Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Media must be fearless, Pitts says
By Christina M. Woods
The Wichita Eagle
Published: 4/23/06
Excerpt:
In his syndicated columns, Leonard Pitts Jr. has called Topeka
pastor Fred Phelps gay and blasted baseball player Barry Bonds for his
arrogant behavior.
The Miami Herald columnist, who won the Pulitzer Prize for
commentary in 2004, said he expects what newspaper readers should
expect: bold, decisive journalism that reveals truth.
"We've got this era now where you can choose the media that fit your political bias," Pitts said from his office [Thursday, April 20].
"Those of us who flatter ourselves to think we represent something
higher than that, we're paralyzed" for fear of being perceived as
biased.
"As a result of this schizophrenic, polarized journalism, we don't have the same basis for conversation."
Pitts will be the opening speaker for the National Writers Workshop,
which starts Saturday at the Hyatt Regency Wichita, 400 W. Waterman.
The workshop, one of seven held across the country each spring, is
sponsored by the Poynter Institute and hosted this year in Wichita by
The Eagle. It will offer 27 speakers -- five of them Pulitzer Prize winners -- on subjects ranging from newspaper
storytelling to publishing a nonfiction book -- and is open to the
public.
Last year's conference drew about 400 people.
Pitts' speech, "Home of the Brave," will cover civil liberties after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
When it comes to protecting those liberties, he said, we are "a nation of wimps."
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