Bush Orders Cabinet Not to Pay Commentators
It was just on Monday that Amy Alexander wrote on Africana.com, “like Jayson Blair before him, Armstrong Williams will perhaps go down in history as a cunning climber whose unmasking resulted in much-needed reforms to the media industry.”
Today, President Bush announced at a news conference that Williams has indeed prompted reform — if not in the media industry, then in the way government does businesss.
From the White House transcript:
“Q [Mark Knoller, CBS News] Mr. President, do you think it’s a proper use of government funds to pay commentators to promote your policies?”
“THE PRESIDENT: No.
“Q Are you going to order that —
“THE PRESIDENT: Therefore, I will not pay you to —(laughter.)
“Q Fair enough. Are you ordering that there be an end to that practice?
“THE PRESIDENT: Yes, I am. I expect my Cabinet Secretaries to make sure that that practice doesn’t go forward. There needs to be independence. And Mr. Armstrong Williams admitted he made a mistake. And we didn’t know about this in the White House, and there needs to be a nice, independent relationship between the White House and the press, the administration and the press. So, no, we shouldn’t be going for it.”
Howard Kurtz reported today in the Washington Post that, “In 2002, syndicated columnist Maggie Gallagher repeatedly defended President Bush’s push for a $300 million initiative encouraging marriage as a way of strengthening families. . . But Gallagher failed to mention that she had a $21,500 contract with the Department of Health and Human Services to help promote the president’s proposal.”
On her own Web site, Gallagher replied that, “I should have disclosed a government contract when I later wrote about the Bush marriage initiative. I would have, if I had remembered it.”
But she and Lee Salem, Universal Press Syndicate’s executive vice president and editor, said her actions were different from those of Williams, whose company was paid $240,000 to promote the No Child Left Behind Act. “She was asked to perform certain tasks. It was never a question of her promoting a particular bill or proposal in her column,” Salem was quoted as saying in Editor & Publisher.
The ties of other commentators have also been questioned. E&P reported today that, “Liberal watchdog group Media Matters for America says columnist Charles Krauthammer praised President Bush’s Jan. 20 inauguration speech on TV without disclosing his role consulting on the speech. Krauthammer’s syndicate responded this morning.
“When Krauthammer was among a group of people invited to the White House Jan. 10, ‘he did not get the sense that this was an exercise in speech preparation,’ Alan Shearer, editorial director/general manager of the Washington Post Writers Group, told E&P.
“. . . Media Matters also cited Weekly Standard editor William Kristol as a consultant on Bush’s speech who didn’t disclose that information when praising it,” the story by Dave Astor said.
Meanwhile, Williams called the probe into his deal with the Bush administration a “witch hunt” and vowed to rise from the controversy that he said has brought shame to him and his profession, Pamela Hamilton reported Monday for the Associated Press.
“Dan Rather is at the end of his career,” Williams said of the retiring CBS anchor. “I’m at the beginning of mine.” The occasion was the annual banquet of the Greater Mullins Chamber of Commerce in South Carolina, at which 225 attended. Williams, a South Carolina native, received a standing ovation at the end of his 40-minute speech, Hamilton wrote.
Recent Williams flap gives journos bad rap (Brooks Boliek, Hollywood Reporter)
Conservative blacks hurt by Williams (Leroy Chapman Jr., Greenville News, S.C.)
Government payoffs can grow on you (Steve Young, L.A. Daily News)
NABJ Members Debate, NLGJA Praises Gay Group
The National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association today praised the National Association of Black Journalists for approving a Lesbian and Gay Task Force, and the NABJ board’s weekend action prompted a discussion on the NABJ listserve about the appropriateness and purpose of such a caucus.
“The NLGJA is very happy about this advancement,” that organization’s president, Eric Hegedus of the Philadelphia Inquirer, told Journal-isms. “For years, many NLGJA and NABJ members have hoped for a better voice within NABJ, and the board’s vote shows a sincere effort to help with that. This can only create a better understanding of the issues that are important to LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered] journalists of color, ones that will get addressed with greater frequency.
“The NABJ board should be commended for its forward-thinking in approving the formation of the Lesbian and Gay Task Force. And we look forward to an even stronger working relationship with their organization.”
Upon his return from the New York meeting, NABJ board member Victor Vaughan, who represents the Rocky Mountain states, told Journal-isms Tuesday that he was one of five who voted against the task force because it seemed to have more social-action purposes than journalistic ones.
“It isn’t my intention to demean the caucus, but if someone chose to have a married, single or family caucus, would the same rationale apply?” asked Chicago Defender editor Roland S. Martin on the organization’s e-mail list. “There should also be a caucus of members whose parents were of different races, a sort of Tiger Woods–Halle Berry caucus,” wrote C. Gerald Fraser, a retired New York Times reporter.
But Kwin Mosby, who described himself as a writer, editor and program coordinator at American University, said, “When I listen to Tom Joyner‘s Morning Show and I hear stereotypical characters and jokes about gays and lesbians every other day; there is obviously ignorance that still exists in some black broadcasters, anchors, writers and newsrooms. The end result is ignorance or lack of concern in the black community at large.”
Most backed the board’s approval of the task force. “If it succeeds in making current and prospective members feel more welcome and that results in greater participation and creativity in our organization, we all will gain,” wrote Joe Davidson, one of the organization’s founders.
Gregory Lee, past NABJ secretary, faulted the organization for downplaying the news on its Web site and not issuing a news release. “What is the message being sent here?” he asked. “Are certain board members not pleased with the results of the vote, therefore burying the lede?”
The task force vote came at a meeting at which NBC News President Neal Shapiro, and Newsday’s publisher and editor, Timothy P. Knight and John Mancini, respectively, spoke.
But the task force issue — NABJ did not approve it as a “caucus,” as the members proposed, because the NABJ operating documents have no provision for such —apparently dominated the meeting.
The session coincided with a New York memorial service for Leroy F. Aarons, founder of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association and founding board member of the Maynard Institute. Many of those who attended or addressed the NABJ board meeting, including former president Tom Morgan, missed the memorial service to do so.
About 75 people did brave snowstorm warnings to remember Aarons, said NLGJA executive director Pamela Strother. “I think that Roy would be so proud of this new task force,” she added.
N.Y. Radio Team Suspended After Outcry
“In the wake of a growing controversy following an ill-advised tsunami song parody, Emmis [Radio] has indefinitely suspended Miss Jones and the Hot 97 morning team from its R&B/hip-hop WQHT New York. In a statement, the station said the suspension was ‘for the airing of a song that made light of a catastrophic event, as well as comments made at the time the song was aired,'” Paul Heine and Chuck Taylor reported today for Billboard magazine.
The show is hosted by disc jockey Tarsha Nicole Jones, who uses the on-air name “Miss Jones.”
“. . . The song, a parody of ‘We Are The World,’ used the racial slurs ‘chinks’ and ‘Chinaman’ and included the line ‘you can hear God laughing, swim you bitches swim.'” the Billboard report continued.
“An online petition is now circulating through the Asian community and has already fostered 10,000 ‘signatures,’ according to AllHipHop.com.
“The morning team issued an on-air apology Jan. 24, and the station announced that a week’s pay from the team would go toward tsunami relief, a move that AllHipHop.com says came as a surprise to the morning members.
“New York City Council members along with Asian-American leaders are calling for federal fines, a stronger apology and for the station to fire its morning crew.”
“Chinese rapper Jin has conveyed his repulsion via freestyle,” as AllHipHop.com reported.
“Since when was hip-hop about being racist [and] ignorant? You know I was going to have to say something about this whole situation. For some odd reason, whenever some s**t like this happens in regards to my people in this society and the media, it gets swept under the rug,” said Jin.
Denver GM: No Men of Color Qualified to Be Anchor
A story by Dick Kreck in the Denver Post Sunday about “The on-air challenge for local stations” contains this quote from Roger Ogden, KUSA-TV general manager:
“We just searched for a male anchor (to replace Ed Sardella). We actively looked for both Hispanic and black males to be a part of that process. We just couldn’t find anyone we thought was qualified at that point in time.”
Black Cincinnati Paper Humanizes Murder Rate
“One of the big stories of last year for Cincinnati newspapers was a decrease in the city’s homicide rate—down to 65 murders, from 75 in 2003,” Brian Orloff wrote in Editor & Publisher. “But a weekly black newspaper there, The Cincinnati Herald, looked past just the numbers and into the stories behind the murders.
“The result: A front page story earlier this month with photos of 35 of the city’s 51 black murder victims under the headline, ‘Our children are dying: The violence must stop,’ which has fueled letters to the editor and increased activism in Cincinnati.
“‘We saw stories in mainstream papers saying “the murder rate is down,” but these are young people dying, and most of them are African American,’ Tiana Rollinson, the Herald’s managing editor and one of the story’s authors, told E&P. ‘It was more our target to make sure that everyone knew that the real story, and the more deep and impacting story was that these [victims] are young.'”
“How TV Killed the Newspaper Sports Column”
On Slate.com Tuesday, Stephen Rodrick began a piece headlined, “Unpardonable Interruptions: How television killed the newspaper sports column,” with this anecdote:
“Stephen A. Smith is the hardest-working man in sports show business. The ubiquitous basketball pundit appears on ESPN about 10 times a day as a regular on the show NBA Fastbreak, a guest commentator on SportsCenter, and a pundit on ESPNEWS. This fall, he was also a judge on the network’s American Idol knockoff, Dream Job. He also has a day job: top sports columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer.
“In a recent Philadelphia magazine profile of Smith, Inquirer sports editor Jim Jenks said the multitasking hadn’t affected his newspaper work. ‘I don’t know how long this is going to last, but he puts the column first. He knows it gives credibility to what he does on TV.’
“Jenks offered an example of Smith’s dedication: On the night of the NBA draft, Smith BlackBerryed in his column between television appearances.”
BlackBerryed between television appearances? “Oh, Lord. Once upon a time, maybe five years ago, anyone filing a crucial column via a thumbs-only device would have been busted down to covering high-school cross-country meets,” Rodrick continued. “Being a columnist at a major daily paper was every sportswriter’s dream job. . . . Now, a sports column is nothing more than a springboard, a gig that starts you on your way to becoming a multimedia star.
“. . . For the Stephen A. Smiths of the world, sports television turns their columns into shrill, non-reported versions of their televised rants.”
Among those who “manage the balancing act”: the Kansas City Star’s Jason Whitlock. One he says uses his column to report, not pontificate: William Rhoden of the New York Times.
McNabb Shows Restraint, Has Last Laugh
“It’s a good bet Rush Limbaugh was not sitting in a Philadelphia sports bar watching quarterback Donovan McNabb lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl berth,” reports the “Around the Horn” column in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
“The outspoken radio commentator is remembered there and elsewhere for a brief, ill-fated run as a football analyst that ended in October 2003 when he suggested McNabb was overrated by the media that wanted an African American to succeed at the position.
“McNabb was in great position to gloat after the game but did not.
“His restraint was applauded by Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Stephen A. Smith.
“‘McNabb never dreamed of a football novice like Limbaugh using him as political fodder, sullying his name in a quest to indict others,’ Smith said. ‘And if McNabb wasn’t interested in addressing the impact of Limbaugh’s silly words, the likelihood is that McNabb wasn’t because there was no need to.'”
¡Siempre Mujer! (Always Woman!) Due in September
“Meredith Corp. is expanding its lineup of home and family magazines with a publication aimed at Hispanic women,” Patt Johnson reported in the Des Moines Register.
“The Des Moines-based publisher of Better Homes and Gardens and Ladies’ Home Journal will launch ¡Siempre Mujer!, a Spanish-language magazine, in September. Translated into English, the title means Always Woman!”
[Added Jan. 27: “Former Ser Padres editor Johanna Buchholtz-Torres will be ¡Siempre Mujer!?s editor in chief,” Mediaweek reported. “Meredith already publishes a number of Hispanic titles under its American Baby brand, including Espera and Healthy Kids en Español. Company executives last year had stressed Hispanic magazines would be one category Meredith would invest in.
[“And while Hispanic publications have flourished in recent years, Meredith?s shelter magazine will be unique. Most Hispanic titles focus on celebrity, fashion and beauty, as well as parenting, including People en Español, Latina, and Ser Padres.”]
Marion Barry: Showing “Crack” Clip is Racist
When national TV news programs do stories about former D.C. mayor Marion Barry, now back on the capital’s city council, they invariably trot out the grainy video clip from 1990 that shows him smoking crack in a D.C. hotel, as Chris Baker recalls in the Washington Times.
Barry was asked by Perry Bacon Jr. of Time magazine, “What do you think now about that part of your life?” “It was a snapshot,” Barry replied. “It wasn’t the whole picture. I honestly wouldn’t wish this on me or anybody else. But that’s in the past, and I’ve asked God for forgiveness. You hardly hear anything about Bill Clinton or Robert Downey Jr. There’s racism in the downfallen community. If you’re white, people forget about it in a year. Now, 14 years later, you find the Today show showing the clip. It’s all right, but it’s racism.”
Local stations in D.C. no longer show the clip, Baker wrote. “People here know what Marion Barry did. You don’t have to show it to them over and over,” said Bruce Johnson, who has reported on District politics for WUSA-TV since 1976, in the piece.
Andrew Rojecki, an associate communications professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the co-author of a 2001 study that found TV news perpetuates racial stereotypes, said in the story that the sight of Barry firing up that crack pipe—even if it is 15 years old—could reinforce the idea that black politicians are corrupt.
Telemundo, San Antonio Papers to Share Stories
“Telemundo and Rumbo newspapers have entered into an exclusive content sharing and cross-promotional partnership in San Antonio, Texas,” Jim Cooper reported Tuesday in Mediaweek.
“The new alliance will provide Hispanics in the San Antonio community with access to news stories developed from the combined resources of Telemundo’s broadcast coverage with Rumbo’s print reporting.
“. . . Telemundo owned-and-operated KVDA-TV in San Antonio will have access to in-depth stories from Rumbo reporters. In addition, Telemundo stations will be able to go directly into Rumbo’s newsroom during newscasts to update viewers on breaking stories.
Jesse Jackson Radio Show in 23 Markets
“Clear Channel Radio’s conversion of underperforming stations to liberal talk formats has proved a blessing to the Rev. Jesse Jackson‘s weekly Chicago-based talk show,” Robert Feder reported today in the Chicago Sun-Times.
“‘Keep Hope Alive with the Rev. Jesse Jackson’ debuted last April on Clear Channel’s WGRB-AM (1390), where it airs live from 7 to 8 a.m. Sundays. In just nine months, it has expanded to 23 markets, including five in the top 10.
“Jackson’s most recent additions are WWRC-AM in Washington, D.C., WXDX-AM in Detroit and WCKY-AM in Cincinnati.”
Services Feb. 5 for SNCC’s James Forman
‘Will the Circle Be Unbroken’: A Memorial Celebration of Life for James Forman,” the former executive secretary of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee who died Jan. 10 at age 76, is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 5, in Washington.
The service should provide a valuable lesson for journalists, as well as others, about the civil rights movement. It was scheduled at a time when SNCC veterans from around the country could participate.
The gathering begins at noon at People’s Congregational Church, 4704 13th St. NW, with the celebration from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Forman’s son, Chaka Forman, said.
“We are establishing a James Forman scholarship fund, some or all of which we hope to use to create a scholarship at his alma mater Roosevelt University in Chicago,” he added.
“Anyone interested in making a donation or contribution should make the check out to Chaka Forman, and send it to Chaka Forman; 2554 Lincoln Blvd. #729; Venice CA 90291. Please put ‘Forman Scholarship’ on the subject line.”