Seeing as he started his journalism career there as an intern in 1963, some might say that the Washington Post made Robert G. Kaiser.

Others would argue that Kaiser made the Washington Post or at least helped make it what it is today – one of the top newspapers in the country.

Friday afternoon, the renowned journalist, and co-author of the book “The News about the News,” shared some of his insight with students at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

“We’re going through a transition now that will only become evident and obvious in years from now,” he said.

Kaiser talked to about 100 students, most had notebooks and pens in their hands taking notes for class assignments, about the future of the American media and the decline of news values.

After giving the students a crash course in the state of American media, Kaiser challenged students to hold themselves accountable for their reporting and set their own work ethic.

In recent years, large news organizations have shifted their emphasis from covering the news to making a profit. And as the economy sinks into recession, the easy way to make a profit is to cut spending, usually in the newsroom, Kaiser said.

“I’ve come to the conclusion myself that, sadly, the people in charge think this is how you run the business,” Kaiser said.

Despite these pitfalls in the business, students should not be discouraged, Kaiser said.

“I really do think there’s still plenty of room in journalism for people to do good work,” he said. “You can still write a good story at a really lousy newspaper.”

In expressing his view that the business should turn around.

“Over time, the really good journalists are rewarded for their good work economically,” he said.

Kaiser wrote the book with colleague Leonard Downie, Jr., executive editor of the Post, after ending his 7-year tenure as managing editor of the D.C. paper.

“It’s meant to be an overview of the business at the beginning of the 21st century,” he said.

The book offers an analysis of the state of the American news media, criticizing many newspaper chains. He said the authors received some backlash from their colleagues for their harsh criticisms of the corporate structure of the market.

While print journalism has hope for improvement in the future, Kaiser said he has less faith in broadcasting news. The broadcasting media has moved too far toward what Kaiser calls “infotainment” and has replaced much of their news segments with advertisements.

In the 1980s, network news only included about eight minutes of advertising in a half hour news show, whereas now a show will include 11 minutes of ads, Kaiser said.

Despite the decline in quality journalism in recent years, the American media proved its abilities while covering the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks last year, he said. Times of crisis and war force news organizations to focus their efforts on current issues. And during these times readers tend to take more interest in the news, he added.

Kaiser’s speech was the first in a series hosted by Newhouse and sponsored by alumni Lois Vosburgh, who is 91 years old and attended Friday’s lecture. The former editor for The Daily Orange said she enjoyed Kaiser’s speech and thought he had a strong background that students could learn from.

Most of the students in attendance were covering the event for class, and Dean David M. Rubin said the school assigns lectures to encourage attendance at the events. He acknowledged that students are very busy, and would not likely come to a Friday afternoon speaker unless given an incentive.

“If left to their own devices, most would not come and would not know what they’re missing,” he said.

The students that attended Friday’s event could take with them a better understanding of the media, said Sarah Yaussi, a graduate student in the magazine, newspaper and online journalism program.

Joel Kaplan, director of the newspaper department, said he agreed with Kaiser’s statements for students to pursue promising journalism careers.

“It’s important for you to know what you think is important,” he said, “and know what you want to get out of it.”

Published on September 16, 2002 at 12:00 pm