I sincerely thank CSM and MAC leadership and membership for this
collaborative response. I've been out-of-town and processing e-mail
on a limited basis for the past several days. I just caught up on
reading e-mails and comment responses to the press release. I
concur with most sentiments and action proposals, and support:
1. a joint resolution officially approved by both memberships and
signed by CSM and MAC Heads.
2. a formal invitation from CSM and MAC Heads for select AEJMC
entities to consider supporting said resolution, particularly the
Newspaper division, Radio-Television Journalism division, and the
Standing Committee on Professional Freedom and Responsibility.
3. a resolution that centers on latitude and process for
presidential communications; and demographic and intellectual diversity
of the PAC in terms of divisional affiliations, research paradigms,
comprehensive and doctoral institutions, small and large programs,
etc.
4. a formal request from CSM and MAC Heads for Dr. Pardun and PAC
to submit a written response to MAC/CSM concerns by a specified
date.
At 05:12 PM 6/10/2010 -0400, Dr. Linda F. Callahan wrote:
Dear Colleagues:
I spoke with AEJMC President Carol Pardun today. I shared with her
the
sentiments expressed by CSM & MAC members regarding President Obama
and
Transparency.
She is going to provide a written response to our conversation
after
speaking with Advisory Board members; however, this is a summary of
her
response as to why the news release was sent.
1. It was a difficult decision that was discussed for several
months.
2. The release was not politically focused.
3. "From our investigation, facts are clear that he hasn't had full
press
conferences as often as he should have."
4. Despite the fact that he has had numerous press conferences and
uses
social media, "he's driving the communication channels instead of
giving
access that would allow reporters to do their jobs."
5. She has received a lot of emails thanking them for "having the
guts" to
do the news release.
6. She was shocked and surprised that some have suggested the news
release
was politically motivated.
7. She was even more shocked and surprised that some have suggested
that
racism might have been a factor.
8. They did not expect this response and did not expect this to be
controversial. They thought that net-neutrality would have been
a
controversial issue, but not this.
NOTE ABOUT # 6, 7, 8.
[I did not bring up "politically motivated" or
"racism." So, someone prior
to our conversation had raised those issues. As for #8, I suggested
that
more diversity on the Advisory Board could have caught this
problem].
MAC Chair Jennifer Woodard and I have spoken. We decided that we
would
hold-off on the joint resolution until we receive a written response
from
Carol and the Advisory Board. She will send the response to me with
the
understanding that I will share it with CSM & MAC. (CSM is an
oversight body
of AEJMC).
Thank you very much for your feedback.
Linda Florence Callahan, Ph.D.
Chair, Commission on the Status of Minorities
Professor
Journalism & Mass Communication
North Carolina A&T State University
Greensboro, NC 27411
WARNING: This e-mail correspondence is subject to Public Records Law and
may be disclosed to third parties.
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