Author: Tom Doerr, President of the Press Club of Southwest Florida, Adjunct Professor of Journalism, Florida Gulf Coast University
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Throw a pebble into a calm pond. Tiny, perfectly circular ripples radiate outward, each ring larger than the last. The pebble disappears beneath the surface, but its impact continues to move outward, expanding and shaping the still water into motion. Leadership operates in a similar way. Every action taken by those in power, whether ethical…
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The Press Club of Southwest Florida is honored to welcome Dave Lougee, recently retired President and CEO of TEGNA Inc., as the featured newsmaker at the Club’s November 18 luncheon at the Hilton Naples. Click here for details about the event, including links to pre-purchase tickets or reserve a seat and pay at the door. Lougee has requested that his appearance…
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When Politico released the contents of internal emails from young Republican operatives, mocking minorities, smearing Jews, and even praising Hitler, there should have been a national gasp. There wasn’t. The revelations made headlines, a few statements about “poor judgment,” and then… silence. The political class shrugged. The public moved on. The prevailing reaction was a weary, “Well,…
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Thirty years ago, during a series of reporting trips to Cuba, I was struck not just by the country’s faded colonial beauty or its crumbling architecture, but by the youthfulness of its people. Nearly seventy percent of Cubans had been born after the revolution. They had never known another life or system. To them, the…
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Charlie Kirk built his career using a folding chair under a banner proclaiming, “Prove Me Wrong.” His college campus tours combined spectacle, seminar, and ambush tactics. For hours, Kirk debated with undergraduates on issues like abortion, gender, and race. Edited clips of these debates—created for maximum impact—often flood TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram with captions like…
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Americans have laid a bed of concrete. Now we all must sleep on it uncomfortably. It’s going to be a long night. Our national leaders have made it clear they are not interested in healing or unity. Just look at the response to the horrific murder of Charlie Kirk. Instead, the reaction was blame. Not…
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The elderly journalism professor entered the daily editorial meeting with a priest. The professor had a standing invitation to participate in the daily ritual of a local news organization to discuss and set the coverage priorities each morning. Before the meeting started, the professor introduced his guest. “This is my new friend, Father Brandsma. We…
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Here’s your chance to give back to the profession of journalism and communications. Florida Gulf Coast University is launching a new FGCU Mentoring Program, an initiative designed to connect current students with alumni and community members for meaningful mentorship experiences. The program is open to all students, regardless of major or class year, and aims…