In the spring, following a two-year investigation, The Spokesman-Review reported that Spokane Mayor Jim West: Allegedly molested two or more young boys while serving as a deputy sheriff and Boy Scout leader nearly 30 years ago. Had, as a long-time … Read more
If war is hell, then the aftermath for too many of those who fought the war in Iraq is worthy of another biblical metaphor—purgatory. Last fall, UPI’s Mark Benjamin got a call from the husband of a soldier who had … Read more
[This article originally appeared in the Summer 1998 issue of Nieman Reports.] [T]here is far too little public understanding in the United States about the role of the press in the American system. And one good reason for that is … Read more
I start with a point from Richard Parker’s discussion of needed improvements in journalism education and apply it more broadly. Parker argues that "fundamental democratic political concerns" should provide the context in which business and economics are taught to journalism … Read more
Richard Parker’s paper is an insightful, scholarly and valuable overview. But his analysis of contemporary watchdog economics journalism and his recommendations trouble this long-time reporter. Consider these quotes: “It seems malign” to insist “that we suffer from too little information … Read more
The first paper on four areas of watchdog journalism concerns the economic sector. As these cartoons show, some issues that disturb the country have not changed in the last century—fear of inflation, immigration and taxes. Read more
