Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 11, 2000)
Legendary journalist criticizes media’s assault ■ Daniel Schorr, of National Public Radio, decries television for “making an assault on reality” By Emily Gust Oregon Daily Emerald At the 1939 World’s Fair, Daniel Schorr tried out RCA’s newest tech nology: The television. After seeing himself on screen, he remembers walking away somewhat skeptical of the device’s potential. “It’s a nice stunt,” Schorr said. “But it won’t go very far.” Now the senior news analyst for National Public Radio, Schorr real izes his judgment was a bit off. But that doesn’t stop him from wishing he had been right. In a keynote address to a crowd of around 450 students, faculty and community members Tuesday, Schorr talked about the increasing fuzziness between reality and non reality invading today’s news me dia, especially television. Schorr’s speech highlighted the University’s Convocation, which took place in the EMU Ballroom. The centuries-old tradition of Con vocation is the ceremonial begin ning of the academic year, while also giving the University a chance to recognize faculty members for their accomplishments. Schorr’s “work and life are the epitomes” of the learning pursuits engaged by all those in the Univer sity community, University Presi dent Dave Frohnmayer said in his opening remarks before Schorr’s speech. In a career spanning more than a half century, Schorr covered many of the biggest events in the past 50 years and worked for a variety of media organizations, including CBS, and helped set up the Cable News Network. He is also a journalist who has consistently worked to preserve honesty and integrity in reporting, to the point of being threatened with jail time for refusing to reveal the name of a source. And so it bothers Schorr when he sees television news reporting in creasingly based on twisting what is real and presenting “virtual reali ty” instead. Take the fact that during Dan Rather’s report from Times Square last New Year’s Eve, a billboard in the background was replaced with a CBS logo, when in reality the sign advertised Budweiser and NBC. This was just some of many ex amples given by Schorr of how “tel evision is making an assault on re ality.” His speech — entitled “Forgive Us Our Press Passes” and delivered without the use of notes — focused on this assault. His critique also included the In ternet, which blurs the lines even more. Schorr said with this tech nology, someone can be a writer, editor and publisher all in one. “You can also have your own ethical standards,” Schorr said. Schorr, for his own part, has spent his career telling people what they don’t know, and trying to dis tinguish reality from virtual reality, he said. Some audience members seemed to appreciate his efforts. Near the crowd of people approaching Schorr for autographs after the speech, Elizabeth Steffensen, a Eu gene resident and one of the coor dinators for the Million Mom March, said she and her six chil dren have spent a lot of time listen ing to the NPR analyst. She said if everyone listened to Schorr, some of the world’s problems could be lessened. “He’s worth listening to for any problem [people] might have,” Stef fensen said. The final story he shared Tues day shows exactly how much he has invested in telling the truth. After CBS refused to air a Mike Wallace interview with a cigarette company “whistle blower,” it was later revealed that the company’s president actually owned a ciga rette company. It was only after this conflict of interest had gone public that CBS decided to air the interview. By then, however, Schorr saw the real moment of action — the moment when Wallace could have made a stand for his journalistic integrity — had been missed. In the film “The Insider,” which dramatized the incident, the char acter playing Wallace was asked Dan Brunell Emerald National Public Radio’s Daniel Schorr speaks at the University’s Convocation on Tues day- Schorr reflected on his storied career and discussed the future of the media. why he didn’t threaten to resign if the segment was not aired. Schorr said the character answered: “And wander for the rest of my life in the wilderness of NPR?” Schorr’s response to that com ment at the end of the speech paint ed the difference between the two men, consequently drawing a line between Wallace’s field — televi sion — and Schorr’s, which is now radio. “You’ve got it wrong, Mike. You’re wandering in a very affluent wilderness,” he said. “I have found the promised land.” I.ivf. and T.f.arn Japanese! The Waseda Oregon Transnational Program, Winter & Spring 2001, in Tokyo, Japan, is a comparative US-Japanese Societies study program that mixes US-based and international students with Japanese undergraduates at the prestigious Waseda University. Three levels of Japanese language instruction are offered in addition to US-Japanese Societies courses in the humanities and social sciences. Scholarships of up to $ 1000 are available! Deadline for applications is October 27, 2000. For more information, contact: Waseda Oregon Office Portland State University (800) 823-7938 www.wasedaoregon.org 515 High 5t Eugene 485-4224 Ino^gsia ♦> Thailand *:* Nepal ❖ India ca ❖ Guatemala ❖ Mexico ❖ * Chile ❖ Hhillipines ❖ ♦ China ❖ Canac CLOTHING ❖ MUSICAL INSTRUMfcT MASKS ❖ JOURNALS ❖ OPEN MON-SAT 10-6 6, SUN 12-5 Blood drive draws needed supply ■The Lane Memorial Blood Bank will be in the EMU’s Fir Room from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. By Bennett Lacy for the Emerald Let’s face it, we can’t live without blood. That’s why the Lane Memorial Blood Bank is back on campus this week with its third-annual Univer sity Blood Drive. Tuesday was the first of a two-day effort to increase Lane County’s blood supply. Today, you can go to the Fir Room in the Erb Memorial Union from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to help saves lives and for your efforts, receive free snacks. Zoe Jones, a senior double-major ing in art history and romance lan guages, is the Blood Drive Chair for the Student Alumni Association and has been working hard to make the drive a success. “The SAA brings the blood drive to campus to give students a chance to give blood who usually would n’t,” Jones said. “I am planning on giving blood today and I hope that more students do the same.” The blood bank is encouraging as many students as possible to help out. Donors should be in good health, at least 17 years old, weigh more than 110 pounds and have had no body piercings or tattoos within the past year. Chris Stockdale, donor recruiter for the Lane County Memorial Blood Bank, is anticipating a large turnout for the drive. “We hope to get at least 200 donors over the two-day draw,” Stockdale said. “We have a bigger draw at the University because we are here for a longer period of time throughout the day. Plus it’s more convenient if the opportunity is on campus for the students.” Although the blood bank rou tinely goes to other businesses and hospitals to raise blood, the reason for the greater success at the Uni versity is because they bring all of the equipment from the blood bank Dan Brunell Emerald Registered nurse Liz Snake prepares to draw blood from Nathan Pietsch in the Fir Room on Tuesday. The Red Cross reports that the country’s blood supply is at an all-time low. to the University so that it can serve more people. Another reason for the blood drive is to prepare for the upcoming holiday season. The increase in car accidents attributed to big holidays increases the demand for blood. “Summer holidays also see a de mand in blood transfusions,” Stockdale said. “Big three-day weekend holidays such as the Fourth of July bring an increase in the demand for blood.” Jessica Humphreys, a junior soci ology major, came on Tuesday to show her support. “I give blood because its am easy way to help people,” Humphreys said. “I have given in the past.” For those donors who are unsure about the safety of giving blood, Stockdale assures everyone that do nating blood has never been safer. “Every needle we use is new, sterile and disposed of after usage,” Stockdale said The Lane County Blood Bank will be back winter and spring terms with two-day drives similar to this week’s. The drives are scheduled for February 6 and 7 along with May 1 and 2. “SAA has put on the drive for as long as I can remember,” Jones said. Jones said that the actual experi ence of donating blood might be something that causes students to turn away. “I think it’s hard for students to donate because it takes a lot of en ergy out of a person,” Jones said. “I hope more people will take the time out to realize how much it tru ly is needed.” Located at 2211 Willamette St., the blood bank is always in need of donors and volunteers to help run drives such as the University Blood Drive. “This is the largest off-property drive we put on,” Stockdale said. “When we go to businesses or churches with our bloodmobiles and limited supplies, we usually only get approximately 20 people over a three hour stay.” If you or anyone you know is in terested in donating blood, you can contact the Lane Memorial Blood Bank at 484-9111.
