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Daily editor attends Cox editors seminar

Editor’s Note: Nicole Paseka, editor in chief of the Iowa State Daily, attended the Management Seminar for College Newspaper Editors at the University of Georgia Aug. 4-10. The Greenlee School asked her to write about her experience.

By Nicole Paseka
Iowa State Daily editor in chief

After bumping into presidential hopeful Sen. Bob Graham, a Democrat from Florida, at the security check at the Des Moines International Airport, I boarded a plane headed south and arrived in Atlanta on Aug. 4.

I was ready to learn how to become a better newspaper editor, to discover ways to improve the Iowa State Daily and to take in a little southern hospitality during my week-long stay.

From Atlanta, the other editors and I boarded a shuttle and made the 58-mile trek to Athens, Ga., home of the University of Georgia.

At UGA, I quickly discovered, football is God, and The Red And Black, the local student newspaper, reigns supreme.

More than 50 other editors representing universities from across the country and even Canada attended the management seminar, hosted by the Cox Institute for Newspaper Management Studies.

Along with numerous other publications, Cox Newspapers Inc. owns The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and we had a chance to mingle with many of its editors and staff throughout the week.

The other student editors and I enjoyed a week of pampering and soul food at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education, located in the heart of the UGA campus.

My roommate, Kimberly Bowers, is the news editor of The Red And Black, so I was fortunate to have the only roommate who knew the UGA campus (and the public transportation system) inside and out.

On our first night in Georgia, the other editors and I were welcomed by Kent Middleton, the journalism department head for the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

We were also fortunate enough to attend a lecture by John Greenman, who joined the Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer as president and publisher in August 1995. In 2000, Greenman assumed an additional responsibility, overseeing operations of the Knight Ridder newspapers in two other Georgia markets.

As assistant managing editor/metropolitan news for the Akron (Ohio) Beacon Journal, Greenman helped direct and edit coverage of the attempted takeover of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. by a European financier that won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for General News Reporting.

Throughout the week, I got to know many of the other editors who came from colleges ranging from Auburn University and California State University to the Savannah College of Art and Design and even Iowa's own Simpson College.

It was amazing to see student newspapers from across the country and how they vary in size, circulation, design and overall presentation.

Many of the other students were extremely impressed with the Daily copies I had brought, particularly our space shuttle Columbia disaster edition and the "Terminated" paper, which featured the amazing conference photo of Larry Eustachy.

Other editors asked if they could have copies of the Daily to take home and show their newsrooms, and I eventually had to start a mailing list after I had given my last copy away!

The other editors were especially impressed with our breaking news photography, overall design and in-depth coverage. I have to say it was quite an ego-booster!

On Aug. 5, the other editors and I visited The Red And Black newsroom, which blew all of us away. The Red And Black is operationally and financially independent of the University of Georgia, which is part of the reason why it boasts an enormous, brand new three-story building.

The newsroom was more impressive than most professional newsrooms I have visited. I think some of the other editors were a little green with envy, but I got the full, complete tour thanks to my Georgian roommate.

Middleton was one of the top speakers on Aug. 6. He lectured about libel and media law. Middleton wrote the media law book hundreds of Iowa State students have used in JlMC 460. Oh, and he says he has met Iowa State's own Associate Professor Barbara Mack.

The editors and staff of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution were our hosts on Aug. 7, as we visited Atlanta and Cox Enterprises Inc. Particularly impressive were Editor Julie Wallace and Public Editor Mike King, who divided us into groups and challenged us with ethical dilemmas in journalism.

I also picked up some amazing tips on how to improve our opinion page from Cynthia Tucker, who is the editorial page editor of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

One of the greatest highlights of my week in Georgia was meeting Yvonne Shinhoster Lamb, who is the training director for The Washington Post. She presented a lecture called "Marketing Yourself: Standing Out from the Crowd," on Aug. 8.

I was lucky enough to nab an interview slot with her on Aug. 9, and she looked over my clips book and gave me advice on how to boost my resume.

I also interviewed with newspapers owned by Morris Communications and Scripps Howard.

I was a little sad to leave Dixie country on Aug. 10, but I know I will see many of the editors again at the college student media convention in Dallas this upcoming November.

It's great to know I have more than 50 friends from across the country who will be dealing with the same challenges I will in the upcoming year. The Grady College is starting an email list, so we will all be able to keep in touch.

Right now, I'm ready to get back to the Daily newsroom and start putting my new knowledge into practice.

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Last updated: March 21, 2006
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