The print., June 01, 1983, Page 2, Image 2

just dollars and cents
an idea that went across her
mind especially since the Board
Editor In Chief
was dealing with a budget that
At a Board of Education is contained in two books, each
meeting last month my ears several inches high.
Also, the food program’s
perked up at a question raised
by one of the board members. financial status was questioned.
The discussion was about the Year after year the cafeteria
proposed budget, and it was goes further and further into
asked if it was a goal of The debt.
J. Dana Haynes
This is an area of concern,
Print to ever become self-
especially since the cafeteria is
Acting News Editor
supportive.
The answer to the ques­ not an acedemic department of
A fascinating case is currently underway in
tion was given by an Ad­ the College. So how did The Los Angeles. The defendent in the lawsuit case
Print
get
tied
in
with
a
non
­
ministrative Dean who frankly
in none other than Dan Rather, and his old
avoided the question quite academic program?
magazine show, “60 Minutes.”
nicely. If he would have be.en
It would be nice to say that
The case goes like this: On Dec. 9, 1979,
straight forward he probably student publications is self- “60 Minutes” did an article on fraudulent
would have been laughed out supportive, but it is not prac­ automobile accident reports, which people were
of the meeting.
tical at this time. Oh yes, the using to bilk insurance companies out of millions
My curiosity to the ques­ board member also added that of dollars.
tion arose because I feel The when she worked for her high
In the article, Rather presented several
Print has a chance to become school newspaper they sold pieces of evidence pointing to a scam, including
self-supportive and it would be advertisements. Well, we do a fake accident report, with the signature of Dr.
nice, but why should we have too but costs easily surpass that Carl A. Galloway.
to be?
minimal revenue.
Unfortunately, Dr. Galloway says the
The Print is> a department
The Print is valuable to the signature was forged and “60 Minutes,” in the
at the College just like nursing, College and it is the voice of persons of Rather and producer Steven Clauber,
automotive, music or any other the students. If it is ever con­ did not bother to find this out and thus ruined his
area. So what prompted this sidered to take funds away, it career.
member to bring this up? It would only be hurting the
It is for the court to decide whether or not
seems to me that it was not just students.
“60 Minutes” was guilty of slander. However the
outcome, it will be an interesting and ground­
breaking case.
Final Exam Schedule - Spring 1983
There are two possible verdicts that would
be beneficent to the news media, and two ver­
dicts that would be disastrous.
Time/Day
Monday
Tuesday Wednesday
The first positive result would be to find
Rather innocent, on the basis that the magazine
8-10
9 M
8 M
7:30 T
show did the proper homework by placing two
telephone calls to Dr. Galloway, neither of which
11 M
10-12
10 M
9T
the Doctor returned (which is what Rather has
testified).
1 M
12-2
12 M
10:30 T
The second positive result would be to find
Rather and “60 Minutes” guilty on the grounds
that they did not do enough digging.
3 M
2-4
2 M
1 T
For the most part, journalism in America is
the absolute pinacle of propriety. If anyone
Conflicts
4-6
Conflicts
2:30 T
doubts that, they are encouraged to travel to
Europe, especially England, wherein nearly
every newspaper is edited along the lines of The
THE PRINT, a member of the Oregon Newspaper Publishers
National Enquirer. However, there are cases of
Association, aims to be a fair and impartial journalistic medium
misconduct from journalists in America, in
covering the campus community as thoroughly as possible. Opi­
newspapers, radio, magazines, and television,
nions expressed in THE PRINT do not necessarily reflect those of
television.
the College administration, faculty; Associated Student Govern­
If “60 Minutes,” one of the most powerful
ment or other members of THE PRINT. Clackamas Community
College, 19600 S. Molalla Avenue, Oregon City, OR 97045.
and unsullied news gathering agencies in the
country, can have their figurative pants sued off
By Doug Vaughan
Slander suit
‘60 Minutes’ verdict to help,
hinder American journalism
for slander, then it will serve to resupport and
strengthen the already rigid code of ethics to
which all news persons adhere.
The free press is one of the most visible cor­
nerstones of a free society, and the code of
ethics is the failsafe system that protects this
country from the protectors. If even “60
Minutes” is not invulnerable to slander charges,
then every journalist in the nation will tread that
much more carefully around the bill of rights.
However, there are still two more possible
verdicts which could stem from Galloway vs. “60
Minutes.”
The first negative outcome would be to find
Rather innocent for the sole reason that he is a
newsman, and thus is above the law. Everyone
knows of those journalists who use the first am-
mendment as a shield for any actions they wish
to take.
The first amendment was designed to pro­
tect society from a repressive government, not to
give reporters carte blanche, ala-The National
Enquirer.
If Rather and his old program are found not
guilty by reason of profession, then it will serve
only to sully that show’s unsullied record.
The fourth possible verdict would be the
one many people around the country have
already picked, that Rather is guilty because the
press thinks it’s so high and mighty, and “60
Minutes” is the worst of the bunch.
I have a good friend who works for a
nation-wide retail company. Earlier this year,
“60 Minutes” did an expose on this company.
My friend did not watch that episode because
“Well, you know ‘60 Minutes.’ I’m sure they
went out to do a hatchet job on us.”
There is a great deal of distrust for the jour­
nalistic media in this country and if a guilty ver­
dict was returned to put Rather in his place (even
if such a verdict was subconscious) it would serve
to enforce the idea that all journalists dream of
hiding in trees with zoom lenses waiting for Liz.
Taylor to drive by, and it would weaken the in­
vestigative abilities of reporters everywhere.
Make no mistake: One cannot have a free
society without a free press, and nothing should
be allowed to impede the strength of journalism,
not even journalists themselves.
Clackamas Community College