THE JEWISH NEWS COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE THE CASE FOR CON Are The Jewish News and the rest of the Jewish media BY STEVE COHEN Special to The Jewish News n just the last two decades, the quality of American Jewish journalism has im- proved considerably. Several local papers, among them The Jewish News, have become increasingly sophisti- cated in clearly recognizable ways. Today's writing style ap- peals to a more educated reader, an understandable development in light of the in- creasing educational attain- ment of American Jews. (Most young adult Detroit Steven M. Cohen is professor of sociology at Queens College, City University of New York. In 1989-90, he served as the co-principal investigator of the Detroit Jewish Population Study. Jews have earned a graduate degree!) The articles have become longer and more complex. Reporters are writing more investigative and analytic pieces. And, not least critical to this upsurge in quality, The Jewish News benefits (as Anglo-Jewish community newspapers have de- emphasized the Jewish apologetics that used to characterize much of the Jewish press in the past. No longer do we see as many stories as we used to about Jews making it in sports, do other papers) from the theater, industry, commerce comparable improvements in the Jewish 'Telegraphic Agen- cy. The JTA, the news service that supplies coverage from all around the Jewish world, has also become more readable, sophisticated and aggressive. As befits a more confident and secure community, most and politics. In part, Jewish success stories are more com- monplace and less newswor- thy; in part, stories of Jewish achievement in the larger society no longer address our anxieties over acceptance by non-Jews (a.k.a. gentiles, or, in more private moments — goyim). And no longer do we read as many embarrassing ethno- centric headlines as the one 4.6ire., -4Z1 .6e_ -4441. A te-,L ,444c._ , Apr 4 0111 11t.,- ..46r "'"Iitts4p. 4111 ■ "b:to AIN! allk- 4.• .4r 1 M "1 30 THE JEWISH NEWS COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE ,,.. N79 bbNX- fi Imo