Coral Gables’ elegant Caffe Abbracci was crowded and noisy, but that didn’t drown out the unmistakable sound of flatulence. Legendary WPLG news anchor Ann Bishop sat between the iconic Katharine Graham, of The Washington Post, and me. WPLG’s other renowned anchor, Dwight Lauderdale, and WPLG General Manager, John Garwood, completed our table.
Ann whipped her attention from Graham to me with a look that clearly said, How could you do such a juvenile thing? I whispered to Ann, “That was not me!”
We all heard it. Later, in the absence of Graham, we couldn’t imagine she didn’t hear it. She seemed not to notice anything and continued making her point without any reaction.
Looking back on that awkward—but—funny moment more than 30 years later, it strikes me that nothing could derail Graham’s focus. Katharine Graham knew who she was and what she and her company stood for.
Katharine Graham and Tom Doerr in the mid-1990s
Journalism needs more leaders like Katharine Graham. Publishers and corporate leaders who are journalists, first. Leaders who remain constantly vigilant in serving the public interest.
Katharine Graham’s values and her unwavering belief in the public’s right to know are well documented. Time may love a hero, but Graham earned that title—and held it—through decades of principled leadership. From her role in the publication of the Pentagon Papers, Watergate, and other notable events, to her death in 2001, Graham’s actions and support for journalists enhanced her legacy. If a miracle could place her amid today’s media chaos, she might be an even greater hero.
Some argue that times have changed. Newspaper readers and TV news viewers are no longer as loyal or dependent on traditional media. Advertiser-supported news organizations struggle in an era of nearly unlimited alternatives. Economic uncertainty prompts businesses to scale back their marketing efforts. Audiences continue to fragment in ways media companies are still trying to understand, while failing to understand there’s no going back to the good old days.
Yes, a different time—or was it really?
A comparison of then and now is eerily similar. The White House waged a full-scale war against The Washington Post and other news organizations. President Richard Nixon had an “enemies list” that included Graham, Editor-in-Chief Ben Bradlee, and other Post journalists. Vice President Spiro T. Agnew used his office to intimidate the press and blamed anti-war protests on liberal universities. He became known for lumping together Democrats and journalists as enemies of the Nixon administration.
At the same time, Americans were attempting to reconcile profound national divisions—over the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a series of political assassinations, the Equal Rights Amendment, and the National Guard shootings at Kent State, among others.
What made Katharine Graham such a great journalist and leader?
She never strayed from the core journalistic values that strengthen democracy in the United States. Great journalism informs and enlightens the public—even when the truth is uncomfortable. Graham never allowed politics or profit to overshadow journalism. This doesn’t mean she disregarded profits—she didn’t. However, when faced with a choice between money and mission, she always chose journalism. She recognized that The Washington Post’s lasting value was reflected in those moments when journalism had to rise to the occasion.
And how did she show that commitment? Every day. Every edition. Whether it was a big news day or a slow news day.
Graham also exhibited both tangible and intangible qualities of exceptional leadership. Early in my career as News Director at WPLG in Miami, she visited the station. Upon her arrival, she took a moment to chat with our receptionist. It was easy to interpret this as a reunion of old friends.
WPLG’s building had three floors: the newsroom and studio on the first, engineering and production on the second, and the general manager’s and sales offices on the third. The station’s call letters—WPLG—represented Philip L. Graham, her late husband.
Having never met her before, I assumed she would go directly to the GM’s office. The GM had instructed me to stay in the newsroom until he called for me. However, she didn’t go upstairs. Instead, she came into the newsroom first, greeting people she knew and introducing herself to those she didn’t. Graham didn’t breeze through; she stopped and spoke with everyone.
The newsroom came first because the station’s reputation and integrity were built on news. Spending time with the journalists wasn’t just respectful—it underscored the idea that quality journalism is personal, built on relationships and trust. Even the most skeptical staffers could see her appreciation and respect.
After visiting the newsroom, she went to the second floor and personally greeted individuals in every department. At one point, she sat down with a group of engineers, asking how they and their families were doing after Hurricane Andrew. It was nearly two hours before she reached the general manager’s office.
That was my first experience with Katharine Graham, and every visit afterward was the same: people first, uphold the best journalistic values.
She stood for the people’s right to know, even when challenged by the most powerful figures in the world. However, her courage wasn’t loud or theatrical; it was shown through her commitment to journalism. The truth prevailed.
What would she think of journalism today?
Would she have paid millions to sit on the stage at a presidential inauguration? Would she have agreed to a monetary settlement to avoid a questionable lawsuit—or to pave the way for a massive media merger? Would she have swapped a newsroom for a campaign trail, believing that running for office was a better way to serve the public interest?
We can reflect on who she was and what she stood for. But in the present, there’s no one with Katharine Graham’s intellect, integrity, and courage.
She is missed.
Footnote: The source of the loud flatulence remains unknown. But it wasn’t me.