press – Opinions

Feb. 3, Tony Pederson, Professor of Journalism at SMU Dallas, for a piece lamenting the insensitive way some social media and news organizations cover breaking big stories such as the tragic death of Kobe Bryant and others in the helicopter crash. Published in the Austin American-Statesman: http://bit.ly/386vRGY

The controversy over the suspension and rapid reinstatement of a Washington Post reporter after a social media firestorm over coverage of Kobe Bryant’s death illustrates all too well news in the digital age. In the hours after the report that the NBA legend had died in a helicopter crash near Los Angeles, reporter Felicia Sonmez sent a tweet with a link to a story on a years-old sexual assault allegation.

Bryant in 2003 was accused of assaulting a 19-year-old hotel employee in Colorado. The criminal charges were dropped. A civil lawsuit resulted in an undisclosed settlement. Bryant maintained the sex was consensual. It should be noted that Bryant in 2001 had married Vanessa Lane, the mother of his four children. One of the daughters, Gianna, 13, also died in the crash Sunday, as did seven others. . .

Continue reading “Coverage of Bryant tragedy left some ugly marks”

Oct. 1, Tony Pederson, journalism professor at SMU Dallas, for a piece lamenting the diminished state and resources of the press. Published in The Hill: https://thehill.com/opinion/civil-rights/463678-we-cant-allow-presidents-and-public-opinion-to-further-diminish-the-work

Just as the 2020 presidential election has begun with Democratic candidate debates and the nation more polarized than ever, we add to the mix the impeachment proceedings against President Trump. Just when we need excellent journalism the most, the nation’s news media are more incapable of informing and enlightening the public than at any time in modern history. It is a sad and in many respects tragic time for the nation’s news media, marginalized by the economics of the digital age as well as by government, politics, and even the biases of the American people.

The economic calamity that has befallen news media, especially newspapers, has been well documented. The Pew Research Center reports that, in 2008, there were 114,000 journalists working in U.S. newsrooms including print, broadcast, and digital. In 2018, that number was 86,000, a decline of 25 percent. That change was particularly harsh for newspapers, with the number of newsroom employees declining to 38,000 from 71,000, a decline of 47 percent. Once-great metro newspapers in Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Philadelphia, Denver, Dallas and Atlanta have experienced dramatic decreases in circulation and news staffs. And frequently when news media have been forced to lay off employees, older and more experienced journalists are the ones out the door. Younger, less experienced and cheaper journalists fill the gaps. . .

Continue reading “We can’t allow presidents and public opinion to further diminish the work of the press”