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Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2006 > April > 17 > Entry
All hail the Times-Picayune
Just a quick note of congratulations to the staff of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, which today won two Pulitzer Prizes for their coverage of Hurricane Katrina. The staff of that newspaper did some of the greatest journalism I’ve ever seen in the wake of the storm. Heroic is the only word for it. Do yourself a favor and read this account of reporting the first days of the storm by Brian Thevenot, an education reporter by trade who was on the front lines for Katrina.
I was moved by the words of Editor Jim Amoss as he told the news to his staff:
“Katrina, the greatest urban disaster in America, dealt tragedy and bitter loss to our community and everyone in this room. As our city was being ravaged, our citizens dying, our market destroyed, our homes lost, with chaos and lawlessness reigning — while this was happening, we came together as a team, and fulfilled a mission that is sacred to us: to publish no matter what — no matter whether our house was destroyed, whether we knew what had happened to our families, or what the future held.
If anyone doubts the value of a daily newspaper, ask the readers of The Times-Picayune. They will tell you what it means to have news from your hometown, brought to you by reporters, photographers, graphic artists, columnists, editorial writers and editors who know their backyard, understand the complexity of our situation and are driven by a passion for this place and this story.”
Amen.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Journalism
Comments
By Mary
April 18, 2006 6:42 AM | Link to this
The education reporter’s story you linked is quite gripping. However, it is too bad the same people so desperate (or dead)after the flood did not pay attention to the Times Picauyune (spelling?)article several years ago. The huge article made it clear that this tragedy could happen in the case of a category 3 hurricane. I get the feeling the local, state, and federal government were more concerned with security for the Super Bowl in New Orleans after 911 instead of the condition and maintenance of the levees. So what crises and priorities are we overlooking now? I also note we are a very dependent culture. We have lost the pioneer spirit of saving ourselves. We look to the government at the local, state and federal level as if they were mommy and daddy and all powerful. Problem is our government is only as good as we are.