Spring Break
Kristen McQuery speaks about journalism in society on Monday
Eric Mills, Daily Vidette Assignment Editor & Joanna Styczen. Daily Vidette Staff
Issue date: 2/26/08 Section: News
Kristen McQueary spoke from personal experience on Illinois politics and the impact of journalism on society Monday.
McQueary is an award winning political columnist currently working at the Daily Southtown.
"The role of the media and journalists [covering politics is] to kind of keep [politicians] on their toes… and to really be the voice for the little guy," McQueary said.
However, McQueary cautioned that the role of a reporter is not only to report the negative things.
"I am definitely not of the mentality that my job is to catch people doing something wrong or that we only cover the negative. I write a column twice a week and I try to make it balanced," McQueary said.
"I also think being a journalist and making $45,000 a year makes me a better writer of common people. And so I do get frustrated when I think things are happening that shouldn't be happening," she added.
"[McQueary's speech] reinforced the reasons why I wanted to be a journalist," Korin Knutson, a senior journalism major, said.
As advice to future journalists, McQueary always gives notice to the subjects of her articles if she intends on writing a negative column about them.
"If I am fishing for something or I am going to come out with a column that was going to be sort of hard on them they know. I don't want anyone to ever pick up my column and be surprised or angry at me because they never had the chance to respond to the things I am saying," McQueary said.
McQueary also showed how journalism could have an effect on the community and the media industry. McQueary is the president of the Chicago Headline Club, a chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, which she believes was helpful in altering the College Campus Press Act.
"College Campus Press Act would have restrained the right of college newspapers to operate independently of college administration," McQueary said.
"We made sure that a different law was passed so that administrators would keep their fingers out of what goes on at college newspapers," McQueary added.
However, the news does need to work harder to address the youth of the country, according to McQueary.
"News organizations are very dinosaur-like in the way they are trying to reach [the younger] audience. I think we tend to be dumbing down the news… thinking that will bring in new readers instead of putting good quality news out there that appeals to your generation."
McQueary has worked at the Daily Vidette, where she is a member of the hall of fame, The Pantagraph, The Peoria Journal Star and The Daily Southtown.
McQueary is an award winning political columnist currently working at the Daily Southtown.
"The role of the media and journalists [covering politics is] to kind of keep [politicians] on their toes… and to really be the voice for the little guy," McQueary said.
However, McQueary cautioned that the role of a reporter is not only to report the negative things.
"I am definitely not of the mentality that my job is to catch people doing something wrong or that we only cover the negative. I write a column twice a week and I try to make it balanced," McQueary said.
"I also think being a journalist and making $45,000 a year makes me a better writer of common people. And so I do get frustrated when I think things are happening that shouldn't be happening," she added.
"[McQueary's speech] reinforced the reasons why I wanted to be a journalist," Korin Knutson, a senior journalism major, said.
As advice to future journalists, McQueary always gives notice to the subjects of her articles if she intends on writing a negative column about them.
"If I am fishing for something or I am going to come out with a column that was going to be sort of hard on them they know. I don't want anyone to ever pick up my column and be surprised or angry at me because they never had the chance to respond to the things I am saying," McQueary said.
McQueary also showed how journalism could have an effect on the community and the media industry. McQueary is the president of the Chicago Headline Club, a chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, which she believes was helpful in altering the College Campus Press Act.
"College Campus Press Act would have restrained the right of college newspapers to operate independently of college administration," McQueary said.
"We made sure that a different law was passed so that administrators would keep their fingers out of what goes on at college newspapers," McQueary added.
However, the news does need to work harder to address the youth of the country, according to McQueary.
"News organizations are very dinosaur-like in the way they are trying to reach [the younger] audience. I think we tend to be dumbing down the news… thinking that will bring in new readers instead of putting good quality news out there that appeals to your generation."
McQueary has worked at the Daily Vidette, where she is a member of the hall of fame, The Pantagraph, The Peoria Journal Star and The Daily Southtown.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
James Burke
posted 3/02/08 @ 11:56 PM CST
Agree with the article. One addition. Journalists must make a much stronger efort to report on political, taxing (local and state, etc. issues. For example there is little to no effort to tell the public in clear language what is happening to their tax dollars. (Continued…)
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