The Newsletter of the Radio-Television Journalism Division of AEJMC Vol. 41, No. 2 March 2002 Mid-Winter Conference Covers Terrorism, Other Topics by C. ANN HOLLIFIELD University of Georgia Issues of media objectivity in the face of war, the chal- media have, for the most part, risen to the occasion. “We lenges university journalism programs face in the age of have dramatically increased our news hole for foreign cov- media industry convergence, and strategies for success in erage, and I think that will last for a long time to come,” academic careers dominated discussions at the Midwinter noted Bert Roughton, Jr., Crisis Editor for the Atlanta Jour- Conference sponsored by five AEJMC divisions. nal Constitution. “The whole effect of September 11 on us, Nearly 100 faculty, graduate students, and media pro- and I hear this across the whole newspaper industry, is a fessionals attended the conference, which was held at the new commitment to serious, thoughtful news reporting.” University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, February 8-10. Professor Sheila Tefft of Emory University and former The event was sponsored by Media Management and Eco- south Asia correspondent for the Christian Science Moni- nomics, Communication Technology & Policy, Visual Com- tor, and Professor Leonard Ray Teel, Director of the Center munication, Civic Journalism, for International Media Educa- and Radio-Television Journal- tion at Georgia State University ism. The conference included They gave up international also served on the panel, which three plenary panels and nine coverage 10 years ago, so was organized and moderated by refereed research sessions. RTVJ Vice Head and Program The three-day meeting was having to ratchet that Chair Lee Hood of the Univer- hosted and supported by the back up and understand a sity of Colorado-Boulder. (For University of Georgia’s Michael culture was a real problem. more detailed information about J. Faherty Broadcast Manage- --Tim Lister the session, go to: http:// ment Laboratory, Cox Institute www.grady.uga.edu/faherty/ Vice President, CNN International for Newspaper Management home.html) Studies, and Henry W. Grady The issue of convergence and College of Journalism & Mass “ its implications for journalism Communication. programs was the topic that dominated the second plenary The problems that the American media have faced in panel.” The four panelists offered different definitions of con- covering the events of September 11 and the war in Af- vergence, but shared similar views that teaching technol- ghanistan dominated the conference’s theme session, “Me- ogy should not be a high priority for university courses. dia and Terrorism.” A lack of experienced international cor- “I believe convergence is driven by non-news business respondents has been one of key problems, according to executives who think one building can house all the opera- panelist Tim Lister, Vice President of CNN International. tions; non-news executives who believe that one staff can “They gave up international coverage 10 years ago, so do it all,” said Conrad Fink, Director of the Cox Institute having to ratchet that back up and understand a culture was for Newspaper Management Studies at the University of a real problem,” Lister said. “They don’t have that core of Georgia. He added that both journalists and journalism edu- experienced international correspondents who are able to cators needed to ask whether cost considerations should go into another culture and understand a place like Afghani- drive journalism or journalism curricula. stan or Pakistan.” Despite such issues, the four panelists agreed that the please see Mid-Winter, page 5 by SUZANNE HUFFMAN RTVJ Division Head We have just returned from a suc- Miami is a terrific convention location you have written, faculty internships cessful mid-winter conference in Ath- and we hope to see all of you “at the in which you have participated or ens, Georgia. Lee Hood did a fantastic beach” in August. which you recommend, and any other job coordinating that with three other Our pre-convention workshop, re- issues of concern to the division mem- divisions! search paper sessions, DBJE social, bership. E-mail articles to Static edi- We continue planning for AEJMC’s and RTVJ panels are being organized tor Larry Burkum (lburkum@ national convention which is set for and are detailed elsewhere in this news- drury.edu). August 7 - 10 in Miami Beach, Florida. letter. Look over the schedule and In the October, 2001 issue, we “AEJMC 2002 … Catch the Wave” is make plans now to attend our sessions. asked the membership to decide two the convention theme and the We also remind and encourage you to issues. The first was whether to con- Fontainebleau Hilton Resort & Tow- submit research papers to RTVJ by the tinue to print Static on paper or to have ers is the headquarters hotel. I was re- April 1 deadline. We are trying to build it as an on-line publication only. The minded of what a beautiful location membership in our division, so we ask second was whether to raise RTVJ di- that is as I was watching the 1964 you to invite your colleagues and stu- vision dues from $7 per year to $10 James Bond movie “Goldfinger” on dents to become members of RTVJ and per year in order to cover the cost of ABC a few weeks ago. A special book- to attend the Miami convention. equipment we use at convention. The let on the convention, including infor- We hope all of you will share and completed ballots were sent to Static mation about hotel bookings and air- debate ideas on RTVJ-L and submit editor Larry Burkum. The results are line discounts, will be coming to you articles to Static. Those articles might to continue to print Static on paper and from AEJMC headquarters in April. include information about new books to raise RTVJ dues to $10 per year. RTVJ Few but Prolific at Mid-Winter Conference by LEE HOOD portrayals of perpetrators in various RTVJ, as well! RTVJ Vice Head & Program Chair school shootings around the country. I was privileged to serve as mod- Several RTVJ members partici- Hub Brown of Syracuse and Jerry erator for the opening plenary session pated in a multi-division Mid-Winter Renaud of Nebraska-Lincoln both on Media and Terrorism, which Ann Conference February 8-10 at the Uni- made the trip to Athens to present “A Hollifield has nicely summarized , and versity of Georgia (see related article Week in the Life: An Examination of as a respondent for a group of papers on page 1). While few in number, we Image Portrayal in Two Local Televi- examining the media’s response to made our presence felt. sion News Markets.” Theirs was an September 11. Three research papers were pre- exploratory study of news coverage in Others representing the interests of sented from the RTVJ division. An- TV markets in two different regions, broadcast journalism at the conference thony Moretti of Ohio University pre- comparing and contrasting the repre- included Ed Freedman of Francis sented “The Salt Lake City Olympic sentations of ethnicity and gender in Marion University and Wally Dean of Bribery Scandal: A Content Analysis the newscasts studied. NewsLab. of Network Evening News Coverage,” Nicely complementing Hub and The conference was an opportunity which compared coverage of the scan- Jerry’s study, David Kurpius of Loui- to explore a number of issues without dal between NBC, the network carry- siana State presented “Sources and having to wait until the main conven- ing the Olympics, and the other net- Civic Journalism: Changing Patterns of tion in August, and for the paper pre- works. The study was particularly Reporting?” He argued that, among the senters a chance to get some feedback timely, as the conference began the television stories he examined, civic on research they can build on in the night of the Olympics opening cer- journalism improved traditional source future. With the success of the Mid- emony. diversity in the areas of gender, Winter Conference, there was a strong Will Jenkins, a graduate student at ethnicity and affiliations (government, sentiment among the conference orga- the University of Kentucky, presented non-government, etc.). While Dave’s nizers to plan another such collabora- “Shooting in the Dark: Attribution and paper was under the umbrella of the tion next year. Your feedback and ideas the Invisibility of White Violence.” The Civic Journalism Interest Group, we’re on mid-year activities will be welcome paper was an interesting analysis of the happy to claim him as a member of as we get together in Miami. Static/March, 2002 -- page 2 From Crime and Terrorism to Careers and Interview Tips: RTVJ Miami sessions cover a wide spectrum of topics by LEE HOOD RTVJ Vice Head & Program Chair The events of September 11 were clearly a focal point Tuesday, August 6, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. as the AEJMC Council of Divisions met in Dallas Decem- Pre-Convention Workshop ber 1 to plan the 2002 convention. Hence, you will see a “Covering Crime: Does it Have to Bleed to Lead?” number of terrorism and war-related sessions at the con- RTVJ, Law, Newspaper, Entertainment Studies, Media vention in August, both among the RTVJ sessions and at Management & Economics the convention in general. But there are many other topics, some particularly salient this year and others that are pe- Wednesday, August 7 rennial issues, represented in RTVJ’s portion of the pro- 8:15-9:45 a.m. gram. We have a balance of teaching and Professional Free- Teaching Panel dom and Responsibility sessions on the program, as well “Cable Outlets: Career Builder or Dead End?” as a pre-convention workshop and an off-site tour.