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Boyd to speak on Times controversyBy MIESHA LOWERY Monitor Staff Gerald M. Boyd, former managing editor for The New York Times, will speak publicly for the first time since his resignation in a special session titled “A Conversation with Gerald Boyd” Thursday at 2 p.m. in the Landmark Ballroom. Jayson Blair, a 27-year-old black reporter, sent shock waves through newsrooms and across the country in April when details of his plagiarism and inaccuracies surfaced. This later led to the resignations of Boyd and Executive Editor Howell Raines and a low point in the 152-year history of The New York Times. “This means everything to NABJ,” said the organization’s president, Condace Pressley. “Gerald has not spoken publicly and I called him because I knew he was going to attend the conference. I knew the members were interested to hear what he has to say, and it was entirely his decision if he wanted to speak in a forum.” The session is an open format for Boyd and he is expected to address the tumultuous months that let up to Blair’s resignation on May 1 and Boyd’s on June 5. “It’s his time to speak,” Pressley said. There will be a facilitated question and answer period following the forum. During his tenure, Boyd led Times reporters to produce a Pulitzer Prize-winning series focusing on race in America. He has been referred to as one of the most influential minority journalists in the business. On the heels of the Blair scandal, newsroom reporting practices were scrutinized by journalists and the public. Shortly afterward, Pulitzer Prize-winning national correspondent Rick Bragg resigned from the Times over his heavy use of freelancers. NABJ Treasurer Glenn E. Rice left the board following accusations he plagiarized as a reporter at The Kansas City Star. Affirmative action was cited by many as a reason that Blair was able to advance so quickly through the Times newsroom despite his poor performance. “There are those people who have an agenda and who think affirmative action is a problem in all factions of society,” said Stephen C. Miller, assistant technology editor for the Times. Blair said racism had much more of an impact on his career than affirmative action in statements shortly after his resignation. “Race had very little to do with this,” Miller said. “He’s not the only one who has done this before, it crosses all racial lines, and the racial issue never came up when Stephen Glass was caught.” The Times and many other newsrooms face a time of internal focus and will use this case to prevent another incident such as the Blair case. Newly appointed Executive Editor Bill Keller announced on July 30 that the Times would employ an ombudsman and a standards editor for the first time in the paper’s history. This decision follows a report by a committee consisting of three outside journalists and 25 staff members who were asked to examine newsroom practices and find ways to prevent another Jayson Blair scandal. “Everyone is saddened when someone like [Boyd] with so much talent departs the newsroom,” said Kathleen McElroy, associate managing editor at the Times. “After a situation like this any person of color is going to wonder how they play in the big picture and that’s one of the sad things about this situation that people may think race is a factor. I feel some sort of pain when someone brings up affirmative action.” Minorities represent 17.1 percent of the Times newsroom and 12.5 percent of newsrooms across the country according to the 2003 American Society of Newspaper Editors newsroom employment census. These numbers still lag behind the 31.1 percent of minorities in the U.S. population. The discussion will continue when Times Publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr., Boyd’s former boss, and a panel of journalists will address the Blair case, ethical practices and newsroom diversity initiatives during the plenary session on Friday at 3:30 p.m. in the Landmark Ballroom. Boyd and his wife, Robin D. Stone, will join 50 of their friends for a private dinner on Thursday. Miesha Lowery can be reached at e-mail mieshanabj@hotmail.com |
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