Cowling Debunks Myths of Nations Top Paper

Mike Cowling, Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, spoke at a luncheon today about the history and recent changes of his summer employer for the past eight years, The New York Times.

The Times has long been one of the most prestigious newspapers in America, but according to Cowling it has been loosing its way in the years after the September 11 Attacks and the Jason Blair incident. The paper has had to adapt to change, including hiring an In House Editor, to serve as a voice for the public. According to Cowling the paper once thought of itself as being elite, but has been adopting a more democratic operation.

Cowling was quick to point out the positive aspects of the paper, including the fact that it has won 90 Pulitzer Prizes, almost twice as many as any other publication. “The Times expects excellence from everyone, no matter where they are in the editing process,” Cowling said. The paper allows copy editors to change things and move around parts of articles to make the publication better.

The Times has a long running tradition of doing things that most papers would not. Every day mistakes that readers point out can be found in the corrections section, including one that was recently pointed out from an article that was printed 50 years ago.

The paper has taken a stand against being patriotic just because the government says they should be. The recent court case of Judith Miller caused the Times to spring into action, sending a memorandum to its employees saying that they should accept and use protected sources.

Miller’s case is not the first time that the Times has come under fire for not granting the government access to its sources. Cowling, who double majored in Journalism and History at Eastern Illinois University, told his audience about a case in 1857 where a journalist from the Times has been sentenced to jail under contempt of congress, but only served 19 days once his story broke.

Cowling also pointed out that the New York Times has remained family owned throughout its history, unlike The Los Angeles Times, where he also worked as a national editor. He has also been employed as a reporter or editor on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and The Chicago Sun Times.

One of Cowlings proudest accomplishments while at the New York Times was his “$300 headline.” Every month The Times picks the best headline and pays the writer a $300 bonus for their work. Cowling won for his headline about a hot tub being installed in the White House during the Clinton Administration, reading “White House Addition Lets President Enjoy Sitting In Hot Water.”

Cowling was a professor at California State University- Fullerton and Poly Pomona before he came to the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. He currently teaches media ethics and editing and still manages to work five nights a week on The New York Times’ national and foreign desks as a copy editor.