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The Fred Friendly Impact

By Journalist’s Trade March 15, 1998

It was a coin toss as to which provoked more contempt in my youth, authority or celebrity. Fred Friendly combined them both, though his celebrity was of the professional, behind-the-scenes sort. He was the radio and television producer behind the … Read more

Response: Avoid Close Relations

By Features March 15, 1998

The local head of a nationally recognized charity earns nearly $200,000 a year, travels the globe at the nonprofit’s expense and receives a new car of the model of his choice every other year from his board of directors. A … Read more

Response: It’s Easier to Be Passive

By Features March 15, 1998

When I was teaching journalism—communication, as most educators prefer nowadays—the authors of a widely used introductory textbook insisted that part of the media’s mission is the "transference of culture." Meaning, perpetuating the mores, habits, etc., good and bad, that bind … Read more

Response: Document Activities

By Features March 15, 1998

When newspapers start believing what they are told, there is no surer way to cheat a reader. Good reporters never take a politician’s word, but verify claims instead. Reporters know that even the most civic-minded corporate CEO’s work for stockholders, … Read more

Response: Eye Always on Bureaucracies

By Local News March 15, 1998

The late Peter Kihss was one of the greatest American reporters of the 20th Century. Year after year, on a huge variety of subjects, he produced spot news and investigative articles of extraordinary quality—tough, smart, fair and meticulous. But Peter … Read more