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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 14, 1981)
Local media finds gay news difficult By ANNA HOYT Of the Emerald Objective media coverage of gay issues is a myth, claimed one audience member at a pan el discussion sponsored by the Gay Peoples’ Alliance as a part of Gay Pride Week. The panel, which consisted of five representatives from the Eugene media, discussed the media’s coverage of gay news. The audience member said objective coverage of gay issues is a dangerous myth because the media doesn’t give the coverage that people need. She cited the football scandal as an example. If it had been reported with a feminist point of-view, the rape would have been the most important aspect, not the lost money, she said. Eugene Register-Guard re porter Lyoyd Passeman ex plained it was hard to balance various aspects of the story "when we simply could not pin down any factual information." People tend to remember the first information heard on a story, and misinformation could do more harm than good, Pa seman said. "Seldom does a correction catch up with an error." Space considerations are an other reason for limited gay news coverage, Paseman said. "Since you cannot publish everything, the editorial deci sion of what runs has to be sub jective," he said. "Typically, our Elections to decide student board reps By GABRIEL BOEHMER Of the Emerald University students will elect six representatives to the Student University Affairs Board in the primary election Wednes day and Thursday. Too few candidates are run ning for the student board to justify a run-off in next week’s general election, unless write-in votes bring unfiled candidates into the races. Keith Johnson and Tamae Moriyasu are contending to represent business and econ omics students on the SUAB. Johnson, a 24-year-old senior majoring in finance and econ omics, is concerned about the financial plight of the University. ‘‘Things are really tight, and they’re not going to get any better,” Johnson says. Although Johnson has never attended a SUAB meeting, he has a definite idea of the board’s function in the University ad ministration. "SUAB should voice students’ interests. And you shouldn't support only what’s good for your group.” Johnson says he would sup port the Career Planning and Placement Service, which he considers important for busi ness majors. Vying with Johnson for the business and economics posi tion is Tamae Moriyasu, a 20-year-old sophomore major ing in marketing. Moriyasu says she would stress better communication between the University’s department heads so the University’s budget problems could be better understood. "Students are pretty worried right now," Moriyasu says. “Oregon has a strong business school, and I don’t want that to go downhill.” Running for the political science position on the board are David Newell and David Montgomery. Newell, a 19-year-old so phomore, is Information and Grievance Center director for SUAB. Newell says he already at tends SUAB and University faculty senate meetings regularly, but that he would feel more effective as a voting member of the student board. Newell says his goals for the SUAB would depend on the priorities set by the student board, but he says he is con cerned about closed and over crowded sections of University classes. In the only other contended race, Cheryl Steinhaus and David Kosse are running for the SUAB journalism position. Steinhaus, a 20-year-old pre journalism sophomore, has dir ected ESCAPE publicity this academic year. "I could represent students well," Steinhaus says. "I would like to get involved in politics.” Although Steinhaus says the student board isn’t used en ough by students, she says in telligent student representation can help the taculty senate make better decisions. Her opponent David Kosse could not be reached for com ment. In uncontested races, Kevin Conover is seeking the SUAB biology-chemistry position, Paul Rudinsky is running for the undeclared major position, Geoffrey Nichols hopes to fill the Computer and Information Science-Math position, and SUAB incumbent Susan Browning wants to serve a second term as music repre sentative. Candidates did not file for po sitions representing law, com munity service and public af fairs, and architecture and allied arts. The three positions will be elected by write-in votes. Make a great impression with resumes copied or printed on your choice ot paper at Eugene Print We otter quick, convenient service — or a self-service copier — with finished copies that will help you put your best foot forward! «t EUGENE PRINT Two locations: 2387 West 11th, 686-9799 20 East 13th, 484-2601 TAX HELP Sponsored by Beta Alpha Psi We’ll be in the EMU every Tues., Wed., and Thurs., 10:30-2:30, from now until April 15th to help you with your tax questions. coverage focuses on major speakers.” The Register-Guard has no policy to exclude gay news, Pa seman said. The paper strives to live up to its policy of “being accurately balanced and in good taste,” he said. KEZI-TV’s Rosemary Reed said television news has a special problem covering gay news because of the visual na ture of the medium. TV news runs into problems “showing people doing what they do," she said. Reed said a reporter and cameraman got into trouble when they filmed a couple kiss ing at the gay kissing booth last year. “Some people aren’t ready for that,” Reed said. “We got calls, lots of calls." Complaints contribute to limited air coverage of gays, Reed said. People call and say “we don’t want to see this dur ing the dinner hour,” she said. Getting more gay news on the air is difficult, even if the video is harmless and isn’t offensive, Reed said. A gay story she did was pulled after the evening news and replaced by an oran gutan story for the 11 p.m. news, she said. Reed said the story showed a gay couple sitting under a tree and similar innocent scenes. "I think the pressure of phone calls caused them to put the orangutan on.” Reed said she would like to see the situation change. "We just have to keep plugging away.” Positive letters and phone calls to the station help, she said. Reed said she doesn’t see a significant trend toward con servatism in the station's phone calls. The callers, she said, "are just as nasty as they’ve always been." Paseman, however, sees an alarming change in attitudes. “It’s more acceptable now to come down on minorities,” he said, referring to recent in cidents of racial harassment in Eugene. Ken Doctor of the Willamette Valley Observer said the role of his paper is a "watchdog of the community" and investigates issues such as the Moral Major ity. The Observer tries to reach a segment of its readers each week and hopefully make a change, Doctor said. Terry Yaffe of Womens' Press said her paper doesn’t “go after", gay rights issues, but the stories it prints include all aspects. The monthly paper focuses on womens' issues and goes from there, Yaffe said. miner _rOCKLCiri. FROZEN YOGURT A low-calorie dessert 13th & Hilyard Atrium, downtown y ‘SUMMER IN THE ROCKIES’ Employment Opportunities available for College students in ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, ESTES PARK, AND VAIL, COLORADO June to mid-late September, in the areas of: RESORT HOTELS • FOOD SERVICE • RETAIL SALES For more information, send $5.00 to: ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESORT EMPLOYMENT SERVICES Post Office Box 2559 Vail, Colorado 81657 The Book Department Free Mailing Offer We will mail at our expense, in one package to a single destination in the U.S., books from our Book Department purchased at $10 or more between April 13 and May 9. This offer applies to books only from our Book Department purchased between April 13 and May 9 (receipt required) No textbooks will be accepted for the offer We guarantee to have your packages gift-wrapped and in the mail within 24 hours, but cannot guarantee delivery, since the Post Office will not Each purchase of $10 or more from The Book Department will allow one package to be mailed free For instance, you may buy several books totaling at least $10, have them gift-wrapped free (separately, if you wish) and mailed together to one destination You may not. however, buy two $5 books and have them sent to two different addresses From The Booh Department 13th & Kincaid Mon-Fri 8:15-5:30 Sat 10:00-2:00 Textbooks 686-3520 • General Books 686-3510 • Supplies 686-4331
