Author: Tom Doerr, President of the Press Club of Southwest Florida
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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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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…
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No contemporary American politician will lift a finger to help journalism—unless it’s a middle finger, raised in response to any request for support of independent, quality reporting or the pursuit of truth. Speaking out in defense of honest journalism is a form of political self-destruction. Supporting journalism is a non-starter. Many politicians have spent years…
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Hello All, The Board of Governors is sponsoring a survey of members of the Press Club of Southwest Florida. The survey asks for your thoughts on a few topics. The goal is to gather opinions on programs, such as the scholarship program, so that the board can make informed decisions. It is not a “majority…
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Misleading the public has never been easier. Technology and an overwhelming number of unreliable news sources have made disinformation commonplace. Yet we continue to consume news with the expectation of honesty and accuracy, especially concerning matters that affect our quality of life. We often assume that professionals—doctors, police officers, judges, politicians, juries—will act with integrity…
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