page 4
monday, january 28, 1980
daily nebraskan
u
n
Traditional valies- dcraci perepllii
Values within any. institution
come and go as the years and tradi
tion will allow.
When an institution becomes a
closed system or fails to perceive it
self in relation to the outside world,
these values become especially de
fined and irreplaceable.
One example of institutionalizing
is the special vocabulary used within
an area of expertise.Use this jargon
with anyone from another sector of
society and they are quickly con
fused to the meaning of the intended
communication.
Individuals perceive their role and
the role of their institutions differ
ently. Often these perceptions can
become traditional to a point that
society has lost track of these closed
values or ethics and cannot under
stand the rationale behind them.
' It is at this point that institutions
should step back and attempt to per
ceive themselves in the way the rest
of our fragmented society would.. If
society cannot understand the
rationale for values which are deeply
rooted, then perhaps it is time to re
evaluate those values-regardless of
whether it violates tradition or the
institutionalizing effect.
Values are important to the oper
ation of any institution and the sta
bility of -any society is cemented
firmly in this foundation. It is unfor
tunate, however, when this founda
tion has become so firmly settled
that new ideas (or old ideas for that
matter) are totally rejected or con
demned for the mere reason of tra
dition. Within the realm of the journalism
institution, values can have very ser
ious implications. . For example,
could this country have been formed
without a hostile and revolutionary
colonial press? Did the methods be
hind which these journalists placed
their beliefs violate promotional or
ethical guidelines? And if they did,
should traditional journalism have
been sacrificed for such ideals?
As in any institution, it is hoped
that values won't be placed so high
that they are untouchable or unquestionable.
In journalism, we like to think
that serving our readership comes
first. Serving that readership includes
not only providing the news, but en
suring efficiency from government,
provoking 'thoughts "and new ideas
and generating interest from reader
ship on important issues. ,
Perhaps one of the most impor
tant values in journalism is providing
a forum for debate in a country
where freedom of speech is so im
portant. Let's hope journalists don't forget
that readers demand more than
merely their personal interpretation
of the news. .
Harry Allen Strunk
Contest idea good,
but not front page
By Liz Austin
Extra, extra, read all about it! Daily Nebraskan
sponsors letter-writing contest.
The contest must be important news. After all, it got
front 'page coverage last Wednesday while stories on an
Afghanistan symposium and the proposed energy bill were
moved to page three. .
In other words, "real news" was dubbed secondary to
the Daily Nebraskan V promotion of a self-sponsored
c mtcst. This doesn't fit with the usual purpose of news
papers, which is to cover the news and riot make it.
The theme of the contest is "Hqw does the university
contribute to the state?4 According to the editor in chief
the contest may offer readers an opportunity for input
into the administration and the Legislature during the
appropriation process.
Actualllythe contest is a good idea. The contest could
s.,pjp,vide a forum for people who would not have an
opportunity otherwise. Both the university and the public
could benefit from ideas discussed in the contest letters,
The title of the contest should not have been t4how
does the university contribute to the state?" Perhaps not
everyone would agree that it does contribute. Rather, it
should be "does the university contribute to the state"
and the editor in chief concedes this point.
However, I cannot agree that the promotion for the
contest should have been on the front page.
According to the editor in chief, this is the most im
portant issue with which the Daily Nebraskan will deal
this semester, so it deserved front-page placement.
Traditionally, the most important news or issues of the
day are placed on the front page.
Placing the contest promotion on the front page isn't
going to prompt any more readers to write letters. The
person concerned enought to write a letter will be the
sdme person concerned enough to read the entire paper
and notice the contest no matter what page the
promotion is on.
The people most bothered by Wednesday's front page
are journalists. A traditional journalism ethic has been
broken. Newspapers don't usually make a selt-promotea
contest more important than the real news" of the day.
Still, I try to see the reasoning behind this. I realize
that creativity is good, and I know of one journalism pro.
fessor who stresses it in his classes. But 1 don't think he
meant anything like, an advertisement on the front page.
U-J? -."in.
f
I KN9W TH8R& WAS
DN contest ad i
nsulted iournal i sts
O '
The advertisement plastered on the front page of the
Jan. 23 Daily Nebraskan was an affront to the integrity of
journalists in general and student journalists in particular.
With just one issue, this semester's Daily Nebraskan has
nullified the efforts of hundreds of journalists, past and
present, struggling to make the newpaper credible to read
ers on campus and off.
It is one thing to jeopardize a newspaper's most
cherished possessions -integrity and credibility -through
an innocent error, btft quite another through a deliberate
act.
By its pageone play, the advertisement demonstrates
that the Daily Nebraskan- judged its own promotion the
most important news of the day. This means stories
buried on inside pages included:
-a political scientists explanation of how the United
States passivity played a role in the Soviet invasion of
Afghanistan;
-a faculty member's comments on the effect of spend,
ing lids on the quality of American education;
-Gov. Charles Thone's reaction to a proposed energy
conservation and independence bill;
-the Legislature's second-round defeat of a proposal to
remove taxes from food sold in grocery stores.
The very phrasing of the contest question -"How does
the University of Nebraska contribute to the state?"-ask
for comments on only one facet of the, issue and
erroneously assumes that what is good for the university is
good for all Nebraskans. .
If the purpose of the contest is indeed to provide a
forum and a means for communication between the
students, general public, administrators and legislators,
then a better question might have been, "How important
is the University of Nebraska to the state?" .
Traditionally.it has been the role of the American
press to function as the watchdog of the government and
its activities. Similarly, it has been the role of the student
press to keep vigil over the affairs of the administration.
By taking an advocate's role and aligning itself with the
administration in its quest for a budget increase, the Daily
Nebraskan has, in a system of checks and balances, com.
promised itself and its readers by tipping the scale to one
side.
If the Daily Nebraskan truly is trying to ser e its read,
ers, as Editor Harry Strunk stated in his editorial that day,
then why were readers forced to wade through disguised
university propaganda in search of information?
The press and government make strange bedfellows. By
that measure, this semester's Daily Nebraskan has
prostituted itself and bastardized journalism.
Kathy Chenault
Senior journalism major
Opinions expressed o,n the editorial page are not
necessarily those of the college, university, student
body or Daily Nebraskan staff.
The Daily Nebraskan welcomes letters to the
editor and guest opinions. Timeliness, clarity of
writing and originality is considered when selecting
material for publication,
All submissions are subject . to editing and
condensation and cannot be returned to the writer.
Material should be typed if possible and
submitted with the writer's name, class standing,
academic major or occupation, address and phone
number.
Mail or deliver letters and guest opinions to the
Daily Nebraskan, Room 34, Nebraska Union,
Lincoln, Neb. 68588.
