Author: Tom Doerr, President of the Press Club of Southwest Florida, Adjunct Professor of Journalism, Florida Gulf Coast University
-
On the night of September 26, 1983, a Soviet military officer sat alone in a command bunker outside Moscow, staring at a computer screen that indicated the United States had just launched nuclear missiles. The system was certain. The warning lights flickered. The computers claimed the attack was genuine. The protocol required Lieutenant Colonel Stanislav Petrov…
-
The Press Club’s Board of Governors approved several motions on February 17th aimed at strengthening the organization by welcoming new voices and leadership. The board selected Heidi Rambo Centrella as Vice President of the Press Club, a role that had been vacant for the past several years. For those unfamiliar with Heidi, she is the…
-
Threat Inflation and the Illusion of Predictable War If you have ever tried to shovel mercury with a pitchfork, you understand the Middle East. You stab at it. It scatters. You think you have it contained. It reforms somewhere else. It’s extremely dangerous to humans. Journalists, don’t buy into any notion of a simple result…
-
My News Literacy students at Florida Gulf Coast University are just beginning their exploration of The First Amendment, including what it protects and what it does not. I have extensive experience with the First Amendment, having led large newsrooms across the country. Still, I constantly learn new things about its strengths and vulnerabilities. As…
-
Someone should ask Karoline Leavitt what it feels like to be miserable all the time. You’re probably already rolling your eyes. There he goes again, another complaining liberal criticizing the White House press secretary. Believe what you want. My concern isn’t about political ideology. It’s about the public interest, specifically the duty of public…
-
The day Jeff Bezos announced the purchase of The Washington Post, I was in my office that looked out on WFLD’s large newsroom in Chicago. Michael Flannery, the outstanding political reporter, shouted across the newsroom, “Hey Tom! Jeff Bezos just bought The Washington Post for $250 million!” It was Monday, August 5, 2013. The Grahams…
-
If you walk into an American newsroom today, don’t expect the calm, steady rhythm you might recall from the movies. No steady hum. No thoughtful editor leaning over a reporter’s shoulder asking, “Do we have this nailed down?” What you’ll hear instead is more like the sound of someone yelling, “Wait—what just happened?” followed by…
-
The other day, I watched the 1961 film Judgement at Nuremberg. It was the first time in decades that I watched the Stanley Kramer film. Judge Dan Haywood (played by Spencer Tracy) confronts defendants who insist they were merely enforcing the law. His response is not angry or theatrical. It is measured and devastatingly honest. “The…
-
Journalism faces a pivotal moment. In 2026, a crucial question for everyone is whether journalism can survive its decline and sense of lost authority. For much of modern American history, journalism has been a key institution in society for providing truth. It confirmed facts, challenged those in power, and created a shared understanding of reality. Its…
You must be logged in to post a comment.