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ANCHOR INTRO: Conservative pundit Armstrong Williams recently admitted that he accepted $241,000 from the U.S. Education Department to push the No Child Left Behind Act in his commentaries on television and radio and in print. Media commentator Paul Janensch thinks this is another journalism scandal worth an independent investigation.
Outcue "...against the law."
ANCHOR OUTRO: Media critic Paul Janensch is a former newspaper editor who teaches journalism at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. His commentaries are produced by WNPR - Connecticut Public Radio.
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Piece Description
ANCHOR INTRO: Conservative pundit Armstrong Williams recently admitted that he accepted $241,000 from the U.S. Education Department to push the No Child Left Behind Act in his commentaries on television and radio and in print. Media commentator Paul Janensch thinks this is another journalism scandal worth an independent investigation. Outcue "...against the law." ANCHOR OUTRO: Media critic Paul Janensch is a former newspaper editor who teaches journalism at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. His commentaries are produced by WNPR - Connecticut Public Radio.
Broadcast History
Originally Broadcast by WNPR on January 20, 2005.
Transcript
How about appointing outsiders to investigate the payment to Armstrong Williams and make their report public? That's what CBS and USA Today did. Are there other undisclosed deals with commentators friendly to the Bush administration? USA Today deserves credit for disclosing Williams's cozy arrangement with the Education Department. The payment to Williams, which was funneled through a major public relations firm, would be called "payola" in the music business and "grease" in Chicago politics. In Russia, where I worked as a newspaper consultant 10 years ago, it would be called "zakazuka," which means "journalism on order." In any language, it's disgraceful. Williams acknowledged he had shown "bad judgment" but would not return the money. Tribune Media Services stopped distributing his newspaper column. The Senate committee that oversees Education Department spending wants to rev...
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Will Cervarich
Posted on January 19, 2005 at 06:20 PM | Permalink
Review of Armstrong Williams: Master of Zakazuka
A well-articulated opinion about how to proceed in light of the recent Armstrong Williams scandal. This commentator, with whom I happen to agree, is clear and concise in calling for an independent investigation and the rolling of heads. Not only would I like to see his comments acted upon, I'd like to hear more commentary with this strength of conviction aired nationally. Well-suited for All Things Considered and Morning Edition.