Category: Blog

These are random thoughts about topics that interest me — including books, rock and roll, philosophy, culture and daily life. I update it whenever the mood strikes me, shooting for at least once a week but often more frequently than that. I welcome your comments on anything I may discuss here and, when appropriate, will reply as promptly as possible.

Newsroom settings change, but goals don’t

I’m thinking about newsrooms today. I’m looking around me at a cavernous gray chamber that has been stripped of 23 years of personality. Twenty-three years of iconic news photos. Twenty-three years of baby, family and vacation pictures. Twenty-three years of signs and posters. Twenty-three years of desks groaning under stacks of outdated newspapers, knickknack displays, Read More …

Two questions, one answer on reporting

Two very different questions were directed to me at a recent panel discussion on journalism. One questioner sought to know why we weren’t reporting more details about a police shooting in Bloomingdale earlier this month in which a Carol Stream man carrying a knife was killed. From the wording of the question, it was clear Read More …

Some help for following local elections

Keeping up with local elections is important, in some ways more so than keeping up with prominent statewide or national contests. But it’s not always easy. We can help. Early voting is under way in the April 2 municipal and school board elections. Local campaigns often are based mostly on some combination of candidate signs, Read More …

Anti-social media adds new dimensions to ‘silly season’

Election campaign time is sometimes referred to as the “silly season” because of all the wild stories, accusations and complaints that seep out of the political ether. It may seem natural to assume that dirty politics primarily involve high-profile, high-stakes state and national offices that offer the allure of power, recognition and wealth. Surely, one Read More …

Hook, line, sinker and attribution

There are many points with which I would take issue in the Walter E. Williams column on Jussie Smollett that we published Wednesday. That, in large measure, is the function of an opinion column, to engage a reader’s emotions and intellect. But one line of argument in particular about the news media is frequently repeated Read More …

Recognizing people with our policies

Our writers and editors strive constantly to make sure that the people at the center of the news events we report are indeed recognized as people — not just names or faceless statistics. In cases of tragedy and great personal sorrow, the pursuit of that goal can require some delicate balancing. Some of our coverage Read More …

Commenting online? Great. But remember who may be reading

Imagine a family in mourning. A beloved 12-year-old child — their daughter, granddaughter, sister, cousin — has just died in a tragic accident. What kind of person would walk up to one of them and belittle their religious faith or condemn their circumstances? The answer: A certain kind of person who comments on social media Read More …

Listening, respect and the flow of democracy

Last month, we opened the door to an expanded way of thinking about Daily Herald editorials when we hosted a meeting of the new members of a Sounding Board we assembled to help ensure that we consider a broad range of arguments in the editorials we write. Around a conference room table, men and women Read More …