| Detroit Hosts International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors |
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June 27, 2008, Scott Downing (Update July 5th)
Wayne State University, Detroit was the site of 2008's annual gathering of The International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors (ISWNE). This six day event, beginning Tuesday June 24, 2008, drew attendees from across the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and Australia.
The six day conference included visits to the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Reuther Library, the Ford Rouge Factory, and the Detroit Historical Museum. Business and informational meetings were also conducted.
On Friday, ISWNE teamed up with the Detroit Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) to co-sponsor a series of afternoon programs in Wayne State’s McGregor Memorial Conference Center. This recently refurbished, half-century-old conference center was created by architect Minoru Yamasaki, designer of the twin, 110-story, World Trade Towers in New York.
Program speakers included: Detroit Free Press writer Bill McGraw, The Arab American News publisher Osama Siblani, SPJ regional director Jeremy Steele, retired Detroit News editor Sue Burzynski, University of Wisconsin professor David Gordon, Wayne State University professor Berl Falbaum, Butzel Long attorney Robin Luce Herrmann and Detroit Free Press writer Joe Swickard.
Bill McGraw led off the afternoon with a presentation of his Michigan Emmy nominated series “Driving Detroit”. With 31 years of reporting at the Detroit Free Press, Bill was given the latitude to drive all 2,700 miles of Detroit, Michigan streets in the summer of 2007.
One day, while interviewing a resident at a house fire, Bill was interrupted when the bystander pointed at a parked Detroit city fire truck and asked, “Is that fire truck on fire?”
It was.
Bill’s adventures were just beginning.
Osama Siblani, publisher of The Arab American News, relayed how he went from being on the last plane out of Beirut during Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon, to being present at the signing of the Oslo Accords between Israel and Palestine in 1993. This event was hosted at the White House by President Bill Clinton.
Mr. Siblani’s presentation focused on dispelling several misconceptions about Arab Americans. For example, he pointed out that of the 3 million Arabs in the U.S., 70% of them are Christians. He made clear he had started his newspaper to reach America.
“I believe in the American spirit,” Mr. Siblani said. “I am a very proud American.”
Next, was a panel discussion titled “Ethics in Journalism.” The panelists were Jeremy Steele, Sue Burzynski, David Gordon, and Berl Falbaum. They touched upon how journalists should: reveal all relationships with advertisers to the public; not accept any gifts, trips, tickets, etc from agencies or person they report on; be dealt with if they violate codes of conduct. The ensuing discussion included members of the audience.
After dinner, Butzel Long attorney Robin Luce Herrman and Detroit Free Press writer Joe Swickard entertained the room with stories about their many Freedom of Information Act (FOI) battles in the courtrooms of Michigan.
Because of the expense and time involved in litigating violations of FOI, Robin Luce Herrman stated that you have to know how to “pick your fights.”
Joe Swickard then relayed how he had taken an autopsy report FOI case to the Michigan Supreme Court and won.
When he was asked what attorneys for the embattled Detroit mayor must have said upon first seeing explosive personal text massages that helped bring felony charges against the mayor, Mr. Swickard surmised it was, “Holy Moly, or words to that effect.”
During a Q&A session, it was asked by Highland Wire editor Scott Downing, what should be done to in the case of Marion Public Schools of Marion, Michigan. This district’s employee administers have taken to banning both citizens and elected board members from public school buildings after they asked for public documents both under the Freedom of Information Act and as elected officials of the district.
It was suggested that the Michigan Attorney General should be contacted and legal action pursued.
Detroit Institute of Arts
Also read: The South End Wayne State University's student newspaper coverage of the ethics session.
On the campus of Wayne State University, Michigan.
ISWNE and SPJ co-sponser an afternoon of journalism.
Bill McGraw found this corner while driving all 2,700 miles of the Detroit's streets.
Detroit Institute of Art.
Detroit Historical Museum.
Art on campus.
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