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Early-bird Deadlines Register soon for early-bird savings:» Benchmarks and Drivers of Bottom-Line Success 8/4 - 8/7/2008 » Managing the Weekly Newspaper 9/8 - 9/11/2008 9/15 - 9/18/2008 » News Editors and Copy Desk Chiefs: 9/15 - 9/18/2008 |
Covering and Coping with 9/11 What editors have to say
By September 1, 2002 12:00 AM
API asked a number of editors to comment on how their craft has changed since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Cal Killeen, a former Ottaway editor and now Massachusetts-based consultant, contributed to this report. Here is a collection of comments
Cliff Schectman "I don't know if my view of journalism has changed that much ... but the events of Sept. 11 reaffirmed my belief in the need for our craft. We DO matter to our readers. Our job is still putting things in perspective … I pay more attention, specifically, to international news ... as in what does this mean for our readers?
"Our role has always been that of community journalism. It would be different for a metro. The best stories are always about the people." Deb Flemming "I don't know that overall my view of journalism has changed since Sept. 11 ... I was proud of what we accomplished in the month or so after the Sept. 11 attack and I think it was appreciated by our readers. I think in the day-to-day role of newspapering it is easy to forget we make a significant difference in the lives of our readers. If we newspaper people were more confident in believing that, we might impress our readers more and that might turn the trend away from people thinking they don't need us. "I don't think the role of our newspaper has changed. We have always reacted rather intensely, sometimes accused of being over-reactive, when important events break -- locally, nationally or internationally. But we think our readers have always expected us to go over the top in serving them.
"Since Sept. 11, I find myself making more decisions that favor the harder side of news, particularly in the content of stories and use of photos. I am less sympathetic to appeasing critics, whiners or people absorbed with political correctness. I have not faded from requiring us to be fair and ethical, but I do have less patience for the tedious complaints ... We must dedicate ourselves to making a difference." Rod Doherty "The importance of journalism has changed: It is even more important that we dig for the truth because of restrictions on the free flow of information imposed by governments of the world, including our own. "I'm in somewhat of a unique situation -- we are an all-local paper. National and world events are left to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette to cover; my job is to localize those events. That has not changed.
"I may caution my folks to be careful more than I did before. I attended an API workshop shortly after 9/11 and saw the impact editors felt from sending reporters and photographers into a deadly situation. The guilt weighed greatly on some of my classmates. I have carried some of that over into my daily routine. Also, I am able to stress that journalism is more important than ever in bringing home this intangible thing we call The News. While vast information is available on the Internet, it is unfiltered -- journalists act as filters, giving readers good information without drowning them in waste." Kent Marts "We are here to provide information and to tell stories, both of which have been done very well by most media since Sept. 11. If anything, I think journalism and our role as a source of information has become more important. "I realize that people who are reading our newspaper were affected by Sept. 11. Some lost loved ones. Some were survivors. But all were touched by this horrific act. That needs to stay with us when we make news decisions. And I have weighed more factors when helping shape our news coverage.
"Stories are more important because the stakes are now higher. Americans, and specifically New Yorkers, were touched by these events in a very personal way. Until Sept. 11, war and casualties of war did not include innocent citizens of our country. Now that has all changed. We previously had hard news stories in our mix, but now they hit home." Rich Kleban "I spend more time thinking about international events and how they relate to our community. We created the new position of global editor to place a greater emphasis on our international report. The global editor also helps us with professional development by coordinating seminars with representatives from a variety of cultures, religious faiths, etc.
"Our coverage is harder-edged today. We publish about the same amount of international news due to newshole constraints. However, we localize more international stories to bring them home for our readers." Karen Magnuson "We definitely play international news, including stories without a direct U.S. connection, with more prominence, and a lot more of it is out on the front page. I think our readers realize the world got smaller on 9/11, and everyone wants more information and context to understand their place in that changing world. "All of us in the Express-News newsroom believe that Sept. 11 gave new purpose to what we do. It made newspapers more important than ever. Our reporting of the terror attacks and all that has followed at home and abroad reaffirmed our connection to the community and our unique role in connecting different kinds of people to one another, particularly people of different ethnic backgrounds, religious beliefs, countries of origin, etc. I hope they would say the newspaper is a force for building bridges while so many other forces are out there dividing people. "We feel our special journalistic efforts these first weeks of September, in which we look back, look inward and look ahead, are really resonating with readers." Robert Rivard "I think all of us recognize our world is a different place than it was a year ago. But it hasn't been dramatic change. There's a realization that humanity is more of a part of journalism than perhaps it was before 9/11 and that we are part of the community and have to do a better job facing the issues that confront where we live. "I think our newsroom is a little more focused, a little more collaborative and a little more committed to good journalism now. We were committed to all those before, but we've turned it up a notch. 9/11 helped that happen. "And I think we've gotten harder-edged, but that was the path we were on before 9/11. At the same time, we haven't abandoned people stories and, in fact, are doing more, such as a profile of someone connected to the news on the front page every Monday." Peter Bhatia Email this article
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