« Fox News Text Poll | Main | Funny Times »

May 17, 2007

Pinwheel Williams

In 1908 Walter Williams founded the world’s first journalism school at the University of Missouri. He wrote a creed that was to be the mission of the J School and it has been used for almost 100 years to train and inspire aspiring journalists.

Below is the Walter Williams creed. Please read it carefully and as you do, keep in mind the newspaper, magazine, or television or radio network and their reporters from which you get your news. See if your favorite news sources and journalists live up to any or all of the principles Williams espouses.

“I believe in the profession of journalism.

I believe that the public journal is a public trust; that all connected with it are, to the full measure of their responsibility, trustees for the public; that acceptance of a lesser service than the public service is betrayal of this trust.

I believe that clear thinking and clear statement, accuracy and fairness are fundamental to good journalism.

I believe that a journalist should write only what he holds in his heart to be true.

I believe that suppression of the news, for any consideration other than the welfare of society, is indefensible.

I believe that no one should write as a journalist what he would not say as a gentleman; that bribery by one's own pocketbook is as much to be avoided as bribery by the pocketbook of another; that individual responsibility may not be escaped by pleading another's instructions or another's dividends.

I believe that advertising, news and editorial columns should alike serve the best interests of readers; that a single standard of helpful truth and cleanness should prevail for all; that the supreme test of good journalism is the measure of its public service.

I believe that the journalism which succeeds best—and best deserves success—fears God and honors Man; is stoutly independent, unmoved by pride of opinion or greed of power, constructive, tolerant but never careless, self-controlled, patient, always respectful of its readers but always unafraid, is quickly indignant at injustice; is unswayed by the appeal of privilege or the clamor of the mob; seeks to give every man a chance and, as far as law and honest wage and recognition of human brotherhood can make it so, an equal chance; is profoundly patriotic while sincerely promoting international good will and cementing world-comradeship; is a journalism of humanity, of and for today's world.”

What do you think the state of journalism is today? I think that Walter Williams must be turning over like a pinwheel in his grave in sadness. I have rewritten Williams’ creed so that it fits more closely with what I believe is the current state of the media, especially television:

“I believe that anyone and everyone can be a journalist.

I believe that the public journal is an opportunity to gain fame and make as much money as possible; that all connected with it are, to the full measure of their responsibility, out for their own gain; that acceptance of a lesser service than devotion to profit is betrayal of this trust.

I believe that clear thinking and clear statement, accuracy and fairness play second fiddle to self-promotion and greed.

I believe that a journalist should write only what he or she holds in his or her heart to be good for his or her career.

I believe that suppression of the news, for any consideration other than the welfare of society, depends on what those in power in the government want so I can have access to them.

I believe that no one should write as a journalist what he would not say as a charlatan; that bribery by one's own pocketbook is good business practice in order to beat the competition; that individual responsibility can be escaped by pleading another's instructions or another's dividends.

I believe that advertising, news and editorial columns should alike serve the best interests of advertisers; that a single standard of helpful truth and cleanness should prevail for all advertisers and those in power; that the supreme test of good journalism is the measure of its profit.

I believe that the journalism which succeeds best—and best deserves success—beats the competition, panders to the masses, is motivated by pride of opinion and greed of power, is destructive, intolerant and always careless, self-controlled, impatient, always respectful of its advertisers but always afraid of advertising cancelling; is quickly indignant at partisan sniping; is swayed by the appeal of privilege or the clamor of the mob; seeks to give every man a chance to win money and, as far as law can make it so, a slim chance; is profoundly patriotic while sincerely promoting itself and destroying world-comradeship; is a journalism of profit, of and for today's media owners.”

Exempt from the above screed are NPR, PBS, The Nation, Washington Monthly, Media Matters for America , Talking Points Memo, and others that are not doing what they do primarily for profit. What do you think? Would you like to add any media to the good-guys list?

Posted by Charles Warner at May 17, 2007 08:27 PM

Comments

Media Curmudgeon [TypeKey Profile Page] at May 22, 2007 12:27 PM writes:

Thanks for the comment, Paul. I agree that the New Yorker, the NY Times, and the Washington Post are on the list of the good guys, as is the Atlantic Monthly.

Your point about The Daily Racing Form is a good one. Unfortunately, most of the main-stream-media, especially television, is covering politics like the The Daily Racing Form covers horse racing, and in a much less objective way.


Media Curmudgeon [TypeKey Profile Page] at May 22, 2007 12:20 PM writes:

Thanks for the comment, Marilyn, and I may be a little too cynical. You make an excellent point that we all should be skeptical of what we read, see, and hear in the news, but not be so cynical that we fail to absorb what is really happening in the world.


Media Curmudgeon [TypeKey Profile Page] at May 22, 2007 12:15 PM writes:

Marilyn Keenan writes:

"Wow, Charlie, you are really cynical! Seems to me that the truth is somewhere between Walter Williams creed and your view--and varies place to place and person to person. But, that said, we all do owe it to ourselves to read and listen broadly and never assume we're getting the whole, true scoop from one source."


Paul Talbot [TypeKey Profile Page] at May 19, 2007 09:05 AM writes:

What Charlie has delicately avoided is mention of the days he would prowl the hallways of Missouri with his contemporary Pinwheel.

Four obvious nominees for the Good Guys List.

The "Washington Post" for publishing Bob Woodward. The "New Yorker" for publishing Seymour Hersh.

The "New York Times" for, as Alfred E. Newman suggested, "all the news that fits," and for op- ed pages that remind us that whatever grotesque ineptitude unfolds inside the beltway, America is ultimately defined by something other than whatever administration happens to occupy the White House.

And the "Racing Form." It's always been fairly objective.


Post a comment

Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)


Remember me?


Email this entry to (separate multiple addresses with a comma):

Your email address:


Printer-Friendly