Articles

The Triumph Of Text

I’m not very good at prognostication, although I have had my moments. I predicted in January of 1992 that Bill Clinton would become president. (I have witnesses, I swear.) I…

Responsibility to Be Honest

From November 1936, when Life magazine’s first issue appeared, until it stopped publication as a weekly in 1972, 88 of the most innovative and revered photographers found, at one time…

Scorned Tabloid Lover Bares His Bitterness

News Is A VerbPete HamillLibrary of Contemporary Thought. 102 Pages. $8.95.In the flood of literature lamenting the demise of good journalism, this 102-page book is a small gem.I do not…

Verifying Truth in Data Deluge

It’s a dirty job, but somebody has to do it. We should not kid ourselves by thinking that other people and institutions cannot gather and distribute crucial information. They can,…

In Britain, Rottweilers Attack

The timing could not have been better. Several days after I was asked, as a Nieman Fellow, to write an article on the apparent lack of civility by British journalists,…

Do Concessions Protect First Amendment?

Freedom’s Voice: The Perilous Present and Uncertain Future of the First AmendmentRobert D. RichardsBrassey’s. 177 Pages. $23.95The New York Times knew what it was doing when it hired Yale Professor…

Pioneer in Coverage of Racial Injustice

The Baltimore Afro-American, 1892-1950Howard FarrarGreenwood Publishing Group 220 Pages. $59.95.Relatively little has been written about the struggle and rise to prominence of America’s most prodigious black newspapers. Now, with the…

Civility as a Reporting Tool

In India, workers look like ants next to the giant ships being dismantled. Photo by Perry Thorsvik, The Baltimore Sun.Years ago I confronted the president of the Baltimore City Council,…

Arrogance Wins? American Journalism’s Identity Crisis

Unlike other trades, crafts, or professions, the American press is constantly in your face in one form or another: in your eyes, your ears—and an increasing number of critics these…

Fall 1998: Watchdog Journalism Introduction

In the following pages Nieman Reports continues its call for more watchdog reporting with an article by Murrey Marder cautioning that aggressive watchdog reporting does not require arrogance, an essay…