class trip

Me and my students, Lindsey and Jeremy, riding on the... ...Congressional subway system.

Chasing an old story...

Fifteen years ago, I was a young journalist working in Northern Virginia writing for a local weekly newspaper. The thing I loved about weekly journalism was the fact that the news cycle allowed for more research, more reflection and more time for writing. Basically, weekly papers encourage feature writing and, I believe, for this reason, weekly newspapers will continue to thrive. But I'm off the topic.

In 1992, I got a phone call from a little old lady asking me if I wanted to write about an art fair at the Senior Center. Because every young journalist is a cynic, I believe I responded with: "Why would I want to do that?" Looking back, I should have probably covered the event but I was a little too-arrogant for my own good. Regardless, the little old lady persisted: She told me that I should come because one of the artists was a retired United Press war correspondent and, at the very least, I'd have a chance to meet him.

This is how I met Boyd Lewis. Boyd Lewis was the United Press's bureau chief in Paris during World War II. And, in fact, Lewis was one of 17 journalists who attended Germany's surrender at Reims, France in May 1945. Impressed with Lewis, I told him after our first meeting, that -- in 1995 -- I'd want to write about him to mark the 50th anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) Day. When the date rolled around, I approached Lewis again and wrote one of the best stories of my career.

But, it was during this interview, that Lewis told me an even better story. He told me about his rival, an Associated Press writer named Edward Kennedy. Turns out, that both Lewis and Kennedy were at the surrender ceremony and, after witnessing the legal END of the European conflict, all seventeen journalists were ordered by the U.S. Army to embargo the story for 36 hours. Thirty-Six Hours!

Lewis played by the rules. He hustled back to Paris and reserved wire space with the Army Signal Corps that would guarantee that HIS story would get to New York City first and thus hit the UP wires informing the nation that Germany had indeed surrendered. Kennedy arrived minutes later and added HIS name to the Signal Corps list virtually guaranteeing that Lewis would get "the scoop."

And then the waiting game began.

As the hours clicked by, news of the surrender began to spread. German radio announced it; the BBC announced it; Lewis and Kennedy begged the Army to lift the embargo. It refused. Kennedy decided to take action.

From a phone inside the building, he called the AP's London Bureau and got out a 100-word statement. The war in Europe was over! The London editors finished the story put Kennedy's byline on the piece and shipped the story to New York City. Kennedy had broke the embargo BUT scooped the world. His byline turned up on the front pages of newspapers across the country.

Now, there I was in Vienna, Virginia FIFTY years later listening to Lewis tell me this story. And as this 90-year-old man recounted the tale, his anger began to rise up in his face. He clenched his jaw, stamped his foot and balled his hands into tight fists. There he was -- 50 years later -- FURIOUS with Kennedy. Of course, I was fascinated.

I still am. In fact, every year on May 7th -- VE Day -- I find myself wondering about Lewis and Kennedy and the story. This year, I finally yielded to my curiosity and I began researching. I have Lewis's autobiography, but I didn't know much about Kennedy. So, I asked an Ithaca College librarian to start pulling stories about Edward Kennedy. Within an hour, the librarian had recovered two-dozen stories about Kennedy including his New York Times obituary, published in 1963. In it among the survivors was the name of Kennedy's daughter, Julia.

Armed with her name, I began combing the Internet looking for contact information. In time, I found Julia's mother's obituary; a wedding notice about Julia's daughter; and finally, Julia's email address and phone number in Oregon.

I called her today to talk about her father. We spoke for an hour, sharing stories about Kennedy and Lewis and the war and the fallout afterwards. She has her father's 300-page autobiography, unpublished. She has pictures and letters and news clippings: an archive of her father's story.

As for me, I'm debating whether it's time to commit to this old story. Is it time to get Kennedy's story back on the record?

Shake up in the front office

To my Ithaca College friends:

I know that many of you are upset about the pending shake up in the administration. Basically, from the top down, Ithaca College is in the process of reinventing itself: The president is retiring, the provost is brand new, the dean is departing, the journalism chair is stepping down. Certainly, there are a lot of changes afoot.

Still, there are a lot of good and great things going on at Ithaca College. First, I hear that Virginia Mansfield-Richardson is assuming an interim chairmanship of the Journalism Department; and Dianne Lynch, I believe, is teaching Digital Workshop during the Fall semester. So, there will be some familiar faces working with you through the changes.

As for the rest of it, you shouldn't fret yourself. To be honest, Ithaca College still has some of the best media workshops in the nation. The labs are state of the art; the radio and television stations are tops; and the student newspaper always sweeps regional and national awards. My point? There are great opportunities waiting for you this year and next! And, having worked with you for the last two years, I know that there is an astounding amount of talent in the Park School. Ideally, I'd like to see you folks prove me proud by working to make these media continue to shine.

As for the faculty in the Journalism Department: There are some great changes underway. Clearly, you're going to see a lot more of Mead Loop, who I think is probably the strongest, most confident journalism professor I've ever encountered. That -- and Ithaca College did the absolute right thing hiring my good friend Ryan Parkhurst. This guy is young, sharp, fun, funny, talented and loves working with the students. Personally, I always found myself walking away from him having learned something. He's just that kind of a thinker. Enjoy him.

Okay. Put your anxiousness aside and make good use of your time at Ithaca College. As many of you may remember, I'm an alumnus... and I loved every minute I spent studying there at Ithaca.

Cable News Cabal

So, after years of thinking about it, I finally realized WHY I was so disappointed with the Cable News industry. I realized that during the run up to the U.S. War on Terror, the cable news industry played an integral part in the process... but in the most negative way.

As many of my students will tell you, I worked for Fox and CNN, so I was there, inside the machine helping it move forward. My job was to write copy and feed it into the teleprompter so the anchors could continue chewing cud before the nation. After a few months at CNN, I realized that my work was tantamount to shoveling coal into a hot furnace and that, no matter how fast or often I performed my duties, the coal furnace would continue to consume the fuel. There was NO end in sight.

Of course, as the Bush Administration began prepping the nation for an invasion of Iraq, CNN and Fox were both there gulping down every sound bite. Always, there was NEVER any analysis. At least not the critical analysis needed to divide the lies from the truth. Instead, after the policy had been announced, CNN's producers would line up "experts" to present both sides of the argument. Often, the on-air conversation devolved into a shouting match polluted with bumper-sticker logic.

As for my part, I sat quietly in the newsroom angered by many of the debates I saw unfolding on the CNN set. I thought the President's Axis of Evil speech was menacing. I remember thinking: "Did we forget anyone? Why is this guy picking fights with the ENTIRE world?" Of course, I never thought we'd send the military out to follow his trail of rhetoric into Iraq and possibly beyond.

All the while, I knew I was angry... but I didn't know why. I mean, I always felt that the Bush Administration was pressing aside any intelligence that was counter to its mission to go to war. Nothing the White House said made any sense to me. And from the onset, from the very moment Bush uttered "British Intelligence has recovered information..." I wondered, "Why are we using British Intelligence?" It didn't make sense. After that, it was a race to invade Iraq. The policy was clear.

But the thing that angered me most about cable news was the fact that it NEVER challenged the policy. It never dared to ask "Is this right?" In fact, it never encouraged ANYONE to ask that question. Instead, all it did was amplify the PATRIOT noise and jingoism to levels that made any thoughtful counter-argument nearly silent.

Now, now, that the war has soured and the policy has been proven disastrous, are these arguments for peace being heard. Of course, this is a crying shame.

As for my anger, I'm really only feeling disappointment. I'm disappointed that I allowed my instincts to be sequestered for a paycheck.

A hard turn...

I called the book store at Roger Williams University yesterday morning to order my textbooks for the fall semester. For the first time, I felt myself committed to this new venture, this trip that will ultimately take me away from Ithaca. I found myself uneasy, uncomfortable, unsure. I'm tired of moving, I think.

Ithaca College has always been with me. I started there as a junior in 1985, worked through my degree and graduated. I moved there because (oh so many years ago) a woman I cared about told me that she loved Ithaca. I found myself there curiously wondering why. By the time I graduated, Ithaca was very much with me too.

After graduating, I traveled far. When I'm asked how far, I'm embarrassed to answer. The list is long, very long. Ithaca, Boston, Washington, New York, Brooklyn, Nashville, Delaware, Boston, Atlanta, New York, New Paltz, Ithaca. I've logged in a lot of miles but moved to Ithaca believing I'd book end my trip, settle and stay. I'd even gone as far as found an old farmhouse, along Route 79 heading east, but hesitated. I knew another move was coming.

And now I'm there. There are many steps in the moving process. Finding a home, rerouting mail, collecting possessions, packing books, saying goodbye. Always, you lose things in the move.

So, I'm on the phone and ordering textbooks and answering questions about my Fall schedule. There's still many things to be done. I need to set up an office, establish a new email system, learn the computers, and get my things from Ithaca into Rhode Island. The hardest part is rebuilding a routine. This includes finding grocery stores and post offices and restaurants and roads that lead from home to important places. And friends.

I spent the first year in Ithaca rejecting invitations to things simply because the friendship thing tends to get harder. I find making friends easy enough; it's the leaving that makes it hard.

Turning... I'll be turning away from Ithaca entirely in a few weeks. And it gets harder.

MS

lost students...

Got an email from a former SUNY New Paltz student yesterday. In her note, she told me she's frustrated looking for work and waiting tables to cover the bills. She's been out of school 18 months and is finding the job search thing to be difficult. I told her that the summers are especially brutal because the real hiring doesn't begin until September.

But that doesn't necessarily mean you should NOT look for work. In fact, my father gave me some advice years ago and I find it to be true: He says that when you're out of work, your job is to find a job. The trick is to create a routine and follow it.

I'm also a huge fan of the "informational interview": This is when you call a potential employer and ask him/her for sit down conversation and advice. The logic amounts to this: Ask someone for a job and they'll walk away from you; ask someone for advice and they'll sit down and talk your ears off. The trick is to remain TRUE to the concept of the information-only conversation.

The first step is to get their attention. Write them a letter and send it to them. Make sure the letter explains that this is an INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW ONLY. Don't email them unless you know them already. Email is junk mail and typically we ignore email from strangers seeking favors.

Next, line up a meeting time. Let them pick the time and setting. Before you go, do your homework. Find out WHO you're speaking with, know their history... and their interests. When the day comes for the conversation, dress like it's a job interview. In other words, wear professional clothing.

Now, here's the tricky part: Do NOT bring a resume... unless they ask for one specifically. If you look like you're PREPARED to present them with a resume, you're cheating the innocence of the information-only conversation. Basically, you don't want to look like you LIED your way into their office looking for work.

On the day of the interview, be five minutes early... and let them manage the conversation. Tell them exactly what you're thinking and what you're doing. "I'm writing for this publication... but I want to write for YOUR publication. What skills do I need to acquire to do this?" Ask them how they got started and tell them WHY you'd like to follow in their footsteps. When the meeting is over, RESIST the temptation to ask for work. Instead, ask them if it would be okay to send them clips or professional updates from time to time.

Now, here's the tricky part: If the person likes you, they'll ASK you for a resume. You need to look as though you came empty handed... and yet you STILL have a resume. Tell them: "I didn't bring a resume... because I didn't want to put you on the spot." And then -- if you're a woman -- dig around inside your pocket book and pull out the most GNARLED piece of paper in the bag. This will be your resume. Tell them, clearly, you had NO intention of giving them THIS resume but, if they'd like to have it, well... here it is.

As for the guys, you need to be as clever about this. Do this: Get a flash memory stick... and put a resume on it and attached the stick to your key chain. When your asked for a resume say: "I didn't bring anything... (pause)... wait! I've got one on this memory stick." And there you go.

In the past, I've also left gnarled copies of my resume inside my pickup truck. "Wait," I'll tell them. "I've got one in my truck... I think."

Why this works: By eliminating the pretense of the "job interview," you've placed them at ease. Often, they'll talk candidly about "hiring freezes," and other office things. And, if they actually do have a position open, they'll shop it in front of you. So, basically, THIS is a job interview... without the formality.

When it's over, send a thank you note... and move on.

Michael

Back in the classroom

I started teaching my Washington Journalism course on Monday... and so far things are moving ahead well. In the opening days of any class, the professor has to establish a sense of purpose and direction; we also have to lead. After three years in the classroom, I'm learning that leadership is an integral part of success or failure in the classroom. In fact, often when my peers flounder in the classroom it's merely because they failed to step up and show leadership.

Looking forward, I find that once you have the students all looking in the right direction, the next step is push them forward. This class is five weeks long and I'm fully expecting them to write FIVE solid news stories between now and the end of the session. The first assignment is due Saturday evening. Their topic is to write about something tourist related. I chose tourism simply because the Fourth of July holiday is menacing the entire week. I'm sure they're having problems getting officials on the telephone for comment. Still, they have to work through this simply because, in their professional lives, they'll learn that although the government may come to a halt, newspapers and television news programs still need to be filled with content.

Let's talk about my odd deadlines: It took me a week in the classroom to realize that the Internet had changed everything. When I was an undergraduate, the only contact I ever had with my instructors was during the class time. Clearly, the Internet has changed all that. And, in fact, I find myself supplementing my lectures with constant emails to my students. Further, because of the free-form of this relationship, I find I can also set deadlines for any point in the week. I do this because when these young journalists get out into the industry, they'll find that Internet journalism has few boundaries... and that the concept of the 9-to-5 work week is dying.

As an added bonus, students no longer DUCK my classes because of unfinished work. As a result, I have NO late papers, or missed deadlines... and in fact, my relationship with students takes two forms: The first is live, real and in person; the second is ethereal, electronic and constant. Best of all, I get to play these two personalities against one another. As I'm editing, I can send out "angry" emails designed to snap them into shape; the next day in class, they're typically sitting in their seats, scared, polite and eager to please. Then I can present my Dr. Jeckle side and apologize for my "Mr. Hyde moment" over the email. Basically, I get to be the bad guy and yet NOT be the bad guy. It's really quite a lot of fun.

As for what's going on with my Washington class: I've got eight really sharp students. In fact, of the group, THREE of them have already earned As from me in other class settings. So, I've got very high expectations for the whole class. Finally, I find that when I teach to the A students, the B and C students usually rise to the challenge. Again, I'm hopeful for these folks.