OPC Renames Commentary and Cartoon Awards; Honors Flora Lewis
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MONTHLY NEWSLETTER I November-December 2018 OPC Renames Commentary and Cartoon INSIDE Awards; Honors Flora Lewis Event Recap: ‘FREELANCERS’ by patricia kranz Lewis later reported Screening and Panel 2 he opc has named its award for best commen- from Bonn, Eastern Europe and London for the Post and Invitation: tary on international news for Flora Lewis, a 2019 Holiday Party 2 correspondent and columnist who won four OPC in 1965 was chosen to open T the paper’s bureau in New Event Recap: awards during her decades-long career. York City. After her divorce, The Future of Taiwan 3 “Much of her work, done when foreign policy was made by men who thought women had no place in the she joined The New York Times in 1972 as bureau OPC Press Badges world of diplomacy, revealed deep knowledge of his- By Chriss Swaney 3 tory inflected by the experience of living through some chief in Paris and also be- of the most turbulent events of an epochal century,” said came the paper’s European Press Freedom: diplomatic correspondent. A letter to Mexico 4 her obituary in The New York Times, published on June 3, 2002. She was 79. In 1980 she became the paper’s third foreign affairs ‘New Media’ Report The obituary summarized her extraordinary career. Flora Lewis By Bill Holstein 4 She got her first job in 1942 with The Associated Press correspondent. TIMES YORK THE NEW OF COURTESY PHOTO and over the years covered Europe and Latin Ameri- She won the OPC’s award for Best Interpreta- FCCJ Relocates 5 can for American and European newspapers. In 1956, tion of Foreign Affairs in 1962 for The Washington People Column 6-8 when her husband Sydney Gruson was The New York Post and in 1976 and 1978 for The New York Times. In 1956, she won the OPC’s Best Magazine Reporting Times’s correspondent in Warsaw, she was hired by The Press Freedom Washington Post. The Times’s nepotism rules at the of Foreign Affairs for work in The New York Times Update 8-9 time barred her from being hired as long as her husband Magazine. 10 also worked there. “The rules, of course, essentially “Foreign affairs reportage and commentary were New Books acted to stop women from becoming correspondents. It her life,” said past OPC President David A. Andel- man. “She knew everyone and everyone knew and Q&A: took decades for the paper to see the light,” said her son Hasan Mahmud 11 Lindsey Gruson. Continued on Page 2 The OPC Awards competition is now open for submissions. We invite you to submit entries for international cov- erage in Newspapers, News Services, Digital, Magazines, Radio, Podcasts, Television, Video, Cartoons, Books and Purchase Photography. The general an OPC Press deadine is Jan. 30, and the Badge. Cornelius Ryan deadline is Jan. 9, 2019. Click on the ban- ner on the left to read more on the awards submission page, or check the OPC home page at opcofamerica.org. 1 1 Freelance Journalists Discuss Industry Challenges ‘COMMENTARY/CARTOON’ Continued From Page 1 After TV Pilot Screening admired her. She could parachute EVENT RECAP into the most remote capitals and within hours have tested the tem- by chad bouchard perature, talked with just the right folks and turned out a perfectly ill gentile, a veteran crafted column. Her extraordinary journalist and documenta- legacy will live on admirably in ry filmmaker who teaches B this award.” journalism at American University Gruson said his mother would in Washington, DC, has launched have been delighted and grateful a new documentary TV series to to have the award named after explore the lives and challenges of her. “We hope it will in some way freelance journalists on the front spur other reporters to emulate lines around the world. CHAD BOUCHARD her,” he said. On Nov. 14, the OPC hosted The OPC Board of Gover- a special screening of the pilot Left to right: Sulome Anderson, Bill Gentile and Jason Motlagh. nors also has decided to make a episode for ‘FREELANCERS,’ do believe that Americans want “New organizations have been change to the OPC’s award for which profiled several journalists to see, read, listen to, learn about downsizing foreign bureaus and best cartoons on international af- struggling to make a living. As foreign events, if it’s packaged in staff for a long time, but there fairs. Since 1978, the award has host of the show, Gentile shadows the right way.” was still a market. And that has been named for Thomas Nast, an freelancers in Nogales, Mexico as A group of journalism students increasingly shrunk,” she said, influential American cartoonist in they cover the dangerous world from Rutgers University attended adding that news operations have the 19th century. However, Nast’s of drug and human traffickers at the event. Gentile addressed them become much more cautious and legacy includes cartoons that ex- the Arizona border. He also talks directly, telling them to learn as fraught with legal issues after the hibited an ugly bias against immi- with a couple that both work as many skills as possible. ISIS killings of James Foley and grants, the Irish and Catholics. freelancers as they weather the “Photography, video work, pro- Steven Sotloff in 2014. “The Board had a thoughtful turbulence of a restless lifestyle ducing, writing – learn all of those “News organizations reacted and robust conversation regard- together, as well as a wom- skills, because you’re going to that in several ways. Obviously ing the issues brought to light an who works on her own to need them. They’re in with more awareness and concern Click here regarding some of Thomas Nast’s and struggles to maintain demand, and you’re going around the safety of freelance cor- to watch video editorial cartoons,” said OPC bonds in her personal life. clips from the to need every skill that respondents, which is great, and President Pancho Bernasconi. After the screen- panel. you can put to task to sur- that needs to happen. But what “Once we became aware of how ing, Gentile moderated a vive financially.” also happened is that they stopped some groups and ethnicities were discussion with freelancers Anderson is a journalist taking these stories. A lot of them portrayed in a manner that is not Sulome Anderson and Jason Mot- based in Beirut, Lebanon and New just don’t take freelance pitches. consistent with how journalists lagh. York City. While she encouraged To get a freelance pitch through work and view their role today, “I think one of the myths that students to pursue journalism as a their legal team is an incredibly we voted to remove his name we’re trying to push back on is the career, she cautioned that changes arduous and difficult process.” from the award.” v idea that Americans don’t want to in the industry have made the Anderson’s work has appeared see foreign news,” Gentile said. business of freelancing much more “And I don’t believe that. I really challenging. Continued on Page 5 YOU ARE INVITED: THE OPC HOLIDAY PARTY come celebrate the season with colleagues on wednesday, jan. 9, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at club quarters. the event will be held in the dining room. the cost is $50 per person. advance reservations are essential. please click on this image to rsvp and select a payment option, or send a check to the opc at: 40 West 45th Street, New York, NY 10036. November-December 2018 2 Panel Explores US-China ‘Cold War’ and Impact on Taiwan EVENT RECAP by chad bouchard mid trade disputes, security scuffles and cyberattacks on intellectual property, China analysts and watchers are Awarning that the U.S. and China may be settling in for a long Cold War. That puts a country like Taiwan, with China still disputing its sovereignty and the U.S. offering some arm’s-length support, on a knife’s edge. On Oct. 30, 2018, the OPC hosted a panel discussion about ongoing tension between the two superpowers and its bearing on Taiwan. CHAD BOUCHARD Past OPC President William J. Holstein, who was based in Left to right: Richard Bernstein, William J. Holstein, Russell Hong Kong and Beijing from 1979 to 1982 for United Press In- Hsiao and Andrew Nathan. ternational, moderated the discussion. During his introduction, he held up a recent issue of The Economist with a cover story titled of America’s foremost experts on China and its foreign “US vs. China, a Dangerous Rivalry.” policy, said the U.S. intelligence community is particularly Click here “Clearly there’s been a shift in the American and British concerned about cyberattacks. to watch video media’s tone of coverage, ” Holstein said. With the two nations “The Pentagon is very worried about China’ ability to clips from the panel. sparring over tariffs, naval maneuvers in the South China Sea and potentially attack Taiwan or to prevent the United States Taiwan Strait, and diplomatic rows over trade-secret espionage from effectively intervening because of the way they’ve allegations, Holstein asked panelists if the “Cold War” label was modernized their military to hold the US military forces off the warranted. Andrew Nathan, a professor at Columbia University and one Continued on Page 5 OPC Press Badge Creates Access in Pittsburgh Crisis by chriss swaney of the surviving victims remain in critical Mourners remem- n a rainy October day in Pittsburgh, condition. bered brothers Cecil Pa., I walked quickly to the first of Following the press conferences, I was and David Rosenthal as several press conferences that would assigned to cover the court proceedings.