One of the New York Post’s cherished editorial traditions, denigrating and mocking African Americans, finally earned that publication the ignominy that it most rightfully deserved, though I wish the comeuppance had resulted from an undeniable slander rather than the one seized by the organizers of the demonstration in front of 1211 Avenue of the Americas.
Shortly after Rupert Murdoch bought the Post, its Australian and British and American editors and reporters relished its “news stories” spiting African Americans. I recall one vile tongue-in-cheek about Stepin Fetchit who was dead at the time but none the less was described in a Post article as a gifted African American actor whom the black community should be proud.
This picture of Stepin Fetchit groveling in a typically degenerate manner was not the one used by the Post but matches the essence of that missing picture.
Do they really want to teach introductory news writing? Instruct students whose impressions of journalism have been influenced by the content of their Myspace and Facebook accounts? Are they passionate about preparing the next wave of journalists?
Lesson 7.
More should be done to encourage student contact with professional journalists. My Ford Foundation project, for example, allowed students to work alongside professional journalists in the field. Arrangements like this can more productive than merely inviting professional journalists to be guest speakers in class (though I don’t disapprove of guest speakers but in my experience too many pros show up and blow big-time smoke, and are rarely candid about the dynamics of their newsrooms nor candid about the ethical quagmires they must negotiate in order to do their jobs and look themselves in the mirror).
More examples: Students working alongside professional journalists at the New Hampshire Primaries and at the Democratic National Convention in Denver and at the Presidential Inauguration though the latter was more about pageantry.Â
Imaginative projects can prepare students for the best internships and apprenticeships.Â
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By Ariel Tirosh
Israel began its military offensive against Hamas December 27, and the war ended January 18, 2009 with what is being called an unilateral ceasefire. I was in Israel for a large part of the conflict. During that period, both sides claimed the moral high ground. There have been countless arguments about whether Hamas is a terrorist group, whether Israel’s response to the rocket fire was disproportionate, if Israel was and is oppressive and who is really at fault.
Must Reading for the 4 Barnacles of the Apocalypse and Other Colleagues
Friday, February 27th, 2009I am recommending the New York Times’ Stanley Fish February 16 column, Is the Academy Different? for the benefit of the 4 Barnacles of the Apocalypse* and other colleagues confused about tenets and canons of Academic Freedom.
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Tags:4 Barnacles of the Apocalypse, AAUP, Academic Bullies, academic freedom, Department of Film and Media Studies, First Amendment Rights, Hunter College, National Writers Union, NYCLU, PEN, Professional Staff Congress, PSC, Racism in Higher Education, Stanley Fish
Posted in Journalism, Journalism Education, News/Commentary/Opinion | Comments Closed