Michael Cowlings speech

UW-Oshkosh Professor Michael Cowling, a part-time copy editor for The New York Times, gave a speech Wednesday dealing with the integrity that newspaper holds as well as the problems that have appeared within the past few years.

Cowling said that The New York Times is different from other publications. He gave several examples as to what makes the Times unique. The atmosphere of the newspaper gives its employees the ability to form committees and make suggestions. He also said that the Times is a more democratic newspaper, as opposed to most papers where the editors make the decisions.

The Times has a high level of integrity, Cowlings pointed out, that other newspapers have not obtained. One item that separates the Times from other newspapers is its staff. It has a large staff of experts in their field. Cowlings said that reporters for the Times do not have to be journalism graduates. The paper wants the best of the best working for it. They hire reporters who display knowledge in a given field. For example, doctors write medical stories. Cowlings said the Times “want smart people who know a lot.” This adds to its credibility as well when it has experts in a given field writing for the stories.

Another area Cowlings spoke on was the way the paper handles its sources. Many papers run into the problem of how to cite a source that wants to remain confidential while at the same time maintaining a credible story. The Times believe that its sources should be protected, especially if they (the source) want to remain anonymous. In order to still have the information in the story, the newspaper protects the identity of the source but explains to the readers why the source was not cited.

Cowlings said that the Times expect excellence. Grammar is important to check, as it is in most newsrooms. Ultimately, Cowlings said that the Times” want the final product to be the best it can be.” There is the expectation that the entire staff will do everything they can do, collectively as well as individually, to make its stories the best. He pointed out that when mistakes are run, the Times will correct things most papers normally will not. For example, he stated that one time the paper ran a correction from a story that had run 50 years earlier.

Although the Times strive to maintain a high level of integrity, Cowlings pointed out some pressures in the past years that have led to problems for the paper. For instance, the Times had a problem in 2003 with one of its reporters, Jayson Blair. He was caught plagiarizing and fabricating stories. This scandal cost the Times some of its credibility.

The Times has also lost some of its sharp coverage on stories. He said that recently it has been distracted by several interfering factors. After September 11 there were challenges the media faced such as getting coverage in Iraq. The Times has had some troubles in its investigation, which has not been as strong in the past few years. Cowlings questioned how the Times should cover stories when the recent American attitude has become so patriotic. Another area that has distracted the Times is the managerial changes that have occurred.

Although the Times has had its share of problems, Cowlings still feels that “there is no place quite like it.” He also said that it is still “top dog.”

Cowlings, a graduate from Eastern Illinois University and University of Illinois, studied history and journalism with an emphasis in news editorial. He has not only worked for the Times but also has held jobs with The Chicago Sun-Times and The Los Angeles Times. He has participated in a variety of events and has written many essays. In October 2004, he was inducted into the journalism hall of fame at Eastern Illinois University.