Pauley speaks at DePauw tonight

Friday, April 17, 2009

On the eve of Jane Pauley's induction into the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame, residents of Putnam County are invited to attend her Timothy and Sharon Ubben Lecture at DePauw University, today at 7:30 p.m.

The speech, which will take place in Meharry Hall of historic East College, will serve as the capstone of a daylong celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Society of Professional Journalists, a national organization which was founded at DePauw by ten students in May 1909.

"Jane Pauley is a native Hoosier who has had a national impact on journalism," says Ken Owen, executive director of media relations at DePauw and coordinator of the Ubben Lecture Series. "As a pioneering female journalist, she paved the way for other women to serve in prominent roles on national newscasts and has a unique perspective on where journalism has come from, where it is, and how it can emerge from these challenging times. We're delighted to welcome her back to DePauw."

On May 21, 1978, Pauley became the youngest recipient of an honorary degree in the history of DePauw University. Her husband, Garry Trudeau, was DePauw's commencement speaker in 1983.

In 2007, Pauley received the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism. "I have long been a great admirer of Jane Pauley, whose career embodies the very essence of this award," noted Cronkite, the legendary CBS newsman. "She is an award-winning journalist and journalism pioneer. Her standard of excellence as a news anchor and her in-depth interviews have earned her the respect of colleagues with whom she's worked -- and those of us who wish we had.

Today's day-long celebration of SPJ's anniversary will begin with a 2 p.m. presentation by Richard J. Tofel, author of "Restless Genius: Barney Kilgore, The Wall Street Journal, and the Invention of Modern Journalism."

Tofel's address, in Meharry Hall of historic East College, will examine the career of Bernard Kilgore '29, who has been called the "man who transformed the Wall Street Journal -- and modern media," and whose career in journalism began at DePauw.

At 3 p.m., Bob Steele '69, Eugene S. Pulliam Distinguished Visiting Professor of Journalism at DePauw and Poynter Institute faculty member, will moderate a panel discussion on "Journalism in Times of Peril and Promise," which will examine the profession's past, present and future. Panelists will include Bob Edwards of XM Radio and formerly of NPR; Ken Paulson, who now leads the Freedom Forum and Newseum and is former editor of USA Today; Karen B. Dunlap, president of the Poynter Institute; Jan Schaffer, executive director of J-Lab: The Institute for Interactive Journalism; Suzanne McCarroll, a reporter at KCNC-TV in Denver; and Bruce Sanford, SPJ legal counsel and First Amendment attorney. The session will also take place in Meharry Hall, up the stairs from the room in which SPJ was founded 100 years ago.

In the same location at 4:45 p.m., a ceremony will be held to commemorate SPJ's 100th anniversary, inspired by the fraternal traditions started by the Society's original members.

An anniversary dinner will begin at 5:45 in the ballroom of the Memorial Student Union Building.

The historic day will be capped off with the Ubben Lecture by Pauley, a veteran of many years at NBC News and a 30-year member of SPJ.

Saturday afternoon at Walden Inn, Pauley and another four journalists -- Craig Klugman, James Brown, Janet Flanner and Ernest Wilkinson -- will be inducted into the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame.

More information can be found at www.depauw.edu

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