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Interview With Alex Jones
Aired June 05, 2003 - 15:13 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Well, as we told you earlier, our lead story today, the big change at "The New York Times," the resignations of executive editor Howell Raines, managing editor Gerald Boyd in the wake of the scandal involving reporter Jayson Blair.
With me now from Boston to talk more about the changes at the top of the "Times" is Alex Jones. He is the director of the Shorenstein Center at Harvard University, formerly a "New York Times" reporter himself, and the author of a book on the "Times."
Alex Jones, there have been incidences of plagiarism before. How did this one lead to such drastic consequences?
ALEX JONES, HARVARD UNIVERSITY: I think that the breathtaking sweep of this one and sort of the audacity of it linked with the idea that there was reason to believe that it had been going on for a long time and those danger signals were ignored. I think that had a lot to do with it. But I think what happened today was also something that had to do with the style of management that Howell Raines and Gerald Boyd, but especially Howell Raines, instituted as executive editor. He's been enormously successful journalistically, eight Pulitzer Prizes, stunning coverage of the -- of 9/11. But his style was such that he had a -- it didn't work at "The New York Times" in the newsroom. The newsroom of "The New York Times" is a -- it is a bunch of big egos and big talents, and you have to lead them, and you have to lead them in a way that makes them willing to be led.
And I think that Howell had rubbed people the wrong way. He has a great deal of confidence in his own judgment. He has a great and strong belief in "The Times" and what "The Times" should do. I think when that rubbed up against visions of other people, he tended to go with his own vision. And I think that over time, he, in particular, Howell, lost the confidence of the newsroom. So when this terrible crisis came with Jayson Blair, he didn't have enough in the bank to allow him and Gerald to lead the staff out of it.
So I think that the key phrase in Arthur Sulzberger's statement was, "for the good of 'The Times,'" and I think that's the way this was interpreted.
WOODRUFF: Do you think "The New York Times" is going to change as a newspaper, as an enormous instrument of influence in this country as a result of this?
JONES: I think "The New York Times" -- I'm prejudiced in that regard, I guess, because of my history there, but I think it's the greatest newspaper and news organization in the world, and there are others that are great as well, but I think the "Times" has a particular place.
And I think that is well earned and -- and part of that, was, as I said, the coverage of the "Times" of 9/11 under these same two men who have just resigned today was a demonstration of journalism at its very, very best.
So sure, I think the "Times" needs a new -- a new era of leadership, but I think the inherent quality of the "Times" and the value of the "Times" and the dedication and the talent that the "Times" shows journalistically will not be matched, and will be -- it was and is at the very top.
WOODRUFF: Who are the obvious candidates to take Howell Raines' place? The name Bill Keller has been out there and others.
JONES: I think that the two that are -- there are four that I can think of, and the two most likely are Bill Keller, who was the former managing editor, and Dean Baquet, who is now the managing editor of "The Los Angeles Times." There is also Marty Baron, who is the executive editor of the "Boston Globe," which is the biggest newspaper the "Times" owns outside the "Times" itself who is also at "The New York Times," and then there is Andy Rosenthal, who is senior editor still in place. But I think that Bill Keller...
WOODRUFF: ... and maybe Jill Abramson in Washington? Maybe Jill Abramson in Washington?
JONES: Could be. That certainly -- I think that Jill Abramson has an enormous amount of respect at "The New York Times." She is the Washington bureau chief, and sure, I think Jill Abramson would also be.
I think that one thing though you can count on, Judy, is that the "Times" will be within the family. There is not going to be an outsider, meaning someone who does not have a history with "The New York Times" who is going to be chosen for this job -- at least I would be very, very surprised. I think Jill Abramson, for instance, as you mentioned, would be an excellent choice too.
WOODRUFF: Well, we're hearing you, Alex Jones, somebody who knows a great deal about "The New York Times." Thank you very much for coming in to talk to us about it.
JONES: You're welcome, Judy.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired June 5, 2003 - 15:13 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Well, as we told you earlier, our lead story today, the big change at "The New York Times," the resignations of executive editor Howell Raines, managing editor Gerald Boyd in the wake of the scandal involving reporter Jayson Blair.
With me now from Boston to talk more about the changes at the top of the "Times" is Alex Jones. He is the director of the Shorenstein Center at Harvard University, formerly a "New York Times" reporter himself, and the author of a book on the "Times."
Alex Jones, there have been incidences of plagiarism before. How did this one lead to such drastic consequences?
ALEX JONES, HARVARD UNIVERSITY: I think that the breathtaking sweep of this one and sort of the audacity of it linked with the idea that there was reason to believe that it had been going on for a long time and those danger signals were ignored. I think that had a lot to do with it. But I think what happened today was also something that had to do with the style of management that Howell Raines and Gerald Boyd, but especially Howell Raines, instituted as executive editor. He's been enormously successful journalistically, eight Pulitzer Prizes, stunning coverage of the -- of 9/11. But his style was such that he had a -- it didn't work at "The New York Times" in the newsroom. The newsroom of "The New York Times" is a -- it is a bunch of big egos and big talents, and you have to lead them, and you have to lead them in a way that makes them willing to be led.
And I think that Howell had rubbed people the wrong way. He has a great deal of confidence in his own judgment. He has a great and strong belief in "The Times" and what "The Times" should do. I think when that rubbed up against visions of other people, he tended to go with his own vision. And I think that over time, he, in particular, Howell, lost the confidence of the newsroom. So when this terrible crisis came with Jayson Blair, he didn't have enough in the bank to allow him and Gerald to lead the staff out of it.
So I think that the key phrase in Arthur Sulzberger's statement was, "for the good of 'The Times,'" and I think that's the way this was interpreted.
WOODRUFF: Do you think "The New York Times" is going to change as a newspaper, as an enormous instrument of influence in this country as a result of this?
JONES: I think "The New York Times" -- I'm prejudiced in that regard, I guess, because of my history there, but I think it's the greatest newspaper and news organization in the world, and there are others that are great as well, but I think the "Times" has a particular place.
And I think that is well earned and -- and part of that, was, as I said, the coverage of the "Times" of 9/11 under these same two men who have just resigned today was a demonstration of journalism at its very, very best.
So sure, I think the "Times" needs a new -- a new era of leadership, but I think the inherent quality of the "Times" and the value of the "Times" and the dedication and the talent that the "Times" shows journalistically will not be matched, and will be -- it was and is at the very top.
WOODRUFF: Who are the obvious candidates to take Howell Raines' place? The name Bill Keller has been out there and others.
JONES: I think that the two that are -- there are four that I can think of, and the two most likely are Bill Keller, who was the former managing editor, and Dean Baquet, who is now the managing editor of "The Los Angeles Times." There is also Marty Baron, who is the executive editor of the "Boston Globe," which is the biggest newspaper the "Times" owns outside the "Times" itself who is also at "The New York Times," and then there is Andy Rosenthal, who is senior editor still in place. But I think that Bill Keller...
WOODRUFF: ... and maybe Jill Abramson in Washington? Maybe Jill Abramson in Washington?
JONES: Could be. That certainly -- I think that Jill Abramson has an enormous amount of respect at "The New York Times." She is the Washington bureau chief, and sure, I think Jill Abramson would also be.
I think that one thing though you can count on, Judy, is that the "Times" will be within the family. There is not going to be an outsider, meaning someone who does not have a history with "The New York Times" who is going to be chosen for this job -- at least I would be very, very surprised. I think Jill Abramson, for instance, as you mentioned, would be an excellent choice too.
WOODRUFF: Well, we're hearing you, Alex Jones, somebody who knows a great deal about "The New York Times." Thank you very much for coming in to talk to us about it.
JONES: You're welcome, Judy.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
