Author: Tom Doerr, President
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Good afternoon. Thank you for being here, and a big thanks to Barbara Peterson of the Florida Center for Government Accountability. I truly appreciate your presence. A year ago, I took on the responsibility of serving as president of the Press Club of Southwest Florida—with a clear understanding of what this organization represents…and what it must never become.…
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By the time you read this, Jimmy Kimmel will have returned to ABC. That means you’ll know whether the comedian has resumed his free-speech platform—or if ABC has silenced his constant mockery of Donald Trump and his administration. Make no mistake: the attack on the First Amendment is far from over. The question is whether…
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Do four of the five Collier County Commissioners think their constituents are stupid? They must, given the Commission’s 4–1 vote to post the Ten Commandments in public buildings, followed by Commissioner Chris Hall’s insistence that the vote had nothing to do with religion. News coverage before and after the ballot skimmed the surface, then moved…
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It’s an understatement to say that President Donald Trump is transforming almost every aspect of American life. Some of these changes are evident in policy and politics, while others are more subtle but equally impactful. One of the most harmful is how his speaking style is transforming public discourse. Adam Aleksic, an American linguist and…
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A CPA friend of mine has a quick response to potential clients who suggest he manipulate the numbers to support a lie: “You must think my professional integrity is such that I would lie for you. Besides, liars must have a good memory, and my memory isn’t good enough to risk my license.” Leaders who…
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The Press Club of Southwest Florida recently conducted a brief member survey to gather input on the club’s future. This was not an in-depth survey but a limited effort to explore ideas for improving newsmaker and topic selections, as well as potential funding options—within the club’s long-standing tradition of providing scholarships for aspiring journalists and…
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A new News Director reports for duty on his first day. As he walks into the newsroom, he sees the outgoing News Director heading out. “Hey! Welcome. I wish you great success,” the former boss says. “I’ve left you a parting gift—three envelopes. You’ll find them in the middle desk drawer.” The new director raises…
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A loud disturbance in a fine restaurant could not distract The Washington Post’s Katharine Graham from her train of thought. Perhaps you read the commentary about Graham in SCOOP two weeks ago (click here to read). The commentary focused on Graham’s steadfast journalistic values and how much she is missed. Here’s a bit more. It’s…
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The Bible tells us that “a hypocrite is someone who puts on a mask and pretends to be something else.” Take, for example, Fox News—a network quick to criticize other media outlets without ever looking in the mirror. We could discuss how Fox promoted the 2020 election lie—The Big Lie—on air, while behind the scenes,…
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