Tom Plate’s Confessions of an American Media Man: What They Don't Tell You At Journalism School is an appealing conspectus of his life in journalism. Writing in an endearing and conversational style, he frankly discusses his ambitions and his foibles, hoping that some of his choices will help others interested in a journalism career to detect both pitfalls and opportunities.
He chronicles his work at Newsday, Time, New York Newsday, the Los Angeles Times, and other magazines and papers, listing a number of people in the editing, publishing and writing world whom he has worked with: David Laventhol, Jim Bellows, Sir David English and many others. He mentions his many interviews with the likes of Ronald Reagan, Tony Blair, and Bill Clinton, and even includes a photo spread of himself with a number of famous people.
As he peruses his memories he philosophizes about journalism. He believes newspapers should present definite opinions and guidance for the public on important matters, especially regarding the communities they serve. Magazines should publish informed articles, even if writing about small beer.
Plate's viewpoints are thought-provoking. He believes the First Amendment protections that newspapers enjoy incur great responsibility on the part of those papers and their journalists. He feels that journalists should be well-educated so they can report accurately on the happenings of our increasingly complicated world. However, he only discusses print media; he doesn’t delve into the world of citizen journalism, blogging, etc. It would be interesting to hear his thoughts on those media outlets as well.
The book is also entertaining. In fact, at times it reads like a movie. For example, Plate recalls his endorsement interview with New York City Mayor Ed Koch. Plate and Newsday had already decided to endorse Koch’s rival, but he went ahead and talked with Koch. He writes of Koch being escorted to the elevator, turning, and asking if he still had a chance with Newsday; Plate lies and says they haven’t decided. “When the doors closed behind the mayor,” he writes, “honestly, I felt like a total jerk.”
Reading that passage, you can visualize with ease the uncomfortable silence, the plaintive question, Plate's turbid feelings as the elevator closes. It would simply be a great scene for a movie, and there are similar scenes throughout the text. Plate might want to eschew journalism and take up script writing.
The book does get wordy on occasion, with passages that must be waded through. For example: “This put tremendous pressure (unprecedented at the Los Angeles Times) on any new editorial page editor who inherited, on the one hand, a staff from his predecessor that was decidedly liberal, while reporting, on the other hand, to a publisher and editor who were ordinarily exceptionally cautious by nature and geared up to worry about Orange County’s post-Goldwater sensibilities.” I got lost at “on the other hand.”
Confessions contains pointed thoughts on the responsibilities of newspapers, magazines, journalists, and reporters. It should motivate any of us who are writing to be thoughtful when we add our words to the media.
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