The student newspaper runs a story about where to have the best sex on campus, with boasts from male students about their conquests. This is published – it's an actual situation. It's followed by tremendous outcry, even some consideration by administration of shutting the paper down. How would you have handled this situation?
Journalism professor Bob Bailyn asked the question the same way, but each candidate answered it differently. One answered it worse than the others.
DON MARIUTTO
The former SunSentinel employee, who was clueless on many other aspects of college media law, simply declared, "I probably wouldn't have said anything about it directly, period."
"Really," Bailyn countered. "You're not going to say anything?"
"But it's editorial."
ANNIE HAMMOCK
"One of the things you can do as a student media adviser is vet ideas," said the CNN web producer. "That's not the same as mandating stories. But good journalism is almost always a team effort."
Hammock added, "You can't just do it because it's salacious." But she concluded, "Ultimately, the student media leaders are going to be the ones whose names are on that, and if they're comfortable putting it out there, and there are no legal or ethical issues involved, it's their newspaper or their station."
MICHAEL DOUGLAS
Here's how this former TV reporter responded, followed by incredulous questions from University Press editor Karla Bowsher...
One, if I was the direct adviser for the paper, how come I did not know about it? Is someone slipping things in? That's not good, because that means we're not working on the same team.
What do you mean slipping things in?
Well again, if I am the direct adviser, the person should know exactly what's going into the paper, because its called checks and balances.
The adviser?
Of course!
So prior review?
Prior review is different than knowing everything that's going in there.
I almost choked on my own saliva. Hell, if that's not prior review, what is?
Then Douglas ran through his litany of requirements before he'd even allow a student reporter to pursue the story.
Listen to it here.
What really jolted me was watching Student Affairs dean Corey King nod his head slowly, deeply, and deliberately as Douglas spoke. Uh-oh...
MONDAY: Dropping like flies.
