DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Daily Iowan and Leona Durham controversy, 1970-1972 | 1971-04-10 Daily Iowan Article: "Words Fly in DI Debate"

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Daily Iowan and Leona Durham controversy, 1970-1972

1971-04-10 Daily Iowan Article: "Words Fly in DI Debate"

- Saturday, April 10, 1971 DI 10 cents a copy 

Role-Playing 

Leona Durham, G, left, editor of the Daily Iowan, listens attentively as Burlington Hawk-Eye Editor John McCormally, right, makes a point Friday at a symposium on the role of the college newspaper. Randy Stephenson, A4, center, acted as moderator, Other panel members were William Albrecht, associate professor of economics and chairman of the Student Board of Publications, Inc. (SPI), Samuel Becker, professor of speech and dramatic arts and chairman of a commission studying the role of the Daily Iowan, and Tom Walsh, A4, editor-select of the Daily Iowan. - Photo by Diana Hypes

- Panel Hassles Over Newspaper Role - 

Words Fly in DI Debate

By Daily Iowan Staff Members. 

A wide variety of opinion was expressed Friday as five panel members met to discuss the role of the college newspaper. 
There apparently was no consensus among the panelists as they discussed such questions as "objectivity" versus "subjective fairness" in reporting, the extent to which the college newspaper should be a leader rather than a follower and whether having read Norman Maller's article on women's liberation in a recent issue of Harper's Magazine is sufficient to qualify a person to be termed "well-read."
William Albrecht, associate professor of economics and chairman of the Board of Student Publications, Inc (SPI) said that the SPI had chosen Thomas Walsh as next year's Daily Iowan editor because they thought him the most controversial candidate and and that he would "get people the maddest"
Walsh, A3, said that he saw the main purpose of the college newspaper as training amateur journalists who could then go out and reform professional journalism. 
Daily Iowan Editor Leona Durham, G, said that she does not like the present method of choosing the Daily Iowan editor because she feels that SPI is faculty-dominated. She also said that she would not want an editor elected in general student elections because that would make the position "even more of a political football than it is now."
John McCormally, editor of the Burlington Hawk-Eye, commented that the Daily Iowan staff should operate as though the paper had to be sold without mandatory student subscriptions. 
He also questioned whether one official newspaper is enough to serve all the different types of students attending a large university.
Walsh said that "one (student newspaper) can serve, if it's doing its job." He explained that he thinks a college newspaper should act as a forum for differing ideas.
Samuel Becker, chairman of the Department of Speech and Dramatic Art commended this year's Daily Iowan for being "very informative". He said that it has given coverage to ideas that its readers would not ordinarily be exposed to. 
However, Becker, who is chairman of a special committee appointed by Willard Boyd, university president to study the Daily Iowan and its role, added that he felt that this year's DI could have been more "persuasive " if a it had presented material in a different style. 
Referring to the feud between the advertising department and the editorial staff of the Di. McCormally said he found the situation "deplorable" an said as an editor and publisher he would not work in a system in which he did not have control over all departments of the newspaper. 
Durham contended that the DI's problem derives from the fact that the advertising manager has shown no taste and she charged that he has made a conscious effort to undermine the efforts on behalf of women's liberation of this year's editorial staff. 
A member of the audience, Louise Pittman, A4E, criticized Walsh for not interviewing her for a staff position on next year's Daily Iowan. He replied that he had made a tentative decision as to who would fill the position at the time of his appointment as editor. He said he had requested applications for the position in hopes of finding someone with journalistic experience, which Pittman has not indicated she had on her application. 
Durham, after noting that almost 50 per cent of the members of the university community are women, strongly criticize Walsh for his failure to have a woman on his staff for next year. "Do you mean to tell me you couldn't find one qualified women?" she demanded. 
Walsh replied that he had received relatively few applications from women and that. from his standpoint none had been qualified. Durham obviously angry shouted "Bullshit!" while Pittman pointed out that she is as well qualified as others Walsh hired.

Saving...

- Saturday, April 10, 1971 DI 10 cents a copy Role-Playing Leona Durham, G, left, editor of the Daily Iowan, listens attentively as Burlington Hawk-Eye Editor John McCormally, right, makes a point Friday at a symposium on the role of the college newspaper. Randy Stephenson, A4, center, acted as moderator, Other panel members were William Albrecht, associate professor of economics and chairman of the Student Board of Publications, Inc. (SPI), Samuel Becker, professor of speech and dramatic arts and chairman of a commission studying the role of the Daily Iowan, and Tom Walsh, A4, editor-select of the Daily Iowan. - Photo by Diana Hypes - Panel Hassles Over Newspaper Role - Words Fly in DI Debate By Daily Iowan Staff Members. A wide variety of opinion was expressed Friday as five panel members met to discuss the role of the college newspaper. There apparently was no consensus among the panelists as they discussed such questions as "objectivity" versus "subjective fairness" in reporting, the extent to which the college newspaper should be a leader rather than a follower and whether having read Norman Maller's article on women's liberation in a recent issue of Harper's Magazine is sufficient to qualify a person to be termed "well-read." William Albrecht, associate professor of economics and chairman of the Board of Student Publications, Inc (SPI) said that the SPI had chosen Thomas Walsh as next year's Daily Iowan editor because they thought him the most controversial candidate and and that he would "get people the maddest" Walsh, A3, said that he saw the main purpose of the college newspaper as training amateur journalists who could then go out and reform professional journalism. Daily Iowan Editor Leona Durham, G, said that she does not like the present method of choosing the Daily Iowan editor because she feels that SPI is faculty-dominated. She also said that she would not want an editor elected in general student elections because that would make the position "even more of a political football than it is now." John McCormally, editor of the Burlington Hawk-Eye, commented that the Daily Iowan staff should operate as though the paper had to be sold without mandatory student subscriptions. He also questioned whether one official newspaper is enough to serve all the different types of students attending a large university. Walsh said that "one (student newspaper) can serve, if it's doing its job." He explained that he thinks a college newspaper should act as a forum for differing ideas. Samuel Becker, chairman of the Department of Speech and Dramatic Art commended this year's Daily Iowan for being "very informative". He said that it has given coverage to ideas that its readers would not ordinarily be exposed to. However, Becker, who is chairman of a special committee appointed by Willard Boyd, university president to study the Daily Iowan and its role, added that he felt that this year's DI could have been more "persuasive " if a it had presented material in a different style. Referring to the feud between the advertising department and the editorial staff of the Di. McCormally said he found the situation "deplorable" an said as an editor and publisher he would not work in a system in which he did not have control over all departments of the newspaper. Durham contended that the DI's problem derives from the fact that the advertising manager has shown no taste and she charged that he has made a conscious effort to undermine the efforts on behalf of women's liberation of this year's editorial staff. A member of the audience, Louise Pittman, A4E, criticized Walsh for not interviewing her for a staff position on next year's Daily Iowan. He replied that he had made a tentative decision as to who would fill the position at the time of his appointment as editor. He said he had requested applications for the position in hopes of finding someone with journalistic experience, which Pittman has not indicated she had on her application. Durham, after noting that almost 50 per cent of the members of the university community are women, strongly criticize Walsh for his failure to have a woman on his staff for next year. "Do you mean to tell me you couldn't find one qualified women?" she demanded. Walsh replied that he had received relatively few applications from women and that. from his standpoint none had been qualified. Durham obviously angry shouted "Bullshit!" while Pittman pointed out that she is as well qualified as others Walsh hired.