Faculty Spotlight
Called to Teach
-Tony Pederson
Professor Tony Pederson, Belo Distinguished Chair of Journalism, shares candid thoughts on the journalism profession, his journey, and his current classes.
Path to Journalism
How would you define journalism as an academic discipline?
It's both professional and research oriented. Clearly there's a professional element of what we do in the studio and in our classrooms. But we are a program in applied journalism, and we are demanding that our research here have practical implications for professional media.
In your teaching and past professional experience, what have you found makes a good journalist? What sorts of qualities are required?
Curiosity. An interest in how the world works and a curiosity about how to explain or represent events. Of course, writing skills are absolutely essential. In the studio, energy level, presentation and poise are all crucial.
How did you choose a major in journalism?
I actually began college as a pre-seminary student. But there was a lot going on with journalism during my time in college. The Vietnam War was taking place and the coverage of it at the time was very influential on me. There seemed to be a great feeling about journalism and its possibilities for effecting change.
Why did you choose Baylor for your undergraduate work?
In the Spring of 1969 I was looking forward to attending UT. On the CBS Evening News, my mother saw protests on Congress Avenue--guys with long hair and girls with halter tops, smoke everywhere. She made the decision then that I would attend Baylor.
I never regretted going to Baylor. It provided a wonderful old-style liberal arts education. I took Latin. There were great History and English courses. The English courses, in particular, fostered my already strong interest in writing and literature. It was great stuff.
Journalism Career
Had you always planned to go directly into the field of journalism? Had the prospect of teaching entered your mind at the time?
I was absolutely sure about going to work at a newspaper. I'd studied print and that was my intended direction. But I did have it in my mind that I'd teach at some point.
After some time in Houston at the Houston Chronicle, I went to Ohio State for my MA in Journalism. I returned to the Chronicle in Houston but thought I'd work for three years or so and then pursue a PhD and teach. Soon enough I was getting promotions and pay raises and moving into management. I was named Managing Editor of the Chronicle at 33.
What are your most rewarding experiences as a journalist?
Covering the big stories. The last story I worked was the most recent Space Shuttle disaster. Even in the midst of trauma and national mourning, a journalist has a sense of making a contribution at a moment like that.
How is the field of journalism evolving?
Technology is changing journalism both as a profession and an academic discipline. The influence of blogs on the Dan Rather fiasco is a perfect example. The popularity of blogging is redefining much of what we have as news presentation. We have a faculty member who is researching these very trends right now. Technology is a critical part of what we teach in the classroom. Our goal is to teach students not just the modern technology, but the ability to adapt to technological changes, whatever they may be down the road. We teach students that the generation of relevant and ethical content for media will always be important, even though the delivery mechanisms for that content may change. Fortunately we have a journalism program in the biggest media market in the Southwest. For us to be able to be a resource for the local media and to affect the media here is a huge opportunity.
Teaching the Trade
What brought you back to the University and teaching?
I had made the decision to leave the Chronicle and the newspaper business in the summer of 2002. There were lots of changes in the media business, and it struck me as the right thing to do. I think there are maybe two or three key times in your life in which there are opportunities for real change, and I sensed that time for me. I had talked with a couple of other universities. Then I received a phone call about the position at SMU from my old friend Ralph Langer from the Dallas Morning News. In ten days, I had a contract here at SMU as the Belo Distinguished Chair of Journalism.
What are your favorite introductory-level courses to teach?
Right now, my favorite course is MSA 2301, Mass Media and Society. But I’m just as excited about preparing for and teaching CCJN 2302, Ethics of Convergent Media, which will replace MSA 2301 in Fall 2005, as we institute our new, more flexible journalism curriculum.
Do you have a “teaching style or philosophy”? How would you describe it?
I’m pretty direct. My current class, Mass Media and Society, is a lecture class but it’s very visually oriented. All of my lectures are given with a Power Point presentation. I make all my notes available to students. I continually try to use visual resources for students and even focus many of my lectures on concepts and examples of visual media.
Can you elaborate on CCJN 2302 and what the course will focus on?
Ethics of Convergent Media will be the introductory course for journalism majors. We want to make an early statement about ethics in journalism; make students understand there are tough choices to be made in the media. In this course, students will be introduced to a framework for making the sort of ethical decisions that will face them everyday in the media. We’ll also take a look at some of the corporate financial issues affecting media today and how some of these are impacting ethics and news decision-making. Many of the ethical messes in media today just shouldn’t have happened. They are simply results of bad choices that could have been easily avoided. We want to provide our students with the foundational background to make the right choices.
What do you most enjoy about teaching first- and second-year students?
There’s a real shock-value in introducing young students to real university life. I give tough quizzes, essay test midterms, and I grade every blasted one of them. I want my students to know the importance of writing. The ability to express one’s self in written form is so crucial.
Describe one of your most rewarding experiences as a teacher.
I’ve been very gratified by the feedback I get from class. Students seem to enjoy my multimedia approach and I oftentimes hear from former students about this. I recently received an email from a student who had seen Little Richard play at a political event. After having participated in my class lecture on Rock and Roll and the media, she excitedly wrote me about her experience seeing Little Richard, one of the seminal members of the development of Rock and Roll and a key figure in my lecture.
Away from the Hilltop
What makes you tick outside of your work as a professor and professional journalist?
I have a wonderful family, including my wife and fifteen-year-old daughter. And I love to play golf.
Are you involved in any organizations outside the University?
I continue to maintain a strong interest in Latin America and therefore remain involved in the Inter American Press Association. I am also a director of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, and am very active in First Amendment issues.
