Cronkite Lauds New Crop of Journalists

Keynote speaker Walter Cronkite said that the need for exemplary journalists is greater now than it was in his generation and praised the current crop of new reporters at an event on media reform held at the Journalism school last night.

The event, hosted by School of Journalism Dean Nicholas Lemann and moderated by Richard Wald, Fred W. Friendly professor of professional practice in media and society and chairman of Spectator's board of trustees, focused on problems such as consolidated ownership of media companies, regulation issues, and public access to the media.

In his introductory remarks, University President Lee Bollinger commented on how the rise of online media outlets such as YouTube is limiting to those without means to pay for broadband Internet access. "We are certainly left with a fundamental problem: commitment to robust, open, and free speech, but with an overlay of economic effects which create disparities of access and therefore not a full rich marketplace of ideas."

Bollinger also outlined the history of media regulation policy, saying, "It's an astonishing and wonderful and rich history. I love it. I love the way it's been ignored."

Cronkite attributed problems in journalism not to a change in reporting but to changes in ownership.

"The young people I see entering the field of journalism today are no less intelligent or dedicated than in my generation," Cronkite said. "They are indeed ... brave to be entering a profession with far less job security and far greater economic uncertainty ... out of a deep sense of commitment to public service," he added.

He explained that there was more impetus for better reporting with local competition among community-owned papers.

Also present at the panels were Michael Copps, commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission, current and former editors from Slate, Time Incorporated, and The Seattle Times, Benjamin Compaine, author of Who Owns the Media?, Tom Rosenstiel, director of Project for Excellence in Journalism, and executive director and senior vice president of the Associated Press Kathleen Carroll.

Copps said he was dismayed with the lack of regulation of broadcast journalism. "No longer do station owners need to consult with members of the community," he said. "The purest form of commercialism and quality news make very uneasy bed fellows," he added.

Although the panelists disagreed on many issues, such as the debate over public versus private ownership and the definition of media reform, they all agreed, as Copps said, that "we need action on this now."