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“The – A ’s Greatest Asset” 2019

By Freelance Writing

Throughout the world people show tremendous loyalty to newspaper and find they identify with them rather than the newspaper itself. They turn the pages of their favorite read to see their take on things. A columnist’s opinion tends to reflect readers mood; they are often controversial or at least enlightening. This empathy with the readership transfers intense loyalty to the newspaper they write for. The title is apt for, like Saint Simeon Stylites of Syria, who in the 5th Century harangued the populace from his , newspaper columnists also wield enormous power.

Just as Norman Rockwell once epitomized the United States with his paintbrush, the nation’s columnists carried out the same task with their typewriters. Their names live on; in the U.S. Mark Twain, Ambrose Bierce, , H.L Mencken: In the UK Cassandra, Lynda Lee-Potter, Richard Littlejohn of . The list is endless. They shape opinions, they become household names.

The Power of Three Senators The Washington columnist Marquis Childs guessed that James Reston of the Times had roughly the power of three U.S. Senators. Their influence is such that presidents and prime ministers tirelessly court them; none more so than U.S President Lyndon B. Johnson who was a Walter Lippmann sycophant. He knew that such an influential columnist could make or break him while the electorate were still in bed.

Lippmann’s ‘Today and Tomorrow’ column appeared three times a week in more than 200 . He had drafted President Wilson’s famous 14 Points and was later wined, dined and courted by Russian Premier . Lippmman played a leading part in bringing the War to an end; a war which his formidable rival, columnist Joseph Alsop helped to start. As he ordered 50,000 more troops to Vietnam Lyndon Johnson was heard to murmur: “There; that should keep Alsop quiet for a while.”

Mightier Than the Sword No fewer than 800 American newspapers carried Walter Winchell’s daily column. Little did his adoring readership know that Herman Klurfield, for twenty-nine years, served as Winchell’s ghost . Many columns are written by a group effort and appear under a pseudonym; in effect a brand name.

In the United States alone feature and major newspapers carry the opinionated daily debates of over 200 columnists. To these can be added local commentators covering everything from gardening to sportswriters, political and social gossip columnists. Across the U.S. it is estimated that 26,000 periodicals are provided for by 15,000 mostly freelance . This number can at least be doubled if the UK and European Union are included.

Such is the influence offered by a barrel-thumping columnist that the calling has attracted the most illustrious figures in history. Both U.S. President Roosevelts’ were newspaper columnists, as were President and presidential hopeful Barry Goldwater.

A columnist’s value to an editor cannot be understated. Controversy moves like no other. His challenging wordsmith gets away with expressing opinions the editor daren’t utter; it is the columnist not the newspaper that attracts the flak. The column is space accounted for and so is someone else’s problem. Most important of all there is neither nor sport feature that can draw and keep as many readers as can the columnist. Cynics may write them off as people who scribble on the backs of advertisements. There are very few of those that carry as much influence as the challenging publish and be damned columnist. They wish. Summer Assignment 2019 - AP English Language and Composition Mrs. Berry ([email protected])

After much deliberation, ’ve settled on a summer assignment – one that, hopefully, will prove beneficial to everyone without ruining the summer by becoming an unwanted burden.

This summer, your task is simple: Adopt a columnist and embrace the art of writing.

Step 1: Read “The Columnist – A Newspaper’s Greatest Asset.” This should help you understand the power columnists wield in our society and what we can learn from these pundits.

Step 2: “Adopt” a columnist. o Choose one from the list below. And I would highly suggest you choose to follow a columnist who incites a strong response in you (either positive or negative). . If you would like to follow a columnist not on this list, email me early June. o Follow him/her, and print six columns written this summer. Start early, folks – some columnists do not write throughout the summer. o For each column you read and print, write a one-paragraph (maximum 150 words) analysis of why this particular column is effective. Focus on writing – why the subject matter just seems to “work” and what the does particularly well (I might ordinarily offer you the chance to criticize the writing, but almost every columnist on the list is nationally-syndicated, which means almost every writer on the list has survived a rite of passage and earned a place among ’s heavy hitters).

Step 3: On the first day of school, bring the six copies of columns and your six one-paragraph responses to each. That’s it. Note: Do not send any of this to me electronically; your summer assignment is your responsibility.

Columnists

Mitch Albom (, sports) Paul Krugman (NY Times, economics) Dave Barry (, lifestyle) Clarence Page (Chicago Tribune, race, life, current events) David Brooks (NY Times, politics) Robert Reich (Syndicated, politics, current events) Mona Charen (, current events) Andrew Sullivan (N.Y. , current events) Maureen Dowd (NY Times, politics, pop culture) George Will (Washington Post, politics) Thomas Friedman (NY Times, politics, lifestyle) Fareed Zakaria (Washington Post, foreign affairs) (, politics) Zach Lowe (ESPN, basketball) Naomi Klein (The Intercept, politics, world affairs) Jackie MacMullan (ESPN, basketball) Bob Ryan (Boston , sports) Sally Jenkins (Washington Post, sports) Peter King (NBC Sports/ProFootballTalk, football) Christine Brennan (USA Today, sports) Pat Forde (Yahoo Sports, sports) Alan Sepinwall (Rolling Stone, TV)