Post-Landers Landscape

By: Dave Astor When newspaper readers "wake up and smell the coffee" during the next few months, they could see a much different advice-column landscape.

With the June 22 death of Ann Landers, a syndication colossus is gone. She appeared in 1,200 newspapers, a huge total that never dipped even as her column neared the half-century mark. So what's going to happen to those 1,200 slots?

Creators Syndicate is hoping many newspapers like the three-in-one package it will distribute after the last Landers-written column runs July 27. The package includes the daily "Annie's Mailbox" column by longtime Landers assistants Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, the weekly "Dear Prudence" column Landers' daughter Margo Howard writes for Slate.com, and a weekly "classic" Landers column previously published between 1955 and 2002. Creators President Richard Newcombe said many editors and readers requested the opportunity to run Landers' work again.

Meanwhile, "Dear Abby" added more than 35 clients to its 1,200-paper list as of June 27 -- a large total given that some clients in this era of one-paper markets run both Landers and "Abby," so "Abby" obviously can't get new business in those locales. The Universal Press Syndicate column was started in 1956 by Landers' twin sister Abigail Van Buren and is now written by Van Buren's daughter Jeanne Phillips.

Other Advice Columnists

Other advice columnists could fill some of Landers' slots, too. Among them are four writers with a large percentage of younger readers: Carolyn Hax of the Washington Post Writers Group, the self-syndicated Amy Alkon, the self-syndicated Harlan Cohen, and Tara Solomon of Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.

The newer advice columnists feel newspapers should bring fresh voices into their pages -- noting that this might attract more of the younger readers many papers want so much to reach.

But Universal and Creators officials say the audience for their advice features includes many younger people, too.

Universal Vice President of Sales John Vivona added, "Editors are turning to 'Dear Abby' to fill Ann Landers' space because it would take them years, if not decades, to build a new advice column to the level of trust and popularity that 'Dear Abby' has."

Howard, in support of "Annie's Mailbox," said: "Combining the generational difference and their breadth of experience working with my mother, Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar will meld the Ann Landers approach with a new-century, modern spin."

Houston Chronicle Deputy Managing Editor Susan Bischoff said different advice columns may end up targeting different age groups, genders, and more. "I think there's going to be more segmentation," said the former president of the American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors, which inducted Landers and Van Buren into its hall of fame last October.

And, of course, some budget-conscious and space-strapped papers may not replace Landers with anyone. After Erma Bombeck died in 1996, many of her 700 clients never filled her space with another humor columnist.

Also, newspapers don't have a monopoly on advice -- people will continue to find it on the Web, in magazines, in books, and elsewhere. "We're just inundated with advice," said Jeffrey Zaslow, who won a 1987 contest to replace Landers at the Chicago Sun-Times after she moved to the Chicago Tribune. He's now a columnist for The Wall Street Journal.

That same year, Landers signed with Creators -- helping to give the new syndicate instant credibility. "As the first columnist to join us, she made the company possible," said Creators founder Newcombe, who, in his previous job as head of the old News America Syndicate, was instrumental in allowing Eppie Lederer the contractual right to the Ann Landers name. (Ruth Crowley had written the Landers column for the Sun-Times prior to 1955.) Lederer used that right to request that nobody else write the column under the Landers name after she died.

Praise For the Late Landers

Newcombe, who was close friends with Landers, said she had a "fount of common sense and an incredibly positive attitude." He added that Landers' column remained popular until her death at age 83 -- noting, by way of example, that the Los Angeles Times was deluged with complaint calls when it inadvertently dropped the feature for a day a year or so ago.

"Ann Landers was a true pioneer," added Cohen. "I especially think it's remarkable to see how her views evolved over the years."

Zaslow said Landers' compassion, clout, and "moxie" made her "like Oprah before Oprah, Martha Stewart before Martha Stewart, and Muhammad Ali before Muhammad Ali."

Bischoff described Landers as "very direct and very smart."

National Society of Newspaper Columnists President Peter Rowe of The San Diego Union-Tribune said: "Her warmth, wisdom, and common sense informed and consoled generations of Americans."

Newspaper Features Council President Sue Smith of The Dallas Morning News said: "I have to wonder if there will ever be someone like Ann and Abby again. I tend to think not."

Feud Jumps To New Generation?

Meanwhile, the newspaper where Landers was based reported that Margo Howard is upset with Jeanne Phillips -- a situation eerily reminiscent of the years-long ill feelings between their mothers.

Howard told Chicago Tribune reporter Rick Kogan: "I am highly offended by Jeanne Phillips' not-at-all subtle move to make hay of my mother's death." The story said Howard's comments "were prompted by Phillips' [June 25] appearance on CNN's Larry King Live, in which she tearfully expressed grief at her aunt's death"; and by Phillips' farewell column about Landers that Howard felt was written and distributed partly as a way to get more clients for "Dear Abby."

In response, Universal told the Tribune that Phillips turned down interviews on several national TV shows, but felt obliged to keep the commitment -- made before Landers' death -- to appear on King's program. "As a guest on the show, she could not control content or questions," said Universal, "but she answered the questions that were asked of her about her aunt with the utmost respect and sincerity."

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Pitts Is Feted In Pittsburgh

NSNC Honors Stone, Discusses 9/11

Unhappy that Leonard Pitts Jr. didn't win the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for commentary, the National Society of Newspapers Columnists unanimously voted to start a "Columnist of the Year" award -- and immediately made Pitts the first recipient.

The NSNC presented the honor to Pitts at its June 20-23 conference in (appropriately named) Pittsburgh. He was cited for "rallying the nation's sentiment with your stunning post-Sept. 11 column."

Pitts, who is with The Miami Herald and Tribune Media Services, received about 30,000 e-mails praising the piece -- which eloquently stressed America's resolve after the terrorist attacks.

NSNC President Peter Rowe said it was an "injustice" that Pitts didn't win the commentary Pulitzer, which went to Thomas Friedman of The New York Times.

Pitts, the conference keynote speaker, said writing a column has been an education. "I learned that I'm a bigot. I can't stand stupid people," he said, noting that he was referring not to those "who don't know any better," but rather to people who are "closed-minded, mean stupid."

He added that columnists and readers are entitled to their opinions, but should be able to explain how they arrived at them. "I'm less concerned with what we think than that we think," Pitts said.

The NSNC thought Chuck Stone was worthy of its Lifetime Achievement Award.

Stone told the audience that he has worked as a reporter, editorial writer, and editor, but "being a columnist is the most fun." He added, "Columnists are on the cutting edge of the First Amendment because they can write anything they want."

Stone, a founder of the National Association of Black Journalists who now teaches at the University of North Carolina, is perhaps best known for his 1971-91 stint as a Philadelphia Daily News columnist. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist Tony Norman noted that Stone "wasn't afraid to stand up to anyone" and was so renowned for his fairness that nearly 100 Philadelphia-area criminals and fugitives surrendered to him rather than the police. Daily News columnist Stu Bykofsky suggested wryly that Stone could help Osama bin Laden turn himself in.

Restraints On Post-9/11 Writing

Sept. 11 was certainly a major topic at the conference, as speakers discussed the restraints on their writing due to pressure from editors, readers, and themselves. For instance, Mike Leonard of The Herald-Times, Bloomington, Ind., said taking on President Bush was "kind of off limits" for awhile. Samantha Bennett of the Post-Gazette said that while some journalists criticize Bush privately, she still hasn't seen a lot of this in print.

One possible reason was the chilling effect of the post-Sept. 11 firing of Texas and Oregon columnists who criticized Bush.

But, risky though it might be, "nothing is more important in these times than dissent," said Bob Hill of The Courier-Journal in Louisville.

The Post-Gazette's Jack Kelly said dissent isn't as risky for journalists in the U.S. as it is in some other countries.

Another Post-Gazette columnist, Dennis Roddy, said: "With the corporatization of the media, it's the inclination of the suits at the top to question the essential patriotism [of journalists]. Our lack of loyalty is exaggerated."

Sheila Buska of the San Diego County Herald said too much patriotism and nationalism among those who feel the U.S. is better than other countries helps "make people hate us."

But George Smith of the The Anniston (Ala.) Star said there's nothing wrong with being patriotic.

Kelly said there's been plenty of post-Sept. 11 inefficiency and incompetence in the government and military, but many journalists don't know enough about the government and military to spot problems and comment about them. He added that journalists should think about possible ties between American neo-Nazis and Muslim fundamentalists. "Both hate Jews and the U.S. government," Kelly said, while adding that similar bombs were used at the World Trade Center in 1993 and in Oklahoma City two years later.

Other panelists included Kristen Twedt of The Hattiesburg (Miss.) American and Russell Frank of Penn State University.

Being Funny Wasn't Easy

A panel of humor columnists noted that they had to tread carefully for weeks or months after Sept. 11 before resuming their usual tone and topics. "It took me until December before I wrote a column that had no reference to Sept. 11 at all," said Gene Collier of the Post-Gazette.

Eric Heyl of the Tribune-Review in Pittsburgh said that, not long after Sept. 11, he wrote a real-estate spoof about bin Laden looking for a new cave. "That one fell incredibly flat," he recalled. "It was too soon. But gradually people felt the need to laugh."

Mike Argento of the York (Pa.) Daily Record said he had a column about chickens written for Sept. 12. After the attacks, his editor told him the piece was obviously no longer appropriate. "But I told the chickens it was going to run!" quipped Argento at the time. Eventually, he added, "readers craved stupidity [again], and counted on me to provide it."

Some Of Today's Issues

Another panel discussed the general state of column writing -- including plagiarism, the inability of many readers to understand irony and satire, and the need to be provocative.

Bykofksy said that if columnists become aware of a peer plagiarizing or doing something else wrong, they should report it or at least leak it to another media outlet.

What should newspapers do to help readers "get" satire? "Print it in a different color," joked Bennett.

There were also suggestions to literally put a "satire" label on a piece. "But if you have to label satire, you've failed," said Argento.

Turning to a different topic, Brett Kofford -- who's both an editor and columnist at the El Centro, Calif., Imperial Valley Press -- said he tries not to censor columnists. "The more provocative a newspaper is, the more people are going to read it," he observed.

The panel also included Smiley Anders of The Advocate in Baton Rouge, La.

Different Kinds Of Distribution

Another panel discussed the positives and negatives of columnizing when not on the staff of a daily.

"Workstyle" columnist Paula Bern talked about how syndication (in her case, with Scripps Howard News Service) enables her to concentrate on writing rather than also selling her feature.

Terry Marotta and Dave Glardon discussed self-syndication. Marotta said selling one's own column requires patience, as it can sometimes take months or years before a newspaper agrees to become a client. Glardon said the Internet is very helpful because he can e-mail his column and have a Web site where potential clients can see his bio and look at column samples.

Marty Levine of the Pittsburgh City Paper extolled the benefits of the alternative press, "where candor is not a problem."

And advice columnist Julia Smillie Carey of STLtoday.com (affiliated with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch) mentioned that online newspapers can attract younger demographics than print newspapers because, among other things, they "take more risks" with content. Still, she said, print columnists tend to be accorded more prestige because of the perception that "anyone can put their stuff online."

Leonard Elected NSNC President

At the conference, the 389-member NSNC also elected new officers, including Mike Leonard as president and Suzette Martinez Standring of the Milton (Mass.) Times as vice president.

There were also several reelections: Jim Boughton of Arlington, Texas, as NSNC Webmaster; Robert Haught of The Daily Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, as newsletter editor; and Joe Blundo of The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch as education committee chair.

Pitts and Stone were not the only NSNC honorees. Dave Lieber of the Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram received the Will Rogers Humanitarian Award for his work on the "Summer Santa" program and other efforts to help the community. And columnists won awards in six writing categories. First-place winners included:

* Nat Hentoff of The Village Voice and Newspaper Enterprise Association -- general-interest columns, papers of 100,000-plus circulation.

* Joe Blundo of The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch -- humor columns, papers of 100,000-plus circulation.

* David Chartrand of The Olathe (Kans.) Daily News -- general-interest columns, papers of less than 100,000 circulation.

* Michael Miller of the South Florida Business Journal -- humor columns, papers of less than 100,000 circulation.

* Howie Stalwick of the Coeur d'Alene (Idaho) Press -- Herb Caen Award for items columns.

* Suz Redfearn of the Baltimore City Paper -- online columns.

Jessica Lee, a columnist for the Arizona Daily Wildcat at the University of Arizona in Tucson, won a trip to the conference as recipient of the NSNC's scholarship contest. The contest judge was columnist Lindor Reynolds of the Winnipeg Free Press in Manitoba, Canada.

At the conference, an NSNC auction raised $2,810 for future scholarship winners. Items sold included editorial cartoons, the new Ernie Pyle G.I. Joe doll, an autographed Muhammad Ali poster, a football signed by former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw, and more.

Also, the NSNC named U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft the winner of its Sitting Duck Award for being an easy column target. Runner-up was Enron, which might have won if not for the risk the company would have shredded the award certificate!

The NSNC voted to meet next year in Tucson, Ariz.

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'Car-Toons' Feature 'Mutts'

Characters Appear On License Plates

Cartoonists feel great when their work is taped to readers' refrigerators. So imagine how a comic creator would react to seeing his characters on license plates.

"I can't believe it," said Patrick McDonnell, whose "Mutts" characters have just begun appearing on New Jersey cars. "It's such an honor and for such a good cause."

Eighty percent of the proceeds for each $50 "Mutts" plate sold go to the state's Animal Population Control Fund. Since the fund was established in 1984, euthanasia rates have been reduced by more than 50%, according to The Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J.

The plates picture Earl the dog, Mooch the cat, a kitten, and a bird from "Mutts" -- which King Features Syndicate distributes to about 500 newspapers.

Will McDonnell use the license plate on his own car? The longtime New Jerseyan isn't sure, but did tell E&P Online that his wife, Karen O'Connell, has already ordered it.

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