f AMERICAN *- JOURNALISM S n R lOS'3 WINTER 1990 Published by the American Journalism Historians Association V AMERICAN JOURNALISM WINTER 1 990 DEPARTMENTS ARTICLES .4. RESEARCH NOTES • Richard Harding Davis and the Boer War The British and Boers Rehearse for World War I Truth Versus Good While Davis Watches. Description John C. Bromley 12 Great Walls • The Place of Biography in the History Covering Cold Fusion of News Women *55* What Role Should Biographical Research Play in Writing the History of Women Journalists? BOOK REVIEWS Catherine C. Mitchell 23 Oliver Wendell Holmes • Bibliography And Their Children Scholarship on Women Working After Them in Journalism Mary Heaton Vorse Articles and Books on Women Journalists, Categorized by Gerda Lerner's Stages Writing Red of Feminist History. Catherine C. Mitchell 33 The Good Times • Historiographical Essay The Battle to Control Women in Journalism: Contributors Broadcast News to Male Experience or Voices The Ambivalent Image of Feminine Expression? Historians of Women Journalists Seek to Move From Whistle Stop Beyond the "Great Women" Approach. to Sound Bite Maurine H. Beasley 39 Violence and Terror in the Mass Media . and more EDITOR EDITORIAL PURPOSE. Anyone who wishes to re- John Pauly American Journalism publishes view books for American Tulsa articles, research notes, book Journalism, or to propose a ASSOCIATE EDITORS reviews, and correspondence book for review, should con- Pamela A. Brown dealing with the history of tact Professor Nancy Roberts, Rider College journalism. Such contribu- Book Review Editor, American Gary Whitby tions may focus on social, Journalism, School of Journal- Central Missouri State economic, intellectual, politi- ism and Mass Commimica- BOOK REVIEW EDITOR cal, or legal issues. American tion. 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Wayne Sam Riley Virginia Polytechnic Michael Robertson Lafayette College Norman Sims Massachusetts RESEARCH NOTES TRUTH VERSUS circumstances, it must al- tions from literal truth, al- GOOD DESCRIPTION ways do so. though it can be said that What are the concepts of they contribute to a more truth and good description comprehensive sense of CAN TRUTH BE a liabil- all about as ideals of obser- truth. What this ambiguity ity of good journalism? vation, and what is their about truth manifests is a Doesn't a standard of connection? Philosopher paradox: literal truth is "good description" actu- Amartya Sen suggests that violated for a general ally prevail, for which as absolute standards they truth. A kind of fiction be- truth is not always a neces- converge as reality seen comes necessary for a cer- sary condition? And isn't and described in a straight- tain kind of generalized this standard ethically ac- forward manner. But Sen fact. ceptable? goes on to explain that in Contemplating this con- These are questions this practice the ideals diverge. dition of description is a essay addresses. The dis- Truth remains the absolute little like trying to imagine cussion revolves around philosophical standard of a conversation between journalism and philosophy, perfection, but good de- certain characters found in but I hope to make the dis- scription becomes relative Gulliver's Travels. At the cussion relevant to history. to human situations. Good Grand Academy of Lagado, Historians, like journalists, description is a standard it was believed that words have always chosen to be of what is possible and could be abolished and re- less truthful than it is pos- feasible under the multiple placed with objects carried sible to be. conditions of observation about in pockets and Bring up the problem of and reporting. Sen distin- bundles and held up to truth with a journalist, and guishes between ideal communicate. In contrast the talk is likely to turn good description (the best to this literal objectivity, sanctimonious. The issue depiction of something) inhabitants of Laputa drew of truth typically is domi- and good description (the upon mathematics and nated by questions of best depiction of some- music to converse, com- truthtelling—the avoid- thing to give, making the municating with rhombs ance of deception—rather best of a situation