The Media Conference at Dublin
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..· ..... Sponsored by THE BOSTON COMMUNITY MEDIA COMMITTEE JUNE 28-29-30, 1968 DUBLIN SCHOOL DUBLIN, ..,NEW HAMPSHIRE HISTORY OF BOSTON COMMUNITY - MEDIA COMMITTEE June 1966 - October 1968 The historic relationship between the black community in Boston and the mass media of Boston was poor. Roxbury certainly felt it was getting short shrift from the media of Boston. For several years concerned people bad been trying-to find ways to create better understanding. A few worried leaders from both groups began meeting to try to thrash out some solutions. Then racial tensions grew. It became imperative to let the media know of the black community's concern with the climate in the area, and to try to open up some lines of communication in an attempt to prevent this climate of anger from developing into violence. But the media suddenly realized it had no channels of communication. It couldn't find out what was really happening in the black community. Out of this realization, the beginnings of what was to become the Boston Community-Media Conferences began to take shape. IT BEGAN AT SLADE'S RESTAURANT The initial group effort in Boston to improve relations between the press and the black community began at a 9 A.M. coffee conference at Slade's Restaurant on June 6th, 1966. This meeting, and the long range effort behind it - was the brain child of Ruth Batson of Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunities, Thomas Atkins, Ex-Secretary Boston Branch N.A.A.C.P., Dexter Eure of the Boston Globe, and Bill Russell of the Celtics. It was an impressive meeting on several counts. It marked the first time that the black community addressed the Boston media as a body. The note of urgency sounded by Bill Russell -- "Boston could blow up this summer. There is a desperate feeling of hopelessness there." --was a memorable event to all participants. The size of the turnout in response to Bill Russell's telegram announcing the meeting was impressive, too. Publishers and editors and managing editors from all the Boston newspapers were there. So were station managers and news directors of all the local TV and radio stations. About 40, in all, attended from the media; about 20 were there from the black community. The primary appeal to the press was: more depth reporting on civil rights and civil disorder stories and accurate, non-explosive headlines. Tom Atkins came to the meeting armed with a notebook of newspaper clippings of recent months, which he submitted as samples of insensitive and inaccurate accounts of news from the community. -2- Th7 Roxbury group issued a statement at Slade's Restaurant. It urged: l) Ass~gnment of a reporter to Roxbury by each newspaper, TV and radio station. 2) Employment of more Negroes by the media, and job training for them. 3) More "positive" news, not just "civil rights activity" .from Roxbury. 4) Giving the poor of East and South Boston and other neighborhoods the same attention as the poor of Roxbury. 5) Formulation of a permanent media committee to deal with community-wide problems, both in times of peace and in moments of strain. The meeti~ br~ke up with the naming of temporary chairmen: .for the media, they were Tom W~nsh~p, editor of the Globe and Harold E. Clancy, publisher of the Herald-Traveler; .for the Community, it was Ruth Batson of METCO. Both sides were in agreement that a permanent joint committee should be formed and that each side would meet separately to decide the next move·. The venture had been launched. GETTING ORGANIZED: The next significant meeting took place July 6, 1966 in the home of Mrs. B.atson in Roxbury. The purpose was to work out operating procedures. Mrs. Batson and Mel King, of South End Settlement House, both reported on a post-Slade's meeting of the Negro leaders. They made these points: 1. More education on both sides was desperately needed. 2. There still was a great sense of urgency due to tensions in Roxbury and residents' concern over a communications gap in Boston. They suggested periodic seminars and workshops at the various newspapers and TV and radio stations to .familiarize the Roxbury leaders with the intricacies of the newspaper and radio and TV businesses. They also suggested that they conduct workshops, tours and seminars .for the media in Roxbury, to .further the media 1 s knowledge and understanding of the Roxbury problems. Hal Clancy and Tom Winship reported on the communications industry's post Slade's session. They emphasized that they were all concerned lest the media committee become a conduit for forwarding complaints against individual news papers or stations. They agreed to hear any complaints people wanted to make, but said these would be handled on an individual basis with the directly affected parties. They made it clear that the committee should not develop into simply a censorship board or complaint committee. All hands agreed to this. During the summer several workshops and informal sessions were held. One was a meeting between the radio talk-show people -- a source of steady complaints from Roxbury -- and black leaders. Another meeting was held at the Herald Traveler building, where editors spelled out to community_p7ople the details, problems and pitfalls of daily newspaper reporting and ed~t~ng. -3- Some of the specific accomplishments of the media committee during the years 1966 and 1967 were: 1) During a 1966 summer week-end that threatened violence, the TV stations quickly agreed to keep camera cars and crews out of troubled areas unless actual atrocities took place. This policy has been continued. 2) The press worked out a sticky problem on opening day coverage of the METCO busing program to the suburbs. 3) The media prepared up-to-date lists of editors and executives, and a manual on "How to Get Publicity" for distribution to the Roxbury leaders. 4) A current list of Roxbury leaders, spokesmen and organizations was prepared. for distribution to the media. 5) A significant meeting took place on June 8, 1967. It was a most useful three-hour post mortem at the Globe after the June 1 Roxbury rioting. Representatives from all media were bombarded with criticisms from Roxbury representatives for their news coverage and vice versa. Everyone learned something. It had never been expected that the informal meetings during this period would result in any substantive agreements among the parties involved, but it was hoped that they would initiate a dialogue through which the media and the Negro community might better understand each other's problems and aims. It is the feeling of all involved that this was accomplished. There were no new jobs for blacks to speak of, but there was an increase in favorable publicity for the Community's efforts. There were few TV programs about black problems, there was little increase in in-depth reporting. Some friendships had been made, a little ac·tion taken, but not very much yet. A small meeting of the media committee at Freedom House in May, 1968, pro duced the suggestion that there ought to be a week-end "think-in" and "talk-in." Everyone agreed it was time to get serious about gaining results and obtaining them quickly. THE DUBLIN CONFERENCE The Dublin School in Dublin, New Hampshire, was picked as the site for the first Boston Community-Media Conference. About 120 representatives from both press and the community attended on June 28-30th, 1968. Up to this point, only a few leaders from each group had been talking together, and trying to thrash out mutual problems. Now the action would be moved from the top level to the working level of media people. A whole new group would be introduced to the nature of the problem they faced. This was an important advance. The atmosphere of the Dublin week-end was special right from the start. Partly this was due to the lovely country setting. Partly to the informality of the occasion. Partly to the wonderful food. But mostly it was due to the determined spirit of the people present. Altogether, the feeling was so re markable that members of the conference have mentioned it again and again. -4- The idea of having the conference outside the city was a good one, for it removed people from their normal daily responsibilities, and put them all on an equal footing. Dublin School was a·perfect choice. It sits on top of a hill, looking out over the New Hampshire mountains in their fresh, spring green - a reminder of what a beautiful place the world is meant to be. Mr. Lehmann, headmaster of the school, and his wife, worked endlessly,to make everyone feel welcome. They provided every comfort, from attractive rooms to excellent working spaces. The food was phenomenal. The regular kitchen staff had returned to the school and turned out a series of meals that left the delegates gasping. All in all it was an ideal setup. Some who may have approached the week end with misgivings found everything moving smoothly. Here in Dublin, all mingled on neutral ground, and awkwardness couldn't develop. As much may have been accomplished in the dining hall as in the meetings. The conference began on Friday afternoon, June 28th. Cocktails were served in the school Auditorium while members arrived and registered. After supper, the first formal meeting convened. Melvin Miller, publisher of The Bay State Banner, was the chairman and launched the conference. His skill in running the meetings, in fact his organ ization of the whole conference showed remarkable ability and contributed enormously to its success.