Summer 2004 C Ontents Vo1

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA–LINCOLN

COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM & MASS COMMUNICATIONS

ALUMNI MAGAZINE SUMMER 2004 C ONTENTS VO1. 14 • NO. 1

40 Student Oscars Cover The Cuba documentary, “Cuba: Illogical Temple,” produced by broadcasting students Lindsey Kealy and David Pittock, was the first entry from the University of Nebraska to be selected as a finalist in the Student Academy Awards competition. 40 Documentary places third in the national competition Cover photo courtesy AMPAS: Academy governor and Academy Award nominee Arthur Dong (left) presented the bronze medal in the documentary category to Lindsey Kealy and David Pittock of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for their film "Cuba: Illogical Temple." Kealy and Pittock received the $2,000 third-place award June 13 in Los Angeles.

CoJMC 3 From the dean Students, faculty receive training to be media professionals New faculty 4 Mary Kay Quinlan Lincoln native brings newsroom experience to the classroom 6 Jerry Sass learns journalism enriches the soul 7 Susan Gage Second generation journalist moves to the classroom Media spotlight 8 Journalism schools must teach ethics 10 Report: 17th annual teen survey finds America’s teens read newspapers 13 Russian media: Democratic press is nonexistent 14 Commencement address: ‘A time to weep’ Alumni spotlight 16 Farrar family Advertising is a family affair 18 Kent Warneke wins Frank Partsch award 19 Brandon Meier rockets to Houston 20 Keith Carter FBI veteran remembers alma mater 22 Shelley Smith and ESPN 22 Print journalist embraces broadcast journalism 23 Barbara Richardson is working on the railroad J Days 13 Russian media 24 Seline Memorial Lecturer Cheryl Butler recalls past, gives advice 26 Robert Reeder manages advertising for Hallmark Card Inc. 27 Richard Bates Cable television pioneer honored 28 John Koopman California journalist gets close-up view of history 29 Richard Chapin Business grad gives back to the broadcasting industry 30 J Days week in photos J News & Notes 32 Faculty notes 33 Fifth graders are the youngest students at CoJMC 34 Alumni notes 36 Alum becomes a distinguished citizen College notes 20 Donors make the difference 24 J Days celebration 38 Norris students finish yearbook at CoJMC 39 Business writing program finds new home in CoJMC Student notes 40 Hearst contest 8 Three CoJMC students earn trip to awards program finals 42 Student notes 42 American Forensics Association competition 8 Broadcasting major Juanita Page makes history in the contest 43 SPJ Region 7 Mark of Excellence competition 8 Journalism students bring home a raft of awards 43 Thompson Scholarship winners 8 News-ed students are the first recipients of the new award to study abroad 33 J News & Notes 43 Nebraska ADDYs 8 Evian Bottled Water campaign wins three golds

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln does not discriminate based on gender, age, disability, race, color, religion, marital status, veteran’s status, national or ethnic origin or sexual orientation. From the Dean ALUMNI MAGAZINE SUMMER2004 Students, faculty are

J Alumni News is a biannual publication of the College of media professionals Journalism and Mass Communications at NU, in cooperation with the College of Journalism Alumni Association. By W ILL N ORTON J R . Dean Will Norton Jr.

Editor Charlyne Berens visit to the “Grammar Art director Andersen Hall Slammer.” Marilyn Hahn A today is not likely to The faculty mem- Photographer be that much different Josh Fiedler bers in this college from a visit to the J believe that the mark Journalism Alumni Association school when it was in of an educated per- Board of Directors Avery, Nebraska, son is the ability to President Burnett or University write well and to Brian Noonan, Lincoln hall. speak well. Second vice president Visitors to our col- Instruction in writing Marilyn Hahn, Lincoln lege when school is in was a part of the Secretary/treasurer session always com- area that the ancient Jane Gustafson, Lincoln ment on the interac- Greeks called rheto- National board representative tion between students ric. Along with Thom Kastrup, Lincoln and faculty. They are grammar and logic, Board members surprised by the open it was part of the trivium, in the origi- Rhonda Gerard doors of faculty offices and the facul- nal liberal arts curriculum. Barry Kriha ty who are working one-on-one with Donna Kush In this college, integration of Kristi Routh students in classroom, labs and faculty teaching, service and scholarship are Dara Troutman offices. Kevin Warneke vital. Because our focus is on prepar- Ashley Washburn Full-time faculty teach the vast ing students for media professions, the majority of our classes, and all our majority of our scholarly activities are Past president Peggy Rupprecht labs are taught by people who have profession oriented. Teaching and had or currently are in solid media service are defined by our scholarship. Student representative careers. Patricia Vannoy Thus, while our students are We tell visitors that preparing preparing for media work, they also College representative quality graduates for media profes- Rick Alloway are becoming educated persons, sions is our primary goal. Instruction accomplished in writing, editing and Foundation representative in writing, editing and graphics/visu- visuals and prepared to assume roles Amber Antholtz als is our emphasis. as productive citizens in our society. Letters to the editor should be sent to: We are a meat-and-potatoes col- The view of this faculty, this col- J Alumni News College of Journalism and lege. Our focus is on the basics. Each lege and the university administration Mass Communications professional course has a four- or five- is that scholarship is too narrowly 147 Andersen Hall hour lab and involves an incredible P.O. Box 880443 defined if it is considered to be only Lincoln, Neb., 68588-0443 amount of one-on-one instruction by empirical research for juried journals. Phone top professionals. 402-472-3041 We follow the Carnegie FAX For decades this college has had Foundation’s broadly defined view of 402-472-8597 intense instruction in grammar, scholarship. Our promotion and E-mail [email protected] spelling and AP Style. Now we are tenure document reflects this perspec- imposing a college-wide test on gram- tive, and our faculty have responded College Web site: mar that is a prerequisite to any http://journalism.unl.edu/ to it. course above the 100-level. We call it Faculty members wrote at least Daily Nebraskan Web site: http://www.unl.edu/DailyNeb/

summer 2004 J Alumni News 33 From the Dean

nine books during the six years between Lincoln native brings news accreditation visits. One faculty person consistently does law journal articles, and other faculty regularly present convention experience to classroom papers. Four faculty are completing manu- By ADRIAN SANCHEZ Quinlan received her bache- scripts for book publishers, and two others J Alumni News staff lor’s degree from UNL in 1972 are dealing with publishers about book and was encouraged by her manuscripts. adviser to go straight to gradu- As one of our faculty commented ary Kay Quinlan’s ate school. With this advice recently, “This college has never been so Mjournalism career took Quinlan spent the following actively involved in scholarship as it is her from Lincoln to year earning a master’s degree now.” Washington, D.C. But success in journalism at the University Our scholarship is improving each year. did not go to her head, and the of Maryland. We are celebrating scholarship because we Lincoln native returned. From Maryland, Quinlan believe the classroom is not a vibrant and Quinlan taught beginning was hired to cover a suburban effective environment if faculty are not a and advanced reporting as an school district for the Rochester part of the big conversation in the areas in adjunct professor at the College Democrat and Chronicle. which they teach. of Journalism and Mass A year later, at the age of 24, We believe that scholarship cannot be Communications for five years Quinlan received the opportuni- disengaged from professional issues if a before being hired as a perma- ty of a lifetime. program is preparing students for work in nent part-time lecturer in fall Quinlan said when The the media. Indeed, those schools whose 2003. Omaha World-Herald offered focus is not on preparing graduates for Quinlan’s journalism career her a position as a Washington careers might as well be in the social sci- began as managing editor of the correspondent, “I all but threw ences or humanities. Lincoln Southeast high school down the phone and said, ‘I’ll The School of Journalism at the newspaper, The Clarion. be there tomorrow!’” University of Nebraska changed directors Don Ferguson, the principal “There were, and are, many in 1956 when the incumbent tried to make of Geduldig and Ferguson Inc., people who spend 20 years the school primarily a theoretical and tradi- a New York-based public rela- working themselves into a tional mass communications research pro- tions firm, and Quinlan’s high Washington bureau position,” gram. He had forgotten that, in addition to school journalism teacher, she said, “I knew I was lucky.” being a member of the American quickly recognized Quinlan’s During the early and mid- Association of Universities, this is a land writing talent. 1970s, women reporters were grant institution. “She was a superb writer few and far between, Quinlan Members of professional organizations and really understood the use of said. in Nebraska wanted a program that would the English language,” Ferguson “A lot of times I’d be the produce the best media professionals. Thus, said. Ferguson said he expected only woman in a room. Not just William Hall was hired from Texas Quinlan to continue to be suc- the only woman reporter but Christian University. He immediately hired cessful in everything she did. the only woman period,” she a young city editor from the Lincoln Quinlan helped put together said. Journal named R. Neale Copple. Hall and information for one of the first “What struck me as much as Copple recruited top media professionals, editions of the high school jour- the fact that I was the only and they set the tone for the current faculty. nalism textbook, Journalism woman was really the fact that I We believe in professional education, Today! But that would not be was also the youngest person in and our faculty are effectively producing the last textbook she would the room.” graduates of whom the taxpayers of help produce. Quinlan said members of Nebraska can be proud. After high school, Quinlan Congress were more skeptical of Furthermore, members of professional knew exactly where she wanted her age than her gender. But her associations throughout the nation know to go and what she wanted to bureau chief, Darwin “Ole” from which schools good, young profes- do. Olofson, helped Quinlan estab- sionals graduate. She knew the University of lish credibility. He treated her as And they know one of those schools is Nebraska was one of the best a professional and expected ❑ Nebraska. journalism schools in the coun- other people to treat her the try, she said. same way, she said.

4 4 J Alumni News summer 2004 new faculty

“[‘Ole’] was committed to my being successful,” Quinlan said. Some reporters may consider a position in Washington the pinnacle of their career. But Quinlan continued to pursue new opportunities. After a decade of working for The Omaha World-Herald, Quinlan became a regional reporter for several small Gannett papers throughout the Midwest, including Nebraska, as part of the Gannett News Service Washington Bureau. In 1986, she became the first woman president of the National Press Club. In the early 1980s, Quinlan returned to the University of Maryland to earn her doctorate in American studies. In the process, Quinlan took an oral history class, which introduced her to what became an ongoing interest. Quinlan’s instructor, Martha Ross, who was also president of the Oral History Association, required Quinlan and the rest of her students to join OHA, an organization for people interested in gathering and preserving historical information about events and ways of life through spoken words. Quinlan said she was intrigued by the differences and similarities of methods used by oral historians and Photo by Luis Peon-Casanova MARY KAY QUINLAN reporters. In 1994, after she and her family had moved back to Lincoln, Quinlan Quinlan has “been able to tie all of that experience became editor of the OHA newslet- ter and later conducted oral history together and bring it into the classroom.” workshops with Barbara Sommer. — Deanna Sands Quinlan met Sommer, an adjunct Omaha World-Herald managing editor professor at the UNL history department, through mutual friends, and ethical” and is a gifted teacher, teaches the advanced reporting class. they developed a relationship based Sommer said. “She has a clear idea of what on their shared interest in oral histo- During the spring semester, good journalism is. She’s been able to ry. Quinlan team-taught an oral history communicate that particularly to Quinlan said she and Sommer class at UNL with Sommer. It was young journalists,” said Deanna wrote The Oral History Manual, the first time an oral history class Sands, Omaha World-Herald manag- which has been adopted as a text- had been offered at any level in the ing editor, former college classmate book for oral history classes around state, Quinlan said. and long-time friend. the country. Quinlan also works as a part- “She’s been able to tie all of that Sommer said working with time lecturer at the journalism col- experience together and bring it into Quinlan was a pleasant experience. lege. She is an instructor for a begin- the classroom,” Sands said. “She’s highly professional, highly ning news writing class and team ❑

summer 2004 J Alumni News 35 new faculty Sass finds journalism nourishes the soul By JESSICA STUTZMAN that he thought about editing as a J Alumni News staff possibility for himself. “I thought, ‘The editors who work here are not too bright, and I he white rabbit put on his could not possibly be any worse,’” “Tspectacles. ‘Where should said Sass. I begin, please, your majesty?’ he Shortly thereafter, Sass was the asked. acting sports editor on the paper. It “‘Begin at the beginning,’ the was then that he began to fully king said, very gravely, ‘and go on till appreciate the quality and value of you come to the end; then stop.’” his education. The quote from “Alice Through “I found that I was really good at the Looking Glass” hangs in Jerry making decisions about things I Sass’s office amid finger paintings thought I knew very little about. It and family pictures. was all because of my education,” he “I like the simplicity of telling a said. story that way,” Sass explained. “You That was when Jerry Sass realized have to have your heroes.” that he wanted to teach someday. Jerry Sass is one of the new faces Turns out, someday arrived some 10 in the journalism college. Since years earlier than Sass planned. January, he has been teaching editing, Almost a year ago, Sass was coming to UNL from The Oregonian working as the copy desk chief for where he worked for the previous The Oregonian. As chief he was in nine years as the copy desk chief. charge of 53 editors in multiple sec- Photo by Josh Fiedler Sass began his undergraduate tions of The Oregonian. He was also Jerry Sass, Susan Gage and their son, studies at the University of Rochester, responsible for recruiting and train- Sam, enjoy life at the park. double-majoring in theater and ing and for all editing standards. lecturer in the news-editorial depart- English. When editing teacher Daryl ment, moved from Oregon to Lincoln “I liked to write and read, and Frazell was about to retire from in December with their 3-year-old that was the only major I could think UNL, Dean Will Norton e-mailed son. to pursue,” said Sass. Sass, asking him to apply for the “It was kind of crazy to leave It was through his father that Sass position. Norton kept after him until (Oregon), but so far, so good,” said began an unpaid internship at the Sass agreed to consider the position. Sass. Idaho Statesman after having weath- “I had never seen Sass until he So far, he said he is adjusting to ered just one journalism class. One walked into our building for his the new environment fairly well and week and one story later, the paper interview,” Norton said. “While is enjoying his new position. decided to pay Sass and publish his interviewing him we began to realize “The thing I thought would be article on the front page. what great insight he has. He speaks the best, is,” he said, “and that is the “It was a dull holiday weekend,” almost philosophically.” students. The students are just amaz- Sass recalled, laughing. Sass didn’t just jump at the ing. After that, Sass spent the summer chance to teach, though. “We’ll get sidetracked in class reporting and loved it. He transferred “Right up until I said yes to the talking about issues here and in the to the University of Oregon as a sen- job, I was in the mindset that it world. It’s so important to do that. ior and graduated with a degree in wouldn’t do any harm to look at it Otherwise we would just be graduat- English. He then attended the and that I could walk away at any- ing automatons. University of Kansas and earned a time without feeling badly,” Sass “You need to have context to master’s degree in journalism. said. “But everything just kept turn- enrich your life. This career (journal- Sass returned to the Idaho ing up right.” ism) is one in which you can do that. Statesman as a reporter. He says it Sass and his wife, Susan Gage, You can do something that enriches wasn’t until four or five years later who also joined the UNL faculty as a your soul.” ❑

6 1 J Alumni News summer 2004 Her father, Ralph Gage, the current chief operating officer of the Lawrence Journal-World, worked in newsrooms all her life, she said. Susanne Shaw, a journalism professor and adviser at the University of Kansas, where Gage earned her bachelor’s degree, also assisted Gage in pur- suing her goals. “Being around her piqued my interest in the field,” Gage said. Shaw said Gage was committed to journalism. “She had a passion for news,” Shaw said. Bhatia was also very influential in her career, Gage said, “by making sure that I had challenges in front of me at all times.” By shifting from newsroom one-on- one discussions with experienced reporters to teaching beginning reporters in classrooms, Gage can affect larger numbers of reporters earlier in their careers, said her husband, Jerry Sass, an associate professor at the College of Journalism and Mass Communications. As she assists with NewsNet- Nebraska, the college’s online publication, and teaches a basic reporting and Second generation journalist goes news writing class, Gage challenges her students. from newsroom to classroom She sets the same standard for her student reporters as she did for profes- By ADRIAN SANCHEZ In The Oregonian newsroom, Gage sional reporters, with the understand- J Alumni News staff helped improve the paper’s crime and ing that they haven’t had a lot of writ- sports coverage. ing experience, Sass said. During her six years as crime team Along with helping students, Gage s a former city editor of the leader, she helped focus the newspaper’s saw teaching as an opportunity to take AIowa City Press-Citizen and resources on more in-depth reporting, a step back from the newsroom setting copy editor at The Oregonian, Susan rather than simply reporting on crimes, and figure out what she wanted to do Gage is not accustomed to preparing allowing readers to understand how next, she said. exams for reporters, but she is getting crimes affect them, she said. “I might fall in love with teaching the hang of it. Later, as deputy sports editor, Gage and decide that is what I really want to Her transition from editor to brought an increased news sensibility to do,” Gage said. teacher seemed to be a natural one. the department, emphasizing enterprise She still has things to accomplish Gage, who began as a lecturer at the and investigative stories, she said. and may get drawn back to the news- College of Journalism and Mass Everything Gage touched turned out room, she said. Communications in January, previously better, said Peter Bhatia, executive edi- But for the time being, “I like the assisted reporters in developing their tor of The Oregonian. flexibility of an academic schedule skills in the newsroom and is now “She is an excellent teacher who because I get to spend more time with doing the same in the classroom, made the people who worked for her my son (Sam) and my husband.” although through a different method. better reporters,” he said. Shaw said Nebraska is fortunate to “It’s a different dynamic than sort As a second generation journalist, have Gage working with young people. of the editor-reporter teaching role in a Gage’s “touch” may result from being “She can be a very positive role model,” newsroom, where it’s more one-on- raised in a newspaper family. Shaw said. ❑ one,” Gage said.

summer 2004 J Alumni News 17 media spotlight J schools must emphasize, teach fairness, credibility, public trust Jerry Ceppos chief news Eleven: The Tiger, journalists are sloppier, less profession- executive of Knight Ridder, at Clemson University. al, less caring, more biased, less honest retired in April as head of the Twelve: The about their mistakes and generally Accrediting Council on Cavalier Daily, at the more harmful to democracy than they Education in Journalism and University of Virginia. did in the 1980s.” Mass Communications, a posi- Thirteen: The Kurtz then noted that 67 percent of tion he had filled for six years. Oklahoma Daily, at the those asked believe news organizations He delivered these parting University of try to cover up their mistakes. The remarks to the council mem- Oklahoma. number was 13 percent in the ’80s. bers at their meeting on the Why is this list any Is there any question that the Harvard University campus less shameful than that Accrediting Council should own a April 30. other list with which piece of this huge issue? you’re familiar: Tyco, We did strengthen our language Worldcom, Enron, slightly when we rewrote the stan- lmost a year ago to the day, I Arthur Andersen, Computer dards, and I fully agreed to the lan- Atold the council, meeting in San Associates? guage we adopted. But neither before Jose, that I was troubled by the ethics If any outsider poked his or her nor after the rewrite have I heard the cases that kept coming up. In fact, I head in this room, the first question council discuss ethics and fairness said, only that week there was a rumor obviously would be, “What are you instruction for more than a moment, if of something happening at The New doing about this epidemic of ethical that. I now realize that the change was- Yo rk Times. A day later, The Times problems in journalism?” n’t significant enough. ran the famous four pages of reporting In fact, I’ll bet that our list will be No, I don’t want to be prescriptive. that sprang from its investigation of twice as long a year from now. My gut But our failings in ethics and fairness Jayson Blair. tells me that every newsroom employs are as serious as our earlier failings on Since then, one year ago, the fol- plagiarists, or at least staff members diversity, and we found a way to begin lowing newspapers have been tainted who don’t understand what plagiarism to address that problem. That solution by plagiarism. Before I read their is. Incidentally, an Ohio State professor wasn’t perfect, but our profession is in names — and several college papers who wrote a piece for the Columbus a much stronger situation than if we are among them — remember that this Dispatch said that he hadn’t actually had ignored diversity because of a fear list undoubtedly is incomplete because plagiarized because you can copy up to of being prescriptive, because we it came from a quick Internet search 150 words without penalty. My guess is couldn’t get our arms around the issue. and because these are only the cases that our newsrooms, and probably this Another obstacle is that ethical and where editors told readers about pla- council, are full of people with varying moral demands and histories are per- giarism and because these are all pla- interpretations of what plagiarism is. haps slightly different for journalism, giarism cases, not other ethical viola- Shouldn’t we at least engage the dis- advertising and public relations, all of tions. With those warnings, here’s the cussion in every school of journalism? which this council covers. But my guess list — since Jayson Blair: I’m also certain that our news- is that ethical worries are great for all One: USA Today, obviously. rooms are full of people who don’t three groups. We can overcome this Two: The Milwaukee Journal- begin to understand readers’ expecta- obstacle, too. Sentinel. tions on fairness and accuracy, which Kim Walsh-Childers of the Three: The Hartford Courant. are at least as important to the ethical University of Florida began to put her Four: The Bozeman Chronicle. conversation as plagiarism. More on finger on the problem when she shared Five: The Boulder Daily Camera. those subjects in a minute. this candid thought with Kelly Six: The New York Times, where a In a way, the public already is pok- McBride of the Poynter Institute: reporter lifted one paragraph. ing its head in but hasn’t realized that “One thing I’ve been wondering, Seven: The Chicago Tribune. ours is one of the groups that should not surprisingly, is how journalism Eight: The Sedalia Democrat in be interrogated. In the Washington educators are contributing to this Missouri. Post, Howard Kurtz quoted a report problem and, more to the point, what Nine: The Macon Telegraph. released in March by the Project for if anything we can do to help. I haven’t Ten: The Daily Kansan, at the Excellence in Journalism. spent much time in my ethics classes University of Kansas. The report said: “Americans think talking about plagiarizing and fabrica-

8 1 J Alumni News summer 2004 media spotlight tion because those issues just seemed Why not ask students to debate back seat to convergence and newslet- like no-brainers. We try to talk about whether it’s appropriate to read a com- ter publishing. how to make decisions about when plex story to sources before publica- Ye s, I know that there is lots of fine controversial techniques such as deception? ethics instruction in schools of journal- tion or using confidential sources Why not ask students to study ism and mass communications. But to might be acceptable; given that plagia- when to name suspects, victims, juve- the member of the public who poked rizing and fabrication are never accept- niles-even when to publish unsubstanti- his head in here, that’s a little like able, there didn’t seem to be much to ated accusations in civil lawsuits? Major League Baseball saying that discuss on those issues. But maybe Why not ask students to listen to a rules are in place preventing the use of those are just the symptoms and there’s panel of newsmakers talking about steroids. an underlying disease that does need to what it’s like to, as the saying goes, No, I don’t have a solution, and I’m be discussed: That’s what I’m inclined have journalism done to you? delighted that it’s no longer my job to to think, although I can’t put my finger Why not ask student reporters and grapple with one. But I do believe that on what I think the disease is called.” editors to ’fess up to their most we could develop a set of outcomes In my book, the disease is called embarrassing errors — and what they that we hope for from ethics and fair- confusion about what’s ethical, lack of learned from them? ness instruction, a procedure that knowledge of the consequences of Why not ask students to write a wouldn’t be prescriptive. Perhaps we unethical behavior, misunderstanding deep story on a campus issue, then even should publish a guide to meeting of journalism’s constitutional role and invite the sources in to say whether the new standards on ethics education, as a different definition of fairness from story is framed correctly, whether all we did on diversity last year; it was full that of the public. sides are represented, whether names of ideas, not requirements. I’m not trying to put all the burden and dates are correct, whether the Six years ago, as he was leaving the on our schools. Clearly our professions complexities are appropriately gray or council presidency, Bob Giles said that haven’t done a good job of reinforcing too distinctly black and white? the public wants “to know if students whatever ethics instruction takes place Why not ask students to critique are learning about fairness, about cred- before graduation. the student newspaper or the local ibility, about trust as fundamental val- But school is the place to begin. As newspaper for fairness? ues in journalism.” Pam Luecke, a member of the Why not ask students to develop Also six years ago, The American Accrediting Committee and a professor unorthodox ways in which newspapers Editor, the publication of the at Washington and Lee University can explain themselves to readers? American Society of Newspaper wrote on the Poynter site: “College stu- And why not ballyhoo on journal- Editors, ran a stark black cover with dents are at a highly impressionable ism-school home pages and course cat- the word “Mortification” in big red age and their professors are, occasion- alogues the importance of, and our letters, about the scandals of 1998. ally, among those who can make an pride in, ethics instruction? That could We have it within our power to impression. While students might be one way of raising the profile of a make sure that we’re not debating this arrive on campus with wildly different subject that sometimes seems to take a same subject six years from now. ❑ views of the world and morality, each still has the capacity to learn and to grow. We’ve all seen it happen; for ABOUT News for four years Awards: Gerald M. many of us, that’s why we teach.” JERRY CEPPOS before taking his Sass Award for Pam went on to suggest helping current job. Distinguished students “grapple with increasingly Service: past president Service to Journalism murky concepts such as authorship, Career: chief news executive of Knight of the Associated and Mass sourcing and intellectual property.” Press Managing Communications, I’d go further, or maybe I’d go a Ridder, which pub- lishes 31 daily news- Editors; served two 2002; Ethics in few steps back, before dealing with terms as president Journalism Award, those sophisticated concepts. I’d papers, including the San Jose Mercury of the California presented by Society include in ethics instruction what I call Society of of Professional real-time ethics, or the study of fair- News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Detroit Newspaper Editors; Journalists, 1997; ness and accuracy. immediate past Torch of Liberty Why not ask students to analyze Free Press and Miami Herald. He president, Award, presented by the corrections published in the student Accrediting Council the Anti-Defamation newspaper or the local newspaper so spent 27 years at the Mercury News on Education in League, 1997 they can understand how mistakes Journalism and Mass Education: 1969 grad- happen? and the Herald and was executive editor Communications uate, University of Why not drum into students that Maryland ❑ we should publish more corrections, of the Mercury not fewer?

summer 2004 J Alumni News 19 media spotlight Building blocks of good citizenship American teen survey reports newspaper readership is a promising start

By NICHOLAS LEMANN ticipation in organized religion, con- Newspapers physically embody Dean, Columbia University sumption of most forms of non-pop- these complexities. They are big and Graduate School of Journalism ular culture, enthusiastic travel to bulky, and the ink comes off on your destinations other than theme parks, fingers. Visually they are an unlikely Originally published in USA civic activity and careful life plan- mix of columns of type, dramatic WEEKEND Magazine, this report ning: things to be resisted in the pictures of the great events of the is reprinted with permission. short run but not so much as to take world, swirling weather maps, puz- them out of range for the long run. zles, luscious photographs of models On some unadmitted level, (usually, but not always, in the adver- ews flash: America’s teens teenagers like it when their parents tisements), charts, cartoons and Nread newspapers! arrange matters so that such items tables of numbers. Our exclusive USA WEEKEND are in their line of sight — because The Internet, as a medium, is infi- survey of 65,000 students delivers then they can resist. Teenagers have a nitely capacious, but it presents you some good news on newspapers: Not subliminal understanding that these with one fairly specific screenful at a only do kids read them, but they find building blocks of adulthood and time. Television permits you to them relevant and reliable. Now, if good citizenship will benefit them switch around endlessly, but at every they’d just turn off the TV … later, and that allows them to make a viewing moment you’re stuck in the A world where the average high healthy show of ignoring them now. position of a passive recipient of a school student eagerly devoured the Still, newspapers do manage to presentation. daily newspaper would be a better engage teenagers, the survey results Newspapers express the variety of world than the one we inhabit now. show. Journalists like to speak of the communities they serve: They One of the many revelations that newspapers in a soaring rhetoric of have neighborhoods, and many var- come with being a parent of public service. When we do that, ied points of access, and a reader has teenagers is that it’s possible for a we’re not being insincere — journal- total control over the interaction, person to be really smart and percep- ism is a profession mainly populated including the ability to skip, skim, tive without knowing, say, who holds by people who entered it for idealistic select, read backward, tear out and the office of Secretary of State. reasons. But the truth is that newspa- reuse. Now, a USA WEEKEND survey pers are more complicated institu- That wondrous variety in readers’ of more than 65,000 American tions than we sometimes like to let interactions with the newspaper gives teenagers delivers some interesting on. rise to qualified optimism about the news: Newspapers have established a One of a newspaper’s functions is relationship between newspapers and substantial beachhead in today’s teen to entertain, and the USA WEEK- America’s teens. For most people, the culture. END survey indicates — and I can doorway into newspapers is not the According to the magazine’s confirm from personal experience — editorial page or the long, ambitious large, if unscientific, survey, a majori- that teens’ most-read part of the investigative series — the parts jour- ty of teenagers have a newspaper newspaper is the comics. Newspapers nalists are proudest of. It’s the glance delivered to their homes and at least also report extensively on entertain- at the front page, the classified ad for see it. The best way to characterize ment, including movies and sports, a used car or the contest. As long as their attitude — and this is exactly and those are both high on the list of there is a relationship, that’s a prom- the result one would obtain from an teenagers’ favorite parts of the news- ising start. To get into the habit of unscientific survey of my own home paper. At the other end of the spec- checking the headlines and the — is that they believe in newspapers trum, portions of newspapers are weather forecast and the movie list- in theory and expect really to read devoted to pure, unmediated facts, ings is to start a lifelong relationship them one day, but in practice they dip like the stock tables. that deepens as it progresses. in and out of the more accessible sec- Newspapers are community bul- Teenagers, to judge by the survey, tions. That’s promising. letin boards, advertising vehicles, are not entirely different from adults Newspapers belong to a large cat- social crusaders, fortunetellers, polit- in their approach to newspapers. egory in teenagers’ lives, which might ical actors and pillars of their com- They read instrumentally, looking for also include true love, voluntary par- munities, among other things. material that is personally useful to

0 1 J Alumni News summer 2004 media spotlight

them: sections explicitly about comes the nobility of a free society. It Do you think newspapers will teenagers or high schools, movie list- is a similar social miracle that out of become obsolete because of other ings, fashion stories, horoscopes. the rough clay of teenage culture media (e.g., TV, Internet)? As they get older, their attention comes — well, it’s too much to claim might shift to the help-wanted ads nobility for adult culture, but it is at Ye s 24% and the community news. But one can least stable and generally aimed at the No 50% spend a lifetime interacting pretty higher good. In journalism, newspa- Don’t know 26% happily with newspapers without ever pers look the most like a free society, regarding them as a source of much because they can do more things at more than what is personally relevant. once than other forms. The varied How often do you read your local Many people read newspapers and detailed mass produces some- newspaper online? that way for as long as they read thing great. newspapers. And many people read In that way, the paper is a fair Daily 17% newspapers just to see the captivating miniature version of society entering A few times a week 20% drama of life unfold. Well-known fig- the homes of most American teen- Once a week 20% ures win and lose sporting events. agers every day. The way in which the Never 53% Ordinary people have extraordinary newspaper gradually draws them in things happen to them: adventures, over the years resembles the way the misfortunes and triumphs. Teenagers, life of the nation does, too. ❏ Do you think you’ll read the news- of course, have their own dramas to paper when you are an adult? follow, involving young celebrities or Last fall, more than 65,000 athletes, and newspapers provide it: students in grades 6-12 took USA Ye s 79% Entertainment (for girls) and sports WEEKEND’s 17th annual teen survey No 14% news (for boys) are high on the list of in the magazine, at our Web site or Don’t know 17% what they read in the paper. And through our survey partner Youth- when something truly epochal hap- NOISE.com. Highlights from the pens, a Sept. 11 or a war in Iraq, they unscientific survey are reported here. Is a newspaper delivered to your often will fill in the news flash from For complete results, go to usaweek- home? television by reading the more com- end.com. plete account in the newspaper. Ye s 70% No 30% It is a social miracle that out of newspapers’ often messy and unlovely process of engaging with the public How many days a week do you read the newspaper?

How relevant is the newspaper to Never 15% Teens & Newspapers your life? A few days (1 to 3 days) 47% survey results Most days (4 to 6 days) 22% Very relevant 18% Every day 16% Somewhat relevant 53% Not very relevant 23% This year, more than 65,000 Not relevant at all 16% What part of the newspaper do teenagers took our survey on Teens & you usually read first? (top 3) Newspapers, in the magazine or at usaweekend.com. Here’s what they How important do you think newspa- Front page 36% told us: pers are for an informed citizenry and Comics 19% democracy? Sports 15% Where do you get most of your news? Very important 57% TV 48% Somewhat important 38% Newspaper 18% Not very important 14% Word of mouth 14% Not important at all 11% Online 19% Radio 17% SURVEY | go to page 12 Magazines 14%

summer 2004 J Alumni News 11 media spotlight

SURVEY | from page 11 ————— The finale of your favorite TV show: Percentage of teens who read the Newspaper 13% following parts of a newspaper: For each of the following descrip- TV 72% tions, which medium do you think it Internet 11% Comics 69% applies to most? Radio 11% Front page 67% None 13% Movie reviews/listings 61% Most accurate: Sports 51% Newspapers 52% An issue affecting your school: Entertainment/Style 50% Magazines 14% Newspaper 55% Local/state news 46% Radio 14% TV 18% Teen section 43% Internet 10% Internet 13% Games and puzzles 43% TV 30% Radio 13% Horoscope 38% None 21% TV reviews/listings 34% Most fair: National news 33% Newspapers 44% The presidential campaign: International news 33% Magazines 19% Newspaper 31% Advertising 28% Radio 14% TV 49% Automotive/cars 26% Internet 11% Internet 18% Classified advertising 23% TV 22% Radio 13% Computers/technology 19% None 19% Business/stocks 10% Most entertaining: Newspapers 14% ————— Magazines 22% Asked of those who read a newspa- Radio 11% About the students who took the per at least once a week: When you Internet 10% survey read the newspaper, how many min- TV 53% utes a day, on average, do you spend Sex reading it? Easiest to use: Male 39% Newspapers 14% Female 61% Less than 10 minutes 13% Magazines 15% 10 to 19 minutes 37% Radio 11% 20 to 29 minutes 18% Internet 24% Race A half-hour to an hour 30% TV 46% White 75% More than an hour 12% Black 19% Most informative: Hispanic 16% Newspapers 50% Multiracial 14% Percentage of teens who would like Magazines 15% Asian 13% to see more of the following in their Radio 14% Other 13% local paper: Internet 18% TV 23% News by and for teens 52% Entertainment/celebrities 30% ————- Weekend activities 29% Fashion 28% Where are you most likely to turn for Editorials/opinion 27% more information in each of the fol- Volunteer activities 26% lowing situations? Sports 24% Local news 21% A concert you want to attend: Career 17% Newspaper 22% International news 16% TV 16% Environmental news 14% Internet 52% National news 13% Radio 20% Travel 12% None 10% Advertising 16% I like it the way it is 12%

2 1 J Alumni News summer 2004 media spotlight Liberalization policies not extended to press By BRIAN G. CARLSON news has come to resemble old Soviet news programs. Brian Carlson graduated from the The problem is that all of J school in 2000. He was a government Russia’s major news networks reporter at the Lincoln Journal Star and are owned by the state. NTV then spent the 2003-04 academic year used to be an independent sta- studying in Russia on a Rotary scholarship. tion, but its ownership and best journalists have been pushed out. or a textbook example of how Newspapers are generally Fdemocracy doesn’t work without an better but are sometimes aggressive, independent media, spend some beholden to their owners’ time in Vladimir Putin’s Russia. political views. Print journal- I just returned from one year in ists daring to cross powerful Moscow, where I was a Rotary Foundation businessmen or government Ambassadorial Scholar. I studied at the officials have been beaten or Brian Carlson poses for a picture along the Moscow Moscow State Institute for International killed. Some journalists have River. Relations, the premier training institution taken bribes in return for for Russia’s diplomats. favorable coverage (or no coverage) of cer- ny. It was a perfect time to be in Russia. I tain people or companies. Such measures are popular with the worked as an election observer for the The recent headlines have been full of Russian public, especially the many people country’s parliamentary elections in setbacks for the media in Russia: who suffered during the 1990s while a small December and the presidential election in —Leonid Parfyonov was fired as host group of “oligarchs” like Khodorkovsky March. Putin’s allies won an overwhelming of NTV’s popular program “Namedni.” became fabulously rich using less than ethi- majority in the parliament, and Putin was He had criticized the network’s refusal to cal means. Under Putin, the country has re-elected with more than 70 percent of the air an interview with a Chechen woman achieved greater stability and economic vote. whose husband had been killed by Russian growth. The other observers and I heard tales of agents. Putin appears willing to support con- vote manipulation and heavy-handed tac- —The same network fired Savik tinued economic liberalization, but he is tics by the Kremlin to ensure favorable Shuster, host of the “Svoboda Slova” not as supportive of political freedoms such results. We saw several violations of elec- (Freedom of Speech) program, for airing a as freedom of the press and freedom of tion law that lent credence to those allega- critical look at recent Duma legislation. speech. Concentrations of executive power tions. —Paul Klebnikov, editor of the Russian are always dangerous. State-owned TV has But the results were probably more or edition of Forbes, was shot and killed while no doubt helped Putin consolidate that less accurate, and Russia’s transition to leaving work. His magazine had recently power. democracy faces obstacles that arise well published a list of Russia’s 100 richest men, I observed the presidential election in before voters go to the polls. One of the angering many of those named who had Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave on the Baltic main problems is bias and lack of inde- tried to keep their ill-gotten wealth secret. Sea. Afterwards, I was interviewed by state pendence in the media. It is probably not surprising that radio. For most of my stay in Russia, I lived Russia’s transition to democracy and free- The reporter asked for my general with a host family: an 83-year-old woman, market capitalism has been bumpy. The impressions of the election and Russian Zoya, and her son and daughter-in-law. country has endured centuries of authori- democracy. Citing a recent critical column Like many Russians, Zoya watches hours of tarian rule and has no democratic tradi- in the Russian press by Colin Powell, I men- television each night, and I often joined her. tions upon which to draw. tioned media bias, the lack of effective We regularly watched the 9 o’clock Yet there is reason to worry if the con- checks on executive power and the lack of news program “Vremya,” (Time) on the siderable progress Russia has made since genuine political competition. I said that Channel 1 network. The show lasted half the collapse of communism has hit a wall just because Russia has elections, that does an hour, and the hero was Vladimir Putin. — or if the country has perhaps begun to not mean the country has become a liberal Putin was invariably portrayed as a regress. democracy. wise, courageous ruler shrewdly advancing The Kremlin has launched a legal The reporter just laughed, as if to say, Russia’s interests on the world stage. He assault on Yukos, the country’s second- “I don’t think that will go on the air.” usually appeared in three or four segments, largest oil company, and its former chair- No one can predict how long it will lasting up to five minutes each. Instead of man, Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Many take for Russia to establish a more open, short sound bites, the former KGB agent observers see the prosecution as politically democratic society. But to this American spoke for several minutes at a time, unin- motivated, perhaps in response to observer, it is clear that building free, inde- terrupted, with hardly any rebuttal from Khodorkovsky’s political ambitions or his pendent media is a necessary step to getting opponents. Many observers say Russian TV desire to sell Yukos to a Western oil compa- there. ❑

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University: “The world knows that America will never start a war. This generation of Americans has A time to weep had enough of war and hate … we want to build a world Ted Sorensen, Lincoln native and lasting than any damage that any ter- of peace where the weak are secure retired public servant, delivered this rorist could possibly inflict upon us. and the strong are just.” address at the New School University The stain on our credibility, our Our founding fathers believed commencement in New York City in reputation for decency and integrity, this country could be a beacon of May. Sorensen was the 2003 J Days will not quickly wash away. light to the world, a model of demo- speaker and recipient of the Last week, a family friend of an cratic and humanitarian progress. We Journalism Alumni Association’s accused American guard in Iraq recit- were. We prevailed in the Cold War award for outstanding service to the ed the atrocities inflicted by our ene- because we inspired millions strug- profession. The speech is reprinted mies on Americans, and asked: gling for freedom in far corners of by permission. “Must we be held to a different stan- the Soviet empire. I have been in dard?” My answer is yes. Not only countries where children and avenues because others expect it. We must were named for Lincoln, Jefferson, his is not a speech. Two weeks hold ourselves to a different stan- Franklin Roosevelt and John F. ago I set aside the speech I dard. Not only because God T Kennedy. We were respected, not prepared. This is a cry from the demands it, but because it serves our reviled, because we respected man’s heart, a lamentation for the loss of security. aspirations for peace and justice. this country’s goodness and therefore Our greatest strength has long This was the country to which for- its greatness. been not merely our military might eign leaders sent not only their goods Future historians studying the but our moral authority. Our surest to be sold but their sons and daugh- decline and fall of America will mark protection against assault from ters to be educated. In the 1930s, this as the time the tide began to turn abroad has been not all our guards, when Jewish and other scholars were — toward a mean-spirited medioc- gates and guns or even our two driven out of Europe, their preferred rity in place of a noble beacon. oceans but our essential goodness as destination — even for those on the For me the final blow was a people. Our richest asset has been far left — was not the Communist American guards laughing over the not our material wealth but our val- citadel in Moscow but the New naked, helpless bodies of abused ues. School here in New York. prisoners in Iraq. “There is a time to We were world leaders once, help- What has happened to our coun- laugh,” the Bible tells us, “and a time ing found the United Nations, the try? We have been in wars before, to weep.” Today I weep for the coun- Marshall Plan, NATO, and programs without resorting to sexual humilia- try I love, the country I proudly like Food for Peace, international tion as torture, without blocking the served, the country to which my four human rights and international envi- Red Cross, without insulting and grandparents sailed over a century ronmental standards. The world deceiving our allies and the U.N., ago with hopes for a new land of admired not only the bravery of our without betraying our traditional val- peace and freedom. I cannot remain Marine Corps but also the idealism ues, without imitating our adver- silent when that country is in the of our Peace Corps. saries, without blackening our name deepest trouble of my lifetime. Our word was as good as our around the world. I am not talking only about the gold. At the start of the Cuban Last year when asked on short prison abuse scandal — that stench Missile Crisis, former Secretary of notice to speak to a European audi- will someday subside. Nor am I State Dean Acheson, President ence, and inquiring what topic I referring only to the Iraq war — that, Kennedy’s special envoy to brief should address, the chairman said: too, will pass — nor to any one French President de Gaulle, offered to “Tell us about the good America, the political leader or party. This is no document our case by having the America when Kennedy was in the time for politics as usual, in which no actual pictures of Soviet nuclear mis- White House.” one responsible admits responsibility, siles Cuba brought in. “No,” “It is still a good America,” I no one genuinely apologizes, no one shrugged the usually difficult de replied. “The American people still resigns and everyone else is blamed. Gaulle: “The word of the President believe in peace, human rights and The damage done to this country of the United States is good enough justice; they are still a generous, fair- by its own misconduct in the last few for me.” minded, open-minded people. months and years, to its very heart Eight months later, President Today some political figures and soul, is far greater and longer Kennedy could say at American

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diplomatically, much as we succeeded in isolating Khadafy, Marcos, Mobutu and a host of other dictators over the years — we have isolated ourselves. We are increasingly alone in a dangerous world in which millions who once respected us now hate us. Not only Muslims. Every international survey shows our global standing at an all-time low. Even our transatlantic alliance has not yet recovered from its worst crisis in history. Our friends in Western Europe were willing to accept Uncle Sam as class president but not as class bully once he forgot JFK’s advice that “civility is not a sign of weakness.” All this is rationalized as part of the war on terror. But abusing prisoners in Iraq, denying detainees their legal rights in Guantanamo — even American citizens — misleading the world at large about Saddam’s ready stockpiles of mass destruction and involvement with al Qaeda at 9-11 did not advance by one millimeter our efforts to end the threat of another terrorist attack upon us. On the contrary, our conduct invites and incites new attacks and new recruits to attack us. The decline in our reputation adds to the decline in our security. We keep losing old friends and making new enemies — not a formula for success. We have not yet rounded up Osama bin Laden or most of the CoJMC archive photo by Adam Trout al Qaeda and Taliban leaders or the TED SORENSEN anthrax mailer. “The world is large,” wrote John Boyle O’Reilly, in one of President argue that merely to report, much war in Vietnam became a hopeless Kennedy’s favorite poems, “when its less to protest, the crimes against military quagmire; today our war in weary leagues two loving hearts humanity committed by a few of our Iraq has become a senseless moral divide, but the world is small when own inadequately trained forces in swamp. your enemy is loose on the other the fog of war, is to aid the enemy or No military victory can endure side.” Today our enemies are still excuse its atrocities. But Americans unless the victor occupies the high loose on the other side of the world, know that such self-censorship does moral ground. Surely America, the and we are still vulnerable to attack. not enhance our security. Attempts to land of the free, could not lose the True, we have not lost either war justify or defend our illegal acts as high moral ground invading Iraq, a we chose or lost too much of our nothing more than pranks or no country ruled by terror, torture and wealth. But we have lost something worse than the crimes of our enemies tyranny — but we did. worse — our good name for truth only further muddies our moral Instead of isolating Saddam and justice. To paraphrase image. Thirty years ago, America’s Hussein — politically, economically, Shakespeare: “He who steals our

summer 2004 J Alumni News 15 media spotlight nation’s purse, steals trash. ’Twas inherently self-correcting. Here, the ours, ’tis his, and has been slave to people are sovereign. Inept political Advertising thousands. But he that filches our leaders can be replaced. Foolish good name … makes us poor policies can be changed. Disastrous indeed.” mistakes can be reversed. is a Farrar No American wants us to lose a When, in 1941, the Japanese Air war. Among our enemies are those Force was able to inflict widespread who, if they could, would funda- death and destruction on our naval family affair mentally change our way of life, and air forces in Hawaii because restricting our freedom of religion they were not on alert, those mili- by exalting one faith over others, tary officials most responsible for By HILARY KINDSCHUH ignoring international law and the ignoring advance intelligence were J Alumni News staff opinions of mankind and trampling summarily dismissed. on the rights of those who are dif- When, in the late 1940s, we ferent, deprived or disliked. To the faced a global Cold War against hen Abbie Farrar decided she extent that our nation voluntarily another system of ideological Wwanted to study advertising at treads those same paths in the fanatics certain that their authori- the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, name of security, the terrorists win tarian values would eventually rule she did not have to look far for inspira- and we are the losers. the world, we prevailed in time. We tion. We are no longer the world’s prevailed because we exercised After all, her father, Doug, a UNL leaders on matters of international patience as well as vigilance, self- graduate, was in the business. law and peace. After we stopped restraint as well as self-defense, and Her two older sisters, Katie and listening to others, they stopped lis- reached out to moderates and mod- Amy, also studied advertising at UNL. tening to us. A nation without cred- ernists, to democrats and dissi- “They all have totally different per- ibility and moral authority cannot dents, within that closed system. spectives on things,” said Abbie Farrar, lead, because no one will follow. We can do that again. We can reach a sophomore advertising major who is Paradoxically, the charges out to moderates and modernists in interested in the graphic design aspect against us in the court of world Islam, proud of its long traditions of the trade. “Basically, all of us want- opinion are contradictory. We are of dialogue, learning, charity and ed different aspects of the job. deemed by many to be dangerously peace. “We used to joke when we were aggressive, a threat to world peace. Some among us scoff that the younger about how we would all have You may regard that as ridiculously war on Jihadist terror is a war an advertising firm and that each one unwarranted, no matter how often between civilization and chaos. But of us would be able to do a different international surveys show that they forget that there were Islamic part of it.” attitude to be spreading. But universities and observatories long Doug Farrar remembers the joke as remember the old axiom: “No mat- before we had railroads. well. ter how good you feel, if four So do not despair. In this coun- “We’ve always said we’ll have the friends tell you you’re drunk, you try, the people are sovereign. If we Farrar, Farrar, Farrar and Farrar better lie down.” can but tear the blindfold of self- (firm),” he said. “It would be interest- Yet we are also charged not so deception from our eyes and loosen ing to see how that dynamic would much with intervention as indiffer- the gag of self-denial from our work together, how that sisterly love ence — indifference toward the suf- voices, we can restore our country would work.” fering of millions of our fellow to greatness. In particular, you — Although he graduated with a inhabitants of this planet who do the Class of 2004 — have the wis- teaching degree, Doug Farrar became not enjoy the freedom, the opportu- dom and energy to do it. Start involved with advertising and market- nity, the health and wealth and soon. ing when he took a job at Lincoln’s security that we enjoy; indifference In the words of the ancient Post and Nickel in 1970. to the countless deaths of children Hebrews: “The day is short, and Farrar learned something about and other civilians in unnecessary the work is great, and the laborers advertising by dealing with the national wars, countless because we usually are sluggish, but the reward is brands sold at the men’s and women’s do not bother to count them; indif- much, and the Master is urgent.” clothing store. ference to the centuries of humilia- “It wasn’t like it was cold turkey,” tion endured previously in silence ❑ he said. by the Arab and Islamic worlds. In 1997, he joined Bailey Lauerman, The good news, to relieve all a strategic communications firm in this gloom, is that a democracy is Lincoln.

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Advertising is interesting, Doug She said it is interesting to talk businesses at the Nebraska City Farrar said, because it’s everywhere. with her younger sisters about their farm. Whenever his daughters saw ads on advertising classes and professors. Advertising is a people-oriented TV while they were growing up, their Amy Farrar, a senior advertising field, Amy said, and that aspect father would ask them questions major, said that while she was still in influenced all three sisters in choos- about it, such as who made the ad high school she became interested in ing the major. and who was the target of the ad. advertising by looking at Katie’s “You’re working with different “I think for 20 years the girls had work. She remembers her older sister groups of people all the time,” she been bombarded by advertising,” he talking about a campaigns class at said. “You’re not going to be sitting said. one point. at a desk, crunching numbers.” Katie Farrar, a 2001 UNL gradu- “That sounded interesting to me Amy enjoys talking shop with her ate, said she remembered people because I wanted to write, and I dad and sisters, she said. from Bailey Lauerman coming to cri- thought that copywriting would be “We all just learn from each tique campaigns for some of her fun,” she said. other,” she said. advertising classes. Also, she said, her father influ- Abbie Farrar said her favorite Katie, who currently works at a enced her decision because “he liked part of her family’s involvement with restaurant in Boston, said she enjoys what he did.” advertising was that her sisters and pinpointing a target market. She also Doug Farrar is still doing adver- dad were good sounding boards on likes the fast-paced feel of advertis- tising and strategic communications, whom she could test ideas, “to see ing. working for the National Arbor Day what they’ve done, and then think “It seems like it’s always chang- Foundation. As director of Arbor about what I can do. ing,” she said. “There’s always some- Day Farm, he is in charge of market- “And then when they tell me they thing new to learn.” ing and advertising for the various like something that I’ve done, I know, with the work that they’ve done, that I really, really enjoy … “I think for 20 years the girls had been bombarded “I think I might be up to that cal- by advertising.” iber again.” ❑ — Doug Farrar Photo courtesy Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools Oscar Robertson (third from right) and leaders of Lincoln’s black community attend the premier of “Something To Cheer About” at The Ross Theater in Lincoln on Feb. 29. Robertson was in Lincoln to help Albert Maxey raise funds for the JoAnn Maxey Memorial Scholarship. Albert Maxey, JoAnn’s husband, and Robertson were teammates on the Crispus Attucks high school championship basketball team in Indiana. A reception following the film was held at the Van Brunt Visitors Center. The CoJMC assisted in coordinating the benefit.

summer 2004 J Alumni News 17 alumni spotlight A voice that knows its power, values

Frank Partsch, retired Well, last munity. editorial page editor of year, in the Those of us who have written edi- The Omaha World- first year of torials in a crisis know the pressures. Herald, presented an the award, Some people are angry because the editorial writing award we were very editorial writer doesn’t immediately named for him during the pleased when call for frontier justice. Others Nebraska Press the work of become victims’ advocates. They Association’s convention Gene Morris demand exasperated tributes to the in Lincoln last April. Kent came to our innocent dead. In recent years, we War neke, editor of the attention. have seen a 9-11 syndrome in which Norfolk Daily News and There was no the force of political correctness side- a 1982 UNL journalism doubt in our step all other considerations and alumnus, received the minds, or accuse society of harboring preju- award. among the diced thoughts against the perpetra- War neke said later that outside con- tors. And still others believe that it the award was especially sultants who reflects badly on a community to meaningful to him because had a hand write about such things at all. he had worked with in the selec- Fortunately for the people of Partsch early in his career tion. Gene’s Norfolk, they had the Norfolk Daily and appreciated the high work had a News to deal with such issues. standards Partsch set. KENT WARNEKE direct and From its first of many editorials, Partsch’s remarks are positive the Daily News spoke with the calm reprinted here. impact on the voice of reason. It never ranted for McCook revenge. Nor did it sheepishly engage community in a variety of ways. in the kinds of ethnic self-doubt that n the opinion-writing business we This year, we are again blessed. we saw so often in the national press Isometimes define an item by This is year number two, and we after 9-11. The Daily News gave no describing what it is not. Let me try already have winner number two. He quarter to the perpetrators of the this method in talking about the is an editor in a community plunged crime. But it elevated to a high prior- award we are presenting tonight. into crisis: an explosion of violence ity the need to keep open the chan- It is not an annual award. It is followed by a long, tense period in nels of communication between eth- not a writing award. Nor is it a which the moral fiber of the commu- nic groups. prized for being a grand old editorial nity was put to the test. In both In its first editorial comment after writer who managed to stay in the instances, our 2004 winner provided the killings, the Daily News called on business for a good long time and the leadership that his community its readers to comfort the survivors, win many friends. sorely needed. support law enforcement officers and Now certainly we admire good Well, I can’t be mysterious any work to support the death penalty. It writing. And we admire a lifetime of longer and still do the story justice. also called for prayers for racial dedication to newspapering. But the A tragedy such as the one that struck understanding. people who developed this award the U.S. Bank in Norfolk on Sept. 26, “There is work to be done,” the wanted the honor to be specific and 2002, would have taxed the abilities editorial said. “We owe that much to targeted — in a word: leadership. of any editor. Five people dead in a those who died.” Their hope was that, every so often, burst of gunfire during a botched The editor of the Daily News, in a piece of work — whether it be one bank robbery. Then came an addi- looking back at those tense early editorial or a lifetime’s output — tional tragedy: the suicide of a law days, recently wrote: “I made the would stand out as clearly delivering enforcement officer, stricken with decision that we would address but “clear thinking and skillful, persua- guilt because he thought the crime not dwell on the ethnic backgrounds sive and constructive writing that was preventable. These events set the of the suspects. This was a crime of impacts the community” — in other stage for a potentially incendiary violence, but there were no indica- words, an exercise of editorial leader- clash of cultures; the accused killers tions race or ethnicity was a motivat- ship. were members of a minority group in ing factor. Our editorials included How long is “every so often?” a traditionally white Nebraska com- statements that were obvious but

8 1 J Alumni News summer 2004 alumni spotlight

needed to be said nonetheless, urging against stereotyping a racial or eth- Meier rockets to Houston nic minority group because of actions of a few.” By LAURA SCHREIER And more than the scale is differ- Among the other things, he said, J Alumni News staff ent, Meier said. “I sought out and published letters At HuskerVision, the workers were from representatives of the Hispanic primarily students who learned a little community that acknowledged the he fact that Brandon Meier has of everything concerning equipment sorrow and shock being felt by all Ta prominent job in Houston, and production. In his new job, he Norfolkans, not just … Caucasians.” the third largest media market in the said, producers tended to be more spe- The Daily News didn’t stop with United States, is impressive. cialized. that. When the opportunity arose, That he started out in North “At Nebraska, you learn about the newspaper applied and was Platte’s KNOP-TV, one of the smallest everything. I knew about every piece accepted as a host of an Associated news affiliates in the nation, makes it of equipment,” he said. In Houston, Press Managing Editors credibility even more so. he said he was trying to instill that roundtable. This led to a session with That he is 26 years old perhaps method of learning broadly rather Hispanic readers who provided many caps it all off. than filling niche positions. Many constructive suggestions about how But in this case, youth doesn’t employees were set in their ways, he the newspaper could serve their com- equal inexperience. said, which was making it a tough munity. The newspaper kept all read- “People have been kind of stuck on thing to do. ers informed of those steps via with my age here. I tell people, ‘The day I Meier said his experience at the editorial page. turned 16 I went to work in the North HuskerVision, including working with Other editorials explained the Platte news affiliate, and the day I quit other students and professional engi- prolonged process by which the sus- there I went to work for neers, was what helped him command pects were tried and convicted. This HuskerVision,’” Meier said. some respect among employees, put the newspaper in the difficult Meier, who graduated from UNL despite his age. position, wrote the editor later, of with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast- “Right away, they saw my creden- “having to explain why these expens- ing and a master’s in marketing in tials were good and that I’d got the job es and delays are allowable while also 2002, worked extensively for for a reason,” he said. sharing the sentiments felt by many HuskerVision, the video production Shot Kleen, director of operations readers.” Throughout this period, the arm of the university’s athletic depart- for HuskerVision, said Meier had tone was calm, measured and ment. stood out as a hard worker who was informative while never yielding the About six months after gradua- eager to learn. sense of outrage that characterizes a tion, Meier was offered a position as “Brandon was one of those guys good editorial. And, yes, the newspa- production manager for the Houston who was always looking for things to per’s goal has been realized. Racial Rockets’ Toyota Center. do,” Kleen said. understanding in Norfolk, Nebraska, He manages editing and produc- It was unusual that anyone as has not been one of the casualties of tion of video used at Houston Rockets young as Meier would start out at the Sept. 26 crimes basketball games, large concerts in the such a high position, he said, but This obviously is an editorial center or even smaller programs like Meier’s personality and education voice that knows it power, knows its motivational seminars. Much of what made him a good fit for his current community and has a clear sense of he does is reminiscent of his old job at job. its newspaper’s tradition and values. HuskerVision. “He’s a unique person in that he’s We will be going to Norfolk in a few “I learned a lot of the editing side got a lot of drive, a lot of ambition,” days to make a formal presentation and some of the managerial side (from Kleen said. “Even as a younger kid — of this award, and a $10, 000 prize, HuskerVision),” Meier said. “That you wouldn’t expect a younger person during a gathering of our honoree’s kind of got me ready for this posi- to do that kind of work.” friends and community leaders. But tion.” Meier said the move from tonight, we’d like to have him stand Meier said he worked at the Nebraska and HuskerVision to and accept the applause of his news- HuskerVision sports production sta- Houston and the Toyota Center was paper peers. tion for a little more than seven years, difficult at first. Adjusting to a living Ladies and gentleman, I give you usually for 50 or 60 hours a week. But in a larger city and dealing with the Kent Warneke of the Norfolk Daily now, instead of being a student or paid different scale of the job wasn’t easy, News. intern, Meier is in charge of $2 million but he is getting the hang of it. ❑ worth of video equipment and $7 mil- “I’m definitely still new, but getting lion in screens. into that comfort zone.” ❑

summer 2004 J Alumni News 19 alumni spotlight Journalism grad’s gift benefits J school FBI veteran says NU education was behind his success

By MELISSA LEE Can he remember any specific “I don’t know a lick about jour- J Alumni News staff cases? Any details? nalism,” Mildred Carter says. Carter politely declines. He “What I do know is how much the won’t disclose to anyone — not school meant to him. He wanted to he college sweethearts hadn’t even his wife, Mildred, to whom honor that in some way.” Tbeen married even one year he’s been married for 64 years — Keith Carter says he owes any when the call came that day in 1941. the exact nature of his work with successes he’s had to his NU educa- It was the FBI, looking for a Mr. the FBI. tion. Keith Carter. Sometimes, those questions still Indeed, it’s been a life full of “We need someone with journal- nag Mildred Carter. successes. ism skills,” they told him. “Can you “I had no idea what to expect,” After earning his degree, Carter verify the information on your appli- the retired teacher says. “We’d just left behind his part-time job in cation?” been married, and then this … I Palisade for the Nebraska Farmer, a Ye s, Carter replied. Yes, he was a just knew it was going to be differ- farming and education magazine. 1938 University of Nebraska journal- ent. He was a statewide reporter and ism graduate. Yes, he’d spent his high “But, sure, I wondered from assistant editor there for three years school years freelancing for the time to time what he was doing and before leaving for the FBI. Palisade Press, his hometown news- where exactly he really was.” And after the FBI, Carter paper. Yes, he had the experience. What Keith Carter will disclose worked at Ak-Sar-Ben for eight Sure, he’d pack up, head to is that from the moment he finished years, then moved on to the Greater Chicago and join the FBI. his FBI duties, he couldn’t shake the Omaha Chamber of Commerce, “Well, gosh, I didn’t know what feeling that he owed NU a debt. where, as manager, he supervised a to think,” Carter remembers now That’s why Carter has designated a staff of 50 for nearly 20 years. from his Omaha home. “War clouds major gift from his estate to benefit While all that was happening, were gathering at the time … I filled the J school. the couple raised two children, a out (my application) not ever thinking I would actually be called.” But he was in his 20s. He was game for anything. make in students’ lives, the dean And that was how, in 1941, the Donors make said. Students should be grateful for young Carter became a special agent the help the donors provide, he for the U.S. government’s top inves- added. tigative agency. the difference The dean said the donations help improve the school because He spent six years with the FBI, By TORU FUJIOKA the more support it can offer to stu- floating between Washington, D.C., J Alumni News staff and Chicago on various assignments. dents, the better students it will He uncovered robbery cases, extor- attract. The college gives each scholar- tion and workplace crimes — what- tudying hard may be the key to ship recipient the name and address ever he was told. He carried a gun. getting through college, but He felt important. S of the donor who made his or her paying tuition is another necessity. scholarship possible. Students write But Carter, now 90, says he could- As tuition has risen, the support the donors to thank them for their n’t have done it without the skills from donors is making a difference gift and to tell the donor how the NU’s journalism professors had in journalism students’ lives. scholarship will help them get armed him with. “The scholarships can’t cover all through school and into the profes- “That training prepared me for tuition, but it does help students,” sion. That lets donors realize they anything,” he says, slowly and quiet- said Will Norton, dean of the are part of the student’s life, Norton ly. “My work in the FBI required College of Journalism and Mass said. great consciousness of everything, Communications at the University Kent Warneke, editor and vice meticulous reporting, careful writing, of Nebraska-Lincoln. “We appreci- president of the Norfolk Daily careful preparation of everything. ate donors” and the difference they “That’s what I learned at News, gives to the Lee Warneke Nebraska.”

0 2 J Alumni News summer 2004 alumni spotlight

daughter who works as a regis- tered nurse in Omaha and a son who’s an electrician in Salt Lake City, Utah. Carter retired in 1979, and the couple decided to make their per- manent roots in Omaha. Both are glad they’ve ended up back in Nebraska. “We like the people,” Keith Carter says. “We like the climate. It’s comfortable living here.” Retirement has been a surprising change of pace for Carter. Now, he spends his days golfing or doing watercolors. “I love to play golf. I do that three or four days a week,” he says. “And I’m a Sunday painter. Other than that … well, I guess that’s about it.” He laughs when asked whether he has any words of wisdom for today’s journalism students. “No, no, no, I don’t have any special advice,” he says. “All I can Photo by Luis Peon-Casanova say is it’s always been a challenge. Ron Hull (right), special adviser to Nebraska Educational Telecommunications, I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.” and Fox vice president of entertaintment Scott Hamilton meet with broadcast ❑ journalism students in April. The college regularly sponsors speakers, panel discussions and conferences on timely topics at Andersen Hall.

Scholarship. As a graduate of UNL’s something big,” she said. expenses of taking a bunch of class- J school, he understands how help- Dakarai Aarons, a junior news- es at once the next semester to ful a scholarship is, he said. Having editorial major from Springdale, catch up. been a recipient himself, Warneke Md., said his scholarships, including The scholarships made it possi- said he feels that supporting stu- Jerry and Karla Huse News-Editorial ble for Aarons to expand his experi- dents is not only a pleasure but also Student Support, also made a big ence outside of classes as well. He an obligation. difference in his ability to get said, “I have taken on leadership “Yes, it makes a big difference in through school, especially as the positions in a number of campus my school life,” said Amber Brozek, costs of school have risen. organizations in the last three years a junior news editorial major from As an out-of-state student, he that have allowed me to make a Lincoln, about her Lincoln Journal has to cover more tuition than local lasting impact on this campus.” Star scholarship. She said it’s diffi- students. “My scholarships have Donations for scholarships have cult for her parents to put her allowed me to be free for a broader increased drastically in the last 10 through school because she also has college experience than I would if I years. In 2003, the total endowed an older brother and sister and had to work to pay my tuition,” amount was $119,905, 10 times three younger sisters. Aarons said. more than it was in 1990. The She said all her tuition is paid by An example, he said, was an scholarships were distributed to 108 grants and loans. “I could not have opportunity to be a part of the students in the 2003 academic year. been able to afford my tuition with- depth reporting class that traveled The college office expects even out scholarships.” to Cuba. Although he had to take more students will receive scholar- Brozek said, “It made me cry” fewer courses than usual in order to ships in 2004-2005 with increases when she learned she had received devote time to the project, he did in the number of donations and a scholarship. “I felt like I achieved not have to worry about the higher scholarships. ❑

summer 2004 J Alumni News 21 alumni spotlight Militant print journalist embraces television Shelley Smith’s career path runs from the Daily Nebraskan to ESPN By VINCE KUPPIG J Alumni News staff “We were print (majors),

ichael Jordan. Magic MJohnson. Kobe Bryant. Keyshawn Johnson. Rasheed and we were militant. Wallace, Shaquille O’Neal. And the list of high profile athletes Shelley Smith has interviewed goes on and on. We thought we were Smith, who attended the School of Journalism at UNL from 1976 to 1981, is a sports reporter for ESPN. She has covered just about every- the only real journalists.” thing for ESPN, including the Olympics and the O.J. Simpson trial. — Shelley Smith That variety is what keeps Smith ESPN sports reporter going. “You name it, I’ve probably cov- And then there are the special years ago when he was an intern in ered it,” says Smith, 45. “That’s one-time interviews like those with the NU sports information depart- what’s so great about the job. You fired football coaches Rick Neuheisel ment and Smith was at the student never get bored. You never get beaten and Mike Price. newspaper. She left quite an impres- down by one sport.” “I love the big get,” she says. “I sion on the future athletic director. In the fall, Smith is a regular on love the interviews that everybody “There are junctures in your life ESPN’s College GameDay, covering else is trying to get that we land, where you meet people and you just college football. which is the best feeling in the know that they’re going to do some- “(GameDay) is really, really fun,” world.” thing special,” Pederson says. “You she says. “I love college football.” Smith didn’t grow up wanting to just knew she was going to do great. Smith jokes that the one prerequi- be a reporter. Until she took her first She just stood out. site for her daughter, who’s starting news writing class, Smith says, she “She’s had an incredible career.” college in the fall, was that she go to didn’t have much of an interest in Don Bryant also remembers a school with a football team — being a reporter. Smith. The former Husker sports “otherwise it’s not a real school.” Smith also worked at the Daily information director, now athletic Smith’s daughter will be playing soc- Nebraskan while she was in school, director-emeritus, remembers a cer for the University of Oregon. combining her newfound love for prominent story Smith wrote about Smith also covers the NBA play- reporting and writing with her life- how NU’s new press box didn’t have offs for ESPN. She spent much of this time passion for sports. Records indi- a women’s restroom. spring going back and forth from the cate Smith was the first woman Smith calls that her most famous Kobe Bryant trial to Los Angeles sports editor at the DN. story at the DN. Lakers games. “College is a great training Says Bryant: “She was right. So “I think I’m the only one covering ground for what I do now,” Smith we added one.” the Lakers in the playoffs and the says. “We covered everything. We had Like Pederson, Bryant knew trial,” says Smith, who lives in Los a lot of fun, but we treated every- Smith was going somewhere. Angeles. “I see (Bryant) on both thing seriously. We covered the athlet- “She had talent,” Bryant remem- courts.” ic department seriously. bers. “She was a good writer and had Among Smith’s favorites to inter- “I really got all my good experi- investigative reporting skills. She had view are retired basketball star Magic ence from journalism school and a future.” Johnson, Dallas Cowboys wide mainly from working for the Daily Having to deal with things like receiver Keyshawn Johnson and NBA Nebraskan.” missing bathrooms wasn’t unusual Commissioner David Stern. Nebraska Athletic Director Steve for Smith. When she was at the DN, Pederson first met Smith about 25 women weren’t allowed into men’s

2 2 J Alumni News summer 2004 alumni spotlight locker rooms to conduct interviews after football games. Instead, Smith got one-on-one interviews with the athletes. “It was different, but I enjoyed the exclusivity I got,” she says. “It wasn’t Richardson has been right; it wasn’t fair; it wasn’t equal. But I got great treatment.” working on the railroad Since then, Smith says she’s seen both advantages and disadvantages to By SARA GIBONEY After graduation, being a woman in a profession tradi- J Alumni News staff Richardson moved to New York tionally dominated by men. City and worked as director of “A lot of athletes talk differently to public information for the you because you are female — some- Triborough Bridge and Tunnel times it’s better, sometimes it’s worse,” mmm … let’s see. A Authority. Smith says. “But now nobody even Hdegree in journalism. A “I really enjoyed the fact thinks twice about seeing a female in career in public transportation. that I was doing something the locker room.” No obvious connection there. that people rely on every day,” Smith went to work for the But Barbara Richardson, vice Richardson said. “There is an Associated Press right out of college. president of marketing and excitement around providing a She moved on to the Stars and Stripes in sales for Amtrak, the nation’s service that people depend To kyo before returning to the states for passenger rail service, is one of on.” a job with the San Francisco Examiner. many journalism grads who Richardson later worked as From 1989 to 1997, Smith worked for have parlayed their journalism director of communications for Sports Illustrated, her last job in print skills into successful careers in the New Jersey Department of journalism. what look like unrelated fields. Transportation and director of Even though Smith no longer works “The good thing about a the Office of Public Affairs for for a print publication, she’s still writ- degree in journalism is that you the Federal Railroad Adminis- ing. She writes her own scripts and can take it with you to any kind tration before joining Amtrak in occasionally writes for ESPN The of career,” Richardson said. 1994 as director of communi- Magazine and on the Internet. Richardson said marketing cations for the Northeast Smith also has written three books, is similar to work in journalism Corridor Business Unit. most recently You Play to Win the because it is important in both Richardson said she’s been Game, a motivational book she co- fields to know who the target at her current position for five wrote with New York Jets Coach audience is and to know how years and works on passenger Herman Edwards. to communicate effectively. ticket revenue, pricing, capacity Now more than two decades out of “My education in Lincoln management and corporate college, Smith said she enjoys being on was important because it did and customer relations. the big screen more than writing stories help prepare me for a job in While she was at the uni- — something she never could have business,” Richardson said. versity, Richardson was a mem- imagined when majoring in print jour- At Amtrak, Richardson has ber of the Innocents Society, nalism. helped set ticket revenue worked at the Daily Nebraskan, “We were print (majors), and we records and ridership records. worked as a legislative assistant were militant. We thought we were the Despite a downturn in travel in at the capitol and had a sum- only real journalists,” Smith recalls. 2003, Amtrak served 24 million mer internship at The Omaha “We used to say the broadcast majors passengers. World-Herald. belong in the drama department and Richardson graduated from Richardson said she takes advertising should be in the business NU in 1982 with degrees in pride in her job because trans- school.” journalism and political science. portation plays such an impor- But now she’s a convert to broadcast “Getting my degree in jour- tant role in the American econ- journalism. nalism provided me with a omy. “I like the immediacy of television,” solid, well-rounded education,” ❑ she said. “I like that we reach 10 million Richardson said. “It helped me people. When you do something really to learn how to write and com- special, there are a lot of people whose municate effectively.” lives you touch.” ❑

summer 2004 J Alumni News 23 J Days

interns. She also worked with high ‘Make room for improvement school students in the District of Columbia area, helping them find and growth with every story’ colleges and internships. “What I enjoyed most was seeing By AMBER BROZEK puters, use special computer pro- their careers grow,” Butler said. “And J Alumni News staff grams for fast designs and graphics I was always shy when I worked on and shoot photos on digital cameras. copy desk. The position really helped “And everything is so much cleaner!” me open up. heryl Butler says things at the Butler said. “It brought out qualities I didn’t CJ school today are quite differ- Butler has been in journalism for know I had,” she said. “I’ve grown a ent from her journalism college days. more than 40 years. She graduated lot. Anytime I faced a new task, I did Butler, a University of Nebraska from what was then the “school of the best I could. alumna, reflected on “the good old journalism” in 1967 with a bachelor’s “I wanted to stretch my wings. I days” and how journalism has degree in news-editorial journalism. wanted to use those good tools to changed over the years at the College After college, she worked on the ease the way for new students com- of Journalism and Mass copy desk for what was the Lincoln ing into the newsroom.” Communications’ annual J Days Evening Journal until April 1972. She Butler eased graduation jitters for Honors Convocation. moved to the copy desk of the St. students by offering some tips on The Washington Post staffer was Paul Dispatch, where she worked qualities employers are looking for in honored for her service to journalism until 1980. journalism students. Her list includ- by being selected as the Seline The following year, Butler took a ed: a strong foundation in the funda- Memorial Lecturer at the April 15 job with the Washington Post as an mentals, talent, enthusiasm and a event. She was also named journalist assistant news editor. Later, she was desire to keep learning. of the year by the UNL chapter of promoted to deputy news editor, a “There’s absolutely no way that Kappa Tau Alpha, the journalism position she held until June 2002 you can know everything now. honorary society. when she became a recruiter for the There’s room for improvement and “I’m from the ‘old school,’ but Post. growth every day, with every story you don’t need me to tell you that,” As a recruiter, Butler helped hire you write or edit,” Butler said. Butler said as she started her speech both full-time professionals and to the audience of alumni, faculty and students. “You can look at me and tell that I’m of ‘a certain age.’” Butler said she was talking about an era when her classes, taught by professors who are now only seen on the college’s Wall of Honor, were devoted to hand-setting metal type for headlines, using Speed Graphic cameras, typing stories on sheets of newsprint and editing stories by liter- ally cutting chunks of copy and past- ing them into position. “One thing was certain — we learned to appreciate firsthand the difficulties early journalists had to endure. “Don’t mention spelling errors. A name misspelled was an automatic Photo by Marilyn Hahn ‘F’,” Butler said. “And if I remember right, you had to write an obituary Butler said employers are looking for a “strong for every mistake to make up those ‘F’s.’” foundation in the fundamentals, talent, enthusiasm and Now, she said, journalism stu- students with a desire to keep learning.” dents write and edit stories on com-

4 2 J Alumni News summer 2004 J Days

Photo courtesy The Washington Posts ❏ Cheryl Butler was given the Will Owen Jones Kappa Tau Alpha chapter award before the honors convocation on April 15. ❏ Opposite page: Junior news-ed student Dakarai Aarons, at the J Days honor convocation, is an intern at The Washington Post.

Dakarai Aarons, a junior news- Aarons said Butler is “always a Aarons said Butler was a good editorial student, first met Butler in good source of advice for any stu- example of what journalism students 2000 through the Post’s Young dent.” can achieve after graduating from Journalists Development Project, “She has an energy and passion Nebraska. which helps minority students in for journalism,” he said. “I don’t “It’s showing people that it is pos- newspaper journalism. think she’ll be able to sit at home for sible to rise to the top after gradua- Since their first meeting, Butler long. tion,” he said. “It’s not just the slo- has become a mentor to him, Aarons “As long as she is alive, she will gan the college tries to promote. said. be making some impact in the world She’s proof.” “She helped me decide on visiting of journalism.” Butler left the audience with some Nebraska to attend school here,” he Butler retired from her Post last advice: “Pay attention to details.” said. “She has always been helpful recruiting position at the end of “If you don’t pay attention to with career advice. April. She said she planned on doing details you’re going to make mistakes “When I write stories, I can some traveling before settling down as well. And whatever you do, don’t always send them to her, and she tells and working on some home improve- make the same mistake twice. me how to make things better and ment projects. “You want to keep growing.” what I need to work on.” ❑

summer 2004 J Alumni News 25 J Days Advertising is Reeder’s passion

By JENNIFER ROTH tising was multi-dimensional and ple in the advertising business. He J Alumni News staff switched to the journalism college at then moved back to the Midwest to UNL by the end of his freshman year. Kansas City. It was while working at He earned his degree in 1986. The Register, a magazine for the hen Robert Reeder was His first job after graduation was American Simmental Association, Wgrowing up, his impression in the communications department at that he made a final decision to work of an advertising person was Darrin the university’s Alumni Association. with account services. Stephens on the television show Andrea Cranford, director of “I decided I needed a master’s “Bewitched.” Darrin was a talented communications for the alumni asso- degree to position myself where I advertising executive, and Reeder ciation, said Reeder was her intern wanted to be,” Reeder said. remembers being interested in having while he was in school. Once he grad- It was a “pretty intense” year for the same career. uated, she hired him as her assistant Reeder, but he earned a master of Reeder, a Lincoln native, is now director. “He was all around creative science in advertising from the Medill the manager of advertising at and showed a lot of initiative,” School of Journalism at Northwest- Hallmark Cards Inc. in Kansas City. Cranford said. As an advertising per- ern University in Evanston, Ill., in He manages the national brand son, he has “first rate qualities,” she 1991. advertising for the greetings and gifts said. His first job at an advertising business units as well as national Reeder spent one year at the agency was with Valentine-Radford advertising for the Hallmark Gold alumni association. Advertising in Kansas City. Hallmark, Crown Stores, a network of 4,200 “I was still in the college mode later to become his employer, was one independent retailers. and wasn’t exactly sure what I want- of his accounts. He also worked for Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar for five years. At Applebee’s, Reeder consult- ed on the company’s media planning and worked on the creative development for advertising campaigns. Reeder began his career at Hallmark by working with a promotion group that was launching Hallmark’s “Fresh Ink” cards, targeted towards women age 18 to 34. His boss now is the man to whom Reeder first sent a letter and resume back in 1986 after college graduation. Outside of advertising, Reeder stays busy with volunteer work and his hobbies. He has volunteered on fund-raising projects for the Good Photo by Susan Ranta Samaritan Project in Kansas City and Robert Reeder (right) receives the Journalism Alumni Association’s outstanding advertising alumnus award from Brian Noonan, journalism alumni board president. the Kansas City Free Health Clinic. For the past 13 years, he has taught The Journalism Alumni ed to do,” Reeder said. aerobics at a fitness club. It started as Association honored Reeder as the The next four years he called “the a way to make extra money, but now 2004 outstanding advertising alumnus dark years.” He said it was “pretty he does it for enjoyment and fun. at this year’s J Days ceremonies. hard to break into an ad agency.” Reeder also participates annually Reeder has had some adventures Initially, he thought he wanted to be in summer productions at Shawnee since his days watching “Bewitched.” on the creative side of the advertising Mission Community Theatre in the When he started college, he business, but eventually he decided to Park. While at UNL, he was a Scarlet thought he might major in pre-law, pursue account management. and Cream singer, and theater has but after some “soul searching, I Reeder spent one year in Los always been an interest for him. looked at what was interesting.” He Angeles doing research and inter- “If you have a passion, you need decided he liked the idea that adver- views and creating contacts with peo- to feed it,” Reeder said. ❑

6 2 J Alumni News summer 2004 J Days Local cable TV executive witness to technological transformation By JENNIFER ROTH J Alumni News staff

eing part of the telecommuni- Bcations industry has made time fly for Dick Bates. “I’ve seen more changes in the last five years than I had in the last Photo by Susan Ranta 20 years,” said Bates, the operations Richard Bates (right) poses with assistant professor Rick Alloway at the alumni award manager for Time Warner Cable. of excellence lunch April 16. Bates was recognized as this year’s outstanding broad- Bates has been working with the casting alumnus by the journalism college’s alumni association. cable industry since 1968 and was While he was running the local formed during his career. “Things recognized by the journalism col- production unit in the 1970s, Bates that used to be unheard of are now lege’s alumni association as this hired Rick Alloway, now an assistant second nature,” Bates said. year’s distinguished broadcasting professor in broadcasting at UNL. “This is just the tip of the ice- alumnus. Alloway said Bates gave people a berg as to what is coming. It’s Bates came to the University of chance; he hired a lot of people who already out there where you will be Nebraska in 1965. While he was in didn’t really have much background able to order a pizza through the school, he began working for the in the field. cable TV you are watching.” Lincoln Telephone and Telegraph “He was a very fair boss. He got Mary Bates, his wife of 25 years, Company. As the company intro- on you if you made a mistake, but he said business and family come first duced cable television, one of Bates’ was quick to compliment you as for her husband. “He is very dedicat- jobs was to run black and white car- well,” Alloway said. ed,” she said. toons and movies on the local origi- When Time Warner purchased But just because Bates manages nation channel. It wasn’t exactly Lincoln’s cable system in 1995, the operations for a high-tech company stimulating work. company kept Bates as the opera- that doesn’t mean he’s a technical “You can only see ‘Felix the Cat’ tions manager. He continues to do wizard himself. In fact, his wife and ‘Speed Racer’ so many times,” that job and also manages systems in laughed in agreement when he said if Bates said. Fremont, Columbus, David City, he can’t figure out how to run the After graduating with a degree Seward and Crete for Time Warner, latest remote control or new comput- in broadcast journalism and English the second largest cable provider in er program, he’ll give it to his 14- in 1971, he planned to teach but the United State. year-old son, Alan, and he’ll figure it found he was more interested in the The cable industry is a “really out. opportunities available in the cable exciting industry with a lot of oppor- “He’s been doing that kind of TV industry. tunities,” Bates said. stuff since he was born,” Bates says. The local cable company, In 33 years his career has come The Bates also have an 18-year- Cablevision, hired him to run its pro- full circle, Bates said. He started out old son, Adam, and a 38-year-old duction unit and later made him pro- working for a telephone company, daughter, Dee Ann. gram director. In 1981, he was pro- and now Time Warner, the cable Bates said he hopes to be in the moted to be manager of outlying sys- company, will start offering digital cable business for the next 20 years. tems, responsible for 13 cable systems telephone service through its cable “It’s going to be unbelievable — the in southeast Nebraska. In 1987 he system this summer. type of electronic choices available in was promoted to Lincoln manager. Bates has seen technology trans- the future,” Bates said. ❑

summer 2004 J Alumni News 27 J Days Grad’s talents serve him well in Iraq

By MICHAEL BRUNTZ life,” Koopman J Alumni News staff said. The straight- forward Koopman e knew he would see some- has always been Hthing. known for his That was the thought that kept ability to fit in, San Francisco Chronicle writer and said UNL journal- University of Nebraska-Lincoln grad- ism professor Bud uate John Koopman trudging toward Pagel. Koopman Baghdad with the third battalion, arrived on UNL’s fourth Marine regiment during the campus in 1981 United States’ invasion of Iraq. after spending Koopman was one of the many nearly four years journalists who jumped at the chance in the Marines. to be embedded with troops in Iraq. Despite the fact It was the lure of the unknown that that he was mar- made sleeping in the dirt and dodg- ried, Koopman ing bullets between deadlines worth- worked at the while. Daily Nebraskan “We had an opportunity to do and quickly estab- something that you knew was going lished to be historic, and you jump at the a name for him- chance in spite of the dangers,” self with his tal- Koopman said. “I had no idea what ent — and his would happen. There was a good self-deprecating chance I’d see something.” sense of humor. The 1984 UNL graduate and 2004 “This isn’t a news-editorial J-Days honoree new experience recounted his experiences as an for him,” Pagel embedded reporter while in Lincoln said of April 15. Koopman’s war Koopman’s Marine regiment was experiences. one of the groups leading the charge “John has always to Baghdad. He said the Marines been the type of Photo by Susan Ranta encountered resistance on their way person who John Koopman received the Journalism Alumni Association’s to the city, especially outside the adjusted to a situ- 2004 outstanding news-editorial alumnus award. town of Al Kut. Iraqi forces fortified ation well.” a palm grove and ambushed Koopman was- Koopman’s group and engaged the n’t a total stranger “What you learn to enjoy Americans in a lengthy gun battle. to being a jour- Koopman was standing beside the nalist during a driver of his Humvee but backed war. He twice about journalism is being away to get a better view of the skir- went to mish. When Koopman turned Afghanistan for around, the driver had been shot. He The Omaha died later that day. World-Herald a witness to history.” The close encounter gave during the Soviet — John Koopman Koopman a new perspective. “It invasion of the San Francisco Chronicle writer reminded me of the little things in mid 1980s to report on a multi-

8 2 J Alumni News summer 2004 J Days

million dollar grant UNO professor Koopman said he finally realized what Tom Goutierre won to provide educa- he’d seen in person. Yogi tional opportunities to Afghan refugees “That’s when I got the sense of this in Pakistan. During his second visit to as a historic moment,” Koopman said. the country, Koopman and his group “I said to myself, ‘You just watched his- bears were crossing the border when they tory being made.’” were caught and detained by Pathan Once the occupation began, tribesmen and jailed for three days. Koopman said the situation became Only a bribe secured their freedom. static. He left Iraq nearly two weeks gift for “I believe I’m the only World-Herald after the Marines arrived in Baghdad reporter ever to list ‘bribes’ on an and began the American occupation. expense account,” Koopman said. Despite seeing some of the worst J school That familiarity with the unexpected that war had to offer, he said he wasn’t served Koopman well last year as the changed much by what he saw. He said By AMBER BROZEK Marines got closer to Baghdad. he learned to compartmentalize the J Alumni News staff The Marine regiment was fighting to images in a corner of his brain. He said gain control of a river crossing when he expected the worst, but luckily the Iraqi troops began firing mortar shells worst never took place. ick Chapin compares at the Americans. A shell hit a vehicle “I looked at it as this is what I have Dhimself to Yogi Bear behind Koopman, spraying him with to do for my job, and thank God it’s when he describes his long, hot engine oil. over,” Koopman said. adventurous career in the field He said his respect for the Marines His experiences turned into a of broadcasting. solidified during the second skirmish. 27,000-word series for the San Francisco The 81-year-old has dedi- “They had to suck it up and do their Chroni-cle.The series is becoming a cated 51 years to the industry jobs,” Koopman said. “Their buddies book that Koopman is writing about he loves. were dead. Guys are wounded and the war. This year Chapin gave screaming and the colonel is coming He said he hopes to write a “part $125,000 to the College of around saying they’re going back in 15 memoir, part historical war descrip- Journalism and Mass minutes. I don’t know how they did it, tion,” while mixing in discussions about Communications at the but 15 minutes later they’re running the embedding process. University of Nebraska- across the bridge uncovered.” Koopman said his four years in the Lincoln. He was also honored Koopman said the Marines encoun- Marines, although he did not serve in by the Journalism Alumni tered little resistance as they approached combat, helped him do a better job of Association for outstanding the center of Baghdad. Troops came reporting. service to the profession. into a traffic circle in the middle of the “Having served With $25,000 of the Chapin city where hundreds of citizens gathered in the Marines, I was gift, the college provided two with hammers and anything else they better able to talk to Marines, to live in display cases for broadcast could find to topple the statue of their environment and to more easily equipment, to be placed in the Saddam Hussein. distance myself from them,” Koopman J.C. Seacrest Lecture Hall. The Koopman watched as the jubilant said. “Some reporters were too in awe remainder of the gift will be Iraqis beat the statue’s massive concrete of soldiers and Marines. I had been one placed in an endowed fund to base with hammers and shoes in a pur- and so didn’t think they were always provide scholarships for broad- poseful and symbolic affront to the top- such supermen. Not that I didn’t respect casting students who are inter- pled regime and its former leader. them. It was more of a healthy, honest ested in the business side of He said the sense of joy and relief respect, though.” broadcasting. was tangible that day in Baghdad. Iraqis He said his experience covering the “I just wanted to give back used Koopman’s satellite phone to call war reminded him of why he got into to the industry that helped frazzled relatives in foreign countries, journalism. me,” Chapin said. and heavy machinery was called in to “What you learn to enjoy about Chapin graduated from finish off the gigantic effigy. journalism is being a witness to histo- UNL in 1947 and was appoint- The breadth of historic moments is ry,” Koopman said. “Those are the ele- ed secretary of the chamber of hard to grasp when they’re viewed in ments that make commerce in Atlantic, Iowa. person. the job worthwhile.” But after several years he When the images decorated the front returned to Lincoln to serve as pages of newspapers around the globe, ❑ convention manger for the

summer 2004 J Alumni News 29 J Days

Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and He was the first person to chair “He provides a vehicle for students was later named the assistant general both the National Association of who want to get into the industry,” manager of the chamber. Broadcasters, a job he held twice, and Dodson said. Then in 1953, Chapin took a job the Radio Advertising Bureau. Rick Alloway, a UNL broadcasting with radio station KFOR as an And in 1974, the National professor, said Chapin was a long- account executive. The next year he Association of Broadcasters gave time supporter of broadcasting edu- became the general manager. Chapin the Distinguished Service cation. His donation to the college Seventeen years later, in 1970, Award, the nation’s highest broad- and the student scholarship is just Chapin became president of Stuart casting award. another indication of how much Enterprises, which owned radio sta- Roger Dodson, senior vice presi- Chapin “believes in education.” tions, outdoor advertising and an dent for training for the Radio Alloway also worked for Chapin insurance company and had several Advertising Bureau, started working at Stuart Enterprises. He said Chapin estate holdings. for Chapin at Stuart Enterprises when was a tough, demanding boss, who In 1985, Stuart Enterprises was he was a sophomore college student set high standards for employees. sold to DKM Broadcasting at UNL. “But for a young person, like I was Corporation of Atlanta, but Chapin “He has written the framework then, it’s the right kind of influence,” remained president, running the 10 for many people in the business,” he said. “(Chapin) only accepted the Stuart stations. Dodson said. “In his case, he is an best, but he was always fair. He left DKM, though, two years icon for the broadcasting field in the “Lincoln is fortunate to have his later to open a branch office for R.C. entire United States.” ability and we are pleased to gain Crisler and Co., a Cincinnati media Chapin set the standard of excel- through his experience, and his gift to brokerage firm. Later, he established lence and is an advocate for the busi- the college.” himself in the brokerage business, in ness side of broadcasting, he said. Larry Walklin, broadcasting pro- which he is still involved. “When you talk of opportunities, fessor, said Chapin deserves recogni- Now semi-retired, Chapin oper- it does not matter who you are, but tion because of his service to the uni- ates Chapin Enterprises, a Lincoln- what you are,” Dodson said. And versity and the broadcasting business based media brokerage firm, and Chapin, he said, helps students suc- field. owns five radio stations. ceed “in the greatest industry for free- “He is a broadcasting pioneer.” Chapin said two high points of his dom of expression.” ❑ career stand out in his memory.

HENRY CORDES, OMAHA WORLD ys photo album HERALD REPORTER JDa (BELOW LEFT) RECEIVES THOMAS C. SORENSEN AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED NEBRASKA JOURNALISM.

Photo by Josh Fiedler A NETWORKING LUNCH AT THE NEBRASKA UNION WAS WELL-ATTENDED ON Photo by Marilyn Hahn APRIL 14.

INTERIM ASSISTANT DEAN MICHAEL GOFF IS PICTURED WITH RICHARD YOUNG, RECIPIENT OF 2004 DEAN’S AWARD

0 3 J Alumni News summer 2004 Photo by Josh Fiedler J Days

currently offered in the trying to hire someone you ‘Communication is key’ journalism school. really want, in selling you Life is a long, difficult product so your client really and expensive journey. wants it. Getting a good education That is why I greatly is a half-fare coupon. admire the University of I tell every young per- Nebraska journalism college son I come in contact with and the job it is doing. I’ve to take all the speech, writ- gotten to know Dean Will ing and English classes he Norton quite well in the or she can because I sin- last couple of years. He is cerely believe one of our energetic, personable and is biggest problems on any the reason the college is level in business and gov- doing so well. I’m glad he ernment today is our inabil- did not dump us for those ity to communicate. Kansas Jayhawks. Besides owning several I could ramble on about radio stations, I broker sta- freedom of the press and tions, and as a radio broker, how I think many radio I’m always negotiating owners have abused their between the buyer and the responsibilities, but for Photo by Susan Ranta seller. Quite often, they now, I want every person Dick Chapin (right) talked about the importance of have become almost hostile to have the freedom to communication when he accepted his award for Service to in their conversations with speak as he or she sees fit. the Profession. He is pictured with Brian Noonan, journal- me as the negotiator. These But I am also a member of ism alumni board president. are the times I wish I had society. I understand that had a fairly good career. better communication skills. what we say and how we This is a great honor for Now I have a chance to Communication comes say it must be tempered by a business administration look back and see how into play every day in the where and when we say it. grad with no journalism much more I could have contract negotiations This award means a background. done if I had taken more between parties: in your great deal to me. Please I’ve spent 50 years in classes that are accept my heartfelt the broadcast business thanks. DEAN NORTON (LEFT)and AND have CRAIG ❑ ECKERT, CHAIRMAN OF THE NEBRASKA BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION, PRES- ENT THE BROADCASTING PIONEER SARAH WOOTTON AND SARAH AWARD TO MAX BROWN, RETIRED GEN- HERMSMEIER POSE FOR A PICTURE ERAL MANAGER OF KRVN LEXINGTON. AFTER THE HONORS CONVOCA- ERIC BROWN (RIGHT) ACCEPTED THE TION. HERMSMEIER WAS SELECTED AWARD ON HIS FATHER’S BEHALF. FOR THE OUTSTANDING STUDENT SERVICE AWARD. WOOTTON IS A STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER. BOTH ARE ADVERTIS- ING MAJORS.

Photo by Susan Ranta MICHAEL GOFF AND BUD PAGEL POSE FOR A PHOTO WITH OLIVE COPPLE, WIDOW OF FORMER DEAN NEALE COPPLE. GOFF AND PAGEL ARE Photo by Susan Ranta ON THE J

SCHOOL FACULTY. Photo by Marilyn Hahn

summer 2004 J Alumni News 31 faculty notes

ADVERTISING grams. Shipley continues to serve on tion in Baltimore in May concerning the advisory boards for Journalism the Cuba project. He continued work Frauke Hachtmann and Govinda and Mass Communications on a documentary looking at six Tidball, a graduate student, wrote a Quarterly and Newspaper Research years in the life of buffalo ranchers paper that was accepted for presenta- Journal. She is the representative of and what the future holds for raising tion at the Toronto convention of the the American Academy of buffalo. Association for Education in Advertising on the Accrediting The Cuba documentary, for Journalism and Mass Council for Education in Journalism which Renaud and Joe Starita were Communication. The title is “Racial and Mass Communications. She was co-executive producers, was shown Representation and Role Depiction in a member of the accrediting site visit on 98 public television stations on Magazine Advertisements: A Content team at West Virginia University in May 2. It received national student Analysis.” October and attended the accrediting documentary of the year honors at Sloane Signal and Hachtmann council meeting in Boston in May. the Broadcast Educators Association proposed and organized a panel for convention in April and placed third the AEJMC convention. Titled BROADCASTING in the documentary category of the “Communicating with Multicultural Student Academy Awards. (See story and Global Audiences without Rick Alloway was the moderator for on page 40.) Creating Stereotypes,” the panel will a panel discussion on the Civil Rights Larry Walklin wrote a successful feature a discussion of the current Act of 1964 as part of Martin Luther proposal for funds to provide addi- state of multiculturalism and global- King week activities in January. He tional information about the gradu- ization in advertising and civic jour- received the UNL Parents Association ate program. His spring semester nalism. They will showcase different Award for service to students for the class was part of the video for a domestic and global ad campaigns 12th year and was nominated for the story about university costs that (including student work), pointing university’s outstanding adviser of aired on the Peter Jennings ABC TV out blunt stereotypes as well as mes- the year award. He appears regularly sages that were well communicated. as media consultant on Kent Finally, they will examine ways to Pavelka’s morning radio show on avoid stereotypes in future campaigns KKAR, Omaha. He was a guest Media literacy and how to become more sensitive, speaker on media at the Hugh while communicating effectively and O’Brien Youth Leadership State starts early efficiently. Conference on the UNL campus June 11 and produced public service radio Phyllis Larsen wrote a chapter for he students were a little spots for the American Red Cross the third edition of the book, younger, but the principles Learning To Teach, that was pub- following tornado that destroyed the T were the same when broadcasting town of Hallam and neighboring lished in October 2003. She also had professor Tom Spann worked with areas in May. two articles accepted for the coming fifth graders from Elliott Elementary Laurie Thomas Lee spoke on a Encyclopedia of Public Relations School last winter. panel at the Broadcast Education from Sage Publications. Larsen con- Elliott has used a three-year Arts Association annual convention in Las tinues to serve as the faculty adviser in Education grant to help its stu- Veg as in April. Her presentation was to UNL’s Public Relations Student dents become media literate. This on “The Patriot Act and Privacy.” Society of America and coordinates year’s program focused on develop- She also served as moderator for a their student/professional mentoring ing large projects for the Celebrate panel session on “Cable program. She also serves as the vol- Lincoln Festival on April 30 and Telecommunications Industry unteer PR director for May 1. Research” at the National Cable Lincoln/Lancaster County Habitat The children created their own Telecommunications Academic for Humanity and worked with Prof. CD, beginning by writing poetry Seminar in Chicago. Thomas Spann and his students to and turning the poetry into music Jerry Renaud attended the create a promotional video for the lyrics, then used a computer pro- Broadcast Educators Association organization. gram to create the music. convention and the National Associate Dean Linda Shipley has Then Spann got involved, help- Association of Broadcasters conven- moved from the undergraduate to the ing the students create the videos tion, both in Las Vegas in April. graduate program. As chair of the and record their voices. The process Along with news-editorial student Graduate Committee for the college, took place in Andersen Hall in Dakarai Aarons, he gave a presenta- she will coordinate the campus and March. ❑ distance education graduate pro- tion at the national NAFSA conven-

2 3 J Alumni News summer 2004 faculty notes

News program. Walklin produced an worked at The Wall Street Journal Photographers Association workshop instructional video presentation for online and print editions, covering in May. He worked with student the Internet by Professor Katherine the attacks. Matthew Hansen of the Jessica Hoffman to get a $2,000 Walter, chair of preservation and spe- Lincoln Journal Star contributed his UCARE scholarship for a project in cial collections at the University profile of Dick Cavett for the chapter conjunction with the astronomy Library, on the Nebraska Newspaper on feature writing. Other UNL alums department. He completed a 30- Project. He also wrote two articles who helped are Melanie Mensch minute documentary and four public for the Nebraska Broadcasters Sidwell, Dane Stickney, Veronica service announcements for national Association publication, MODULA- Daehn Stickney and Gwen Tietgen. distribution on literacy for Spanish- TOR. Charlyne Berens was on academic speaking people. leave during spring semester and Joe Starita is preparing a depth NEWS-EDITORIAL began research on a book about the reporting project that will take 11 political career of Nebraska Sen. students to Paris in early September. John Bender is the lead author of Chuck Hagel. She spoke to the The hand-picked group of students the eight edition of Reporting for the Nebraska Press Women at the will examine the current state of Media, which will be published this group’s spring meeting in May and Franco-American relations. The proj- summer and will be available for fall was co-director, with Jerry Sass, of ect includes print, broadcasting and courses. The new edition includes the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund advertising students who will pro- contributions from several UNL internship residency at UNL during duce both a full-color magazine and alumni. Jeff Zeleny and Erin Schulte the last two weeks of May. video documentary of the project. both contributed stories about their Luis Peon-Casanova hosted the He also is researching a book on the experiences on Sept. 11, 2001. Zeleny Nebraska News Photographers life and death of Ponca Chief covered the attack on the Pentagon Association contest in March and the Standing Bear. ❑ for the Chicago Tribune, and Schulte Nebraska High School Photos by Marilyn Hahn

summer 2004 J Alumni News 33 alumni notes

2003 school she worked full time as man- instinct, adrenaline and news judg- ager of communications for The ment. Alexis Fisher, Philadelphia, Pa., is a Women’s College, a separate college Shannon Heffelfinger Sherman producer for NBC 10 in Bala within the DU system for working, joined Bailey Lauerman, Lincoln, in Cynwyd, Pa. adult women earning DU bachelor’s June as public relations project man- Lindsey Gill, Lincoln, is an asso- degrees by taking weekend classes. ager. She previously was assistant ciate producer at KM3 News in She did all of the college’s publica- sports information director at UNL. Omaha. tions and image development and its She will receive the M.A. degree in Tyler Grassmeyer, Washington, Web site. journalism in August. D.C ., is on the Washington staff of Katie Juhl is production coordi- Amanda Taylor, Littleton, Colo., Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel. nator for ABC NewsOne is public relations specialist at the Previously, Grassmeyer was special Washington. She coordinates Girl Scouts-Mile Hi Council. assistant to the director and congres- Washington, D.C., operations, feeds Previously, she was at the Colorado sional liaison for the White House and live shots for ABC News affili- Center for Nursing Excellence as Commission on Remembrance. ates and clients. Before joining ABC their communications and outreach Andrea Heisinger, Lewiston, in January, she was a desk assistant coordinator. Idaho, is a reporter for the Lewiston at The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Morning Tribune. produced for PBS in Arlington, Va. 1999 Brooke Johnson produces game She worked for KUON-TV, highlights for ESPN’s “Sportscenter,” Nebraska’s PBS station, for six Eric Drumheller, Lincoln, is director “Baseball Tonight” and “NBA Fast months after graduating from UNL of community relations for Break.” She started in March as a and then earned the M.A. in broad- EducationQuest Foundation in production assistant at ESPN’s home cast journalism from the S.I. Lincoln. office in Bristol, Conn. She chooses Newhouse School of Public Jennifer McCarthy, Chicago, is and packages the highlights that run Communications at Syracuse an associate producer with Harpo on the ESPN shows. University. She also does freelance Productions. Allison Marks, Atlanta, Ga., is a broadcast reporting and gives piano Jason Stuehmer, Westborough, sales assistant at Katz Media in lessons. Mass., is an applications specialist Atlanta. for Pinnacle Systems in Lowell, Mass. Carrie Myers, Lincoln, is an 2000 Heidi White was promoted last admissions counselor for UNL. year to international editor at the Jill Zeman, Little Rock, Ark., is a Erin Dolan, Denver, is a marketing Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in Little reporter for the Arkansas Democrat- coordinator for Microsoft in Denver. Rock. She started her job there in Gazette. Joshua Eickmeier works for the November 1999 after a brief stint in New Hampshire Democratic Party as Cheyenne, Wyo. She was promoted in 2002 the deputy field director for the first November 2001 to assistant interna- Congressional District. He previous- tional editor and in May 2003 to Jami Larson, Woodland Hills, Calif., ly worked on John Kerry’s primary international editor. is regional affiliate relations director campaign in Iowa, New Hampshire for Premiere Radio Networks. and Tennessee. 1998 April Reins, Mission, Kan., is an Matt Miller, a photographer with account executive with Barkley The Omaha World-Herald, earned Angela Heywood Bible is spending Evergreen and Partners Public third place in the Best of Still the summer at the United Nations Relations in Kansas City. Photojournalism 2004 competition headquarters in Geneva at the Office sponsored by the National Press of the High Commissioner for 2001 Photographers Association. Miller Human Rights in the Department of won in the domestic news category Counter-Terrorism and Democracy. Amanda Wilcox Johnson, Highlands for a picture of two Omaha high She completed her first year of law Ranch, Colo., is Web editor for The school girls fighting with each other school at the University of North Cable Center, cable television’s in a city park on April 4, 2003. Carolina in May. As a requirement national programming and research According to the NPPA Web site, the for the master’s degree in interna- center, in Denver. She will graduate award in that category is for a photo tional law, she also will take classes in August from the University of that is unplanned and immediate, an at the University of Geneva Law Denver with an M.A. in digital event where the photographer hasn’t School — international tax, con- media studies. While attending grad the time to plan but reacts on tracts and environmental law.

4 3 J Alumni News summer 2004 alumni notes

1997 Susan Phalen, Alexandria, Va., is 1988 director of the International Press Doug Kouma has been promoted to Center for the Office of Strategic Larry Punteney, Lincoln, joined copy chief of Better Homes and Communications. As of April, she Snitily Carr as a marketing manager Gardens Special Interest was working in Baghdad, Iraq, for in March. He was a local news Publications. In his new role, he the Coalition Provisional Authority, anchor for three years and has hosted manages copyediting and production running the International Press numerous Husker coaches’ television for 100+ magazines per year and Center and working with the interna- programs. supervises all staff and freelance tional press corps based in Baghdad. Joan Rezac von Kampen recently copy editors. He was previously a became Midlands team leader on senior copy editor in SIP. After grad- 1991 The Omaha World-Herald copy uation, he worked at The Des desk, where she has worked since Moines Register as a news copy edi- Monte Olson, Lincoln, is director of 1997. She previously worked for The tor and 1A and Metro designer. In strategy and brand development at Des Moines Register, the Scottsbluff August 1999, he joined Meredith (in Fusebox in Lincoln. He previously Star-Herald and the North Platte Des Moines) as an associate copy worked in Chicago, Los Angeles and Telegraph. She and her husband, editor in Better Homes and Gardens San Francisco, most recently as To dd von Kampen, live in Omaha Special Interest Publications. In 2002, advertising director for Bank of and have four children: Jonathan, 13; he was named senior copy editor for America in San Francisco. Joshua, 10; Benjamin, 3; and building and remodeling titles. As Annetta, 1. copy chief, he now has responsibility 1990 Cheryl Wemhoff was recognized for all titles in SIP’s as the 2004 Ad Pro of the Year at the Building/Remodeling/Kitchens, Jennifer Snyder, Lincoln, is market- Nebraska ADDYS in January. She is Decorating & Design and Garden ing coordinator for UNL’s University president of “advertising advice,” a groups. Together, the three groups Health Center. She is working on a firm specializing in consulting local produce 100+ magazines per year master’s degree in journalism with an and regional businesses and organi- with a total circulation of more than emphasis in advertising. She is a zations on their marketing and adver- 40 million. member of the planning committee tising plans, media buying and copy for the Lincoln Marathon. writing. She has served on the board 1996 of directors of the Advertising 1989 Federation of Lincoln for seven years Paul Erickson, Lincoln, is the instruc- and is currently chairman of the tional technology development man- Kelly Anders, Sacramento, Calif., is a board. ager for UNL. reference librarian at the McGeorge School of law in Sacramento. She 1986 1994 earned her law degree at Pepperdine University in 1996. She received a Tammy Traudt, La Jolla, Calif., is a Leslie Rupiper, Sioux Falls, S.D., is a Forty Under 40 award from the manager of events and special proj- reporter at KSFY-TV in Sioux Falls. Denver Business Journal in 2001. ects at the University of California- Mike Reilley, a public relations San Diego. 1993 account executive at Bailey Todd von Kampen recently was Lauerman marketing communica- named editorial page coordinator for Emily DeMars Kranz, Fremont, owns tions was promoted in February to The Omaha World-Herald. He had the marketing consulting business be director of the sports marketing been a World-Herald reporter since called The Ad Doctor in Fremont. and consulting group. Previously, 1999. He previously worked for The Reilley covered the NFL, major Des Moines Register, the Scottsbluff 1992 league baseball and college sports as Star-Herald and the North Platte a reporter at the Los Angeles Times Telegraph. He and his wife, Joan Lori Koepke, Lincoln, joined Snitily and Chicago Tribune. He also Rezac von Kampen, live in Omaha Carr’s media department as a media worked as an online editor at and have four children: Jonathan, 13; buyer and planner in March. America Online and the Washington Joshua, 10; Benjamin, 3; and Mike Lewis has been in Chicago Post. He earned a degree in media Annetta, 1. since late 1999 and has worked as an management/newspaper administra- editor at World Book Encyclopedia tion from Northwestern University in since early 2001. 1995.

summer 2004 J Alumni News 35 alumni notes

1985 Mona Koppelman Smith, letic director for communication and Brooklyn, N.Y., is the manager of in May was promoted to associate Joel Sartore’s photos will be on adult programs for the Brooklyn athletic director. She oversees all ath- exhibit until June 5, 2005, at the Museum. Her first book was sched- letic department publications and University of Nebraska State uled to be published in August by TV productions and assists with Museum at Morrill Hall, 14th and U Faber & Faber. Titled Becoming radio and television contracts. Streets. The exhibit, titled “Fragile Something: the Story of Canada Lee, Nature: a Personal View,” is made up the book is the biography of black 1982 of more than 50 photographs Sartore actor Canada Lee. A political has taken during his 15 years of trav- activist, Lee was under surveillance Monica Frank Pribil, Lincoln, works eling the world as a photographer for by the FBI and the House Un- for the Tobacco Free Nebraska proj- National Geographic magazine. American Activities Committee for a ect sponsored by Nebraska Health decade. In 1949, he was blacklisted and Human Services. 1984 after he was wrongly denounced as a Communist during a sensational 1980 Michael “O.J.” Nelson, editor at the espionage trial. He continued to fight Kansas City Star, received the first- for civil rights until he died in 1952. Eric Warp, Sacramento, Calif., is ever Headline Award from Johnson The book is dedicated to Bud Pagel, owner of American Warp Drive. This County Community College’s jour- Koppelman’s first J school professor. is his fourth year as an independent nalism and media communications designer for television and print. department. The award was in recog- 1983 Recent projects include the creation nition of his contributions to jour- of virtual sets for a half-hour video nalism in Johnson County. Nelson Chris Bouma Anderson was inducted featuring actor Martin Sheen. In has worked 30 years for the Star, in May into the Norris Alumni Hall February he launched a new bou- most of that time as an editor. This of Fame. She graduated from Norris tique production company with three year he became assistant managing High School in 1979 and is in her fellow veterans of commercial TV. editor/zoning, overseeing content of 11th year as Nebraska’s sports infor- Their first official project as Neighborhood News inserts across mation director. For the past six TVfabfour will be a documentary on the area. years she has served as assistant ath- AIDS in Romania, shot on location Volunteer journalism rewarding – and ‘awarding’ area. County’s middle region— had a special speaker at t’s official: Ruth Lahr, Holmes Run Acres, in to keep in touch with its annual meeting. This Iclass of 1938, is a dis- Falls Church, Va., is a each other and with the year’s speaker told the tinguished citizen. She community of about 350 locality in which we residents how they could received the Holmes Run homes, Lahr writes. The lived.” form a historical district, Acres Civic Association first of the three sections Lahr was an early edi- “which would protect the Distinguished Citizen opened in 1951. “I am tor of The Holmes area from invasion by Award in May. the last remaining original Runner, which was road expansion, as in the Although the group resident.” mimeographed and dis- proposal to widen the has presented annual Lahr lives in a ranch- tributed monthly in its Beltway, which is the awards for special proj- style home that was built early days. It is now pub- western boundary of our ects or activities for many according to the model lished twice a month, and community. (I don’t years, Lahr’s is the first featured in House Lahr continues to con- mean mere incursion.),” “lifelong” recognition, Beautiful in spring 1951. tribute regularly, writing Lahr writes. she reports. The award “Before the develop- most often about schools In a note attached to was made for her lifelong ment organized into a or about Fairfax County a photocopy of her dis- commitment to HRA resi- civic association in 1952, history. tinguished citizen award, dents, her countless sto- there was a publication, From the beginning, Lahr says, “Volunteer ries in The Holmes The Holmes Runner, for the HRA Civic Association journalism can be Runner and her advocacy our growing community has sponsored events for rewarding.” for the children of the — so isolated in Fairfax the community and has ❑

6 3 J Alumni News summer 2004 alumni notes in March. He and his wife, Peggy, returned to La Crosse and Winona in 1969 have a daughter, Zoey, 8. February. Stuart M. Frohm, Midland, Mich., is 1977 1976 wire editor and political writer for the Midland Daily News. Bob Cullinan, San Rafael, Calif., is Gina Hills is managing producer of self-employed. After working for Seattlepi.com, the Seattle Post- 1954 more than a dozen years in local TV Intelligencer’s five-year-old Web site. news and sports — with a handful She joined the Seattle P-I in late 1987 Wendell “Del” Harding Jr., of network assignments along the after nearly a dozen years with UPI Washington, Utah, is a retired NASA way — he began a second career in in Nebraska, Louisiana and Indiana. public information office chief. media relations consulting in 1997. Before moving to the online world in During his career, he earned 11 He helps people and companies land 1999, she had many editing positions national writing and publication coverage in the major local, national in the P-I’s newsroom, including awards, served two terms as vice and international media like CNN, region, education and politics editor. president of National School Public CNBC, The New York Times, The At Seattlepi.com, she has been Relations Association and nine years Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Business instrumental in developing the site’s as an officer of the Colorado Week, Wired, News.com and others. news content and 24/7 news strategy. Professional chapter of SPJ. Earlier in He acts as the conduit between his his career, he was a reporter for the clients and the media, helping clients 1975 Fremont Tribune, the Lincoln Star identify the stories that can do them and the Denver Rocky Mountain the most good and then working Michael T. Martinez, Euless, Texas, News. with the reporters, editors and pro- is senior producer of Star- ducers at targeted media to help Telegram.com in Fort Worth. 1950 them produce coverage of his clients. Over the years he has worked for 1974 Alan Clem, Vermillion, S.D., has clients like Microsoft, HP, The written seven books. Three relate to Sharper Image and the Kingdom of Ann Pedersen Gleeson, Omaha, is South Dakota and four to U.S. Tonga. director of public relations for national government and politics. Rusty Cunningham is publisher infoUSA in Omaha. His most recent book is Government of the La Crosse Tribune and by the People? South Dakota Politics Winona Daily News and president of 1973 in the Last Third of the Twentieth the River Valley Newspaper Group, Century. When he was at the univer- which includes the two dailies, plus a Barbara Chaney, San Francisco, is sity, Clem was president of Sigma twice-weekly and six weeklies in employed by Sedgwick, Detert, Delta Chi and editor of the Daily western Wisconsin and shoppers Moran and Arnold in San Francisco. Nebraskan. throughout the region. After graduation, he was a cops reporter for 1970 about nine months at The Evening Press in Binghamton, N.Y. He went Bob Thacker became external rela- ❖ to The Omaha World-Herald in 1978 tions director of the Guthrie Theater as a copy editor and night cops in Minneapolis July 5. Thacker reporter. He worked at the Quad- retired in January from the Send us your City Times in Davenport, Iowa, (Lee Minnesota office of the New York- Enterprises) from 1979 through 1992 based advertising firm BBDO where news! as a reporter and editor and was edi- he had been president and CEO since Internet tor of The Ottumwa Courier from 1999. He will lead the Guthrie’s http://journalism.unl.edu/ 1992-1997 (a Lee paper at that time). development, marketing and commu- alumni/alumni.html He was editor of the La Crosse paper nications and will work with the from 1997 to January 2002, then education/community partnerships. E-mail publisher of the Portage, Wis., divi- [email protected] sion of Capital Newspapers. He

summer 2004 J Alumni News 37 college notes

May tornado moves Norris yearbook staff to Andersen Hall

fter the May 22 tornado tore the software they Athrough southern Lancaster needed for their County, some folks needed help project. Then a rebuilding. Some needed food and representative water. Some needed donations of from clothing. Wadsworth, the Saranne Renaud and her year- yearbook pub- book staff at Norris High School lishing company, needed a computer lab. came by and Renaud, in her 13th year as jour- added the neces- nalism teacher and yearbook adviser sary enhance- at Norris, southeast of Lincoln, usu- ment software. ally plans to complete production of On the book right after school is out in Wednesday, June May. This year she expected the 9, all 15 mem- entire staff to be at Norris on May bers of the year- 25 and 26 to finish their spreads. book staff But by May 25 and 26, only half showed up at of Norris was still standing. The Andersen Hall to Saturday tornado had destroyed the get started. At north and west sides of the complex, least a few were which houses grades kindergarten at work every through 12. The storm tore a foot- day after that square hole in the roof of Renaud’s through late Photo by Luis Peon-Casanova classroom, and the downpour that June. When the Norris high school students, left, Brittany Kvasnicka and Jessalyn accompanied the tornado soaked the proofs came Schrock work at the College of Journalism and Mass Communi- carpet, closet and cupboards. back from the cations to finish their yearbook. Saranne Renaud, yearbook adviser, Most of the completed work on publisher in July, looks on. Most of Norris High School was destroyed by a tornado the yearbook was stored on comput- the staff came May 22. ers, but the building had no electrici- back to do the ty to operate even lights. Once the index and put the final touches on Mike Goff, interim assistant power was back on, the tech staff the book. Renaud hoped to have the dean, said the school was delighted person at Norris copied all the year- whole thing completed by mid July. to do something to help some of the book materials onto a CD so that the Shelly Thompson, spreads editor folks affected by the storm. staff could take it elsewhere and fin- for the yearbook, said coming to the The finished product, which will ish up. J school every day has been a lot dif- include a special section about the But where? ferent from what she expected to be tornado, will probably be available in It just so happens that Saranne doing in June and July. “We were mid September. Predictions are it will Renaud is married to Jerry Renaud, a really close to being done, and this be a fine product. member of the UNL broadcasting threw a loop into things,” she said. Despite the storm and the chal- faculty. Jerry suggested the J school But Renaud said she was happy lenges involved in changing venues, would be able to find a place for the and relieved to be set up and func- “the yearbook will be just as good” yearbook staff to finish its work. tioning in Andersen Hall. “I have no as ever, Thompson said. Luther Hinrichs, journalism’s idea where I would have looked” if computer guy, set up a lab full of PCs the J school hadn’t been willing to ❑ for the Norris refugees and loaded help, she said.

8 3 J Alumni News summer 2004 college notes

dents who take the course are from Business writers find new home CBA. Still, not quite all the business By SARA CONNOLLY The 500 students who take the writing classes have moved to J Alumni News staff classes each semester learn to write Andersen Hall. Vasa said three of the memos, resumes, business letters and 25 sections of the class are still other documents commonly used in taught in Nebraska Hall. ast January, one week into the business today. The move from Nebraska Hall to Lnew semester, students and Dona Vasa, coordinator of busi- Andersen Hall was done quickly and teachers in the basic business writing ness communication, said the new without much advance notice, Vasa courses at UNL had to up and move location has changed the course and said. Goff also said moving office across campus — from Nebraska the way it is taught. materials and teaching tools was hur- Hall to journalism’s Andersen Hall. “These classrooms have comput- ried and confusing, but it all seemed The move signified not only a ers for all the students,” Vasa said, as to have worked out. new physical location but also a new well as projection equipment that “It was hectic with the last- curricular location for the business allows instructors to use up-to-date minute stuff at semester break,” Goff writing courses. The classes, required tools like PowerPoint. said. “Not all of the rooms were for all business majors at UNL, had Goff helped oversee the move. He ready. We had to put in a new com- been offered by the College of said the classes keep two computer puter lab.” Education and Human Sciences but labs busy all day long, five days a Even with all of the hassles, Goff are now part of the J School. week. said the 11 part-time instructors who The move makes sense, said In addition to its facilities and teach the business classes have added Michael Goff, interim assistant dean equipment, Vasa said, Andersen a new dimension to the faculty at of the journalism college. “Our col- Hall’s location is good for students Andersen Hall. lege is known as the place on campus because it is closer than Nebraska “We’re pleased to have the busi- that focuses on writing and commu- Hall to the core of the campus and, ness writing teachers here,” he said. nications,” Goff said. “This is a logi- especially, to the College of Business “They’re a pleasurable group of peo- cal place to house the business writ- Administration. Nearly all the stu- ple.” ing program.” ❑ Writers, editors visit UNL J school students Three Wheaton College graduates Newsweek magazine. He was a Journal of Commerce. He was a gather for a ceremonial photo at writer and later an editor at visiting journalism instructor at the J school in January. Fortune magazine and then editor Wheaton College from 1999 to Dean Will Norton, center, invit- and senior vice president of the 2003. ❑ ed Ray Smith, left, and Don Holt to speak to journalism classes and rewarded their efforts with Nebraska sweatshirts. Smith was an editor, publisher and editorial director with HBJ Publications, Cleveland, a sub- sidiary of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Inc. in the 1970s and was named vice president of HBJ Publications in 1978. He founded his own media consulting firm in Wheaton, Ill., in 1995, retiring in 2003. Holt began his career as a reporter and editor at Chicago- area newspapers, then went to

summer 2004 J Alumni News 39 student notes

is a world jump-rope champion, and broadcasting professor Trina J school sends Page focused on Amos and his jump- Creighton, news-editorial professor ing. Joe Starita and Dean Will Norton. three students The package was enough to take Creighton and Starita supervised the to Hearst finals her to the finals in San Francisco. college’s Hearst entries. On the print side, Chatelain’s first Other 2003-04 Hearst winners in place finish in sports writing guaran- the print category were Melissa Lee, hree UNL students earned a teed him a place in the finals. His second place in profiles, and Erica June trip to San Francisco T winning story about the Beatrice Rogers, eighth place in editorial writ- when they qualified for the 2004 Bruins baseball team was published ing. Hearst Journalism Awards Program in July 2003 in The Omaha World- All three finalists were excited finals. Broadcasting student Juanita Herald. about the opportunity to compete at Page and news-ed students Dirk “It was about a collection of per- such a high level. Chatelain and Van Jensen competed sonalities and backgrounds bound “It is a great honor to be listed in San Francisco in early June. together by a love of baseball,” among the top collegiate journalists The J school finished in seventh Chatelain said. “It definitely had a in the country,” Jensen said, “and place overall in the awards program, ‘Field of Dreams’ feel to it.” this experience is one I’m sure I will the first time in recent memory it has He said his favorite stories are think back on fondly for decades to finished in the top 10 overall. The related to sports but not necessarily come.” college was fourth in print and 17th about sports. For example, “I would ❑ in broadcast. Last year, UNL finished argue that the Beatrice story, though third in the print competition. a baseball story, was more about 20- Page was one of five students year-old kids, their dreams and what from across the nation selected in they sacrifice to chase those dreams.” two rounds of competition as a final- Jensen qualified for the finals by Students win ist in the television category. To qual- taking fourth place in the profiles ify, she had submitted two stories in category and ninth in the sports cate- bronze Oscar the first round. One was about water gory. contamination in Grand Island, a Jensen’s profile was about Roger story that took her back to the com- ave Pittock says actually Kats, who once announced football munity several times. going to Cuba and learn- games in Jensen’s hometown of D “They were passionate about it,” ing to know the Cuban people Lewellen. she says of the Grand Island resi- was the best part of the experi- “Roger’s story is a truly amazing dents she covered. Their problem was ence that produced the docu- one,” Jensen said. Kats was mentally “bad them but good for me,” leading mentary “Cuba: Illogical handicapped and battled constant to an award-winning story. Temple.” physical health problems, but “it Her second story was about But being a winner in the never held him back” and he became another sad situation: complications Student Academy Awards com- a beloved member of the community. from a blizzard. The two put her in petition has to be a close sec- Jensen’s sports story was about fourth place in the quarterfinals. ond. the bill Nebraska Sen. Ernie Fellow broadcasting student Brandi The documentary, produced Chambers proposed in the Peterson finished first in the quarter- by Pittock and Lindsey Kealy, Legislature to require UNL to pay its finals. was one of the three top win- football players. For the semifinals, Page needed to ners in its category in the 31st All three Hearst finalists plan to enter three stories that ran no more annual competition, known as go into news after they graduate — than a total of 10 minutes. She used the Student Oscars. It is the first all in December. Page would like to the Grand Island story again and time that an entry from the be a reporter or editor. Chatelain, added a story about a mentally hand- University of Nebraska has been interning this summer at the St. icapped Omaha girl who had been selected as a finalist. Louis Post-Dispatch, hopes to cover raped. The family gave Page an The two students were part sports for a newspaper in the exclusive interview, and she produced of a J school depth reporting Midwest. And Jensen, spending the what she called a “very moving project that sent 11 students to summer at the Arkansas Democrat- story.” Cuba and Florida to report on Gazette, wants to be a reporter and For her third story, she wanted political and social issues in also hopes to write a book or two something lighter, and she got it — January 2003. The magazine someday. figuratively, at least. Willy Amos, a produced by the news-editorial The Nebraska cheering section at member of the Husker football team, students was nominated for a the San Francisco finals included

0 4 J Alumni News summer 2004 student notes

J school students win big in SPJ contest

UNL journalism students brought 3rd; photo illustration, 2nd; general Alyssa Schukar — sports pho- home a raft of awards from the news photography, 3rd tography, 3rd Society of Professional Journalists Kris Kolden — feature photogra- Spring 2003 news-editorial Region 7 Mark of Excellence phy, 1st; feature photography, 2nd; depth reporting class (Dakarai Competition in April. photo illustration, 3rd; general news Aarons, Sarah Fox, Melissa Lee, The winners are as follows: photography, 2nd Shane Pekny, Jill Zeman) — in- Lincoln Arneal — sports column David McGee — spot news pho- depth reporting, 1st, “Cuba: An writing, 2nd tography, 2nd Elusive Truth” Dirk Chatelain — sports writing, Krystal Overmyer — general Daily Nebraskan — best all- 1st news reporting, 3rd around daily student newspaper, 1st Derek Lippincott — sports pho- Erica Rogers — general column tography, 1st; feature photography, writing, 1st

received from Jerry Renaud, broadcasting faculty member, and from Joe Starita, news-ed faculty member, who taught the depth reporting class that focused on Cuba. The other two documentaries that were finalists in the category were produced by students from the University of California, Berkeley. Danny Ladely, director of the Mary Riepma Ross Media Photo courtesy AMPAS Arts Center at UNL, Lindsey Kealy and David Pittock (front row, far right) at the Student Academy Awards presenta- said in a press release, tion in Hollywood in June. “The Student Academy Awards is an exceedingly Pulitzer Prize. 2003 and works as a news pro- important competi- Pittock, a Lincoln Southeast ducer at KMTV in Omaha. tion for students to win.” Some High School graduate, earned his Their trip to the June 13 previous winners include Spike undergrad degree in broadcasting awards ceremony in Hollywood Lee, Bob Saget, “South Park” cre- at UNL and is nearly finished with was provided by the Academy of ator Trey Parker and producers his master’s program. Kealy, who is Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. who went on to win Oscars for from Sutherland and was married Pittock said he appreciated the “Toy Story” and “Forest Gump.” ❑ last summer, graduated in May guidance and help he and Kealy

summer 2004 J Alumni News 41 student notes

Aaron Franco, who Status of Women. Astronomy graduated in May, Frear-Cooper organized Department. Her proj- received a Silver Addy the campus Relay for ect, Phases of the in the Omaha Life the past two years Moon, will be pub- Federation of and spearheaded many lished on the universi- Advertising’s annual events for the Women’s ty’s astronomy Web Addy awards competi- Center. page. The project tion. He was recognized Betsy Garbacz, who involves shooting the in the student logo graduated in May, was moon daily in an out- design category for his featured in a UNL of-town location for 30 work on a new logo Admissions ad. to 60 days, depending system for the Garbacz was an adver- on visibility. Nebraska State tising and political sci- Eske, an advertising Historical Society. ence double major who major, will be working While in school, he was had five internships in with advertising faculty employed at four years and was member Stacy James. Photo University Communications Information Analytics president of the student UCARE grants pro- JUANITA PAGE where he designed ads Advertising Club. vide funds for under- and informational Jessica Hoffman graduate students to materials and did direct and Aaron Eske have work with faculty Page wins second marketing. been awarded UCARE members on joint national forensics Ashley Frear- funding for the coming research projects. Cooper was co-recipi- school year. Mary “Maggie” championship ent of the 2004 Hoffman, a news-ed Pavelka, a junior adver- Outstanding student, is working tising major, was elect- Contribution to with Luis Peon- ed to the Association of Juanita Page, a broadcasting Women Award, pre- Casanova, the college’s Students of the major, led the Cornhusker sented by the UNL interim photojournal- University of Nebraska Forensics team to a spectacular Chancellor’s ism teacher, and with student government in showing at the 2004 American Commission on the Dr. Kevin Lee, from the March. ❑ Forensics Association National Individual Events Tournament at the California State University, Long Beach campus April 3-5. Page placed first in the nation in informative speaking and was fourth best speaker in the nation in overall sweeps. It was her second consecutive national title. She was also the first person in the history of the American Forensics Association to win both a program of oral interpretation championship and an informative speaking championship. Page earned fourth place in poetry interpretation and was a semifinalist in duo interpretation and oral interpretation and quar- terfinalist in dramatic interpretation. ❑ student notes

News-ed majors Krystal Overmyer and Brett Wertz were the first recipients of the new Katherine (Katie) and E.N. (Jack) Thompson Memorial Scholarship Awards for Journalism Students Studying Abroad. They are pictured with Russell Ganim, chair of Modern Languages and Literatures, left, and Harold E. Spencer, donor and friend of Jack and Katie Thompson. The awards are administered by Modern Languages.

The Evian Bottled Water campaign by advertising major Jim Hoke won three golds at the 2002 Nebraska ADDYs in February. The ADDYs are sponsored by the American Ad Federation to honor excellence in advertising and work to develop a high level of creative standards.

summer 2004 J Alumni News 43 Build a family tradition without breaking the bank. THE LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP ATTENTION ALUMNI If your children are not residents of Nebraska, they may qualify for an undergraduate scholarship waiving nonresident tuition at UNL, a four-year value of $30,330.* The Legacy Scholarship is offered by the University of Nebraska–-Lincoln to eligible nonresident children of UNL, UNK, UNO and UNMC alumni. Eligibility requirements include: HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS •Rank in the upper one-third of graduating class or •Earn an ACT of 24 or higher, or an SAT of 1100 or higher TRANSFERS, LESS THAN TWO YEARS OF COLLEGE •Rank in the upper one-third of graduating class or •Earn an ACT of 24 or higher, or an SAT of 1100 or higher and •Earn a cumulative college GPA (all institutions) of 3.0 or better TRANSFERS, TWO YEARS OF COLLEGE OR MORE •Earn a cumulative college GPA of 3.0 or better Students must apply for admission to UNL to be considered.

*Based on a total of 120 credit hours. Legacy Scholarship applicable to undergraduate courses only, and does not change residency status.

Admissions: 800-742-8800 or http://admissions.unl.edu An equal opportunity educator and employer with a comprehensive plan for diversity.

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