Media accountable, critic says By Michele Stengel Aqr Oregon Qa&fy '<$ journalist* must understand that tin* First Amendment is what allows journalism to really serve the public-. The Washing ton Post's ombudsman said Tuesday at the University. "Let s remind ourselves that the whole purpose of the Bill of Rights has to do with the citi zens of the United States." Joann Byrd said It wasn't written so The Hegister Guard or the Ore gonian or The Washington Post Sou Id do wh.it the journalists there want to do. It was written for the w hole American public Bvrd. a IftfiS University grad unto, spoke during the t/lh annual Ruhl Lecture at the Uni versity Tuesday She is the ombudsman for The Washington Post which means that she ev al uates the newspaper's news cov erage and deals with < ustomer t omplamts Her 30-plus years ns a journal ist inspired her to trv to con - vines the audience that journalists are abusing the First Amendment by holding it responsible tor what they do w hen thev exploit its license to dismiss critic ism from the pub lit. Journalist* are accountable to the public thev need to be open about their rationale and respect a different view of how thev carrv out their responsibilities, instead of stonewalling i run s Byrd said "We are the key to the puhlli s exercising the rights and respon sibilities of citizenship, she said If the people who read our paner can't hold us at i ountoble. then I guess it's true that newspapers are the only institution in sm ietv ai i Quotable to no one B\ rd said Journalists abuse the freedom of the press every tune thev think that it is a command to apply no judgment, or they use it as a shield or ait as if outsiders have no right to question w hat they do "As long as we sav that y\e are doing this on the publi< '* behalf, as long as w e claim all the at cess and freedom that come to us under the First Amendment, tin ;, we are obligated to say exactly how we i ante to do w hatever we did. Byrd said Rvrd said the puhlli does not trust journalists to be thought ful about what they do be< ause they see journalists is part ol a political class, the rulers of an ol i garchv that hat replaced demo< racy "There tt a broad belief that journalists have our own agenda and we don't know or partli u larly want to know what's on the minds of people who aren't jour nalists or Journalists' sources. Bvrd said Byrd said that if there is much more erosion journalists will lose their reason for being: the First .Amendment can t save journal ists from being abandoned by the people who no longer trust their promise to serve them. When people think we are m this for ourselves, they see mis takes as ev idem e of i onspirai \ or sloth or worse the general decline of an endeavor that now kisses off its own ideals its ril said When people < nmplain about the media thev usually challenge the fa< t that journalists esurcise tbeir right to freedom of the press Bvrd s ml We do deserve the first Amendment if we take seriously the interests of the people we serve Bvrd said "If we respar t our readers as people who deserve to ask And as people who deserve the right answers ET ALS MM TINK.S Anan- and Pii ific AmrrMin Sludrnl I mon wu! tun! loda* a! • {) n» in PM(l Room I'm* utive* will m»-et a! 4 p m For more mfor nutl ion. < «tll 146-9.1)5 IM: Will meet for a budget hearing tod.tv a! I 10 p in ill Room ^44 (,i!1**m For more information, call J46 JT41) lapaneM Sludrnl Orx«nnaliun will mon! todav <*i 4 10 pm in Room 14J St rat it» lor mure informal mu. tall W’ tt>H2 l it%*anii'il Sexual tit-ha* tor I a*k force will Him*l !t«Uy f»OIU M H) to 2 p m in the IMT hoard Hoorn for more informal ion < all I4f> 1105 MIS( f t LANK H S V irlnumrM Sludrnl \%%o« mlkm vxill have noon ntli.m* and ele* nons tonight at 7 m the Smith Hall Lounge For more information call 141. 6490 |rwt«h Sludrnl t mon will pre-vent Profe**ur Mu on KnfhFiart tonight at 7 in Kutun 100 Willamette Outdoor Program to ill prevent the noon video liofilU* Mur Nar row* of the l.rwn today at 11 K) p m m the LM1 Outdoor Program room For more in formal toil. «ail 146-4365. Alpha Lambda DrllaThi Ka Sigma will have an Ur i ream »m ,a. tonight at l> 10 at Farrell * k r t ream Parlour and Kevtaurant For more information, call 146 6177 COMMUNITY UPDATE Group accepting more clients The VYomen, Infants, Children Nutrition Program of Eugene's Family Resourc es Inis openings for eligible clients rht' rnsmirt e group is funded through the U S Department of Agru ulture to help cover the i osts of food and provide nutrition edit i .it iH7 12 VI Bijou seeks artist The Bijou Theater is offering a vearlong fris* movie pass to the person who can design a T slurt to promote the theater Fntries should 1*1 presented to Louise at the Bijou, at 4‘12 F lrith Ave , by Mnv II ( all fiHfv-2458 for more details EDITOR Continued from Page 1 newspaper. Gazlat said Ber^ said hi* dei uit>d to run tor the editor position bet ause he believed he could provide stu dent employees in the news department tilth practical expo nent e and inspiration. ”1 fee! 1 owe the Fnwrald," he said. [hiring Berg's year as the hnirr alii editor-in-chief, he doesn't plan on making rnanv structural changes However, he said he will con tinue the Knit’raid'a "quality'' amount of campus coverage Berg said he encourages non journalism students to write for the po|>er, whether through urti ties. letters or commentaries lit* said he'll tie willingto talk to [>eo ple next year with a i omplaint. a suggestion or thov ‘who just like to talk A numlxtr of issues will remain log storms next soar in the Emerald. Berg said These issues include 1 Will's Ballot Measure 5. the property tax limiting measure, inufticulturalism and safety. UNIVERSITY THEATRE SECOND SEASON PRESENTS ROOSTERS By Nllclia Sanctiez-Scotf Feaiorlni me Music ol SANDGMiA April 21-24.20-39. May I 8pm Ireoa Theairr Viliam laU BoiOltkr 34MI4I JADE PALACE CANTONESE & SZECHUAN CUISINE Professional Wok Cooking Extensive Menu Superb Quality - No M.S.G. ★ Huge Portions ★ No Extra Charge 906V^tj^4^52^^lose^onday ALVINAILEY A W f K I ( A \ D \ N ( t T H [ A r [ K i t * I ! H A VI I S l I S A K f I \ f' l ■ « f t 'OK Ml It l t\UK TUESDAY, MAY 4 8PM 5 < s •- .. \1V»N \ll t % \Mf RM IHM I tMMff R is Nf< ISM >«t I > Ft Ml If VM HIKlN < » VMI* NSII N l\< V V V tU SUMMER JOBS IN RENO Personnel Representatives will bo on campus in the Student Union Wednesday, April 21 (Sr Ilutrsdav, April 22 from 9 am to 4 pm Pick up Applications in Hendricks f lail Room 12 If you have any questions please rail us in Reno at 1 -800-777-5325 eiooftaoo MOluVCAS NO RENO pi i! Specitl 6«sU ARTIS TIE SfOONMAN 4 imuirm nuiiuii imum SJffllty mu mk-si j loros post Cinco De Mayocelekniion! plus special guests I msiyinu i££?aa| ' \- ■ .• • i ;l ^ >4 ' t ACI MUS*< M » ' M| M •. M| • f M ' .f)t H I JH |K K I r I tit 0««rlAl JO#* A* l >4i> -i Mw'