Gateway Journalism Review

The Syracuse Post and Bernie Fine: An Ethical Dilemma

As both a two-time graduate of Syracuse University and a former six-year employee of the Syracuse Post-Standard, I have been asked quite a bit what I think of the allegations about Bernie Fine and how the newspaper covered the story.

Although it’s hard to explain to the public, my fear is that the public’s criticism of the Post-Standard’s decision not to publish the story nine years ago will make news organizations more willing in the future to print one-source stories that can ruin the reputations of innocent people.

Covering sexual abuse and coaches

A month ago Joe Paterno won his 409th game as football coach at Penn State University to become the all-time Division I leader in coaching victories.

Also in early November, the Syracuse University coaching duo of head coach Jim Boeheim and assistant coach Bernie Fine began their 36th season together on the bench in what looks like a promising year, with the Orangemen ranked number one in early December.

As December begins, both Paterno and Fine are done coaching, Paterno fired for not doing enough to put a stop to sexual abuse by a coach in his program, Fine for his alleged role in the sexual abuse of boys through their sports programs. For Paterno, the end came when a grand jury indicted Jerry Sandusky — Paterno’s longtime friend, retired assistant coach and once heir to take over the Nittany Lions — on multiple counts of sexually abusing boys, including on the Happy Valley campus.

Why is the Farm Bill escaping media scrutiny?

Regional and local media in core Midwest agriculture states have been remiss when it comes to coverage of the $260 billion five-year 2012 farm bill and the rush in November to try to push the bill through the Congressional super committee without debate.

The failure of the so-called Congressional super committee to reach agreement on national debt and budget issues has been disappointing to many. However, this inaction may end up being a blessing for those wanting to thoroughly vet the upcoming 2012 farm bill.

There had been very little discussion of the 2012 farm bill at any level of media until mid-October of this year. This is when the small, joint committee with directions from the House and Senate Agriculture committees began pressing forward with their plan, trying to get it to the super committee for approval in late November.

Lee may file for bankruptcy

Pulitzer Notes agreement enables implementation of debt restructuring throughvoluntary prepackaged Chapter 11 filing, preserving 87 percent of interests of stockholders and all interests of creditors and other business partners. Here is the press release from Lee.
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> DAVENPORT, Iowa (December 2, 2011) — Lee Enterprises, Incorporated (NYSE: LEE), a leading print and digital provider of local news, information and advertising in 52 markets, has reached a key agreement necessary to proceed with a comprehensive refinancing of its debt.
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> The agreement will extend Lee’s Pulitzer Notes debt maturity to December 2015 and enable implementation of the overall refinancing plan announced in September.
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> This is welcome news for all who have a stake in Lee,” said Mary Junck, chairman and chief executive officer. “We have achieved agreements with an overwhelming majority of our creditors on reasonable terms that preserve stockholders’ interests in the company with only 13% dilution. As we previously noted as a possibility, implementation will require a favorable, voluntary, prepackaged Chapter 11 process to bind the remaining minority of non-consenting lenders to the terms. While such a filing falls under bankruptcy laws, it differs significantly from most such filings because it preserves interests of our current stockholders and all other parties. In our case, the process will simply provide a favorable legal framework for implementing the pre-negotiated refinancing on an expedited basis while business continues as usual with no impact on employees, vendors and customers. The refinancing, combined with our strong cash flow, will keep Lee on solid financial footing as we continue reshaping our company for long-term success by expanding our digital platforms, building audiences, driving sales and deleveraging to improve our balance sheet.”

First Amendment, the law and the Occupy movement

Occupy Wall Street protesters have a First Amendment right to protest in a public park, but they don’t have the right to camp overnight or to physically block police officers trying to remove their tents. If officers try to forcibly remove protesters, the police may use reasonable, but not excessive force.

That is the consensus of legal experts in the wake of police actions all across the country aimed at removing Occupy encampments. It explains why courts, including U.S. District Judge Carol Jackson in St. Louis, have permitted police to remove permanent encampments.

Some civil libertarians believe that the U.S. Supreme Court should give a more robust interpretation of the First Amendment in order to protect peaceful, overnight assemblies such as Occupy’s. But they acknowledge that current court decisions do not recognize the right to camp overnight in a park.