APRIL 1988 *Opnions U. THE NATIONAL COLLEGE NEWSPAPER 7
THE NATIONAL COLLEGE NEWSPAPER DR.FRANKRAGULSKY,ManagerStudent
TOM ROLNICKI, Executive Director, Associated EDITORIAL ADVISORY COUNCIL Media, Daily Barometer, Oregon State U.
By prstintoog awide rangeofoopinions and ideas rpittd fo hoodreds of CollgiatePress
campus newspapers, we hope to enhance the quality of campus life as we JAN T. CHILDRESS, Director Student
inform, entertain and engage the national student body. We acknowledge the DR. DAVE KNOT, Immediate Past President, Publications, UniversityDaily, Texas Tech U.
commitment of student journalists across the nation, supported by their media College Media Advisers, Ball State Daily News, DR. J. DAVID REED, Immediate Past President,
advisers and journalism professors, to report the activities, issues and Ball State U. Society for College Journalists, Eastern News, W.B. CASEY, Publisher, Daily Iowan, U. of Iowa
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Emotional impact
of graphic photos
worth the shudder
\0
IO
m
sI
By Dan Hassert
Kenucky Kernel
U. of Kentucky, Lexington
The New York Times ran a front-page
photograph showing two people lying in
pools of blood while a wounded woman
in the background appealed for help.
I abhor sensationalism. But I ap-
plaud The Times for running the photo,
as it was used to illustrate an article on
the attack on a group of Haitian citizens
who were waiting to vote.
My Grandpa and I argued fiercely one
day over graphic photojournalism. Ab-
out a week after the space shuttle blew
up, he blasted journalism for its exten-
The goal of journalism is to
show the human aspect of
stories that would seem not
to have any. And if a picture
does it best, Pm all for it.
- DAN HASSERT
sive coverage of the event. He particu-
larly objected to the camera shots of the
crowd's reaction to the explosion, saying
it exploited their grief. A simple news-
cast would have given him that same
message. Their grief, he said, is none of
our business.
That's not totally true. Their grief is
our grief. The astronauts represented
the whole United States and therefore
deserved to be grieved by the whole
country.
Showing parents, spouses and chil-
dren crying brings home the tragedy of
the situation a lot more effectively than
showing Peter Jennings reading from a
piece of paper.
And that's what journalism is all
about.
The goal of any story is to make the
readers think they were there. The best
writers are those who captivate the
readers from the opening sentence to
the final word.
Likewise, the best photographers are
those who so capture the moment that
readers widen their eyes in apprecia-
tion or gasp in horror.
The most appealing effect of televi-
sion journalism is its visual opportun-
ity. Saying a child rescued her drowning
sister is nowhere near as effective as
showing the seven-year-old wade into
the swift, brown current and slowly
drag the baby to the side.
Print journalism relies on photos for
this same effect.
True, there is a limit to good taste. I
wouldn't run a picture of a suicide jum-
per's impact. Nor would I run a photo of
a rape victim running naked from a hos-
tage situation.
But if a clothed man escaping from a
hostage situation was photographed
with an expression of fear on his face as
bullets riddled the ground beneath him,
I wouldn't hesitate to put it on page one.
The goal of journalism is to show the
human aspect of stories that would
seem not to have any. And if a picture
does it best, I'm all for it.
4F
W 0 f
U
Condom delivery seniice
won't hold up to scrutiny
By Editorial Staff
The Review
U. of Delaware
"... yes, that's right, we'll have it
there in 30 minutes or less." No it's not
pizza, but prophylactics. For the spon-
taneous, yet conscientious, student.
Resident Student Association Presi-
dent Mike Cradler has devised a pre-
posterous proposal for a 24-hour con-
dom delivery service. The travesty of
this proposal is only outweighed by its
clause to deliver the condoms within a
half hour of telephoning. Cradlef's in-
tention to provide a means for "safe sex"
is valid, but humor and parody are not
the elements for an official university
proposal or for effective action in in-
stalling condom dispensers.
He might be trying to generate uni-
versity interest in condom availability
but it will be counterproductive if no one
takes his proposal seriously. It looks
doubtful that a condom hotline will
materialize and Cradler should expect a
good ribbing.
Cartoonist Gary Trudeau originated
the idea of a condom delivery service
and obviously his humor evaded Crad-
ler. When the president of a major stu-
dent organization gleans his ideas from
cartoons, there is cause for angst. Let's
just hope he doesn't read "The Far
Side."
In defense of the ROTC: students, nation serve each other
By Steven M. Ray would be enormous. aids from the classroom. ly, the military is the only orga
The Minnesota Daily The ROTC is extremely cost- The University's land-grant charter tion qualified to teach military s
U. of Minnesota, Twin Cities effective. Graduating a cadet from a includes a clause requiring the milit- ce, as well as the only one with a
military academy costs the govern- t
It's difficult to fathom how, logical- ment approximately $100,000, where- ary arts be offered to students who Ba ningheR OC would wre
ly, The Daily could advocate banning as an ROTC graduate can cost as little wish it. The U. of Wisconsin, Madison
the ROTC. The Doily article on the as $2,500. Without the ROTC, the (UWM) says that it can ban the ROTC efficient and effective program,
the ROTC.The Dailyarandleoffere civilian. versionsheofTCROTCean opportunity to potential ca
ROTC's gay and lesbian policies had country's recruitment costs would and offer civilian versions of ROTC ause considerable damage tc
one clearheaded idea in it: that the skyrocket. national defense system, and cer
real issue is a federal rather than local Although some military science In no way can a civilian course teach ly wouldn't help would-be officers
policy. classes are open only to ROTC cadets what current ROTC classes offer. The are gay or lesbian. The Daily sr
The ROTC trains officers for service because instructors use classified military is a profession. Where will have avoided this short-sighted,
in our country's armed forces and sup- materials, any student can audit an civilians find the expertise to teach mately damaging course in its E
plies 70 percent of all commissioned ROTC class with the instructor's per- classes on small-unit tactics or the rial and given the matter ca
officers. If the ROTC were banned, the mission. The Daily's solution, which military's methods? Where will civi- thought in order to arrive at a
major source of new officers would dry would force the ROTC to admit any- lians get their hands on M-16 rifles, rational, constructive national
up and the effect on national security body, would remove valuable training PRC-77 radios and code books? Clear- tion.
niza-
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deny
idets,
o our
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ulti-
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