Category Archives: ethics

Editor’s New Year Help from Investigative Twins

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Bob Stepno

From Dec. 30, 1953, here’s what was regularly billed as “another heartwarming story of a country newspaper and its friendly editor.” The series is “Rogers of the Gazette,” starring Will Rogers Jr. This episode starts with the editor giving a … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s, editors, ethics, journalism, local news, newspapers, reporters, teaching | Leave a comment

America Has Room at the Inn — in Big Town

Posted on December 24, 2011 by Bob Stepno

“The power and the freedom of the press is a flaming sword; that it may be a faithful servant of all the people, use it justly. Hold it high. Guard it well!” Writer Jerry McGill, a former newspaperman, and the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, cold war, editors, ethics, international, newspapers, World War II | Leave a comment

Radio Christmas in Connecticut

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Bob Stepno

It isn’t quite Christmas, and I’m far from Connecticut. (Yes, Santa, I’m in Virginia.) And the Martha Stewart or Gladys Taber style feel-good food-and-home magazine feature writing celebrated in the 1945 film “Christmas in Connecticut” doesn’t really match my “Newspaper … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, ethics, journalism, movies, radio, women | Leave a comment

Tabloid Editors Repent!

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Bob Stepno

For students watching the 1931 film “Five Star Final” with Edward G. Robinson as a guilt-ridden tabloid editor, and for anyone looking for an audio alternative to the old-movie experience, here is something close to a radio sequel to the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, editors, ethics, sensationalism, tabloids | Leave a comment

Slightly Dangerous: When a newspaper deludes itself and readers

Posted on July 18, 2011 by Bob Stepno

MGM Theater of the Air didn’t get the original movie cast for its 1950 radio production of the screwball comedy Slightly Dangerous, but Celeste Holm made a charming Peggy Evans (or “Miss X”) — a lunch-counter waitress so bored with … Continue reading →

Posted in adaptations, comedy, ethics, movies, newspapers, romance | Leave a comment

Journalists cutting deals, keeping secrets

Posted on June 5, 2011 by Bob Stepno

https://otrrlibrary.org/OTRRLib/Library%20Files/G%20Series/Green%20Hornet,%20The/Green%20Hornet%2038-05-24%20(0239)%20There%20Was%20A%20Crooked%20Man.mp3 Is a newspaper journalist the people’s watchdog or a government lapdog? How observant should a reporter be? And what should a city editor have for lunch? This Green Hornet radio episode, There Was a Crooked Man, is a place … Continue reading →

Posted in editors, ethics, GreenHornet, journalism, newspapers, publishers, reporters | 1 Comment

Deadline U.S.A. — radio edition of a classic newspaper film

Posted on May 6, 2011 by Bob Stepno

The movie poster gives you the general idea of the plot, but here is the radio version of a classic “heroic newspapermen” movie called Deadline U.S.A. (click to play or download the mp3 if a “player” icon isn’t visible below). … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s, closing, editors, ethics, journalism, movies, newspapers, Pulitzer Prize | 2 Comments

A critical view of an irresponsible newspaper

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Bob Stepno

One of the strongest critiques of journalistic ethics to be heard on classic radio was broadcast by NBC Radio City Playhouse. The original radioplay Correction is a 1949 newsroom drama with a person hurt by a news story showing up … Continue reading →

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Rescuing the Tabloid Competition in Big Town

Posted on February 20, 2011 by Bob Stepno

Not only were newspaper reporters and editors cast as heroic characters in old-time radio dramas, they sometimes made heroic attempts to help the competition, no matter how bitter the rivalry. Perhaps that’s because they recognized newspaper journalism as a higher … Continue reading →

Posted in competition, crime, ethics, j-heroes, movies, newspapers, reporters, sensationalism | 1 Comment

Publisher dares to report

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Bob Stepno

http://otrrlibrary.org/OTRRLib/Library%20Files/G%20Series/Green%20Hornet,%20The/Green%20Hornet%2040-06-05%20(0448)%20Murder%20Seeks%20Its%20Victim%20(aka-Crandall%20And%20The%20Murder%20Ring).mp3 Britt Reid didn’t follow a traditional publisher’s job description, and I’m not just talking about his moonlighting as a masked crime fighter for more than 1,000 radio episodes in the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s, each one with a newsboy … Continue reading →

Posted in competition, ethics, GreenHornet, j-heroes, newspapers, publishers, radio, sensationalism, women | Leave a comment