TUESDAY'S LETTERS: Are J-Schools Hotbeds of Liberalism?

By: E&P Staff Do j-schools skew left? New York Times columnist John Tierney certainly thinks so, but E&P Editor Greg Mitchell, writing in his latest Pressing Issues column, takes issue with Tierney's facts. Now readers have their say. If you want to have your own say aired in this space, be it about j-school politics, Bob Woodward's belated admission, or any other number of media topics, simply send us a letter.

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Affirmative Action for Conservatives?

Good column debunking Tierney. Here are three points you missed. The fact is, there already is affirmative action for conservatives.

First, in j-school, I saw no fellowship opportunities that invited me to show how committed I was to social and economic equality or other liberal ideals. When I interviewed to attend Berkeley, the professor I spoke with told me that my history of political activism was a "red flag." Meanwhile, there were fellowships that require applicants to write essays demonstrating fealty to "individual rights and free markets" or even more obtusely, "economic liberty." So there already is affirmative action for conservatives, being done in the conservative way: without government support.

Second, at Berkeley, my professors -- some of whom were openly liberal -- leaned heavily on those of us with strong political beliefs. If they saw a hint of politics entering our stories, it was common to receive reprimands like, "If you want to spend your life writing for The Progressive, that's fine, but you're going to have to get over yourself if you want to get into the New York Times." (That is a paraphrase, but the idea was commonly expressed.)

Finally, now that I'm on the job market: I was at the LA Times last summer for a very successful post-graduate internship. No job, though, as my bureau chief knew that layoffs were on the way. I then applied for low-paying jobs or tough-to-get freelance gigs with (generally liberal) weeklies and magazines like the San Francisco Bay Guardian and Mother Jones. The lines of job applicants were, figuratively anyway, out the door and down the block.

Today I had my first job interview in three months of applying for jobs. It was at that vanguard of the People's Revolution, Bloomberg. There, in return for having an insider's level of business knowledge, I can wear a tie, sit on top of the world, get paid bank, and forget about advocacy journalism. Many of my liberal and radical college pals are facing the same fate. The opportunities are at legal and business outlets. My most idealistic friends have ended up working for free or nearly free -- often during their off-work hours -- in college radio, Pacifica Network, and the alt-weekly circuit.

Steven E. Bodzin

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The thing Horowitz, Tierney, and their confreres in London who bash the BBC for its liberal bias forget is that no self-identified, self-respecting young Conservative would ever go into journalism in the first place. Not enough money in it. Far better for a young conservative to get a sinecure at a Scaife or similarly funded think-tank and crank out opinion pieces and call it journalism than to go to work after five or six years of higher education for 50 or 60 k (if you're lucky enough to find a job).

Michael Goldfarb

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I Might Agree with You Some...

On the need for more right-wingers to go to Journalism schools...but I would hardly say that "idealism" and "non-narrowmindeness" are liberal qualities. I would also say that to ignore the power of the mainstream media in inculcating "politically correct" values is underrated. We don't get good stories or vigorous debate in the MSM because of the bias, and that's a danger to a well-informed public (though it is true that more people are getting their news and information from non-MSM sources -- a development that I applaud).

Robert Simon

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Re: Woodward's appearance on Larry King Live

"Woodward said that he continues to believe that he has seen ?no evidence? that there was a ?vast conspiracy? to out Plame or ?slime? her husband Joseph Wilson."

Ok, if this is the case, it raises the most obvious question (to anyone other than Larry King), which is...then why was Valerie Plame outed?

Wiley Miller
Kennebunkport, Maine

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Woodward Has No Credibility Anymore re CIA Leak

Mr. Woodward has no credibility with the American Public anymore. When he appeared before Larry King and denounced the Special Prosecutor and not giving his relationship with the issues presents a real problem with viewers.

It's very much like the Judith Miller case with the New York Times. The issue here is credibility and Mr. Woodward has none.

When a reporter has no credibility he is a negative to the Washington Post.

David Nakama

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Time to Be Aggressive

I sent a letter a few days ago to the "Editor" about the involvement of Bob Woodward in the Plame investigation and suggested that he be fired. After reading Mr. Downie's comments on the situation it seems to me that he too should resign or be fired. You people have lost your moral compass or whatever it is that that you use to guide you in your decisions. What part of this situation is it that you don't get? Do you not know what your duty is as a member of the free press? This administration has used you and your paper to commit a crime. Your employees and those of other news organizations are aiding and abetting them in this crime.

This same crime is just what Woodward would have exposed a long time ago before he became compromised. You seem to have some convoluted idea that the first amendment gives you the right or the privilege of concealing such crime. You have no right to protect sources that use you to commit such reprehensible acts. You must revisit what your duties and requirements are in being part of the free press. In concealing such acts you then become part of the government who you are duty bound to report on. Please stand back and take a good at what your role is supposed to be. You have been used by this administration to destroy what we have come to associate with a true democracy. This democracy is what we are supposedly trying to install in Iraq. The only question is whether they used you willingly or unwillingly. Hopefully it is the latter and that you will start to perform your duties a lot more aggressively than you have been.

Daniel Foley
Worcester, Mass.