list of questions that we tains introductory essays to place the reporters. In Iraq, journalists were dy- had created at the outset of the book interviews in context. ing. The causes ranged from traffic project, but gently guided and nudged What purpose does our book serve accidents to shellings and friendly fire the subjects’ responses along. With oral for newsrooms and classrooms? It’s a and occasional ambushes. “I just have histories, it is best for interviewers to question I’ve asked myself countless to be in Baghdad,” he said. More money fade into the background. But even as times. The answer mirrors the differ- for a driver and car was wired. On his we receded from view behind the words ent narratives that emerged in “Em- way into Baghdad, two trucks loaded of those we interviewed, we have re- bedded.” If forced to distill these ac- with menacing men tried to ambush mained attached—in a proprietary counts into general themes and Tim’s vehicle, but the driver made a manner—to these stories we collected observations, the list would include quick U-turn, accelerated and beat the and to those whose personal narra- these highlights: bandits back to a nearby British Army tives we helped to shape. checkpoint. Our sensitivity to this aspect of put- • Many reporters observed that it Once Tim arrived in Baghdad, after ting the book together surfaced when wasn’t possible to remain totally ob- four last-minute cancellations, he fi- The Wall Street Journal ran on its edi- jective under fire. Others said it was nally secured a key interview with John torial page a lengthy excerpt from our difficult to do, but crucial. Burns, then Baghdad bureau chief of provocative interview with two-time • Some said embedded reporting was The New York Times. He also spoke Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist John fine as long as it was combined with with New York Times photographer Burns. [See accompanying excerpts unilaterals for balanced and com- Tyler Hicks and correspondents from from Burns’s interview.] Appearing on plete coverage. Some embedded re- CNN, Newsweek, Abu Dhabi TV, and a September 17th and headlined “An porters such as The Washington photographer from Time. Absolutely Disgraceful Performance,” Post’s William Branigin, who re- Back in California, I worked the the text the Journal printed told what ported about an accidental check- phones. I called city desks at newspa- Burns had said about compliant jour- point killing of civilians, wrote out- pers and asked to speak with reporters nalists in Baghdad who, during the standing articles on the tragedies of whose dispatches on the Internet or on run-up to the war, gave bribes to Iraqi war. The military wanted their story television caught my attention. I also Information Ministry officials and ig- told—and accepted that some nega- contacted reporters by e-mail and nored the rampant state-sponsored tive stories would emerge in the would often get a response a week or torture in exchange for access. As pow- process—because they saw the em- two later, usually with an apologetic erful and incendiary as Burns’s words bedded press as an effective coun- note that their e-mail box had been were, the Journal mistakenly said that teracting force to what the Pentagon overflowing with messages. I was pleas- he had written them for “Embedded.” felt was aggressive use of Al Jazerra antly amazed that about 75 percent of Tim and I had never and would never and other Arab media by al-Qaeda those I contacted agreed to be inter- claim ownership to Burns’s words (or and other anti-Western forces. viewed. the words of any other journalist we • Reporters grew close to the soldiers On May 2nd, Tim started home. It interviewed), but this oversight by the they traveled with, and some, such was the day after President Bush landed Journal seems to come with the terri- as Scott Nelson of The Boston Globe, on the aircraft carrier and declared the tory of what constitutes an oral history. pointed out a sniper, or were handed end of the combat phase of the war. Soon after the Journal piece ap- a grenade, as Gordon Dillow of The While Tim transcribed his tapes and peared, The Washington Post’s book Orange County Register was during did more interviews, I spoke with a editor called Lyons Press’s publicist a desperate firefight. Others, like wide range of high-profile correspon- and asked her if Tim and I “were com- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s dents such as Jim Axelrod and John pilers or editors, not authors.” His need Ron Martz, dropped his notebook Roberts of CBS News, Martin Savidge for clarification seemed like a legiti- to help a medic in battle. of CNN, David Zucchino of the Los mate request. But the idea of being • There was a cultural clash between Angeles Times, Maya Zumwalt of Fox considered “compilers” was off the U.S. news organizations, which shied News, Mike Cerre of ABC News, and mark and demeaning. Merriam-Webster away from showing dead bodies, Gavin Hewitt of the BBC. Dictionary defines “‘compiler,’ from and the European and Arab press, Latin compilare to plunder, as to com- who showed their audiences the Reaction to ‘Embedded’ pose out of materials from other docu- nonsanitized version of the brutal- ments; to collect and edit into a vol- ity of war. We completed a total of 75 interviews ume.” Our book is an oral history as • Arab media took pride in showing (10 were dropped for space or other told in the words of those war corre- all sides and felt CNN and the U.S. reasons), and in mid-July I e-mailed the spondents who covered the Iraq War media pulled punches and only 420-page manuscript to the publisher. (arranged in story form by us, with showed one side. They compared

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 79 Words & Reflections

this happy news approach to the face of what will surely be an evolving psychological fallout from her work. way Saddam and Arab government give-and-take relationship between the “For me personally, war reporting stations used to air only positive media and the military. The foot sol- comes at a high emotional cost. I don’t news of the government. diers of today are not just those who know how many people wake up from • Sometimes, 21st century instant cov- carry weapons. They are also the press. nightmares with bullets in their fore- erage technology got in the way of If the 19th century German historian head, but it strikes me as a severe price reporting from the war. Some of the Karl von Clausewitz were alive today, to pay. I have these recurring dreams of most thorough work was done with his famous adage might now read, “War being executed. I have dreams of kill- pencil and notebook, including cov- is the continuation of media by other ing children. I have dreams of being erage by Rolling Stone’s Evan Wright, means.” Still, it’s the simple truths about tortured,” she told us. “I’m afraid the who was with a Marine recon unit. war reporting that resonate the loud- traumas of war must show even at • There was network news camarade- est, at least to my ears. For example, home. Wars are bad, they are devastat- rie on the battlefield when ABC News there are the evocative words of Anna ing, they are terrifying. There can be no “Nightline’s” Ted Koppel acted as a Badkhen, a young staff writer for the good memories from a war.” ■ fatherly adviser and comforter to a San Francisco Chronicle, who has filed colleague at CBS following the death stories from war zones in Chechnya, Bill Katovsky is the coauthor, with of NBC News correspondent David Gaza, the West Bank, Kashmir and Timothy Carlson, of “Embedded: The Bloom. Kabul. She was in northern Iraq when Media at War in Iraq: An Oral His- • Although embedding appeared to we spoke by satellite phone and lives in tory,” published in 2003 by Lyons work well, Pentagon officials have Moscow with her husband, Boston Press. For more book information, indicated that embedding might not Globe Bureau Chief David Filipov, and go to www.embeddedthebook.com. be repeated, depending on the na- six-year old son, Fyodor. ture of the war and the battlefield. Because her assignments often re- [email protected] quire her to spend months away from These observations scratch the sur- her home, she admits to experiencing Reporting in Closed Societies ‘Every lie tells you a truth. If you just leave your eyes and ears open, it’s extremely revealing.’

Embedded: The Media at War in Iraq: An Oral History Edited by Bill Katovsky and Timothy Carlson The Lyons Press. 422 Pages. $23.95.

John Burns, The New York Times’s chief about. You had the BBC thinking it was foreign correspondent, was inter- inappropriate to go there because it viewed for this book (even though he means that it causes trouble. I couldn’t was not embedded), and his words find among my colleagues a single one appear in a chapter entitled, “The who had read the human rights reports Moral Compass of Iraq.” Excerpts from about Abu Ghraib. When Abu Ghraib his observations about reporting in came down, most didn’t even know Iraq and from other areas of conflict where Abu Ghraib was. follow. “We were summoned on that Sun- day morning to form a motorcade out- “There was one major media organiza- side the Information Ministry. They tion—the BBC—that didn’t even go to didn’t tell us where we were going. It Abu Ghraib prison on the afternoon of turned out to be Saddam’s first tactical October the 20th last year. Imagine response to Bush. being in the Soviet Union, and you had … as we headed west on the a chance to be admitted to the heart of motorway, anybody who’d read the darkness at the time of the Great Ter- human rights reports knew where we ror. That is what Abu Ghraib was all were going. The problem was even

80 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Words & Reflections when we arrived outside it, 98 percent about that?’ I said, ‘Whether it’s an the truth. I have a conviction about of them [journalists] had never heard Iraqi government that is killing Iraqis, closed societies, that they’re actually of Abu Ghraib. Had no idea of what it or an American government that is much easier to report on than they was. … killing Iraqis, it’s the same to me; I will seem, because the act of closure is “I found myself in the execution write about both.’ itself revealing. Every lie tells you a chamber—Special Judgment Divi- “They accredited me. But I was im- truth. If you just leave your eyes and sion—where 20 or 30 butcher’s hooks mediately warned by friends in the ears open, it’s extremely revealing. We hanging from the ceiling rusty and red, ministry that it was a ruse; I would not now know that this place was a lot soiled trousers were thrown about the be given a minder. They took my pass- more terrible than even people like me room. It was horrid. Protests started in port away and held it for five days until had thought. There is such a thing as the days that followed. Sweeping across a man who is said to be a deputy absolute evil. I think people just simply this prison floor were mostly women. director of the Mukhabarat showed up didn’t recognize it. They rationalized it Looking for sons, husbands, brothers, one day—a certain Mr. Sa’ad Mutana. away. I cannot tell you with what fury I who had disappeared years before; He was assigned to be my minder. He listened to people tell me throughout wailing and throwing themselves on was an extremely unpleasant man. At the autumn that I must be on a kami- the ground and appealing to Allah. You this point a dozen people from the kaze mission. They said it with a great couldn’t miss this. They then formed Information Ministry came to me and deal of glee, over the years, that this themselves into groups and went to said, ‘Get out!’ He was certainly the was not a place like the others. … protest outside Intelligence Ministry senior official. He introduced himself “In this profession, we are not paid buildings, which is phenomenal. They as a former general. The reason they to be neutral. We are paid to be fair, never protest. Some of my colleagues kept me here is that when the war and they are completely different chose not to cover that. Saying it would starts, I could become a hostage. Well, things. For example, in Bosnia it was only get you into trouble. I stayed. On the night of April 1, they perfectly clear from very early on who “The whole performance was woe- came to my room at this hotel and said, were the principal villains of that war. ful. I knew that I was walking a very fine ‘You’re under arrest. We’ve known all Yes, the Muslims and the Croats got off line. The question was not so much along you’re a CIA agent. You will now some mayhem. But who started the could I get a new visa, because I was collaborate with us or we will take you war? Who did the overwhelming ma- sure the time would come I couldn’t to a place from which you will not jority of the killing? The Serbs did. I even buy a visa. The question was, return.’ They stole all my equipment. worked for an editor at the time who would I end up in Abu Ghraib myself? They stole all my money. Then they wanted me to iron out of my stories any “In February I was denied a visa. left. The hotel had no electrical power implication that there was one princi- Then I found there were visas avail- at the time. They said, ‘You stay in your pal offender. He would have been able. I was in Amman. Some of my room.’ I assumed they left somebody happy with a story that said, ‘They are rivals who had omitted to notice that outside. I went out into the darkened all as bad as one another. This has been Iraq was a terror state were busy here corridor. There was nobody there, so I going on in the Balkans since the be- sucking up. They were very pleased slipped into the stairway. To tell you ginning of time.’ This attitude comes with themselves. These were people the truth, I didn’t know what to do. As from a complete misapprehension as who’d argued that it was essential to be it happened, a friend of mine, an Ital- to what our business is. Yes, we should in Iraq for the war. I got a visa of ian television correspondent, hap- be absolutely ruthless as to fact. We dubious quality; it was a visa which pened to be coming up the stairwell. should not approach a story with some allowed me to come in and cover the She asked, ‘What are you doing?’ I sort of ideological template that we peace movement. I assumed I would replied, ‘I really don’t know. I’m at impose on it. We should let the facts be thrown out immediately. I arrived wit’s end.’ She said, ‘You come to my lead us to conclusions, but if the con- only two weeks before the war. room. They won’t attack my room.’ clusions seem clear, then we should “I went to the ministry of informa- She is a former Italian communist who not avoid those on the basis of an idea tion director, General Uday Al-Tayyib. had not challenged them. So there’s a we are supposed to be neutral. Be- I said to him, ‘We’ll never agree about strange inversion. I found my safety at cause if that were the case, they might the nature of this society. But you’re a critical moment with an old friend as well hire a stenographer, and a ste- about to go to war with the United who had not challenged them. … nographer would be a lot cheaper than States. I think that you need America’s “Now left with the residue of all of I am. principal newspaper here.’ He said, this, I would say there are serious les- “As far as I am concerned, when they ‘You’ve written a great deal about kill- sons to be learned. Editors of great hire me, they hire somebody who has a ing here in Iraq, Mr. Fisher,’ as they newspapers, and small newspapers, conscience and who has a passion about called me, which is my middle name, and editors of great television networks these things. I think I was a little bit ‘This is good. This is a shame for the should exact from their correspondents advantaged in this, because I am 58 Iraqi people. But now the Americans the obligation of telling the truth about years old.” ■ will be killing Iraqis. Will you write these places. It’s not impossible to tell

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 81 Words & Reflections Patriotism and Journalism Edward R. Murrow said, ‘The terror is right here in this room.’

Embedded: Weapons of Mass Deception: How the Media Failed to Cover the War on Iraq Danny Schechter Prometheus Books. 286 Pages. $26.

In a chapter entitled “What Can We Do terial as today’s breaking news becomes About It?,” Mediachannel.org founder grist for tomorrow’s History Channel and media observer Danny Schechter, specials. … a 1978 Nieman Fellow, writes a post- “What you had then is what so many humous letter to former CBS news cor- of today’s self-styled experts and oh, so respondent Edward R. Murrow. In it authoritative newscasters lack today— he wonders what happened to the kind a sense of humility that admits that of reportorial courage that Murrow none of us are know-it-alls. It is a stance their own. ‘I really want to read a book showed in his news coverage of Sena- that concedes that today’s news is just by someone who wasn’t there,’ was the tor Joe McCarthy’s hearings on Com- a first and often flawed draft of a history dismissive response I received when I munists in the United States. Excerpts still to be written. … offered to send this book to a military from this letter follow. “A final relevant recollection comes correspondent on a newspaper in At- from one of your producers, Joe lanta. “Dear Ed: Wershba, who wrote a book about your “That may sound like [a] fair point. “I got the idea of writing to you after work and times. He tells of a moment But the fact is that many of those who visiting the Edward Murrow School of when many at CBS had second thoughts were there had no idea of the picture Communication out in the wheat fields about going after McCarthy’s Red Hunt. that most of [us] were getting, or how of Washington State. I had come to They wanted to kill the broadcast. You it was hyped, exaggerated and shorn of debate the coverage of the Iraq War observed, as you listened but did not context. The value of news has to be with a group of mainstream journal- bow to the fears of your colleagues: evaluated by its consumers, not its origi- ists, who surprised me by how they ‘The terror is right here in this room.’ nators. … were willing to be candid outside their “And so it was—and so it is today “Perhaps it’s too soon for many in institutional settings. … when journalists hesitate to challenge the media to recognize these truths. At “Your work shaped my idea of what the dominant storyline for fear of ap- the same time, I am sure that much of a journalist should be. Your guts in pearing unpatriotic. … what I have to say, and perhaps even taking on [Senator] Joe McCarthy later “Some things don’t change. Media how I say it, is far too ‘unobjective’ for showed me that a reporter could stand institutions remain citadels of confor- many in the media trenches to ‘get.’ up for truth. mity, conservatism and compromise. Most distrust personality-inflected com- “You used to talk about ‘illuminat- Courage is in short supply in our mentary from independent journalists ing’ issues, not just reporting them. unbrave world of news because it is who deviate or dissent from the straight “Anyway, here we are in 2003. You rarely encouraged or rewarded, espe- and narrow, or even from the more have been long gone, and I am trying to cially if and when you deviate from the predictable left-right divide. … honor your memory by pounding away script. Ask Peter Arnett. There is little “So Ed, I just wanted you to know at what’s happened to media institu- space, airtime or support for those that war reporting today has become tions that ‘back in the day’ showed individuals in the media who stand just as controversial as some of your such great promise. … alone, who do it their way, who at programs on the red scare were way “Your broadcasts are still listened to times dissent to challenge the para- back when. … in journalism classes, still revered. How digm or who suspect that today’s em- “My hunch is that the analysis of- much of the media coverage of the Iraq peror has no clothes. … fered in these pages may have seemed War will ever be regarded that way? “This book looks at how media out- too far out to some in the war’s imme- Alas, so much of what we produce lets bought this whole distorted story, diate aftermath but will, in its essen- today is forgettable, disposable, even and then brought it to the rest of us. … tials, be accepted down the line. … embarrassing. Sometimes it is thought Many media people remain defen- As you put it once, ‘the obscure we of as a ‘product’ to be recycled into sive, far more willing to point their see eventually. The completely appar- retrospectives or used as archival ma- fingers at government deception than ent takes a little longer.’” ■

82 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Words & Reflections ‘Baghdad Blues: A War Diary’ A photojournalist documents daily life during war.

Baghdad Blues: A War Diary David Turnley Magowan Publishing LLC and The Vendome Press. 160 Pages. $25.

“… In February I was given an extraor- was held by the Kurds, and to eventu- dinary opportunity by Eason Jordan of ally get to Baghdad to cover the war CNN to go [to] the gulf region, where from there. The only two ways to get I served as a correspondent mixing into northern Iraq were through Iran video, photography, and on-air report- or through Turkey, but both routes ing. My brief early on was to work in the were shut off––officially, at least. I surrounding countries and along the couldn’t get a visa from Iran, and the border of Iraq to tell stories of people Turks would not allow me to cross who were in some way affected by their border legally. For the first time Saddam Hussein’s regime, and to put a in my 20 years of covering conflict, I time. As a photographer, I am accus- human face on the population of the resorted to being smuggled, first in tomed to communicating about the region. Syria and from there into northern world visually, but in this book my “For the first month and a half of my Iraq. This is where my story begins. … words and images work together to three months in the Middle East for “The photographs in this book were convey the immensely human story of CNN, I worked in Syria and then in transmitted to CNN in Atlanta every life during the war in Iraq.” ■ Turkey in the Kurdish-controlled area day of the war, and many were seen on along the border of Iraq. As the war television, with me as narrator. David Turnley, a 1998 Nieman approached, our plan was to be in a ‘Baghdad Blues’ is the culmination of Fellow, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning position to enter northern Iraq, which my personal experience during this photojournalist.

Kurdish children stand in the doorway of a home in the village of Handek in Turkey along the border with northern Iraq. Photo by David Turnley.

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 83 Words & Reflections

Kurdish men play dominoes during the war in a café in the northern frontline town of Kifri. Photo by David Turnley.

84 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Words & Reflections

In the Turkish village of Handek, a Kurdish father kisses his child, who rests in a cradle inside the family’s home. Photo by David Turnley.

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 85 Words & Reflections

Two Kurdish friends walk through an alleyway in the Turkish town of Cizre near the border with northern Iraq. Photo by David Turnley.

86 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Words & Reflections A Documentary Examines Cable News War Coverage Was objectivity a casualty?

By Margie Reedy

s I began my fellowship at part, through the word choice, tone interview programs anchored their war Harvard’s Kennedy School of and delivery of anchors and correspon- coverage. They offered blatant endorse- A Government, the impending war dents. This is also where the other big ments of the decision to go to war and with Iraq dominated all discussions. I change in news coverage became ap- verbally attacked antiwar protesters, had come to the Joan Shorenstein Cen- parent, in the amount of open rallying the United Nations, the French, any- ter on the Press, Politics and Public for the United States and the attempt to one who stood in the United States’s Policy to produce their first documen- chill dissent. On Fox, U.S. soldiers were way. Fox’s “you’re with us or you’re tary. As the former host of a news more often referred to as “we,” troops against us” attitude mirrored that of interview program, I had wanted to were “liberators,” and protesters were the Bush administration in its chal- gauge the effect that cable television’s the “great unwashed” or other nega- lenge to other nations. contentious talk-radio-comes-to-televi- tives. The New York Times media writer, It was “jingoism as journalism,” ac- sion interview shows had on political Jim Rutenberg, called the level of pro- cording to Tom Rosenstiel of the Project discussion in the United States. But the America coverage on Fox “astounding for Excellence in Journalism. Two of war and its coverage became the story and completely unprecedented.” He the cable channels, MSNBC and Fox, in broadcast journalism. quoted Fox anchor Neil Cavuto telling adopted the military’s name for the We witnessed several sea changes “those who opposed the liberation of war—Operation Iraqi Freedom—as the during this conflict. The major broad- Iraq: ‘You were sickening then, you are title of their coverage. This “psy-ops” cast networks had always been the go- sickening now.’” term—short for psychological-opera- to places in times of crisis, but during As for tone, the same pictures could tions—was coined by the Pentagon to the Iraq War, the number of viewers for receive very different treatment on the engender good feelings about the war the cable news networks shot up more cable networks. While voicing over a effort. Rosenstiel viewed its use as “a than 300 percent. The Fox News Chan- videotape given to the networks by Al clear and financially driven decision to nel (FNC) jumped from its usual one Jazerra—with pictures of Arab men fa- pander to patriotic spirit as a way to get million plus audience to five and a half vorably greeting U.S. soldiers—CNN viewers.” million. CNN spiked to 3.3 million, anchor Aaron Brown commented, “I Bill O’Reilly, who hosts the most while MSNBC more than doubled its suppose if you see American forces popular show on Fox, told me, “The audience to two million viewers. coming in the force they’ve come in, reason we dominated in the ratings But the battle was not only for rat- you’d want to look friendly too, no and continue to do so isn’t because we ings. The war coverage was a micro- matter what you feel. … But they were were rooting for the war, it was be- cosm of the fiercely competitive on- warmly greeted and in that part of Iraq cause we were accurate. Our assess- going war raging among the all-news there’s no reason they wouldn’t be.” ment was it was a just war. We would cable networks over journalistic ethics On Fox, anchor Shepard Smith said, win the war quickly. Both proved to be and allegations of political bias. Even “Check out the reaction of ordinary true.” The host of the “The O’Reilly as the war was declared over, ques- Iraqis to our liberating forces. Smiles Factor” went on to say, “If you’re going tions still lingered about whether ob- and handshakes. … An Iraqi man has to tell me we shaded the news or did jectivity—the attempt to give fair and liberation for himself, his family, and anything other than report the truth, equal treatment to all participants in a his neighbors. So far the war is going as I’m going to tell you you’re flat-out story without the influence of personal scripted.” wrong.” or political opinions—had been side- Alex Jones, director of the Fox failed to separate itself from the lined in the struggle for ratings and Shorenstein Center, who has closely U.S. war effort, according to “60 Min- political supremacy. monitored the rise of Fox, commented, utes II” executive producer, Jeff Fager. “If you watch Fox you’re going to get a “Probably the hardest thing to detach What Research Revealed very positive interpretation of what’s from is your country. But you have to. going on, who’s right, who’s wrong. That’s just something that is no longer To research my documentary, I watched There will be very little ambiguity.” as much of a priority in a place like Fox. endless days of live coverage during Most Fox correspondents delivered It’s okay to say ‘we’ because you’re the war and ran through hours of tapes straightforward, accurate reports. But saying ‘we’ about a part of the audience after the fact. The three cable networks during the evening on Fox, the analysts that’s going to love you for it.” Rival differentiated their presentations, in who usually host their opinion-driven network executives surmise that the

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 87 Words & Reflections

FNC business plan calls for appealing seen through whose lens. The debate acts as a cheerleader.” to conservative males—the largest seg- about fairness in the war coverage in- ment of the news-watching public. tersects with the controversy about Assessing the Future Many conservatives believe the press whether mainstream news organiza- are too critical of the country at all tions, such as The New York Times, The measure of any coverage can be times, let alone during a time of war. The Washington Post, and CNN, have a assessed by what viewers learned and political bias and color their reports whether it is accurate. In October, an The Role of Objectivity accordingly. The fiercely competitive important postscript to my documen- Ailes declined to be interviewed for tary was issued by a research group Should journalists be allowed to be this documentary, but he has long ar- from the University of Maryland that more patriotic, a little less objective gued Fox News is the much needed has evaluated public misperceptions during a time of conflict? Andrew antidote to the liberal media. Ailes regu- about foreign policy for a decade. In an Heyward, president of CBS News said, larly accuses CNN of leaning to the left, analysis of polling conducted between “I think it’s possible to be objective, and his commentators take the fight June through September, the Program even if not neutral. It’s a subtle distinc- on-air. During the war, a guest on the on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) tion, but an important one. I’m not Fox morning show referred to CNN as found 52 percent of Americans believed neutral about the outcome of the war. “Al Jazeera West,” a remark greeted evidence was found linking Iraq to with gales of laughter. September 11th. Thirty-five percent In our interview for believed the United States had found the documentary, CNN weapons of mass destruction, and 56 … when it comes to general manager, Teya percent believed most world opinion objectivity, the question is Ryan, was adamant that supported the war. Those who watched always the truth as seen the cable news veteran Fox as their main source of news on the is “not about a political war were found to be most likely to through whose lens. point of view.” Ryan said hold one or all three of those miscon- that CNN provided ceptions. PIPA’s research director, Clay straightforward reports Ramsay, said: “It is a cautionary tale. I want America to win. I’m not rooting during the war. “CNN is about the People who rely primarily on Fox News for Iraq, but I remain objective in that news,” she said. “Nothing is going to are living in a different world from I hope to maintain the ability to sift pull us off that road.” But in recent people who get their news from a mix through information honestly obtained years, with faltering ratings, CNN has of sources.” and honestly presented and give people been looking for a road map. Shortly There are profound implications for the most accurate picture we can on after the war, Ryan was relieved of her American television news if opinion— what’s actually happened.” position. CNN, which was the undis- unidentified as such and masquerad- The president of MSNBC, Erik puted news leader during the first Gulf ing as news—becomes the new para- Sorenson, suggested that since Sep- War, fell to Fox’s highly energized, pro- digm for cable news or even the tember 11th the country wants the American presentation during the war broadcast networks. Such an approach news media to give the government in Iraq. to news could not only eliminate ob- more “benefit of the doubt,” to be less O’Reilly claims that other news out- jectivity as a standard, but with more on the attack. Roger Ailes, chairman lets attack Fox’s journalism because propaganda and less information, our and CEO of Fox News, believes govern- they disagree with their politics and democracy could be harmed in the ment should be given the “presump- are jealous of their success. “Look, the process. ■ tion of innocence” by cynical news bottom line on this is the establish- people. It’s a false dichotomy, accord- ment press, which leans left in this Margie Reedy has been a television ing to Rosenstiel: “It is as much a closed country and always has, is now losing anchor and reporter for 25 years in mind to say we’re just going to accept its power to a new operation that leans Boston, Detroit and Austin. For the government’s point of view as it is right, leans right, but isn’t in lockstep seven years she hosted the news to say every politician is a liar. Both of with anybody,” he said. interview program “NewsNight” on those are a failure of professionalism, Heyward fires back, “Those predis- New England Cable News, the largest and I don’t think there is a sign that the posed to seeing the networks as either regional cable station in the coun- American public has decided in a cul- left wing, which I think is ludicrous, or try. Reedy was the researcher, writer ture in which there is more informa- not appropriately reverential to author- and producer of “Cable News Goes tion than ever to sort through that they ity probably have a fundamental dis- to War.” The film can be viewed at don’t want the truth.” agreement about the role of journal- www.shorensteincenter.org. However, when it comes to objectiv- ism in this society and therefore ity, the question is always the truth as welcome a network that more blatantly Reedy [email protected]

88 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Words & Reflections Reporting From the Battlefield ‘… the unwritten last paragraph, the untaken last photo frame, is the true memorial of the war correspondent.’

War Stories: Reporting in the Time of Conflict From the Crimea to Iraq Harold Evans Bunker Hill Publishing. 96 Pages. $12.95.

“Writing may be hard for everyone, but to say he was going out in the barrio to reality, too. And there are many ques- it is hardest of all for the war corre- see if he should top up the story with tions. Should a correspondent or the spondent. He or she has to find the one last paragraph. There, on a street editor ever put truth second to his own order of words that neither sensation- corner, a random bullet took his young country’s perceived national interests? alize nor downplay, that neither over- life. What does history have to tell us about simplify nor stupefy, conscious always “It seemed to those of us who were the consequences of evading the cen- that lives may be at stake, that deci- his friends that his ‘last paragraph’ was sor? In foreign wars, is it ever proper to sions of gravity may be taken on the a mortal redundancy. And yet the un- sympathize with one side or another? strength of a few hundred words. Is the written last paragraph, the untaken Should a correspondent always keep a story accurate? Is it clear? Is it fair? How last photo frame, is the true memorial professional detachment or has he or much personal emotion should it con- of the war correspondent. To Blundy, she a higher duty when it is possible to tain, if any? Is it meaningful? [War cor- there was a chance that the material intervene and save a life? What public respondent] David [Blundy], naturally, gathered for his last paragraph just benefit is there—if any—in the first- doubted whether he met the tests he might affect the balance and readabil- hand picture of conflict, or does it set himself. On assignment from ity of his story, and that was all that amount to no more than voyeurism? Britain’s The Correspondent in El mattered. … There are no simple answers.” ■ Salvador’s civil war on November 17, “In their long history—for wars have 1989, he already had filed a good dis- always been with us—there is much Reprinted with permission of the pub- patch. Then he called in that morning romance and adventure, but a brutal lisher, author and the Newseum.

When Journalists Report in Dangerous Places An updated version of a journalist’s security handbook offers background and advice.

In October, the Committee to Protect Part I: Introduction tween March 19 and April 9, when Journalists (CPJ) released an updated Baghdad fell—was a terrible reminder version of its guide to reporting on “In the early months of 2002, Wall for journalists around the world of war and in other situations in which Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl their vulnerability. journalists’ lives can be threatened. was abducted and executed by his cap- “In the aftermath of Pearl’s murder, The handbook is called “On Assign- tors while pursuing a story about Is- veteran journalists—including the most ment: A Guide to Reporting in Danger- lamic militants in Pakistan. The kid- seasoned war correspondents—began ous Situations,” and what follows are napping—which came only weeks after examining their own routines: Could excerpts taken from its various sec- eight reporters were killed covering they suffer Pearl’s fate? What can they tions. the conflict in Afghanistan and a little and their media organizations do to more than one year before 11 journal- make their work safer? How should ists died covering the war in Iraq be- they respond in an emergency? Are

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 89 Words & Reflections

there new security issues for those re- War that many correspondents were porting on terrorism, as Daniel Pearl able to file without censorship. This was, in the wake of the September 11, practice changed remarkably with sub- 2001 attacks …?” sequent conflicts. U.S. officials, along with their local allies, tried to keep From Part II: Who is at Risk? journalists away from the fighting in El Salvador, Grenada, Panama, the 1991 “Recent fatalities in Iraq illustrate the Gulf War, and Afghanistan. … dangers faced by war correspondents. “U.S. officials changed policy, how- But the hazards of war coverage are not ever, during the 2003 war in Iraq. By limited to combat. During and after the the time the three-week conflict was three weeks of fighting in Iraq, several over, more than 800 journalists of vari- journalists died from either medical ous nationalities, including correspon- conditions that proved fatal in the field dents reporting in English and Arabic, or from road accidents. … But even all had been embedded with either U.S. or the risks of reporting in a conflict zone U.K. forces. … Whether to embed with comprise only a small part of the risks any armed forces is a decision involv- journalists face worldwide. In fact, for ing trade-offs. A primary advantage of every journalist killed in crossfire, three embedding is that a journalist will get are targeted for murder. Between 1993 a firsthand, frontline view of armed and 2002, CPJ research indicates that forces in action. But there are also 366 journalists have been killed while disadvantages. An embedded journal- conducting their work; of that total, 60 ist is only able to cover that single part journalists, or 16 percent, died in of the story, and his or her reporting crossfire, while 277 journalists, or 76 can become one-sided as a result of percent, were murdered in reprisal for which was clearly marked with ‘Press,’ becoming too close to the soldiers. …” their reporting. The remaining jour- and CNN’s hired guard returned fire. “Since as early as the Vietnam War, nalists were killed on the job in other The gunmen continued to shoot the U.S. Defense Department officials have situations, such as violent street dem- vehicle as it turned around and drove used the term ‘unilaterals’ to describe onstrations.” away. CNN International president, journalists covering conflicts indepen- Chris Cramer, defended the network’s dently. Such reporting provides invalu- From Part IV: Reporting in use of armed guards as necessary to able and compelling dispatches, but Hostile Areas: Minimizing protect CNN personnel in Iraq. Robert sometimes at the price of high per- Risks Menard, secretary-general of the Paris- sonal risk. … In one particularly chill- based press freedom watchdog group ing series of episodes, on the morning “Journalists covering conflicts should Reporters san Frontieres, however, of April 8, 2003, U.S.-led forces fired on never carry arms or travel with other criticized CNN, saying that the practice the offices of two international news journalists who carry weapons. Doing ‘risks endangering all other reporters.’” broadcasters and a hotel filled with so jeopardizes a journalist’s status as a journalists in three separate attacks in neutral observer and can make com- From Part IV: Reporting in Baghdad. One journalist died in the batants view correspondents as legiti- Hostile Areas: Battlefield missile strike on the Al Jazeera network mate military targets. … In some par- Choices studio, equipment was damaged at the ticularly dangerous conflicts, Abu Dhabi TV studio, and two camera- journalists have hired armed guards. “Although the term ‘embedding,’ or men died when a tank fired on the The practice first became widespread placing journalists with troops in war- Palestine Hotel, which was being used among television crews and reporters time, was recently coined by U.S. De- as a base of operations by about 100 covering Somalia in the early 1990’s fense Department officials in 2002, the journalists at the time. … after journalists traveling without practice is as old as the earliest war “According to CPJ, U.S. Defense De- armed guards were robbed at gun- correspondents. … From at least the partment officials, as well as command- point. Journalists who use armed U.S. Civil War through the first two ers on the ground in Baghdad, knew guards, however, should recognize that world wars, journalists who accompa- that the Palestine Hotel was full of they may be jeopardizing their status as nied combatants were only able to file international journalists and were in- neutral observers. For example, CNN reports through military censors. … tent on not hitting it. However, these crews used armed guards in northern “Journalists briefly enjoyed more au- senior officers apparently failed to con- Iraq in 2003. On one occasion, uniden- tonomy during the Korean War, al- vey their concern to the tank com- tified attackers shot CNN’s vehicle, though it was not until the Vietnam mander who fired on the hotel.” ■

90 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Journalist’sInternational Trade Journalism

Sun Yu, who for 12 years was a reporter and editor of the Chinese and English language editions of China Environment News, explores ways in which news coverage in China of the SARS epidemic affected how the government and media interacted. She describes the reporting work of China’s “independent publications” and also evaluates criticism of Western media’s “exaggeration of the health crisis” in which the coverage “focused too much on negative aspects and mixed this medical crisis in with political issues.” Kwangchool Lee, bureau chief of the Korean Broadcasting System in Washington, D.C., reflects on the intensifying pressure for media reform in Korea. Since the February election of President Moo-hyun Roh—whose campaign was ignored and criticized by the major news organizations—calls for media reform have come from the president as well as the people. The issue now is how reform can happen. One thing is clear: “The people insist they do not want media reform to come from government, fearing that will damage democracy.”

Lessons From SARS Coverage Arguably, this coverage changed both the government and media in China.

By Sun Yu

arlier this year Severe Acute Res- ues. The SARS crisis also exposed prob- less influenced by the government pro- piratory Syndrome (SARS) was lems in China, such as the transpar- paganda machine. During the SARS Elike a nightmare to many who ency problem behind the release of crisis, some of these publications con- live in China. SARS first appeared in information to the public. Because ducted in-depth investigations of the China’s southern Guangdong Province media play such a critical role in get- disease and its impact and delivered late in 2003 and until February was still ting information to the public, it is exclusive reports with unique angles. a regional epidemic. However, initial worth reflecting on what happened This gave them a golden opportunity attempts to cover up the disease re- during SARS and what impact the to further establish their status as watch- sulted in it spreading to Beijing and media’s actions continue to have. dogs. other provinces. Over time, a regional The independent Caijing magazine epidemic evolved into a national disas- Coverage By Independent led in reporting SARS. Unlike its counter. Media terparts in the mainstream media, This tiny virus caused China huge Caijing Magazine started to cover SARS economic losses, far costlier than ei- In recent years, so-called “fringe me- as soon as February, long before the ther the Asian financial crisis in 1997 or dia” publications have emerged in Chinese government acknowledged the the flood disaster in 1998. Some ex- China. These fringe media are less con- scale of the disease and before other perts conclude that SARS resulted in trolled by government; these indepen- media in the country were reporting direct economic losses of 400 billion dent publications enjoy more au- on it. Caijing published many investi- RMB yuan (48 billion dollars). Several tonomy than mainstream media and gative reports about SARS, such as sto- international conferences planned for rely on the market for financial sup- ries about large-scale SARS infection China were postponed or changed ven- port. Therefore, their viewpoints are incidents in hospitals and Shangxi, the

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 91 International Journalism

affected area. Hu Shuli, founder and advantage of news reporting in English and change of bureaucratic mentality managing editor of Caijing Magazine, is that it can draw on foreign experts’ that has occurred during the SARS epi- believed the news of SARS involved viewpoints, which makes the report- demic: “The dumping of these two issues of government transparency, and ing more balanced. With SARS, China’s officials [the mayor of Beijing and the the signficance of these issues meant media in English did probing analysis minister of health], regarded as guilty that the story had to be reported. and sometimes went in front of the of holding back information relating to In an interview with World Press Chinese news media. the spread of the epidemic, is expected Review (WPR), Hu Shuli reflected: “Al- In April and May, the English-lan- to change China’s old bureaucratic though at the time [in February] the guage program of China Radio Interna- mentality. Before, many government disease was hardly mentioned in any tional, “People in the Know,” invited officials would cover up anything Chinese media, I was quite sure that an foreign and domestic experts to give deemed ‘negative,’ whether it was news epidemic like SARS could hardly be independent analysis of topics related about the collapse of a coal mine or a covered up. So I decided to start by to SARS. On April 14th, at a time of case of massive food poisoning …. SARS reporting about the disease in Hong increasing public panic in Beijing, has shattered the philosophy among Kong. When I saw on the Web site of “People in the Know” interviewed David some bureaucrats that silence on nega- the World Health Organization on Ropeik, director of risk communica- tive topics might sustain their power.” March 12th that the number of cases in tion at the Harvard Center for Risk Guangdong had jumped from zero to Analysis. He was able to explain risk The Role of Western Media 792, I knew I had real news …. We analysis and inform the public about assigned a group of four reporters to why they should not overreact to the In its initial stages, the Western media cover SARS at first and then put an disease. His interview was among the beat its Chinese counterparts in re- entire desk of 10 people on the report- first to send a calming message to the porting the SARS crisis. However, some ing. Finally, we put more people on the public. Chinese media specialists have criti- story and produced four special weekly Ropeik explained that because SARS cized U.S. and other Western media’s issues on SARS in addition to our nor- was a new disease, members of the exaggeration of the health crisis, claim- mal publications.” Hu was named press were focusing much attention on ing the coverage focused too much on WPR’s international editor of the year it. By doing this, the public’s percep- negative aspects and mixed this medi- for her magazine’s probing and com- tion of the risk it poses was increasing cal crisis in with political issues. Just as prehensive coverage of SARS. even though other epidemics, such as the two governments—China and the Another leader of the country’s influenza, were resulting in far more United States—hold different views on fringe media is the 21st Century Busi- deaths than SARS. Ropeik said that many issues, the SARS crisis brought ness Herald. On May 1st it published a people should take precautionary mea- some of these differences to the sur- SARS special edition of about 30 sures, but they should behave ration- face. pages—normally newspapers only have ally and not panic. David Ropeik, who was a broadcast four pages. From that point on, the China Features of Xinhua News reporter for 22 years, explained that Business Herald published investiga- Agency reported on many SARS stories one reason for this problem is that U.S. tive stories or editorials about SARS in for foreign media, such as Science, reporters tend to dramatize problems almost every issue. On May 8th an WPR, and Inter Press Service. This re- and overplay controversy to attract editorial appeared saying that fighting porting helped foreign readers get a readers’ and viewers’ attention with SARS should depend on science and better sense of the real China during headline-making news. John Pomfret, warning the local government not to and after the SARS crisis. Xiong Lei, Beijing bureau chief for The Washing- take extreme approaches. On May 15th managing editor of China Features, ton Post, said that Ropeik’s viewpoint it published a series of investigative and her colleagues worked together has some credence, but he does not reports about the SARS infection situa- with Science reporter Martin Enserink feel it’s the main reason. He argues tion in Inner Mongolia, Anhui, Hebei to cover the research on SARS in China U.S. reporters regard a part of their and rural areas of other provinces, ana- and reported how mainland Chinese role as serving as a watchdog—watch- lyzing the problems and solutions of researchers missed the chance to be ing what government does (and the nation’s marginalized rural medi- the first in the world to announce find- doesn’t) do to inform and protect the cal system. ings of the coronavirus—the real killer interests of the public. Erik Eckholm, of SARS victims—because they were who from 1998 to 2003 was Beijing Media Coverage in English very cautious and thought that by an- bureau chief of The New York Times, nouncing it they would not be respect- agreed that some Western reporters China’s news reporting in English ful to other experts. tend by nature to give relatively more serves as a window for the outside In July 2003, the article “SARS is coverage to crises, corruption and world to understand China. Since it Making a Change” was published in the emerging problems in society. He ex- caters to foreigners, in general, this WPR, and in it Xiong Lei described in plained that the U.S. media’s job is, in coverage tends to be more open. One blunt language the politics of silence part, to challenge and question every-

92 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 International Journalism thing, and this attitude might make In a May 18th interview conducted cases have been reported throughout some people in China feel that West- by “People in the Know,” Guo Ke, the world, and most people afflicted ern reporters are too hostile. However, deputy dean of the College of Journal- with the virus survived. Meanwhile, he pointed out that U.S. reporters go ism and Communications of Shanghai each winter about 36,000 Americans farther in reporting bad news in their International Studies University, ana- die from influenza and 114,000 are own country than they do in China. In lyzed the conflict between the role hospitalized. However, as we wit- his paper’s reporting on China, and government perceives for itself and the nessed, the outbreak of SARS caused the American press generally, Eckholm media and how members of the media an irrational fear in China, as well as in observed that in recent years there has perceive their own role. On one hand, the United States and other countries. been an enormous expansion in the the government regards media as be- Some media experts believe the range of topics covered, including more ing part of it, or the government’s press played a large part in causing the about what’s happening with young mouthpiece—to say what the govern- spread of fear with this disease. Be- people, the arts, culture, social change, ment wants it to say or to defend its cause of the virus’s newness, it re- and the economy. He said, the goal behavior and policies. Guo Ke suggests ceived attention that more well-known should not be to provide a “positive” or that one reason why China’s main- and also deadly viruses no longer do. “negative” image of China, but a fair stream media overreacted in reporting And this coverage made people more and well-rounded picture of a society about SARS was because news organi- frightened of SARS than they needed to with many contradictions undergoing zations were pushed by the relevant be. Putting such news into its proper rapid change. authority to cover the fight against SARS perspective is a major challenge for as a political task. On the other hand, journalists. SARS coverage can and What SARS Teaches many members of the media perceive should be used as an example of why Journalists their job as supplying information for threats of disease should be handled in the benefit of the public. a scientific way and how journalists’ Historically, the channels of informa- Guo Ke believes that the SARS crisis coverage should not push the public tion in China have been very limited, could serve as a wake-up call because it into overreacting to the threat. ■ and it was very easy for the government could prompt media to redefine its to control the flow of information. With mandate and push for changes that will Sun Yu, a 1999 Nieman Fellow, was the Internet, chatrooms and short mes- make the media’s role one of benefit- reporter and editor of the Chinese sages transmitted by cellphone, that ing members of the public and society. and English editions of China Envi- kind of control is no longer possible. He thinks media ought to grow more ronment News for 12 years. She was And when no information is released independent and be ready to criticize also editor of the Chinese edition of via official channels, its absence can government officials, when it’s neces- Fortune and executive editor of cause the public to panic and rumors sary. Given the Chinese media’s expe- TimeDigest (the Chinese edition of to spread. Therefore, it is very impor- rience with the SARS crisis, it is reason- Time). She is International Scholar tant for members of the media to de- able to expect that more aggressive at the Knight Center for Science and liver news accurately and in a timely investigative reporting for public emer- Medical Journalism at Boston Uni- manner. To do so will bolster public gencies will exist in the future. versity this year. confidence in the government and pre- Since the first SARS case was identi- pare the public for emergencies. fied last year, slightly more than 5,000 [email protected] Pressures for Media Reform in Korea There are loud calls for changes in the way the press and government interact.

By Kwangchool Lee

n late February, Roh Moo-hyun was a “not to do” list to break the old able as “street editions” on the previ- inaugurated as the 16th president practices that had characterized gov- ous evening.) In past governments, Iof the Republic of Korea. As soon as ernment and press relations. officials hunted for unfavorable news Roh stepped into the president’s oval On the president’s list was an order coverage in street edition and then office at the Blue House, he targeted that no members of his executive contacted editors to tell them not to the Korean press as an institution that branch were to subscribe to the “street carry such reporting in the morning he intended to reform. And he began edition” of the daily newspapers. (In edition. President Roh compared this this task by giving government officials Korea, morning newspapers are avail- practice to “begging,” and ordered

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 93 International Journalism

those in his administration not to ex- selves fully to their duties and provide dent. And after his election, workers at change their pride and dignity for this the basis for democracy to flourish. these newspapers suspected his media kind of arrangement with the press. reforms were targeted at them in retri- Under his new policy, when a govern- The President and the Press bution. ment official finds reporting is wrong, During August, Roh also claimed challenging the error must be done In August, President Roh filed a $2.5 that since the press had strayed from through legal channels, not by negoti- million lawsuit against four newspa- reporting fairly, government officials ating with reporters or editors or do- pers and one opposition lawmaker for should continue to “engage in contro- ing anything illegal. their report that a charge of speculative versies” with them. A month later Roh President Roh also advised his em- real estate trading had been brought was saying that because of accusations ployees not to flatter or give favor to against him. Three of the four newspa- and false attacks on him and his gov- reporters and editors so that favorable pers he sued claim a 60 percent share ernment made by members of the press, stories would be written. Cabinet mem- of the country’s readers and are re- the people would lose confidence in bers and government employees were ferred to as “majors.” In filing this law- their work and the result would be that told not to dine or drink with report- suit, he became the first president to his government would become almost ers. Roh argued that in doing this, make a legal claim against the press. powerless. “We should read the news- government officials made the media Later, when the newspapers protested papers for fun,” Roh said, in a joking “a powerhouse without responsibil- that while in office he cannot engage in way. “Occasionally I see the newspa- ity.” For a strong democracy to thrive, legal action against news reports about per that way.” he said, “healthy tension between press him, he agreed to postpone legal ac- President Roh spoke further about and the government is vital,” and Roh tion until he finishes his term as presi- the government and members of the promised the public he would raise the dent. Also, The Wall Street Journal ad- press fulfilling their duties in “their quality of Korean media to the level of vised Roh that he should learn from proper places.” However, media schol- developed nations’ press. He said he British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who ars had a hard time explaining refer- wanted the press to become “power did not sue the British Broadcasting ences Roh made to the duties of the with responsibility.” Corporation even though it reported media, especially duties the govern- Journalists and editors were quite the British government was under sus- ment and the press owe to each other unhappy with how the president por- picion for distorting the facts in order in their relationship. trayed the press. Members of the Ko- to stage the Iraq War. In Korea, newspapers, television and rean press responded to his actions During the previous Kim Dae-Jung radio carry more government-related and orders by contending that they do presidency, it had been these major news stories than the press does in not change stories because government newspapers (among a total of 23 me- other countries. The duties of the Ko- officials ask them to do so. Drinking dia companies that were involved in rean press involve telling the news and meals never changed stories about the tax investigation) that had to pay an about government actions to readers, the truth, the journalists said, and re- additional levy resulting from a tax viewer and listeners speedily and accu- porters complained that it is govern- investigation into their operations. Two rately. However, government officials ment officials who invited them to bars newspaper owners went to prison for in Korea, as in other countries, attempt and restaurants. For the most part, tax evasion, and the wife of one news- to conceal news that might be sensi- President Roh ignored complaints from paper owner committed suicide dur- tive, making it difficult to bring this the Korean press while continuing to ing the investigation. These newspa- news to the public. Government offi- set new rules for engagement with the per owners asserted that the tax cials see this as their duty to do so. members of the press. investigation was a gag on freedom of These adherences to duty creates ten- President Roh instructed that a news speech, and international media orga- sion between those who try to collect briefing room was to be set up at the nizations also supported this conten- information and those who try to hide Blue House so the media could gain tion. The government contended it was it, and occasionally these tensions ex- direct access to sources in his execu- a case of business practices (and taxes pand into emotional tangles and legal tive branch. But the president also pro- not paid), not an attempt to cut off free battles. hibited correspondents from gaining speech. For example, a government official entry to the office building where his Roh, who was minister of Maritime thinks of himself as being “generous” staff members work, explaining that Affairs and Fisheries in this administra- to the reporters and, in return, wants no nation allows open access to the tion, attacked the major newspapers to be quoted as an only source. But to president’s staff. While the staff offices publicly and argued for payment of the reporter, this official is one of sev- remained off-limits, he allowed a pool taxes as the rightful cost of doing busi- eral sources. When a story appears in of reporters access to activities at his ness. It was, perhaps, Roh’s support of which the news event is characterized oval office. In Roh’s view, these new the tax payment that led to many of the differently from how this official saw it, measures would enable the press and major newspapers criticizing him there is anger at the reporter. But the government officials to devote them- strongly during his campaign for presi- reporter maintains he did his job well

94 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 International Journalism by going to a variety of sources to try to ous newspapers. complaints about the news media, past get an accurate story. At times these But the news media President Roh is and present. The commission should misunderstandings result in lawsuits most closely associated with is the hold open hearings and insist on wide filed by government officials who insist Internet, which was responsible for his coverage and, after much study, it that reporters acted irresponsibly. Un- election, as his campaign was praised should provide recommendations for der President Roh, governmental bod- on Web sites while it was ignored or media reform. ies have made 117 legal claims against criticized by major newspapers. As soon Such a course could avoid reform of the press, a significantly higher rate of as he became president, Roh allowed the news media by the government. lawsuits than with any preceding ad- the Internet news media to enter the Instead, public pressure would com- ministrations. Blue House and cover his executive pel nongovernmental entities to find branch for news stories. He also gave solutions for problems that have pitted Media Regulation vs. Media exclusive interviews to reporters for large segments of the public against Reform Internet news sites. major journalistic outlets. This ap- The role and position of the Internet proach could possibly avoid vindictive- Determining what the actual duties news media arouses a lot of contro- ness, as the criminalization of past ac- should be on each side of this relation- versy in Korea, as it does in other coun- tions would be ruled out. Civil charges ship is very difficult and, because the tries. While this method of transmit- might be appropriate, if conducted boundaries are not clear, the strictly under the rule of law. If major newspapers in Korea large claims for back payment regard many of President … when Koreans hear the words are sustained by the commis- Roh’s orders regarding the ‘media regulation,’ they are sion, fair arrangements for press as attempts to regu- reminded of when the military long-term payouts should be late the media. And when considered rather than de- Koreans hear the words “me- ruled, and the media were tightly manding payments that would dia regulation,” they are re- controlled. severely cripple or bankrupt a minded of when the military news institution. ruled, and the media were It is not obvious that a spe- tightly controlled. Only cial commission of this kind “good news,” filtered by government ting news is still developing—as its would succeed. Never before has such officials, could be delivered to the read- access to readers, the depth of its news a commission existed in Korea, and ers. Back then, if reporters wrote unfa- reporting, its reliability and other is- President Roh has not made such a vorable stories, those in the govern- sues are being sorted out—those in the commission a priority when he talks ment openly pushed news Internet news media believe they about reforming the media. And some organizations to fire those reporters. If should have the same access to govern- doubt that any resolutions that might they were not fired, reporters were ment officials and information as the come out of it could be made manda- kept out of government buildings. Such existing press do. tory on the news organizations. restrictions hampered freedom of the Reform of the news media is difficult Now it is unclear what will happen press and stopped the growth of de- to accomplish. And when most people to this idea, proposed by Professor mocracy. talk about media reform, the “majors” Sussman. What members of the press Now in Korea, an understanding of are the target of their criticism; some and government officials must realize the need for media reform is develop- suggest that the Internet news media is they both exist to serve the people. ing among the people. Those who are should replace them. Reporters, as a Tensions will always exist between jour- critical of the press focus on the “ma- group, also advocate media reform but nalists and government officials. That jors” and claim they have not been on little agreement can be found on the is not going to change. But if serving the side of the people. (It was not method or goals, and their debates the people can become the basis for surprising when the first newspaper become divisive as groups of reporters building trust, then both the press and President Roh visited was a “minor” argue with one another. democracy will have a better opportu- paper.) But when polled, the people After a visit to Korea in October nity to thrive in a system of balance and insist they do not want media reform to 2002, Professor Leonard R. Sussman cooperation. ■ come from government, fearing that from the Freedom House, an acknowl- will damage democracy. Similarly, other edged authority on the press in Korea, Kwangchool Lee, a 2000 Nieman newspapers are also highly critical of recommended that a special commis- Fellow, is bureau chief of the Korean the “majors,” saying that they act un- sion composed of prominent, public- Broadcasting System in Washington, fairly in their business practices, such spirited citizens, drawn from relevant D.C. as giving away bicycles to lure new sectors—journalism, academia, fi- subscribers. This leads to tension nance, religion and commerce—should [email protected] among those who work at these vari- examine the strengths as well as the

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 95 Nieman Notes Nieman Notes Compiled by Lois Fiore

The Watchdog Journalism Project Moves to the Web ‘We want to cajole, encourage, prod, stroke and, in the end, help create a sense of urgency and obligation to higher reporting standards.’

By Barry Sussman

iemanWatchdog.org is about to Project relied primarily on conferences The Nieman Foundation’s objective get started. I’m the editor, and with members of the press—most held is to “elevate the standards of journal- NI can use your help. at Harvard University, one in Washing- ism” by further educating “persons As you might know, the Nieman ton, D.C.—to stimulate greater inter- deemed especially qualified for jour- Foundation has had its Watchdog Jour- est in how to use reporting to hold the nalism.” The Watchdog Web site will nalism Project for six years, created powerful accountable. But the advent marshal the vast learning resources of and funded by Murrey Marder, a distin- of the war on terrorism, with its wars in Harvard University, which have nour- guished, retired Washington Post dip- Afghanistan and Iraq, have made it ished Nieman Fellows for more than a lomatic reporter. Marder’s commit- imperative to reach a wider audience half-century, to help supply inspira- ment to watchdog reporting is intense. more quickly. The Internet makes this tion for questions and lines of inquiry He believes it’s possible that, if report- possible. During earlier times of war that reporters around the globe can ers and editors work hard, perhaps the public was conditioned to criticize pursue with policymakers. Harvard they can help to improve things here the press for disclosing too much, but University will not be the sole source of and there and, once in a while, possi- in the Iraq conflict a considerable por- information on this site; thought-pro- bly even avert catastrophes. It’s a belief tion of the public has been criticizing voking ideas will be offered by other a lot of us share. And if we believe this, journalists for failing to question gov- academic centers, scientists and spe- we must continually work to see that it ernment policymakers vigorously cialists from these diverse fields. happens. This is what this new Web enough. We want to cajole, encourage, prod, site is all about. With the Internet revolution, any- stroke and, in the end, help create a Watchdog reporting means holding one connected to the Web has access sense of urgency and obligation to accountable people and groups in po- to more raw information and far more higher reporting standards. We will be sitions of power and especially in gov- opinion than any journalist could pos- international in scope. We will offer ernment. In practice, fidelity to this sibly sort through. What this means is less trivia and more substance, but we goal ebbs and flows. that there is a critical need in this al- also know that if we are dull, or even A grievous default in watchfulness ways churning news world for knowl- hard to navigate, we are dead. by both the press and Congress in 1964 edge and ability to evaluate this deluge We have plans for several main fea- plunged the United States into the Viet- of data. No reporter or editor is tures, each of which focuses on nam War on a false rationale. While the equipped to cope with the interwoven interactivity. In one part of the site, principles remain constant, each gen- complexities of foreign and domestic there will be brief essays or columns by eration has to learn the watchdog les- policy, science, economics, the envi- Harvard professors and other experts son anew. In Iraq, as in the Vietnam ronment, world trade, culture, religion, in a variety of fields. The journalist can conflict, the shortcomings of the press genetics and all the other issues that select the subject matter to explore, have been remarkably similar: lack of now engulf us. such as how to better report on OPEC probing pre-war questions about the NiemanWatchdog.org is poised to or race relations or recidivism or Af- war’s justification, about the political, assume this role in offering a unique ghanistan. This list is large. These ex- economic and military components of service to journalists at newspapers, perts might focus their writing on as- the U.S. war-fighting strategy and, most TV and radio and to online reporters pects of an issue that the press isn’t important of all, about the postwar and editors, journalism students, and covering well and might include ques- costs and consequences. citizens who care about the world tions that ought to be asked. And here Until now, the Nieman Watchdog around them. is where the interactivity begins: The

96 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Nieman Notes essays, commentary and questions will porting, and then journalists, if they doing. This is your project, too. ■ be open for comment and queries by desire, can query him before using his the user. information to inform their reporting. Barry Sussman was a Washington Our site will debut during the up- We are asking for as much assistance Post editor for 22 years. He was coming election campaign, which as possible from alumni/ae and readers special Watergate editor, a colum- means we will present a lot of material of Nieman Reports. Consider this Web nist for the Post’s National Weekly about politics in America. For example, project a family business. It won’t take edition, and director of opinion a Harvard Kennedy School of Govern- long to see what we’re about and, when polls. He left the Post in 1987 and in ment professor contends that mis- you visit us, we’d appreciate hearing recent years has been a news media guided election campaign coverage is back from you with your questions and consultant as well as the author of partly to blame for low voter turnout in comments and also with your ideas for several books. the United States. He’ll present his issues we should tackle. Please also let views and suggestions for better re- friends and colleagues know what we’re [email protected]

—1951— ture essays. Then, during his Nieman to let two black students enroll at the year, he developed filmmaking equip- then all-white University of Alabama. Simeon S. Booker, Washington ment that allowed him to create mo- “Faces of November” presents the re- bureau chief for Jet Magazine, recently tion pictures based on candid photog- actions of participants and onlookers celebrated 50 years with the magazine, raphy, minimizing narration and to Kennedy’s funeral. The documen- as reporter, Washington bureau chief, following the action as it unfolded. His tary, “Adventures on the New Fron- and war correspondent. Hundreds of first subject, who was a good fit with tier,” captures Inauguration Day and friends, journalists and well-wishers his innovative technique, was John F. night and the early weeks of Kennedy’s gathered for an afternoon reception in Kennedy. presidency in the Oval Office. The July at the Johnson Publishing Drew’s first documentary, “Primary,” Kennedy films have been released on Company’s office in Washington, D.C., focuses on Kennedy running for the DVD and VHS cassettes. according to a November 2003 article Democratic presidential nomination in Drew, president of Drew Associates, in Jet Magazine. In addition to oral Wisconsin in 1960. “Crisis: Behind a since 1959 has produced over 60 non- tributes, Booker received many gifts, Presidential Commitment” is the “first fiction films. His films have won major among them a … history book from and only film ever shot candidly of a broadcasting honors, including Emmys, Frederick Douglass IV, the great-great- President making decisions during a Peabodys, and duPont-Columbia great grandson of the abolitionist crisis,” according to The History awards. Frederick Douglass. Channel’s press release. The film shows After his Nieman year, Booker went Kennedy and Robert Kennedy, then- Bill French writes: “I retired 13 on to become the first full-time black U.S. Attorney General, making deci- years ago after 42 years with The Globe reporter at The Washington Post and sions concerning Alabama Governor and Mail, the last 32 as literary editor. then joined Johnson Publishing Com- George Wallace’s refusal in June 1963 I wrote three columns a week (reviews pany. While at Jet Magazine, he continued to cover civil rights events in the South, including the Emmett Till murder case. He also covered the wars in The Knight Center: A Lippmann House Addition Vietnam and Grenada. In 1982, Booker was the first African Nieman Curator Bob Giles announced new wing is a fitting recognition of the American to win the National Press in November that the new wing on the Knight Foundation’s exceptional sup- Club’s Fourth Estate Award. Nieman Foundation’s headquarters, port of education for journalists and its Walter Lippmann House, will honor generosity to both the Nieman Foun- —1955— the John S. and James L. Knight Foun- dation and Harvard University,” said dation for its long-standing support of Giles. “The Knight Center provides a Robert L. Drew’s four documenta- the Nieman Foundation and its mis- modern learning environment for the ries about President John F. Kennedy sion to elevate the standards of jour- Nieman Fellows and will enable the aired for the first time together on The nalism. Nieman program to include the Harvard History Channel on November 22, The addition to Walter Lippmann community and the larger world of 2003, commemorating the 40th anni- House includes a seminar room, a li- journalism in many of its activities.” versary of the assassination of Presi- brary, and a media technology labora- In his Curator’s Corner on page dent Kennedy. tory and will be called the Knight Cen- three, Giles writes more about the While an editor at Life magazine, ter. “Putting the Knight name on our Lippmann House addition. ■ Drew specialized in candid, still pic-

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 97 Nieman Notes

and author interviews). Retirement father had been a star on the faculty. … managed to lose. … In the normal came just in time. As chief book re- “Jean [French’s wife] and I have course of headline-making, the new viewer for the paper, I was running out done a lot of traveling, including a mayor managed to get herself arrested of space in the house for more book- cruise last year around Australia and for driving under the influence and for shelves. When I retired, my papers were New Zealand. We spent a splendid day allegedly faking an attack on her by a acquired by the University of Toronto in Wellington with Ian and Tui Cross foul smelling man …. She subsequently Libraries and my collection of Cana- and talked a lot about our days at lost a recall election (not to me, thank dian fiction and poetry (first editions) Harvard. As you probably know, Ian goodness), but she still managed to get by the University of Western Ontario retired after a very successful career as a big spread and Playboy-type color Libraries. (Modesty be damned.) head of New Zealand television. We photo in The Times of London, which “Any success I had as a literary critic had hoped to see Fred Flowers in presented the words stripped of office was due in some measure to a course I Melbourne but were, alas, too late.” spread across her otherwise unadorned took at Harvard as a Nieman—the Mod- bosom. And I must add this footnote to ern Novel, given by Albert J. Guerard in Mort Stern writes: “A couple of years illustrate the shape of politics on this the English Department. I chose it as ago, after two terms on the Georgetown portion of the Western frontier: Shortly my major course, did all the homework (Colo.) governing board, I let myself after my election loss, a neighbor called and assignments (I still have my lecture be persuaded to run for mayor against to get my assistance with the town notes). That’s where I first encoun- a nice young lady whose qualifications government on a complicated matter. tered Malcolm Lowry’s ‘Under the Vol- (unknown to me) included a spell as a After listening to him explain the … cano,’ which has since been recog- professional strip teaser. She alleged issue, I said, ‘Thank God I lost the nized as one of the great novels of the that I represented the ‘Old Guard’ of election!’ to which he replied, with 20th century. Lowry was living in this historic village since I was in favor obvious sincerity, ‘Well thank me, too, Vancouver at the time, and the city of zoning as well as of having the town because I worked against you.’ government was trying to evict him marshal enforce the posted speed lim- “Late in 1990 Pat [Stern’s wife] and from his seaside shack—a circumstance its. She beat me by 31 votes, which was I both thought we would retire to full- I was able to turn into a good story for roughly the number of people who time living in this historic mountain the Globe and Mail. Professor Guerard could drink standing up at one of our town about 15 minutes drive from the was a brilliant teacher, and his course downtown saloons. Continental Divide. But her interior had a profound impact. I saw his obit “For some reason, the media … design clients continued to request just the other day; he spent his final thought it was a great story and kept her services, and I got occasional re- academic years at Stanford, where his my phone busy questioning how I had quests for writing and editing assistance. So we cranked up our consult- ing partnership (P. Paty & Co.), and we are still at it and doing a lot of civic The Murrey and Frances Marder Fund service besides ….

The Murrey and Frances Marder Fund, established in November 1996, has Bill Woestendiek retired in 1995 as provided the Nieman Foundation with support for four Watchdog Confer- director of the School of Journalism at ences, the publishing of excerpts of the conferences and articles on the University of Southern California, watchdog journalism in Nieman Reports and on the Nieman Web site, and Annenberg. He writes: “Since my ‘re- the Nieman Watchdog Project. Following is an accounting of expenditures tirement’ … I have been a Knight Inter- from the fund as of October 31, 2003: national Press Fellow in Russia and served as a communications consult- Balance at 10/31/02: $285,800.14 ant for the U.S. State Department in such places as Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Income: $97,492.41 Kenya, Ethiopia and Azerbaijan. 5,184.53 — interest on balance at end of FY 2002-03 (at 6/30/03) “My son John, who now works at 92,307.88 — income from endowment for FY 2003-04 (7/1/03-6/30/04) The (Baltimore) Sun, won a Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting at The Expense: $51,354.69 Philadelphia Inquirer in 1987. 34,335.00 — design of Watchdog Project’s Web site “I should add that I had a heart 13,942.31 — editor of Watchdog Project attack about a year ago, but I am doing 2,873.15 — travel/lodging/meals well.” 204.23 — miscellaneous Sam Zagoria’s last full-time job was Balance at 10/31/03: $331,937.86 as news ombudsman for The Washing- ton Post from 1984-86, “courtesy of

98 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Nieman Notes

Executive Editor Ben Bradlee,” Zagoria says. Since then, Zagoria continues, “I Letter to the Editor: got busy with a Fulbright in wonderful Copenhagen, teaching at Florida At- Over the past year, we have chal- dia has yet to be resolved. I guess lantic University in Boca Raton … and lenged the premise and facts of Wil- that’s why so many media execu- then teaching in the Wake Forest Uni- liam McGowan’s book, “Coloring tives are being banished to career versity MBA program for eight semes- the News: How Crusading for Diver- Siberias. ters …. I managed to write two books sity Has Corrupted American Jour- We also take exception with how (neither reached best seller range), nalism.” We stated that Mr. Mr. McGowan presented the facts ‘Public Workers and Public Unions,’ McGowan presented facts selectively surrounding the debate sponsored and ‘The Ombudsman: How Good Gov- in his book to help support his argu- by the National Press Club. He writes ernments Handle Citizens’ Grievances,’ ment that efforts to diversify the that he “had agreed to debate NABJ” and traveled in 38 countries.” media industry have corrupted jour- about his book, but that “the NABJ Zagoria, who will be 85 next spring, nalism. We are writing now to chal- pulled out.” The National Associa- and his wife, Sylvia, celebrated their lenge once again statements he made tion of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) 62nd wedding anniversary this winter. in the 2003 fall edition of the Nieman is the organization that called for Reports. the debate. That debate between —1962— While Mr. McGowan is entitled to McGowan and NAHJ took place in his opinion, we are entitled to chal- the fall of 2002 and aired on C-Span. John Hamilton writes: “Hamilton lenge them. He wrote the following The press club did invite the Na- Productions continues to produce both in the Nieman Reports article: “Many tional Association of Black Journal- corporate and on-air TV programming, news organizations demand a pro- ists (NABJ) to participate, but the including our long-running ‘Watch on nounced commitment to diversity group chose not to take part at the Washington’ series. We shape it on a as a requirement for career advance- time. It is unfair to criticize NABJ for state-by-state basis to feature a state’s ment. Failing to do so, or asking too not participating in a debate that the congressional delegation, and we pro- many questions either about its ani- organization did not call for. duce it in association with Reuters and mating premises or its execution in Meanwhile, McGowan was un- ABC News. We broadcast from the the newsroom, can ‘dramatically nar- able to accept an NABJ invitation to Reuters’ studios here in Washington row’ one’s career options, as New debate his book at the group’s 2002 and have access to their worldwide York Times publisher Arthur convention. However, former NABJ news footage. Kate Snow of ABC News Sulzberger, Jr., phrased it. Indeed, President Condace Pressley did de- serves as our on-camera host. … Now stepping over the party line on this bate McGowan twice. She debated we are launching a new series that will subject can result in ostracism, op- him the first time on CNN in the air on public broadcasting stations na- probrium and banishment to career summer of 2002 and for the second tionwide. It’s called ‘Environmental Siberias.” time earlier this year on the C-Span Minutes.’ We are producing it in asso- If media executives are so fearful program, “Washington Journal.” ciation with Sky Farm Productions, that their career advancement might It would be irresponsible to state another independent production firm be stalled for not hiring more jour- that Mr. McGowan refused to de- headed by Peter Berle, an old friend of nalists of color, then why do jour- bate NABJ when he did debate the mine. UNC-TV, the North Carolina nalists of color continue to be organization on two separate occa- public television system, is our pre- underrepresented in U.S. news- sions. Too bad Mr. McGowan did senting station. The National Educa- rooms? The percentage of journal- not extend the same courtesy. It is tional Telecommunications Association ists of color working at all local TV convenient to leave out those facts is distributing our series to all public broadcast stations has declined over when you are attacking the credibil- broadcasting stations.” the past two years from 24.6 percent ity of NABJ, an organization that has to 18.1 percent. The representation played an instrumental role in im- John Hughes, on leave as a tenured for Latinos working at English-lan- proving the quality of journalism in professor of journalism and director of guage stations dropped from 7.3 this country. It is also convenient to the International Media Studies Pro- percent to 5.2 percent during that be selective when trying to support gram at Brigham Young University, is same time. a flawed premise. editor and chief operating officer of At daily newspapers, journalists the Deseret Morning News, an 80,000- of color make up only 12.5 percent Sincerely, circulation daily in Salt Lake City. He of all newsroom employees. Mean- has just taken the News from afternoon while, people of color make up more Joseph Torres, Deputy Director to morning publication, with a 7.3 per- than 30 percent of the U.S. popula- National Association of Hispanic cent increase in circulation, and now is tion. This historic failing of the me- Journalists in head-to-head competition with his

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 99 Nieman Notes

partner and competitor in a JOA, the fourth visit to this little country—I had fingers on his left hand, plus voice morning Salt Lake Tribune. been there twice as a reporter and recognition software, to do his writing. once as representative of the Interna- Dave Kraslow writes: “I am a life tional Monetary Fund immediately af- Victor King McElheny writes: “My trustee of the University of Miami and ter the fall of Communism. Now, more latest news is publication early this was recently appointed as the than a decade later, it was fascinating year of my irreverent, unauthorized university’s representative on the Mi- to see how people have blossomed out biography of the enfant terrible of biol- ami-Dade County public health trust. with energy and spirit, opening new ogy, Jim Watson (who got the Nobel The trust governs the Jackson Health stores and cafés and enjoying their Prize during my Nieman year). It’s called System. The UM medical school faculty pretty little city. Like all the former East ‘Watson and DNA: Making a Scientific staffs Jackson Memorial Hospital, which Bloc countries, Bulgaria has problems Revolution’ (Perseus). The best review also serves as the school’s teaching building a new political and new eco- from the subject was a quote in The hospital.” nomic system simultaneously. The New York Times last February. Asked press is poorly developed and will need about the book during an interview, Henry Raymont splits his time be- a great deal more help to fulfill its Watson said, ‘McElheny makes me seem tween Washington, D.C., and Berlin, responsibilities.” much more unique and much more where he spends each spring teaching eccentric than I ever felt.’ The book, a seminar on U.S. relations with Latin —1963— selling fairly well in a tough market, America at the Freie Universitaet of was timed for the 50th anniversary of Berlin. He teaches the class, he says, Saul Friedman, who founded and the Watson-Crick discovery that DNA is “in Spanish, of course.” Along with writes a weekly column on senior is- a double helix, which has been cel- writing a column, Raymont, at 76, still sues for Newsday, suffered a stroke last ebrated all over the place, including a writes a few news stories a day. April that partially paralyzed his right gala in the Grand Ballroom of The arm and leg. But after five months of Waldorf-Astoria, a conference in Cam- Murray Seeger went back to a part therapy, Friedman is walking with a bridge, England, and two meetings at of his old East European beat to hold a cane, and he resumed the column in Cold Spring Harbor, all of which I training session for economic journal- September with a piece about, what attended. ists in Sofia, Bulgaria. “This was my else, stroke. He’s using a couple of “My first book, a biography of the father of instant photography, Edwin Land, came out in 1998. Also from Special Edition of Nieman Reports Perseus, it’s called ‘Insisting on the Impossible.’ I’m now starting book A special edition of Nieman Reports can order a copy by contacting the number three. featuring practical and reflective guid- magazine’s subscription manager, “In 1998, I retired as director of ance from 84 leading journalists and Elizabeth Son, by phone: 617-496-2968 MIT’s Knight Science Journalism Fel- scholars who study or report on sci- or e-mail: [email protected]. lowships (based on the Nieman model), ence, the environment, health and The articles can also be found on the which I headed for 16 years. … medicine has been published by the Nieman Foundation’s Web site, “My wife, Ruth, and I divide time Nieman Foundation. www.nieman.harvard.edu. between Cambridge, Massachusetts, A grant from the Scripps Howard Each article originally appeared in where we’ve lived for 21 years, and our Foundation provided the resources to one of four consecutive issues of place in the woods in New Hampshire.” print 15,000 copies and distribute them Nieman Reports. The science articles to nearly 8,000 journalists who report were published in the Fall 2002 issue; —1966— on these topics as well as to 105 accred- reporting on the environment ap- ited college journalism programs and peared in the Winter 2002 issue; health Wayne Woodlief, a political writer departments. Faculty members will be reporting was part of our Spring 2003 who has been with the Boston Herald able to order additional copies for use issue, and medical reporting was in for 27 years, is retiring from full-time in their classrooms. The magazine will our Summer 2003 issue. duty at the paper after the Herald an- be sent to every U.S. member of the Melissa Ludtke, editor of Nieman nounced a series of buyouts, retire- National Association of Science Writ- Reports, said “Our hope and intent is ments and layoffs. Woodlief, who will ers, Society of Environmental Journal- that these journalists’ experiences and continue to write a weekly column on ists, Association of Health Care Jour- insights will become a valued training politics on the op-ed page, said: “I’m nalists, and the American Medical tool in both newsrooms and classrooms retiring a little bit earlier than I wanted Writers Association. Foreign members as journalists work to improve their to. I had hoped to cover this campaign of these organizations, as well as oth- coverage of this broad range of critical fully. I’ve had a great run, and I got a ers interested in this special edition, topics.” ■ good retirement package.”

100 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Nieman Notes

—1969— page editor of The (Baltimore) Sun my principles.” until late 2001, was a fellow at the Richard Longworth, senior corre- Institute of Politics for the fall 2003 —1992— spondent at the Chicago Tribune, semester. Thomas taught a study group writes: “After 54 years in the news entitled “Up Close & Personal: News Marcus Brauchli is now the global business and 27 years at the Tribune, Coverage of State and Local Issues.” news editor of The Wall Street Journal. I’m leaving journalism—not retiring She is also working on a book about Brauchli had been the Journal’s na- but shifting gears, to become executive African Americans during the period tional news editor. In an announce- director of the Global Chicago Center between the World Wars. ment in September, the Journal’s man- at The Chicago Council on Foreign aging editor, Paul Steiger said, “Journal Relations. The Center, which works to —1991— news editors everywhere will be part of raise Chicago’s profile as a global city a 24-hour global news desk and will be and to promote cooperation between Rui Araujo writes from Portugal: “I responsible for serving all of our edi- the city’s global players, grew out of a left RTP, Portuguese Television Net- tions … as well as the edition with report that I wrote for the MacArthur work, last June. I wasn’t fired. I asked which they are directly affiliated.” The Foundation four years ago on Chicago’s them to leave. I was sick and tired to be position of global news editor that transition from the industrial to the paid (with public money) to do noth- Brauchli will hold is new. global era. I’m also the coauthor of a ing—for almost four years. Twenty- Brauchli’s wife, Maggie Farley, U.N. book on Chicago and globalization, to three years in the same company is bureau chief of the Los Angeles Times, be published by the University of Illi- more than enough—especially when shared top honors with her colleague nois Press in the spring, and do a lot of you don’t have any challenges and per- Robin Wright at the U.N. Correspon- lecturing and guest teaching around spectives (since you’re not a member dents Association awards dinner in the area, plus an annual lecture to the of the ruling party). The other problem October. Knight-Bagehot Fellows at Columbia J- is, they no longer have a single news School. I was one of three finalists for show like ‘60 Minutes’ in the public Mike Ruane reports on the publica- the Pulitzer on foreign reporting this sector. Commercial television made the tion of his new book: year for a series on U.S.-European rela- same option. Portugal is the exception “I am the coauthor, with Washing- tions. Too bad the Pulitzers don’t have in Europe. ton Post colleague Sari Horwitz, of the a geriatric category, which would have “Now I work as a stringer for Le new book, ‘Sniper: Inside the Hunt for improved my chances considerably.” Point (a French weekly newsmagazine), the Killers Who Terrorized the Nation.’ Liberation (a French daily newspaper), It’s about the October 2002 serial sniper —1977— and for the International Consortium spree that killed 10 people and injured of Investigative Journalists. I cannot three in the D.C., Baltimore and Rich- Hennie van Deventer’s eighth find a job in Portugal. It seems to me I mond area, and the coast-to-coast book, “In Kamera” (“In Camera”in En- am only a decent reporter for foreign events that led up to it. The book was glish), has been published in South companies. Unfortunately, the foreign published by Random House and came Africa. Van Deventer writes that the media are not interested in Portugal out September 30th. book “is an armchair journey through (nothing happens here). “To my great pleasure, a book re- my life and career. I page through my The Portuguese government con- ception at the paper in October was stack of photo albums and write about trols the two most important media attended by, among others, Bill and my memories. Naturally, there is a chap- groups in the country. They don’t for- Lynne Kovach and by 1999 fellow and ter about Harvard. There is also one give me for what I wrote (along with current Post reporter John Kelly. about my dear wife, Tokkie. The title special assignment French reporter “Katie [Ruane’s wife] works for The has a twofold meaning: ‘In Confidence’ Dominique Audibert) in Le Point this Catholic University Alumni Magazine. and also ‘In the Eye of the Camera.’ I summer: a three-page story on pedo- Emily is away at college, the University am writing a ninth and last book at the philia in Portugal—including three of the Arts, in Philadelphia. Julia, a present moment, about life in the bush lines on the two ministers of the actual senior in high school, and Sean, an 8th- as a neighbor of Kruger National Park.” government who are pedophiles. This grader, still at home, are doing great.” Van Deventer, who is retired, is a story continues to make headlines here. former editor of the Afrikaans-language The other media groups prefer to re- —1995— newspaper, “Die Volksblad,” and chief place professional journalists by stu- executive of Naspers Newspapers. dents—they work for free, and they Kemal Kurspahic writes: “The don’t complain. The fact that I received Vienna, Austria-based South East Eu- —1984— nine national journalism awards is not rope Media Organization (SEEMO) has important. awarded me its annual Dr. Erhard Busek Jacqueline Thomas, freelance “As an outsider, I accept the price I Award for Better Understanding in the writer and editor who was editorial have to pay to preserve my name and Region. The award is for my book,

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 101 Nieman Notes

‘Prime Time Crime: Balkan Media in —2004— War and Peace,’ published in March U.S. Postal Service 2003 by USIP Press. The book, trans- Erin Hoover Barnett, a reporter at Statement of Ownership lated and published by the Sarajevo- The Oregonian, won second place in Management and Circulation based Media Center, has been well Distinguished Feature Writing in the received by the professional commu- 2003 C.B. Blethen Memorial Awards Title of publication: Nieman Reports. nity and the general public in Bosnia, for the story of a father and son’s rela- Publication no. USPS 430-650. Date Croatia and Serbia-Montenegro, includ- tionship after the father gravely injured of filing 10/29/03. Frequency of is- ing book events in Sarajevo, Zagreb, the son in a logging accident in their sue: Quarterly. No. of issues pub- and Belgrade.” The award was pre- Oregon family logging business. The lished annually: 4. Annual subscrip- sented to Kurspahic in October in judge said: “The reporter has done an tion price: $20. Complete mailing Vienna. excellent job of stepping back from the address of known office of publica- story and letting the drama unfold. tion: One Francis Avenue, Cambridge, —2000— Through her well-paced writing, she MA 02138-2009 Middlesex County. gives the reader a glimpse of the strong Complete mailing address of the Laura Lynch is now based in Lon- but silent connections between father headquarters or general business of- don as the European correspondent and son both before and after such a fice of the publishers: One Francis for CBC News. Her assignment began tragic accident. The vivid writing Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138-2009. on November 9th. coupled with sensitive storytelling Full names and complete mailing make this father-son tale unforgettable. address of publisher and editor: Bob —2002— It is the ultimate story of forgiveness.” Giles, One Francis Avenue, Cam- The Blethen Award was named after bridge, MA 02138-2009; Melissa Michele McLellan will be leading a a former publisher of the Seattle Times Ludtke, One Francis Avenue, Cam- project, “Tomorrow’s Workforce,” to and this year involved 129 newspapers bridge, MA 02138-2009. Owner: conduct research and then develop in at least five western states. Nieman Foundation at Harvard Uni- ways to improve midcareer training for versity, One Francis Avenue, Cam- journalists. The project, which will be Jodi Rave Lee, Native American beat bridge, MA 02138-2009. Known based at the Medill School of Journal- reporter for the Lincoln Journal Star- bondholders, mortgagees and other ism at Northwestern University, is Lee Enterprises, received top awards security holders: None. The purpose, funded by a $2.2 million, four-year in September at the Nebraska Associ- function and nonprofit status of this grant awarded to Medill by the John S. ated Press contest for her “Broken organization and the exempt status and James L. Knight Foundation. The Trust” series. The Journal Star editors for Federal income tax purposes has grant is a part of the foundation’s larger, accepted the first place award in the not changed during preceding 12 $10 million initiative to “improve exist- “enterprise reporting” category. Since months. Extent and nature of circula- ing journalism training and to increase the three-part series was published in tion (first number is average number the news industry’s investment in pro- fall 2002, it has also netted first place of copies of each issue during pre- fessional development.” McLellan, a recognition from the Native American ceding 12 months, and second is former editor at The Oregonian and Journalists Association. Additionally, actual number of copies of single primary author of “The Newspaper Rave Lee received the Thomas C. issue published nearest to filing date): Credibility Handbook,” will research Sorensen Award and $2,000 for the Total number copies: 6,475; 7,200. the project by visiting newsrooms series from the University of Nebraska Paid circulation, sales through deal- across the country and talking with School of Journalism. The series will ers and carriers, street vendors and people on both the corporate and edi- also be featured in a journalism text- counter sales: None; None. Mail sub- torial sides of newsrooms. book being compiled by the Columbia scription: 401; 433. Total paid circu- McLellan said in the press release University Graduate School of Journal- lation: 401; 433. Free distribution by announcing the project: “Effective train- ism due out by fall 2004. mail, carrier or other means, samples, ing could impact newsroom cultures. The “Broken Trust” series unrav- complimentary and other free cop- Research has shown that good staff eled the complexities surrounding the ies: 4,833; 5,206. Total distribution: development contributes to higher U.S. Interior Department’s handling of 5,234; 5,639. Copies not distributed, employee retention.” billions of dollars belonging to Native office use, left over, unaccounted, The Knight Foundation learned in a American landowners. Earned income spoiled after printing: 1,241; 1,561. recent study that eight out of 10 jour- came from mineral, timber and land Return from news agents: None; nalists and nine out of 10 executives leases from reservation allotments None. Total: 6,475; 7,200. I certify expressed a need for further profes- across the country. The series rose that the statements made by me above sional development. The $10 million from a 1996 class-action suit that was are correct and complete: Bob Giles. initiative was created as a response to “one of the most complicated pieces of that need. litigation in federal court history.” ■

102 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 Nieman Notes End Note

Exploring the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge By boat and backpack, three journalists wander through this vast, treeless tundra.

By Richard Read

ontificators often sound flat when Perhaps Nick called me believing Alaska. Walt said he’d throw in some they write about subjects—griz- that no New Yorker would be crazy bear spray for us. Pzly bears, say, or whales—that enough to go along. Or maybe he Bear spray? “If a bear attacks you, they haven’t actually seen or tasted. merely figured that Oregon, his home just spray yourself in the face, and you That’s one reason I jumped at the invi- state and my adopted one, was on the won’t see it.” tation to backpack in the Arctic Na- way to Alaska. In any case, Nick called I passed along this tip to the third tional Wildlife Refuge with Nicholas D. back a few days later. “Uh,” he said, member of our party, Naka Nathaniel, Kristof, peripatetic columnist for The “you have done some hiking before, Paris-based multimedia man for the New York Times, who called out of the haven’t you?” Times’s Web site, figuring he might opt blue last summer. Those who write columns without out. I thought Nick himself might not I don’t write opinion, at least not hiking, or without at least moving from make it, given that he described in his consciously. Neither did Nick when we their keyboards, run certain risks. So column getting a car stuck in Ukraine first met in 1989 at adjacent telex ma- do people who brave grizzlies, polar the week before our rendezvous. chines in Pyongyang, North Korea. But bears, blizzards, severe cold, and rick- But we met in a Fairbanks’ hotel in Nick, who travels to the ends of the ety bush planes in America’s most relate August. Fog stranded us the next earth to report his op-ed column, mote preserve. But Walt Audi, a bush day in Deadhorse, the aptly named planned to explore the Alaskan refuge pilot Nick located, was reassuring when gateway to the Prudhoe Bay oil fields. where the Bush administration favored I reached him by phone as he flipped A commercial pilot generously agreed drilling for oil. burgers for his hotel guests in Kaktovik, to drop us in Arctic Village beside the

Richard Read, of The Oregonian, rows with Nicholas D. Kristof, of The New York Times, on the Canning River below Alaska’s Brooks Range. Read, Kristof and Naka Nathaniel, of www.nytimes.com, spent five days floating north toward the Arctic Ocean. Photo by Naka Nathaniel.

Nieman Reports / Winter 2003 103 Nieman Notes

refuge. On the fly, he arranged for whether we were pitifully deformed shrug. passing bush pilot Dirk Nickisch to caribou,” Nick wrote. In Kaktovik we watched hungry po- ride us in from there. The vast tundra blazed with autumn lar bears circle as Inupiats hauled ashore Winging over the spectacular Brooks color like a treeless New England in a 43-foot bowhead whale amid snow Range in his 1952 DeHavilland Beaver, places, complete with succulent blue- flurries and celebration. Whale meat, Nickisch popped a question. “Hey, you berries. Hummocks of vegetation and we found, goes down far better guys want to do a raft trip?” It turned water trapped above permafrost made drenched in ketchup. out he was retrieving a group of vaca- hiking difficult. On my birthday, we lit Nick got five great columns out of tioning oil company geologists who candles amid a stiff 40-degree breeze. the trip before departing New York for happened to have an inflatable raft Nick floated an opinion as we Africa. Naka produced stunning, nar- belonging to Walt Audi. bobbed along: The refuge could be rated slide shows of our adventures. And so we bounced to a stop on a opened to oil exploration and drilling All in all, Nick went easier on the cari- Canning River gravel bar, to be served as part of a grand bargain on the envi- bou in print than I thought he might. chicken pesto tortellini, red wine, fresh ronment that would also address glo- He called the administration’s at- chocolate cheesecake, single-malt bal warming. The government would tempted assault on primordial wilder- Scotch, cigars and the remains of four break the environmental policy dead- ness shameful. kegs of beer. After the nine Arctic bon lock by increasing vehicle mileage stan- What would Huck Finn have said? vivants flew out, we saw not a foot- dards, controlling carbon emissions, There’s nothing like a river trip, a shot print, not a shred of plastic, and not a and subsidizing alternative energy. of whiskey, and a chunk of blubber to cigarette butt during five magical days I thought it would make a fine col- open a person’s eyes. ■ floating 40 miles toward the Arctic umn. I also thought it was a lousy idea. Ocean. Why should caribou suffer the sins of Richard Read, a 1997 Nieman Fel- The first grizzly showed up conve- Hummer drivers? But as I say, I don’t low, covers international affairs at niently at breakfast, enabling Nick to write opinion. The Oregonian. To read Nicholas D. file an add to his column by satellite Walt flew us out as promised to Kristof’s columns and to see Naka phone. The second grizzly, a towering Kaktovik, an island village closer to Nathaniel’s audio slide shows, visit: tawny animal, seemed to find nearby Greenland than to Oregon and closer http://www.nytimes.com/top/opin- musk oxen more appetizing than jour- to Finland than to New York. Never ion/editorialsandoped/oped/colum- nalists. mind that Walt’s Cessna crashed the nists/nicholasdkristof/index.html The refuge was so pristine that some next day as he kindly tried to remove caribou actually approached us. “They some wayward rafters from a mudflat. seemed to be trying to determine “Survived another one,” he said with a [email protected]

A musk ox eyes rafters from a gravel bar in the Canning River. The rugged animals, wiped out in Alaska by hunters during the 1800’s, were reintroduced from Greenland beginning in the 1930’s. Photo by Naka Nathaniel.

104 Nieman Reports / Winter 2003