2008 Woodie Awards
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (4)
Issue date: 3/2/06 Section: Opinion/Editorial
- Page 1 of 1
Roy Peter Clark should support SJR, not dismiss it
I have to say that I am still simmering over the comments of Roy Peter Clark, Senior Scholar at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Fla., in The Journal's Feb. 16 story on the potential demise of the St. Louis Journalism Review. I am pleased that Poynter saw fit to put the story on its national Web site. I am less than impressed by the comments of Clark.
Clark suggests that SJR's lack of effect at improving journalism in St. Louis makes its continued mission questionable. A case could be made that journalism in St. Louis is in no more ill health than journalism nationally. Given the fact that Poynter purports to be a national outlet for media criticism, should it also consider shuttering because of the continuing decline in the state of journalism nationally?
I suppose if one is a "Senior Scholar" like Clark, it is not so essential to do the minimum legwork necessary to ensure accuracy in one's observations. Clark contends SJR has suffered because it lacks participation from anyone beyond writers who are "journalists who once worked at a news organization." To put it in less than scholarly terms, this is totally bogus. SJR's writers have included lawyers, dentists, public relations professionals, high school teachers, blue collar folks, as well as working and retired journalists.
It has been gratifying for me as an SJR editorial board member to see the outpouring of support for SJR from recent university graduates who once worked as interns and paid employees on this media criticism publication. It must be disillusioning for these young, working journalists to now see a Senior Media Scholar dissing the journalism review. Clark and Poynter should be calling for the creation of more such publications nationwide - to improve the state of today's American journalism.
Don Corrigan
School of Communications
SJR helps budding journalists keep good head on shoulders
As many of last week's letter writers argued, SJR is a valuable asset for St. Louis and the journalism community as a whole. For those of us who have worked at the magazine, though, it has shaped our lives and careers through lessons we would not have learned elsewhere. SJR is a publication that educates its readers, its city and journalists around the country, and has given us, as Webster graduate students and alumni, the chance to work on professional, respected stories with some of St. Louis' most talented journalists.
Webster University's indecision about the magazine's future not only jeopardizes quality journalism in St. Louis but also the future of many of its own students. Debra Carpenter's questioning of whether "it is responsible to put students' funds" into the magazine forgets one of SJR's missions - teaching students to become well-informed, honest journalists. Most of us worry about moving into a profession that seems tainted by self-censorship and closed-mouth sources. SJR reminds us, and the community, of the passion for truth for which the press should strive.
Adriane Hall, 2004-Present
Tammy Merrett-Murry, 1998-Present
Erica Ellard, 2001-04
Holly Rauch, 1999-2001
Joy Bryd, 1997-99
Becky Mollenkamp, 1995-97
What free press?
Whatever happened to the free press? Someone writes an article about teaching position salaries being cut and everyone scrutinizes it. Then, the dean of the School of Communications meets with her superiors because they can't take the heat and The Journal issues an apology. I think that stinks. Let's get some alternate views.
Tony Martin
Graduate student
Three cheers for Tom Parr!
Kudos to Tom Parr for a well-written, finely-paced column about Lauren Lux and her final game. That was the best sports column in The Journal I've seen in my eight years here. Well done.
Matt Schutte,
Associate Director
Undergraduate Admissions
I have to say that I am still simmering over the comments of Roy Peter Clark, Senior Scholar at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Fla., in The Journal's Feb. 16 story on the potential demise of the St. Louis Journalism Review. I am pleased that Poynter saw fit to put the story on its national Web site. I am less than impressed by the comments of Clark.
Clark suggests that SJR's lack of effect at improving journalism in St. Louis makes its continued mission questionable. A case could be made that journalism in St. Louis is in no more ill health than journalism nationally. Given the fact that Poynter purports to be a national outlet for media criticism, should it also consider shuttering because of the continuing decline in the state of journalism nationally?
I suppose if one is a "Senior Scholar" like Clark, it is not so essential to do the minimum legwork necessary to ensure accuracy in one's observations. Clark contends SJR has suffered because it lacks participation from anyone beyond writers who are "journalists who once worked at a news organization." To put it in less than scholarly terms, this is totally bogus. SJR's writers have included lawyers, dentists, public relations professionals, high school teachers, blue collar folks, as well as working and retired journalists.
It has been gratifying for me as an SJR editorial board member to see the outpouring of support for SJR from recent university graduates who once worked as interns and paid employees on this media criticism publication. It must be disillusioning for these young, working journalists to now see a Senior Media Scholar dissing the journalism review. Clark and Poynter should be calling for the creation of more such publications nationwide - to improve the state of today's American journalism.
Don Corrigan
School of Communications
SJR helps budding journalists keep good head on shoulders
As many of last week's letter writers argued, SJR is a valuable asset for St. Louis and the journalism community as a whole. For those of us who have worked at the magazine, though, it has shaped our lives and careers through lessons we would not have learned elsewhere. SJR is a publication that educates its readers, its city and journalists around the country, and has given us, as Webster graduate students and alumni, the chance to work on professional, respected stories with some of St. Louis' most talented journalists.
Webster University's indecision about the magazine's future not only jeopardizes quality journalism in St. Louis but also the future of many of its own students. Debra Carpenter's questioning of whether "it is responsible to put students' funds" into the magazine forgets one of SJR's missions - teaching students to become well-informed, honest journalists. Most of us worry about moving into a profession that seems tainted by self-censorship and closed-mouth sources. SJR reminds us, and the community, of the passion for truth for which the press should strive.
Adriane Hall, 2004-Present
Tammy Merrett-Murry, 1998-Present
Erica Ellard, 2001-04
Holly Rauch, 1999-2001
Joy Bryd, 1997-99
Becky Mollenkamp, 1995-97
What free press?
Whatever happened to the free press? Someone writes an article about teaching position salaries being cut and everyone scrutinizes it. Then, the dean of the School of Communications meets with her superiors because they can't take the heat and The Journal issues an apology. I think that stinks. Let's get some alternate views.
Tony Martin
Graduate student
Three cheers for Tom Parr!
Kudos to Tom Parr for a well-written, finely-paced column about Lauren Lux and her final game. That was the best sports column in The Journal I've seen in my eight years here. Well done.
Matt Schutte,
Associate Director
Undergraduate Admissions