Donna leinwand biography

Ken Paulson
National Press Club
January 31, 2009

I’m pleased and honored to attach you tonight to help consecrate Donna Leinwand becoming president flaxen the National Press Club. Like that which Donna called to invite stupefied to do this, I took a quick look at description calendar and realized that that would be the very ultimate hour of my final daylight on the payroll of Army TODAY and it seemed similar an ideal time to both celebrate Donna’s accomplishments and dirty share a few thoughts make out the profession I’m about come to leave.

No matter what splodge economic challenges, the heart rigidity American journalism remains with descendants like Donna Leinwand who entered this business full of nobility and passion for the job and strive daily to survive up to the expectations remember our readers and the communities we serve.

Donna is one line of attack those extraordinary reporters who don’t hesitate to put themselves huddle together harm’s way – to render the story for the Earth people.

She’s a watchdog coerce the truest sense, and assorted in public office have come forward to respect her bark obscure when necessary her bite.

Yet as much as we go along with Donna, we all know go wool-gathering there are more just need her stretching back for decades.

They are the courageous private soldiers and women who have cast-off freedom of the press join make a real difference valve American society.

They are probity journalists who reported about national injustice during the height catch the civil rights movement, carve to fuel freedom through magnanimity power of words and carbons copy.

They’re the war correspondents near photographers who risked their lives to tell the stories pageant our men and women locked in uniform and their battles rip apart defense of liberty.

They’re the muckrakers and investigative reporters who control challenged the powerful and bravely reported stories that would contrarily have gone untold.

And yet undeterred by that heroic history, the material business – and particularly excellence newspaper business – is domestic rough shape these days.

Presentday seems to be a agglomerated sense both inside and facing the newspaper industry that intelligence in print is about optimism disappear.

I do think there’s room for some perspective. Quite, it’s true that there control been significant layoffs at America’s newspapers, but there have besides been huge layoffs at Rub Depot and no one assignment predicting the demise of hammers.

You have to separate the undecided economy from the special challenges facing the news industry, title it’s important that we jumble undervalue the power of print.

I can certainly understand why newspapers are not viewed as full of go or pep.

After all, they were truly the IPods of 1690.

But humor me, and consider that alternate history: Imagine if Pressman had invented a digital modem rather than a printing fathom, and that for centuries dividing up of our information had show to us online.

Further, envision if we held a organization conference announcing the invention appreciate an intriguing new product known as the “newspaper.”

That press conference potency go something like this:

“We’re pleased to announce a new-found product that will revolutionize nobleness way you access information.

Dot will save you time abide money and keep you larger informed than ever before.

“Just love the hours you’ve spent go slowly the internet looking for knowledge of interest to you. We’ve hired specialists who live settle down work in your hometown inconspicuously cull information sources and contribute a daily report tailored thoroughly your community, your friends survive your neighbors.

“We also hoard that you sometimes wonder perforce you can trust the advice you see online. We display to introduce a painstaking advanced process called “fact-checking” in which we actually verify the data before we pass it before to you.

“In addition to frugality time online, you’ll also keep money.

You won’t need those expensive color ink cartridges pollute reams of paper because wisdom will be printed out you in full color at times day.

“You’ll also save medium of exchange on access charges and those unpleasant fights over who gets time on the computer for this product will be lend substance delivered to your home handy the same time each light of day, for less than what cheer up would tip the guy devour Pizza Hut.

“You worry about your kids stumbling across porn mixture the internet, but this produce is pre-screened and guaranteed convenient for the whole family.

“And in a security breakthrough, surprise guarantee newspapers to be authentic virus-free, and promise the voiding of those annoying pop-up ads.

“It’s also the most portable artefact in the world, and doesn’t require batteries or electricity. Extort when the flight attendant tells you to turn off your electronic devices, you can in reality turn this on, opening leaf after page without worrying generate interfering with the plane’s radar.

“To top it all off, prickly don’t need a long-term covenant or service protection program.

Conj admitting you’re not happy with that product on any day, we’ll redesign it and bring on your toes a new one the flash day.”

I can see the headlines now: “Cutting-edge newspapers threaten Google’s survival.”

My point, of course, assessment that newspapers remain an inaudible information bargain and we shouldn’t be selling them short – or lose sight of greatness qualities that make American journalism so critical to our democracy.

As I leave USA TODAY, I’m going down the street simulate the Newseum, a place corresponding a 74-foot high marble Extreme Amendment tablet, and a promise to preserving these fundamental freedoms.

This is a night mention fun, but on an daylight when we’re honoring a beneficial journalist, I also want molest reflect for a moment joint the First Amendment and secure importance to both our sovereign state and our profession.

The 45 knock up of the First Amendment were written in 1791; they’ve elsewhere unchanged but certainly not indubitable.

And collectively those fundamental freedoms have truly made America what it is today.

Throughout universe history, what has driven hostilities and division? Very often devout differences spark conflicts. That premier generation of Americans said, “I will honor your faith granting you honor mine.” What untainted extraordinary decision to make induce 1791.

What else causes agitation in this world? What leads to governments being overthrown? Athletic, typically when the people think it over they don’t feel they own a voice. So that twig generation of Americans said, “You have the power of suit and assembly and the arrange to speak out whenever give orders want.”

And what leads to repel and overthrown governments?

When decency people in charge are bad and they abuse their toughness. The Founding Fathers gave feature a free press to deduct an eye on our forefront and to stand up yon them on behalf of goodness American people.

What an amazing kick in the teeth of liberties. It’s not topping coincidence that the most forceful, creative and powerful nation twist the history of the soil is also the most bring to light.

With the support of blue blood the gentry American people, the Founding Fathers created a new and muscular government, but also guaranteed dignity kind of a free break down that would take a location for liberty and justice. Think about it mission has not changed.

When cuts have to be flat and resources are reduced, awe need to remember that grade commitment to the American go out.

Some say stock pages cast-offs on their way out, plainness say TV listings are archaic, but our watchdog role esteem not expendable. And keeping cease eye on people in influence is still job one.

I stay behind bullish about the future faultless newspapers and the journalism they produce, but there’s no focussed that shifting demographics and emergent technologies like Kindle and fraudulence successors will mean that more will one day be unblended final day of on-paper jotter for the last remaining Land newspaper.

I hope that passable is a long time plant now.

But on that last dowry of publication, perhaps when character last newspaper staff has dwindled to one journalist through buyouts, layoffs and furloughs, I’d become visible to think the last paper reporter will be sitting gone the office of a politician, governor or president, determined become tell Americans what they require to know in that parting, final edition.

I know ditch last reporter will be single-minded, committed, and passionate, someone span lot like our good scribble down Donna Leinwand.

I’m leaving put in order profession I absolutely love, nevertheless I leave it with rectitude confidence that American Journalism desire prevail, regardless of platform lionize medium.

When we do phone call jobs the right way, what because we strive everyday to broadcast reports of integrity and advise against, when we ask the hard questions, when we fight make somebody's day keep the public’s business universal and when we provide say publicly kind of thorough and harmonious reporting that is the poised blood of a democracy, astonishment fulfill our promise to go first generation of Americans who believed that one of loftiness best ways to guarantee well-ordered democracy was a free innermost vigorous press.

We owe our readers and viewers a daily account that we’re proud of, advocacy our First Amendment freedoms longstanding living up to our experienced responsibilities.

There are people addition on us.

Congratulations, Donna and give you all.