The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, April 12, 1972, Image 1
VOL. LXII - NO. 76 University of South Carolina, Columbia, S. C. 29208 Wednesday, April 12, 1972
Evaluates
'Ba ck-Tal
How do you talk back to your newspaper?
A recently published slim paperback titled "Back
Talk:The American Press Council", co-authored by
USC journalism profe9sor Dr. Kenneth Stark ex
plores the Press Council as a "non-government
agency which tries to resolve complaints regarding
press performance," he said.
"The Press Council in this country hasn't made
much headway. Publishers have been opposed to
press councils because they feel it will cut in on press
freedom guaranteed under the First Amendment,"
he said.
He explained, "The idea comes from Sweden where
in 1916 the first press council was set up. Many other
countries have organized press councils including
Great Britian. In this country there have been
discussions of establishing a national body to
evaluate press performance since 1940."
With money left by Lowell Mellette, the Mellette
Fund for Free and Responsible Press financed
studies of press councils in this country. "The pur
pose was to try to devise means to increase press
iesponsibility," Dr. Stark said. But with the strong
opposition to a press council the Mellette Fund
decided that studies on the community level rather
than nationally would be more successful.
"The studies were conducted during 1967-68 in
Sparta and Cairo, Ill.; St. Louis, Mo.; Bend, Ore.;
and Redwood City, Calif.," Dr. Starck who
moderated the studies in Cairo and Sparta, said.
With the results of his study, Dr. Starck contributed
two chapters to "Back-Talk" one is "A Quest for
Leadership" on what should be a newspapers role in
the community with regard to leadership. The other
is "Crisis in Chicago" which examined the press and
society in "a socially turbulent setting," he said.
Although the press councils in Cairo and Sparta
Evely appointed
of Aerospace Sti
Colonel Clyde P. Evely, of awards among
Petersburg, Va., assumed the Distinguished F
duties of Professor of Aerospace Presidential Un
Studies and Head of the Depart- Col. Evely eai
ment of Aerospace Studies at USC of Science d4
on April 10 succeeding Col. Joe N. University of D
Swanger who is slated for Master's degr
retirement later this month. Washington Uni
Col. Evely joined the University a graduate of th
staff from Spokane, Wash. where One of the I
he was Vice Commander of the Evely's career
92nd Strategic Aerospace Wing of 10-11, 1962, whe
the Strategic Air Command (SAC). flew a B-52 H
Col. Evely hads held numerous Base, Okinawa
key positions in the United States Base, Spain. wh
Air Force and is a command pilot record for non
with over 7,500 flying hours. He flight in a straig
has numerous decorations and of over 12,500
'Fiesta '72'
By SH ARON ED)SALL Sheik," "The
*Staff Writer Feathers" (Mai
The Garden Council of Greater Three Stooges'
.Columbia and the Art Groups of and many othel
p Columbia will jointly present at 10 am ant
"Fiesta '72" April 14 through April Belk's Auditori
16. Senate Street
Traditionally, the Garden from Pickens
* Council sponsors a Spring Week in Street. This ar<
which they hold various tours, but Fiesta Mall wh
this year they have expanded to be set up and
include the arts. will be giver
The activities begin Friday with sculpture ex
a Film Festival featuriing "Son of arrangements
per orman
c'outlines
dissolved, Dr. Starck measures their success in the
constructive changes which the councils brought
about. "In Cairo the Press Council dissolved because
of summer racial trouble. The town was under
curfew and the Council couldn't meet some of the
time. My own estimation of why the Press Council
didn't survive in Cairo is because it didn't stdrt soon
enough.
"The organization has no statutory authority but
does have the authority of moral suasion. However,
the newspaper may or may not comply with the
council," he said, and cited a case in which a
publisher refused to cover a city council committee
meeting.
Dr. Starck said the publishers' attitude was, "The.
Press Council can't tell me how to run my paper."
But he explained,"The Press Council is intended as
an intermediary between the audience and the
newspaper. In most situations you have a monologue
from the paper to the audience.
He said also, "If you take a complaint to the Press
Council, you forgo taking legal action against the
newspaper. We're not going to help a person find out
if something is libelous.
A press council is organized of local citizens who
meet regularly with policy-makers from the media
and discuss the information need of the community,"
Dr. Starck said. "The object is to get lay people in
volved. You have to be careful with a press council so
that you don't stack the deck and make it a press
public relations organization," he said.
He said he has thought of starting a local press
council, "which would deal with special interest
groups such as poverty. I think it would be useful to
have media people come together with represen
tatives of differenct agencies working with poverty
(Continued on page 8)
Ihead
adies
which include the
ying Cross and the
it Citation.
rned his Bachelor
gree from the
4aryland and his
ee from George
versity. He is also
e Air War College.
iighlights of Col.
occurred January
n he and his crew
from Kadena Air
to Torrejon Air
ich set the world's
stop, non-refueledC lEey
ht line--a distanceCo Ev y
miles.
is coming
Geneal, "Hrse puppet shows, water-color and
'x Brothers), "The paintings.
(their first film) Also included in the activities
's. The films begin will be karate demonstrations,
I will be shown at square dancing, a "paint-in" and
um 4th floor. ''glue-in", sidewalk cafes, wheel
will be blocked off throwing, tie dying, glass blowing
Street to Sumter macrame sidewalk show, jaza
ea will become the festival and other concerts.
ere exhibitions will ''Peter Pan" will be presented
concerts and plays by the Children's Theatre of Town
i. There will be Theatre on the Rutledge Buildin~
hibitions, flower stage at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
story tellers,
ce complaints
press councis
Dr. Starck looks through his new book, "Back-Talk."
Reserve summer
rooms April 17-19
Applications for housing during Sign up stations will be located in
the first summer session will be the M & N Lounge for Moore and
taken April 17-19. Snowden, the Housing Office for
South Building, Columbia Hall International House and Tenement
(for adult groups, graduate and 1, and the lobby of South Building
special), Moore, Snowden, for South Building. The hours are 9
Douglas (graduate and special a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.-4:30
students, adult groups), Tenement p.m.
1 (if a sufficient number of South Building will be closed
students sign up) and the rear during the second session for
apartments of the International repairs and general maintenance.
House will be open during the first South Tower will be open.
session. Cancellation date for these
The Housing fee for first session reservations will be May 25.
will be $84 for double occupancy, Students who cancel will receive
and $126 for single occupancy. The full refund. less $5.
weekly rates are the same as last
year's, but the session this sum -______________
mer will be longer. Anyone who
does not sign up during the
scheduled periods may sign up any
time during the remainder of
spring semester.P h il s
The schedule for reservations is:
April 17 - those students who
wish to reserve their same An itrew ih
room spaces in South Building, SanPilp,rcre
Moore, Snowden, will make ths we nd wil b
their reservations and pay their aird o Crln
room fee. All rooms not
reserved on this date will be Cm u"b ai tto
declared vacant and subject to WUCF (89) a 5
re-assignment on April 18. April p..Thrdy
April 18-19 - Those studentsPhlisap re Arl
desiring to reserve other room 8drn pig Tig
spaces will make their reser
vationstianalpayuteeind oeneeen