NEW YORK TIMES' RARE FRONT-PAGE EDITORIAL URGES GUN LAW CHANGES

The New York Times today ran a rare Page One editorial urging tighter restrictions on what it deemed "weapons of war."

The editorial stated, in part:

It is a moral outrage and a national disgrace that civilians can legally purchase weapons designed specifically to kill people with brutal speed and efficiency. These are weapons of war, barely modified and deliberately marketed as tools of macho vigilantism and even insurrection. America’s elected leaders offer prayers for gun victims and then, callously and without fear of consequence, reject the most basic restrictions on weapons of mass killing, as they did on Thursday. They distract us with arguments about the word terrorism. Let’s be clear: These spree killings are all, in their own ways, acts of terrorism.

The Times reported it was the first such front-page editorial in 95 years, with the last a criticism of the nomination of Warren Harding to be president in 1920.

Read today's editorial HERE and see it below:

CALIFORNIA MASSACRE FRONT PAGES OF NOTE

Too much to say about the San Bernardino shooting, but the coverage so far has been heavy.

Two front pages caught my eye today.

This from The Sun of San Bernardino, the local daily in the heart of the crime scene:

 

And this from the New York Daily News, which takes a direct stand on violence and guns and public officials lack of action:

 

I cannot let this go with out noting how close this tragedy was to my former workplace at the Riverside Press-Enterprise's San Bernardino County bureau on Hospitality Lane, now closed. 

I spent nearly two years there and worked with a great team who reconnected a bit online after this terrible shooting.

See the P-E Page One below:

 

 

STEVE BARTMAN ANNIVERSARY ALSO A SUN-TIMES BLACK EYE REMINDER

As the Chicago Cubs celebrate their victory in the National League division series and look forward to their next round of the playoffs, it is also being noted that today is the 12th Anniversary of the infamous Steve Bartman game.

Bartman, you may recall, was the Cubs fan who interfered with a foul ball in Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship series. A game that the Cubs were leading, 3-0, but later lost, 8-3. 

Angry, despicable fans took their frustrations out on Bartman right after the play, forcing him to leave the ballpark. And after the loss, there was a hatred that lasted for years in same cases.

But almost as despicable was the work of the Chicago Sun-Times, which published Bartman's name, address and place of employment. At the time, I was at Editor & Publisher magazine and wrote about this disgraceful misuse of journalism.

The Sun-Times told me it was considered proper journalism.

Not quite. Revealing his name and other information made him an easier target for fans who wanted to blame him for the team loss, which he had no part in.

The Society of Professional Journalists later noted the actions, calling them, "the media's foul ball."

A great ESPN 30 for 30 documentary recounted the entire episode and the detestable reaction from some fans.

It has been reported that fans are urging Bartman's return to Wrigley Field during the playoffs to accept their apologies. That would be the least they could do.

As for the Sun-Times, they are lucky they were not sued for endangering this fan's life. It has also been noted many times that Bartman made no money off of his infamy, not one dime.

But the Sun-Times did hurt their own reputation, at least in my eyes. 

Whenever talk turns to Steve Bartman, I think of how unfair he was treated, but also how this major newspaper abused its power of the press.

NEW YORK TABLOIDS' GRAPHIC PAGE ONE

Did these New York front pages go too far?





 

HOW THE HOMETOWN PAPER COVERED THE HORRIBLE ROANOKE TV SHOOTING

Here is The Roanoke Times Page One today
 

HOW A VIRGINIA TV STATION HANDLED TWO OF ITS JOURNALISTS KILLED ON THE JOB

A horrible tragedy in Virginia this morning as two journalists were murdered while doing their jobs.

Anyone who thinks reporters do not work in danger sometimes need only look at this terrible attack on our profession.

The Roanoke, Va., T.V. station, WDBJ, offered a brave, personal report on the incident that ended with the deaths of videographer Adam Ward, 27, and reporter Alison Parker, 24, during their morning news program soon after it happened. 

Among the sad elements is that both of them were in relationships with others at the station, including Ward, who was engaged to a colleague at WDBJ.

Watch it below:

DEMANDS ISSUED TO DROP CHARGES AGAINST REPORTERS WHO COVERED FERGUSON STORY

As the one-year anniversary of the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., passed last week, the unwarranted charges filed against two reporters covering the story also made news.

And two major journalist groups, supported by dozens of news outlets, are calling for charges in those cases to be dropped.

A week ago, the Newspaper Guild of America issued its call for prosecutors to back off with a statement that said, in part:

The NewsGuild-CWA joins with other outraged journalists in demanding that the St. Louis County prosecutor drop the trumped-up charges against two reporters who were arrested a year ago covering the Ferguson protests.

Wesley Lowery of The Washington Post and Ryan J. Reilly of the Huffington Post were doing absolutely nothing wrong when police stormed the McDonald’s restaurant the journalists were using for a reporting base.

While attempting to comply with officers’ orders to leave the restaurant, police decided they weren’t acting quickly enough. As The Washington Post reported, “Lowery said he was given conflicting information about where to exit and was attempting to gather his bag when officers grabbed him, slammed him into a soda machine and placed plastic cuffs on him. Reilly, speaking to the Huffington Post last year, said the police gave the reporters “a countdown like we were 5-year-olds.”

The reporters were taken to a holding cell at the Ferguson police station. After a half hour, they were told they could leave without any charges filed.

Now, inexplicably and reprehensibly, Prosecutor Robert P. McCulloch has made the decision to formally charge the two journalists with trespassing and interfering with a police officer. The counts carry a fine of up to $1,000 and up to a year in a county jail.

“The prosecutor’s actions are a gross abuse of power and a vile assault on the First Amendment,” NewsGuild-CWA President Bernie Lunzer said.

Then, just today, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, stated, in part:

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, joined by 38 other news outlets and media organizations, has sent a letter to St. Louis County officials protesting the recent filing of criminal charges against two reporters over incidents that occurred during the protests in Ferguson, Mo., last summer.

"The best way for Ferguson to show that it will respect the First Amendment rights of journalists covering the continuing controversy there is to rescind these charges immediately," the letter stated.

Joining the Reporters Committee on the letter are: American Society of News Editors; AOL Inc. - The Huffington Post; The Associated Press; Association of Alternative Newsmedia; Bloomberg News; Cable News Network, Inc.; California Newspaper Publishers Association; and the Center for Investigative Reporting, as well as dozens of others.

The rights of journalists to cover news and not be unfairly prosecuted is paramount to the public receiving the news it needs, especially when it involves such serious, sensitive issues.

HOMETOWN PAPER CALLS THEATER SHOOTING "HORROR"

Here is how the hometown paper in Lafayette, La., reported the tragic theater shooting there in today's edition:

 

GREAT GAY MARRIAGE RULING FRONT PAGE TRIBUTES

My two favorite front pages today:

See more of them at the great Newseum.com gallery.

CHARLESTON NEWSPAPER DOES IT RIGHT

In case you missed it, The Post & Courier of Charleston, S.C. ran this great Page One tribute on Sunday.

FAMED PHOTO STILL AN ODDITY 50 YEARS LATER

Great piece in The New York Times on this famed, bizarre photo from 50 years ago.

Would you ignore a burning building to watch a football game?

Check it out HERE.

DID CNN USE AN ANTI-IRISH SLUR?

I saw this during today's coverage.

My Irish heritage recalls Paddy Wagon as an anti-Irish slur, no?

TODAY'S BALTIMORE SUN SAYS IT ALL

FREE JASON REZAIAN

The case of Jason Rezaian, The Washington Post reporter who has been held for nine months in Iran on outrageous claims of espionage and spying finally got a big boost of attention this weekend.

First, President Obama highlighted the detention of this journalist in his remarks at the White House Correspondents Association dinner, saying the U.S. "will not rest" until he is freed.

Then, on Sunday, Post Editor Marty Baron appeared on CNN's Reliable Sources and told host Brian Stelter that claims against Rezaian were "absurd," and there was "no evidence" that Rezaian engaged in anything other than proper news coverage. He also said the case may be heading to trial in Iran.


As Baron said in his appearance, reporters have been held by foreign nations, including in Iran in the past, but always released. This, as he said, is "entirely unjust" and would be even more unacceptable if he were to face trial.

You can imagine how ridiculous a trial in Iran would be and efforts to avoid one and bring Rezaian back safely need to be paramount. Not just for his safe return, but for the rights of all journalists who bravely seek to cover news in such unfriendly nations.

If Iran is allowed to get away with such actions, it is not only a crime against Rezaian, his family and the Post. But also against all journalists who seek the truth unfettered, and against the United States, whose democracy is served by a free press, whether in Washington or the Middle East.

Among the efforts to highlight Rezaian's plight is an online petition at Change.org demanding his release, while Free Jason pins were passed out at the WHCA dinner.

This type of abuse of journalists who travel overseas to cover wars, dangerous areas and international news is another reminder of what foreign correspondents go through. 

The Committee to Protect Journalists notes that, so far this year, 21 journalists have been killed around the world, while another 221 remained imprisoned at the end of 2014, with Rezaian among them.

CPJ stated on its website last week that it "is alarmed by reports of official charges levied against Washington Post Tehran bureau chief Jason Rezaian. The charges included espionage, 'collaborating with hostile governments,' 'propaganda against the establishment,' and allegations that he gathered information 'about internal and foreign policy,' the Post reported today."

We should all be alarmed and do whatever we can to keep this tragedy in the public eye and support all efforts to make sure freedom is attained for one of our own.

WHO IS COMING TO THE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS DINNER?

If you were wondering what notable names plan to attend the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday, this list was leaked to us. 

The guests range from Senator Rand Paul to Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo to stars of Modern Family and Blackish to Jane Fonda, as well as one-time Seth Meyers punching bag Donald Trump.

No surprises jump out, but for your information:

Abbott	Greg	Governor, Texas
Al Otaiba	Yousef	Amb. From United Arab Emirates
Anderson	Anne	Irish Amb. To US
Anderson	Anthony	Black-ish
Araud	Gerard	French Ambassador to the US
Ayotte	Kelly	Senator from New Hampshire
Bernard	Jeremy	The White House
Bharara	Preet	US Attorney, So. District NY
Bisogniero	Claudio	Italian Amb. To US
Blinken	Antony	Dept. of State
Boone	Megan	NY, NY
Bowen	Sharon	Commissioner, CFTC
Bowen	Julie	Modern Family
Bowser	Muriel	Mayor, Washington, DC
Breedlove	Philip	Gen., US Air Force
Brennan	John	Director, CIA
Britton	Connie	Nashville, TN
Brooks	James L.	Director & Producer
Buffenbarger	Thomas	Pres., Machinists Union
Burrell	Ty	Modern Family
Burwell	Sylvia	Secretary, Dept. of Health & Human Services
Bush	Sophia	LA
Caldiero	Ray	LA
Campbell	Naomi	London, England
Carter	Ashton	Secretary, Dept. of Defense
Chaffetz	Jason	Rep. from UT
Chasez	JC	LA
Coderre	Denis	Mayor of Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Cohan	Lauren	actress
Comstock	Barbara	Rep from VA
Crawford	Chace	LA
Cummings	Elijah	Rep. from MD
Dane	Eric	Beverly Hills, CA
Dermer	Ron	Amb.  From Israel
Doer	Gary	Amb from Canada
Donnelly	Joe	Senator from Indiana
Donovan	Shaun	Dir., Office of Budget & Management
Eastwood	Scott	actor
Eichner	Billy	comedian
Fauci	Anthony S.	NIH
Ferguson	Jesse Tyler	Modern Family
Finer	Jonathan	Dept. of State
Fischer	Stanley	Vice Chair, US Fed. Reserve
Fonda	Jane	Beverly Hills, CA
Forbes	J. Randy	Rep. from VA
Foxx	Anthony	Secretary of Transportation
Gabourey	Sidibe	actor
Gayhart	Rebecca	Beverly Hills, CA
Gilbert	C. Todd	Delegate from VA
Hall	Keith	Dir., Congressional Budget Office
Harris	Kamala	Attorney General, CA
Helbig	Grace	LA
Hickenlooper	John Wright	Governor, Colorado
Hoffa	James	Pres., Teamsters Union
Hogan	Larry	Governor, MD
Hutchinson	Asa	Governor of Arkansas
Israel	Steve	Rep. from NY
Jabbar	Kareem Abdul	Athlete
James	Deborah Lee	Sec., U.S. Air Force
Jarrett	Valerie	The White House
Jenner	Brody	LA
Jewell	Sally	Secretary of Interior
Johnson	Ron	Senator, Wisconsin
Johnson	Jeh	Sec., Homeland Security
Johnson	Kevin	Mayor of Sacramento, CA
Johnson	Steven	NY/CA
Kaptur	Marcy	Rep. from Ohio
Kasich	John	Governor, Ohio
Klobuchar	Amy	Senator from MN
Kwanten	Ryan	LA
Lee	Barbara	Rep. from CA
Lerner	Myla	NY, NY
Lew	Jack	Sec. of Treasury
Lierman	Brooke	Delegate from MD
Love	Mia	Rep., Utah
Mabus	Ray	Secretary of the Navy
Maloney	Carolyn	Rep from NY
Markey	Ed	Senator from MA
McCarthy	Gina	EPA Administrator
McCaskill	Claire	Senator from Missouri
McHenry	Patrick	US Rep. from NC
Millett	Patricia A.	Circuit Court DC
Murphy	Vivek	Surgeon General
Musk	Elon	Tesla Motors
Oakley	Tyler	LA
Parker	Sean	Napster
Pelosi	Nancy	Rep from CA
Perez	Thomas	Sec. of Labor
Piwowar	Michael	SEC Comissioner
Podwall	Eric	LA
Power	Samantha	US Amb. To UN
Priebus	Reince	Chairman, RNC
Rand	Paul	Senator, Kentucky
Reedus	Norman	actor
Rendell	Ed	Former Gov., PA
Rhodes	Ben	The White House
Rice	Susan	US Amb. To UN
Robinson	Smokey	LA
Rogers	Mike	Dir., National Security Agency
Romo	Tony	Dallas, TX
Rooney	Tom	US Rep from Florida
Ross	Tracee Ellis	Black-ish
Scalia	Antonin	Associate Justice, US Supreme Court
Schuette	Bill	Att. Gen of Michigan
Schultz	Eric	The White House
Scott	Rick	Governor, Florida
Seymour	Jane	LA
Spencer	Roderick	LA
Stabenow	Debbie	Senator from MI
Stanchfield	Darby	Actor
Stanchfield	Darby
Stevenson	Betsey	The White House
Stewart	Martha	NY, NY
Stonestreet	Eric	Modern Family
Szubin	Adam	Treasury Dept.
Tatum	Jenna Dewan	LA
Trump	Donald	NY, NY
Trump	Ivanka	NY, NY
Vilsack	Thomas	Secretary of Agriculture
Washington	Kerry	actor
Waters	Maxine	Rep. from CA
Weingarten	Randi	Pres., Am. Fed. Of Teachers
Westmacott, Sir	Peter	British Amb. To US
Wetjen	Mark	Commissioner, CFTC
Wheeler	Tom	Chairman, FCC
Wittig	Peter	German Amb. To US
Woodard	Alfre	LA
Young	Bellamy	actor
Zients	Jeff	The White House

SOME PULITZER PRIZE HIGHLIGHTS

Some tidbits from The Pulitzer Prizes today:

* The New York Times adds to its list of most Pulitzers ever with three more. It now has 117.

* Two of The New York Times' wins today, in photography and international reporting, were related to the Ebola crises in Africa. The late David Carr of the Times also took a finalist nod in the commentary category.

* No online news outlets won prizes, with all of the awards going to newspapers that still have a print component.

* The Ferguson police shooting case won the breaking news award for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

* Bloomberg News won its first-ever Pulitzer, in the explanatory category, for coverage of corporate tax loopholes.

* The first magazine finalist was named, with The New Yorker being honored as a finalist in the feature category for a Riker's Island prisoner's story. This was the first year magazines were allowed to compete in two categories.

NEW YORK TIMES LEADS PULITZERS WITH THREE, L.A. TIMES HAS TWO

Here they are:

Journalism

PUBLIC SERVICE - The Post and Courier, Charleston, SC
BREAKING NEWS REPORTING - The Seattle Times Staff
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING - Two Prizes: - Eric Lipton of The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal Staff
EXPLANATORY REPORTING - Zachary R. Mider of Bloomberg News
LOCAL REPORTING - Rob Kuznia, Rebecca Kimitch and Frank Suraci of the Daily Breeze, Torrance, CA
NATIONAL REPORTING - Carol D. Leonnig of The Washington Post
INTERNATIONAL REPORTING - The New York Times Staff
FEATURE WRITING - Diana Marcum of the Los Angeles Times
COMMENTARY - Lisa Falkenberg of the Houston Chronicle
CRITICISM - Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times
EDITORIAL WRITING - Kathleen Kingsbury of The Boston Globe
EDITORIAL CARTOONING - Adam Zyglis of The Buffalo News
BREAKING NEWS PHOTOGRAPHY - St. Louis Post-Disptach Photography Staff
FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHY - Daniel Berehulak , freelance photographer, The New York Times

PULITZER PRIZES TODAY PRAISE THE BEST IN A DECLINING NEWS INDUSTRY

At a time when the news industry in many ways is continuing a slow demise into the world of cheap coverage, lazy reporting and greedy corporate control, it is always refreshing to find those outlets still willing to do the work that counts.

And that is what will happen later today when the Pulitzer Prizes are announced. The 14 awards in the journalism category continue to bring out the best and brightest of news and give a much needed spotlight on investigations, explanations and editorializations that are still what makes journalism great.

During my 11 years at Editor & Publisher, from 1999 to 2010, I was lucky enough to cover the awards nearly every year and still look forward to the prestigious announcement.

The 3 p.m. revelation, still done in person at the World Room on the third floor of The Graduate School of Journalism building at Columbia University, has all the trappings of a royal event. For many years I looked forward to seeing former Pulizer Administrator Sig Gissler come out to the waiting press and announce that the winners are chosen and they will "change some lives forever."

Today, Pulitzer Administrator Mike Pride does the honors, but it is available on livestream. (See it HERE, complete with a countdown clock.)

The names and stories are then posted online where many of the winners keep tabs via computer screens in their newsrooms. It was always fun at E&P to get the photos of these moments in newsrooms, which all looked similar with eyes fixed on a screen, or later champagne popping.

Final results of presidential elections or the choice of a new pope or king came to mind with the same anticipation, secrecy and impact the Pulitzers have, at least in the news industry.

The Pulitzer remains the most prestigious award in news, beyond an Emmy, Polk, or any of the other well-deserved honors. Part of this is its history, dating back to 1917 when just two awards were given, to the now defunct New York World and New York Tribune.

The impact of hard-nosed news coverage has been well-represented with the awards, especilaly the prestigious Public Service prize, which is the only Pulitzer given to a newspaper or news site and includes no prize money. 

From the 1921 prize for the Boston Post for taking down the original Ponzi scheme to the Pentagon Papers reporting by The New York Times and the Watergate coverage from The Washington Post in the 1970's to Hurricane Katrina coverage by the flooded-out Times-Picayune of New Orleans and The Sun Herald of Biloxi, MS. in 2006, these winners have shown how good journalism means battling legal, governmental and even natural challenges.

Today the Pulitzer categories have expanded to more than a dozen and online-only submissions have been part of the nominees for years. Still, it is essentially a newspaper award, with television and radio still barred from competing. Magazines are being allowed to compete for the first time in two categories, investigative and feature writing.

At one point in my E&P tenure, I was fortunate enough to get leaked finalists. For several years, we had spies who were kind to reveal the finalists weeks ahead of time. Gissler, to his credit, helped put the end to this and they usually remain secret until today. 

But I still get inquiries each year from interested parties wondering about the finalists.

Winners, who were chosen by the 19-member Pulitzer Board last week, still get out, at least among those who are chosen. It is likely that some of the lucky few who will be named later today have known about their victories for at least a day or two.

With Pulitzer Board members from The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press and Bloomberg, it is almost certain any word of their victory is already spread through the newsrooms there.

One of the great attractions of the Pulitzers and one of the reasons the finalists are not revealed in advance of the winners is that they can be changed. Pulitzer veterans know that the Pulitzer "juries" sift through the submissions months in advance and choose three finalists in each category. It is these finalists that we used to be able to leak. 

But the leaks are frowned upon because they are not necessarily the finalists that will be chosen later. The Pulitzer Board has the power to move finalists around, drop them, bring up other submissions to be finalists, award multiple winners in a category, or no winners in a category.

It is this power that makes the board's work even more intriguing and mysterious.

And for the news business, the pride and quality of news that is marked by the Pultizers should not be limited to one day per year, it should be the goal on every day of the year in every newsroom.

INDY STAR'S BOLD PAGE ONE EDITORIAL DEMANDED RFRA ACTION

If you didn't see The Indianapolis Star's Page One editorial Tuesday demanding changes to the state's religious freedom law, here it is.

A rare, bold move for a major daily paper.


 

SO LONG LINDA - LEGENDARY A.P. CELEBRITY TRIAL SCRIBE STEPS DOWN

You may have missed it during the holiday season, but Associated Press legend Linda Deutsch called it quits last month after nearly 50 years writing about the biggest and wackiest celebrity trials in Hollywood, and elsewhere.

Linda is a class act and always a great reporter as she chronicled big time court events from Charles Manson to Michael Jackson. 

She also gets high praise from me as a fellow Elvis fan.

We got to know each other during my time at Editor & Publisher. I was lucky to profile her back in 2007 for a story that also included my one phone interview with O.J. Simpson, who had always said she was the only fair reporter at his murder trial.

Linda said she will finally write the long-awaited memoir. I will be first in line to get a copy.

Good luck Linda!