Editorials We must ask the hard question Walk through an issue in my shoes. As editor of a newspaper, you'll be amazed at what you will learn. After the November issue came out, for example, I was summoned to a senior ad ministrator's office and told treatment of a story was "ungracious." Many others—students and faculty alike—stopped me in the halls to say the same story was "outstanding." Some said it was "too aggressive" while others thought it was "timely." That's life. You soon learn that controversy couples with journalism. A story one person praises, another questions why it was ever put into print. So how can you know what is right? Sometimes you can't. Not always. Not on every story. The best you can do is to set standards and try to live up to them. And as I've learned, the first standard of a newspaper, and the only one that really counts, is to present all of the facts. Former fans turned off to NFL return Robert Reimaniak Now that the National Football League teams have gone back to work, the American football fan can once Capitol ►mes Published by the students of the Capitol Campus of The Pennsylvania State University, Middletown, PA, 17057. PHONE: (717) 944-4970. Executive Editor Editor Production Manager Layout Assistant .... Photography Editor Sports Editor Copy Editor Business Manager .. Adviser Monica Auld Annette Bux-Cremo Thomas Dekle Judith Faruquee Joe Guberman Kim Guzzi Donna Kirker The CAPTIOL TIMES welcomes letters from readers. Letters intended for publication must indicate the writer's college affiliation, if any. All letters MUST be signed by the writer. Unsigned letters cannot be printed. A writer's name may be withheld upon request. Letters should be typewritten and double spaced; and, any material that is libelous or does not conform to publication standards may be edited or rejected. The assumption is that an in formed public can make the right decisions if each in dividual has enough facts. That's essential. I learned that three years ago on the day of the TMI accident. I was here on campus at a seminar and nobody told anyone about the problem. My children were in a Lancaster school and no one told the teachers to keep the children inside for recess. Because the facts were again enjoy watching his favorite team compete every weekend. Or can he? Not according to Capitol Campus football fans. Usually there are crowds of STAFF MEMBERS Vol. 17, No. 3 December 6, 1982 Pat Wenger George P. Yanoshik, Jr. Jerry Trendy, Jr. Betsy Sheehan Joe Hart Robert Rejmaniak Barbara Myers . Charles R. Cobourn, 111 Al Lee James P. Kushlan Marsha L. Larsen Sheryl Machita Mike Markle William Negley Marcia Rogers Bud Smith withheld, many people could have had a significant dose of radiation. They may also have been able to protect themselves if they were informed. Serving up the facts isn't easy. As Dr. Walter Brasch, Bloomsburg State College Jour nalism professor,said here in his recent lecture on ethics in media: "The easiest thing in the world is to take handouts. It's our responsibility to search for the facts and find the truth." So you have to ask the hard questions—to bolster up your courage and ask the new presi dent of Penn State about his friendship with his predecessor, or when necessary, to challenge the very organization that pays for the newspaper. As editor, you have to keep readers in formed even on subjects they feel are unpleasant such as the Three Mile Island issue. Yes, getting the facts even means being ungracious. As editor you learn that if you are ungracious enough, you will viewers in front of the TV set in the lounges of the various dormitory floors come kick-off time every week. This has not been the case since the strike has ended. Roger Lloyd, a first floor Wrisberg resident, was one of the few who still remained a spectator. After a 57-day strike why was he still looking on? "I like to keep up with it," Lloyd says, "but it's just not the same." This reflects the feelings of most of the football fans across America. "The quality of play has not been there since the strike," Lloyd says. Lloyd's argument can be found just by looking at the way the games have been played so far. For example, the Minnesota Vikings had only 25 yards rushing in their first game back, and 110 yards rushing overall since the ending of the strike. It seems that the interest in all pro football has dissipated almost completely. So much so, that some fans have elected to . Oopsl In our November Capitol Times, Meade Heights article, JoAnn Nesgoda should have been JoAnn Coleman. In the same issue, the headline con cerning Jordan's selection on page 18 should have read: be serving your readers by keeping them informed. You won't always do it right, of course. The responsibility is so great that you'll often feel it is impossible to fill the editor's shoes. That's also part of the job. Y,A r ) stop watching the games entirely. One of these people is William Rinehimer, a Wrisberg Hall resident: "The NFL is nothing right now. I'm more interested in the college bowl games at this point." It seems that NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle did not contemplate this fan reaction. Major League Baseball may have gotten away with their long summer's strike without too much damage, but the NFL may have lost some of their audience. Many fans have gotten caught up with the colleges and won't return to theNFL until next season, if they return at all. No matter how the season ends, there are not going to be too many fans left who care all that much. Looking at the number of injuries inflicted and the way the teams have been performing on the field, maybe it would be better to pack it up until next fall. Either way, this is one fan who will be tuned in to the college games come January. "Jordan selected without com mittee interview." In the November 22nd Lion's Tale, Robert H. Hamill, Career Planning and Placement specialist mentioned in the "Help Available" article, was incorrectly referred to as Richard Hamilton. We goofed. Page 6
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