Troy University News

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Tom Davis
Troy Office of University Relations
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tomdavis@troy.edu

Office of University Relations
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Panel discusses 30 years of journalism at TSU symposium

   A six-member panel at the annual Hall School of Journalism Symposium at Troy State University Thursday decided technology has had a great impact on journalism and will continue to in the future.
   The symposium, "30 Years of Journalism: From Watergate to World Trade Center," was named in recognition of the 30th anniversary of the Hall School of Journalism.
   Panelists included Merrill Bankester, dean emeritus of the Hall School of Journalism; M. Stanton Evans, director of the National Journalism Center in Washington, D.C.; Kadi Hendricks, reporter for NBC 2, Ft. Myers, Fla.; and Chris Warden, editorial page editor of Investor’s Business Daily, Los Angeles, Calif. Student panelists were Matt Clower, editor of the Tropolitan, TSU’s student-operated newspaper, and Jennifer James, TSU-TV news director. Bob Howell, former television news anchor and TSU adjunct faculty member, moderated the event.
   Panelists discussed events that have molded journalism both locally and nationally and how technology has shaped the reporting of this information. They responded to topics including Watergate, biases in the media, the death of Princess Diana, the Monica Lewinsky/Bill Clinton scandal, the decline of weekly and daily newspapers, low pay of journalists and the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.
   All agreed that with greater technology comes a greater need to check the facts.
   "With the Internet comes a wealth of information, but it does not mean it is accurate," Hendricks said. "It is absolutely imperative to check your facts."
   Warden agreed.
   "With the growth of technology, there are more voices and more sources of information," he said. "With this, there is a call to not only do it well, but to keep it interesting. The good practitioners of journalism will rise to the top."
   Evans advised students of the importance of gaining practical experience as a student aspiring to be a journalist.
   "The knowledge you gain as a student will turn out to be invaluable to your
   career, so take advantage of the time you are here," he said. "With the low pay journalists receive, it takes a special kind of person to succeed in journalism, but you can do it.
   "Though the future of journalism will be greatly affected by technology, the quality of people who go into the field is what is important," he said.