March 22, 2018

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With 122 Pulitzer Prizes, The New York Times is one of the most prestigious newspapers in the world. The paper champions quality, honest, and objective journalism that readers value in their daily dose of news. The Moody College of Communication hosted Arthur O. Sulzberger Jr., chairman of the board of The New York Times Company, for the 2018 McGarr Symposium.

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Sulzberger discussed his early days as a reporter and as a publisher for the paper touching upon the events of Sept. 11, 2001 as well as his meeting with former President George W. Bush concerning the NSA’s warrantless surveillance of the American people.

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“For me, there is no other newspaper like The New York Times when it comes to quality, the best journalists in the world have worked for The Times, so it was amazing to see Sulzberger today as he has been an integral part of the progression of journalism,” said Christine Conn, an Austin native, saleswoman.

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Other topics conversed included controversial President Donald Trump. Sulzberger talked about an encounter with the president, emphasizing The New York Times’s resilience against Trump’s bullying of the newspaper.

 

“He and I met one-on-one for about 15 minutes and I told him that when you walk into the boardroom you are going to see Times photos of every president,” Sulzberger said. “I drew attention to one photo, it read ‘To The New York Times, some read it and like it, some read it and don’t like it, but everybody reads it’ Richard M. Nixon. I said that’s the last president that took on a free press, think how it ended for him.”

 

Sulzberger stressed the importance of open and honest journalism. He believes it is essential that journalists recognize they have the authority to report whatever they deem necessary. The truth should never be oppressed.

 

Sulzberger advised Moody students, most notably to aspiring journalists first launching their careers.

 

“The joy of going to a small paper like Raleigh and learning the skills you need and making the mistakes that you will inevitably make is that you’ll never find them,” Sulzberger said. “No one is ever going to find the mistakes I made in Raleigh, North Carolina. You really learn the business and have the chance to really grow yourself without being as public as you would be if you went straight to The New York Times.”

 

The future of the newspaper was highlighted in the conclusion of the discussion as Sulzberger talked about the efforts to not only expand the different types of perspectives given in the newspaper, but also the growth of diversity in the workplace.

 

“What is refreshing about The New York Times is that even though it has a moderate liberal bias, Sulzberger has supported the hiring of Bret Stephens, a known conservative,” said Nancy Zidane, a third year public relations student. “This lays the groundwork for furthering objectivity in the news.”

 

Sulzberger closed with his remarks on the importance of using one’s voice to make a difference in society. There is power in every voice. Each voice deserves to be heard.