EOTO (FINAL): Siskel and Ebert

 

Siskel and Ebert "thumbs up/thumbs down" promotion

Gene Siskel 

Gene Siskel (1972)

Gene Siskel was born in 1946 in Chicago, Illinois. Siskel had a harsh childhood. His mother died when he was only 10 years old, and his father passed not too long after. Because of this, he was raised by his aunt and uncle, who provided him with a stable life. He was known by his teachers as a bright and curious student. He later studied Philosophy at Yale University. During his years, one of his professors encouraged him to pursue a career in movie writing. This advice set him on the path that would define his career. 

After college, he joined the Chicago Tribune in the late 1960s. He did not start off as a critic; he worked as a reporter covering general assignments. It would be in 1969 when he would have the opportunity to become the paper's movie critic. 

As a critic, he became known for being sharp, honest, and sometimes tough. He never hesitated to criticize popular movies such as Star Wars, feeling that it was more of a spectacle than a substantial one, yet strongly supported films he believed in, such as Fargo, for its dark humor. 

His writing style was direct and accessible, which helped him stand out.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was born on June 8,1942 in Urbana, Illinois. He was an only child, and his father worked as an electrician at the University of Illinois. His family was steady and supportive, which gave him a strong foundation growing up. 

Roger Ebert (1975)

From a young age, Ebert showed a passion for writing. As a kid, he created his own little newspaper, became involved in journalism during high school, and wrote frequently for school publications. During his time at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the early 1960s. He was very active in journalism and even wrote for the newspaper there. 

After college, Ebert jumped straight into his career. He joined the Chicago Sun-Times in 1966 as a reporter, and in 1967, he became the paper's film critic. 

In 1975, Ebert became the first film critic to win the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism, which was a big deal because it showed that movie criticism could be accepted as real journalism. 

WTTW 1975

Ebert & Siskel during Sneak Previews 

Siskel and Ebert did not start off as friends; they began as rivals. Both worked for competing newspapers in Chicago, so the two critics were naturally in competition. Their relationship changed in 1975, when a local television producer brought them together for a new PBS show called Sneak Previews. 

At first, it wasn't a perfect match. The two have very different personalities and have often argued off-camera. 

Over time, their debates became the heart of the show. They challenged each other's opinions, they explained movies in a way regular people understood, and introduced the "thumbs up/thumbs down" system. 

 "Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down"

The "thumbs up/thumbs down" system was a simple way for Siskel and Ebert to rate movies on their television show (thumbs up, they recommend the movie, thumbs down, they do not recommend it)

This system became extremely popular because, before this, movie reviews were often very long articles that not everyone read. This system was easy to understand, helped audiences decide what to watch, and made their debates more fun to follow. 

Impact on Society

Siskel and Ebert made a huge impact on how people think, watch, and talk about movies. 

They made film criticism mainstream. Millions of people started paying attention to movie critics, watching reviews became part of movie culture, and made discussing movies feel fun and normal. 

The thumbs up/thumbs down system changed how people decided to watch movies. This system could boost a movie's popularity, and movies started running their movie ratings in advertisements. 

Furthermore, they taught people to think about movies beyond just "good" or "bad". They explained why through storytelling, action, and directing, which allowed viewers to think critically and helped people see movies as art and not just entertainment. 

Truth Under Fire: Shock and Awe Movie Review

Flames engulfed Saddam Hussein's Council of Ministers building in Baghdad
during the 2003 bombing campaign that was mistakenly labeled "Shock and Awe". 
A genuine Shock and Awe strategy applied to Ukraine would be less focused on destroying 
buildings and more on changing the way people think. 

The Knight Rider Newsroom 

John Walcott 

John Walcott, Bureau Chief, is someone throughout the film who demonstrates a moral and editorial backbone. Walcott nudges his two reporters to keep pushing their sources and not to be "stenographers for the Bush administration." He is skeptical by instinct and demanding by principle. Additionally, when Walcott decides to recruit a well-connected veteran, Joe Galloway, to help dig up whistleblowers, showing that his approach to leadership is about chasing the truth rather than waiting for it to be handed to him.

Jonathen Landay and Warren Strobel

Jonathan Landay, reporter, is more hotheaded and driven of the two. He and Strobel both heard completely different stories from their sources inside the government. People tell them that the administration is pushing to go to war with Iraq, even though everyone knows Bin Laden is hiding in Afghanistan and Pakistan. As Landay talks things through with his wife, the film shows him as someone who cannot fully accept when all his sources are pointing him another way. 

Warren Strobel, reporter, is the calmer, steadier one of the two. Like Landay, he wonders if they have gotten it wrong and everyone else has gotten it right, but evidence keeps pointing them in the same way. The film makes a point of showing that these men were fearless heroes who never had doubts. They did, but they kept going anyway. 

Joe Galloway

Joe Galloway, Veteran War Correspondent, is someone everyone in Washington is trying to track down. Although the film doesn't give him a huge role, he connects the reporters to a world of quiet contacts and off-the-record conversations they could easily access on their own. Having lived through real wars, he has no patience for one built on lies. 

The film frames the Knight Ridder team as practicing a fundamentally different kind of journalism from their peers: bottom-up reporting that goes directly to intelligence analysts, Pentagon insiders, and Middle East experts rather than laundering official press briefings as news. Many of the 31 newspapers Knight Ridder served hesitated to publish their findings, fearing they were outliers or simply wrong when compared to major outlets like the New York Times. Even within their own organization, the reporters faced institutional friction. The Philadelphia Inquirer's editor bluntly says the tone of their stories doesn't "fit in." 

Main Stream Press 

The Washington press corps is showcased in a different light. Rather than spending time digging for the truth, most news organizations accepted what they were hearing from the Bush administration and then proceeded to pass it on to readers. Both the New York Times and Washington Post are pointed out as outlets that essentially repeated White House talking points, giving them credibility they did not deserve. 

The Times reporter Judith Miller featured in the film is an example of failure. She is shown helping the administration make its case for the war rather than questioning it. The film ends with real footage of Miller admitting that the Knight Rider reports were the only right ones-a damaging message from the heart of the mainstream media failure. 

The Core Difference 

The film draws a clear line between two different ways of journalism. The Knight Ridder team treated official statements as claims that needed to be checked. The mainstream press treated them as acts that simply needed to be reported. Once an approach led to truth, and one led the country into a war built on lies. 

Reflection-EOTO#2

Ida B. Wells (1862-1931)

Ida B. Wells

A presentation that really stood out to me was the story of Ida B. Wells, a courageous journalist who took on the nation and dominated the industry. After hearing about her story, she reflects on numerous messages about pursuing the truth even when it's dangerous, that documentation matters, and using your platform to give a voice to those who may be afraid to speak up. 

In 1892, when Wells traveled to investigate the lynching of her beloved friend Thomas Moss, she reflected resilience. While there are more protective measures in place for journalists in the present day, Ida B. Wells put herself at an enormous risk in the South, but was ultimately looking to discover the truth. It's not to say you shouldn't trust your better judgment when going to a scene, but Wells shows how the field sometimes demands courage over comfort. 

Additionally, Wells represented the importance of documentation and data. Her investigation was not just emotional, but she actually showed up at the scene to investigate. She interviewed witnesses and compiled statistics from white newspapers. This shows a separation of opinion or bias in the field, but rather gives her proper credibility to prove why the courts are wrong. 

Furthermore, Wells used her platform to give a voice to those who may be afraid to speak up. Unfortunately, an abundance of people during this time period were afraid to speak up out of fear of also being lynched, hanged, murdered, and, as alarming as it may seem, there are still people afraid to speak up today out of fear of physical or social retaliation.  Still, Wells reported on victims who had no other advocate and who better than a journalist to amplify those who cannot amplify themselves. 

Overall, Wells is an important figure in journalism history to the present day, as her primary focus was to speak the truth, which is something that we need journalists to largely improve upon today. 

Investigative Journalists 

The next focus of the presentation was on Investigative Journalism throughout history. 

The beginning of Investigative Journalism started with the Penny Press Era, more specifically, the launch of the New York Sun. Of course, because the newspapers were so cheap, they were able to hit a wide audience. Much of the content was human interest stories, crime, and scandal. 

Nellie Bly (1864-1922)

Nellie Bly was a pioneer of "stunt journalism," which is where journalists go undercover for the inside scoop. She exposed horrific conditions inside the New York asylum in her book Ten Days in a Madhouse. Her investigation led to public outrage and reforms. Additionally, she showcased firsthand immersion can expose what official sources deliberately hide, as well as considering how journalists can be participants in a story, not just observers. 

The presentation also discussed "Muckrakers," which was a term for investigative journalists, writers, and photographers during the time who exposed corrupt practices in business and politics. Ida Tarbell dismantled John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil monopoly through exhaustive document research. This era proved that journalism could directly produce legislative and social change. 

Overall, Investigative Journalism remains one of the few forces that expose misconduct, corruption, and abuse of power in institutions.

Computer Assisted Reporting

Last, I got some insight into Computer-Assisted Journalism, which is a journalism method where reporters use computers, databases, and data analysis tools to find patterns to uncover stories in large sets of information. 

Phillip Meyer pioneered computer analysis in journalism, as well as using scientific methods. His 1967 Detroit Riot coverage used survey data to challenge assumptions about who was rioting-a groundbreaking approach. He pushed the idea that numbers and data could prove that interviews alone would not be able to, 

During the 1980s-1990s, newsrooms began adopting computers to analyze government databases and public records. Journalists were now able to spot patterns in crime statistics, election data, and financial records that would be impossible to detect manually. 

As technology advanced, the internet made vast amounts of public data freely accessible. Journalists began building interactive databases and visualizations for readers. Spreadsheets and database software became a standard newsroom tool and would lay the groundwork for what would evolve into modern data journalism and computer reporting. 

Phillip Meyer (1930-2023)

Although this is not a part of journalism, I am interested in being involved in the presentation, which provided great insight into different aspects of the field. Most importantly, this journalism presentation gave a great overview for all journalists that they must be thorough, courageous, and technically capable.
 

Arts & Entertainment Journalism

A look at early Broadcast Journalism at ABC Studios. 

The Beginning of Arts and Entertainment

Although minimal, the earliest roots of arts journalism can be traced to Benjamin Harris's Public Occurrences Both Foreign and Domestic. Additionally, early dedicated art sections emerged in the 1770s in several London newspapers like the Morning Chronicle. 

18th Century Literary Journals 

A photo of the Morning Chronicle in London. 

Literary journals began to reach a large audience in the 18th century. In 1696, the Galleria Di Minerva was first published in Venice. They covered current events, art, and culture. These early publications set the template for critical arts writing, comprising reviews, commentary, and cultural debate. This occurred way before modern newspapers created a dedicated entertainment section. 

19th Century: Criticism Goes Mainstream 

The 1831 Journal L'ariste featured exhibitions of contemporary art and art criticism. By the late 1800s, they departmentalized their content into labeled sections, which made it easier for readers to find subjects of interest. This became a more popular approach newspapers took on by the 1890s. This is where we finally saw the arts and culture as a recognized section. 

Hollywood Era (1920)

Entertainment journalism started alongside the rise of Hollywood. As films, celebrities, and actors emerged, newspapers and magazines began to write about them, due to increasing demand. In newspapers and magazines, there were columns dedicated to the lives of celebrities and the latest developments in the entertainment world. Entertainment journalism did not only focus on film, but also on theater shows. Newspapers covered Broadway openings, jazz clubs, and Hollywood gossip. Popular magazines founded in the decade included Time (1923) and Vanity Fair. 

The Golden Age of Entertainment Journalism 

Walter Winchell was the original architect of modern journalism gossip. He began writing on Broadway for the New York Daily Mirror, which became the first gossip column, and would make his radio debut over WABC. The crossover from print to radio was extremely important for entertainment journalism, as something you read transformed into something you listened to. Winchell used his political, entertainment, and social connections to get the insider scoop, and then he would either publish in his column or try to accumulate more power. Winchell was very bold in his columns, leaving NOTHING off limits. Gossip, sex, affairs-you name it, he wrote it, making him known to be "the most feared journalist." 

Hedda Hopper (left) and Louella Parsons (right)

Another notable figure during this time was Louella Parsons, who began her first movie gossip column for the Chicago Record Herald, but soon later she would become the most powerful person in Hollywood, demanding and receiving the inside scoop in the movie business. Soon, Parsons' friend and previous actress Hedda Hopper was hired to write a competing column. The two would become enemies, but both held Hollywood in the palm of their hands, making and ruining numerous stars' careers.

During the 1930s and 1940s Golden Age, we saw a pour of insider scoops of actors and actresses and behind the scenes of films. Louella Parsons' show Hollywood Hotel debuted on CBS in October 1934. She surmounted the costly broadcast fees by inducing top film stars to appear on her program for free. The success of the show established Hollywood as a major center of radio production, and by the start of the 1940s, most of the best-known radio shows came from Hollywood. 

Celebrity Journalism and Tabloid Era 

 

The launch of People in the 1970s helped bring celebrity reporting to mainstream media, spawning similar publications such as US Weekly and Entertainment Tonight. Entertainment Tonight, which premiered in 1981, was the first national and daily television program devoted to entertainment news. translating the gossip column format into a fast-paced nightly broadcast with red carpet footage, studio interviews, and breaking celebrity news. This would also go on to create similar shows such as Access Hollywood and Extra. 

A photo from the premier of
Entertainment Tonight 

Overall, entertainment journalism exists to connect audiences to the stories, artists, and spectacles that define their time. As long as people care about culture, there will be journalists to cover it — and audiences hungry to read, watch, and share every word.

Five Star Final

 

The 1931 film Five Star Final explores themes of ethics, accountability, power, and the cost of human exposure. The movie also reflects on several concepts we've learned about in journalism history. 

Penny Press Era 

A photo of the scandal in the Gazette. 

The film is based on the paper The Gazette, which, like newspapers during the Penny Press Era, aimed to attract as much of an audience as possible. Much like Benjamin Day and the New York Sun, which charged almost nothing to achieve a mass audience, the Gazette operates with similar logic.  Hincheclife spends the film demanding the Voorhees story, not because of personal interest in the scandal, but because he knows it will spike sales. Additionally, Penny Press editors discovered "human interest" stories that focused on individuals rather than commercial affairs. In terms of Penny Press standards, the Voorhees tragedy was the perfect human interest story involving a woman with a scandalous past, a respected reputation, and a daughter about to marry up. Five Star Final, in several ways, showcases the Penny Press Model at its logical extreme, stripped of any pretense that mass appeal and public good are the same thing.

Yellow Journalism 

A photo of Nancy Voorhees trying to stop
them from running the story. 

An aspect of the film that I felt Yellow Journalism was being displayed is the decision to dig up the decade-old story of Nancy Vorhees. Vorhees, who committed a decade-old crime, served to rebuild her life. The Gazette's improper intention of running the story for the success of sales of the newspaper shows disregard for any possible human damage this would soon cause. As the film progresses, we see the Gazette send a reporter disguised as a clergyman to the Voorhees household to gain the family's trust and extract information under false pretenses. This deceptive nature showcases reporting that is consistent with the Yellow Journalism Practice, that getting the story by any means necessary is more clever than misconduct. Ultimately, the tragic suicide of Nancy and her husband showcases the enormous harm that Yellow Journalism can cause. 

Press Barons 

Randall (left), Hinchcliffe (right). 

Primarily, I believe the character Hincheclife aligned much with Press Barons, which were powerful media proprietors of the late 19th and early 20th centuries who built vast newspaper empires and used them as an instrument of personal power, profit, and political influence. As such, Hincheclife never confronted the wreckages he caused this family. He treats the newspaper purely as a commercial instrument. The paper exists to make money, and editorial decisions are business decisions. This reflects the way real Press Barons often subordinated journalistic integrity entirely to circulation and revenue goals. He also overrides the professional judgment of his editors without hesitation. When Randall expresses moral reservations about the Voorhees story, Hincheclife dismisses them immediately. The film is not just criticizing bad journalism practices — it is criticizing the ownership structure that produces and perpetuates those practices.

Randall

Hinchcliffe is a character who I felt followed no journalistic ethics. For him, all decisions made are purely business, and he never hesitates to make decisions that may affect anybody else. It seems that Randall is an ethically complex character, as he seems to clearly understand that what they are doing is wrong. He attempts numerous times to raise his voice and objections, but is primarily seen dealing with his uncomfortable behavior by drinking or chronically washing his hands. But in the end, Randall ends up complying with the requests, which ultimately leaves him with strong feelings of regret. The character who is sent as the clergyman is a clear representation of deceptive journalistic behavior, abandonment of ethical practices, and manipulation.

I believe ethical obligations the journalist owes the people they write about are to avoid unnecessary harm to harmless individuals, the obligation not to use deception, and to consider whether it serves any public interest beyond satisfying curiosity

. 

The paper also suggests that the Gazette is deceiving the readers as well. Readers an outrageous, recycled scandal instead of genuine information that is beneficial to the readers' lives. 

Randall seems to be the only one with questions on his conscience. He knows the ethical framework he is violating, but uses drinking as a coping mechanism to get him through his denial. The tragedy of Randall is ultimately that awareness without courage produces the same outcome as no awareness at all. 

. 

The Society of Professional Journalist

 

A picture of the Society of Professional Journalists logo 

History

The Society of Professional Journalists was founded on April 17, 1909. It was originally a journalism fraternity at DePauw University located in Greenville, Indiana. The original group was made up of ten students, who created the organization to promote "Excellence in journalism."  The group began admitting professional journalists in the 1960s. The organization was originally made up of males only; it wouldn't be until 1969 that they would begin to allow women to join. The name "Society of Professional Journalists" came about in 1973 to reflect a broader, more inclusive mission.

Major Contributions 

The SPJ Code of Ethics was adopted in 1926 and contains 4 main principles: 

This is the picture of the Society of Professional
Journalists' "Code of Ethics"

1. Seek the truth and report it 

2. Minimize harm 

3. Act independently 

4. Be accountable and transparent 

Additionally, SPJ advocates for First Amendment rights and freedom of information and provides journalism training, networking, and professional development.

What Exactly Do They Do?

The SPJ continues to maintain and update the Code of Ethics. They also support journalists who are facing legal threats and censorship. Continuing on, SPJ also hosts conferences and workshops such as Media Fest and SPJ Regional Conferences. They also give out numerous awards, scholarships for students, connect journalists across different platforms, and a legal defense fund for journalists. 

SPJ Chapters 

SPJ has hundreds of chapters at colleges and universities across the U.S. These chapters are typically open to all majors. SPJ chapters typically host: networking events, guest speakers, studio tours, and workshops. 

Fun Fact: Here at High Point University, our SPJ Club typically hosts alumni guest speakers and tours local news stations. 

This is the High Point University SPJ club visiting the local 
News station Fox 8. 

 Chester C. Wells. 

Key People From SPJ 

Chester C. Wells was the second president of SPJ (at the time Sigma Delta Chi). Today, he is remembered through the Wells Memorial Key, which is the highest honor SPJ can bestow upon a member. 

Jean Otto

Jean Otto was the first female president of the Society of Professional Journalists. According to the Society of Professional Journalists timeline, she did not begin writing until she was 35. Her passion for writing stemmed from wanting to write about ordinary people in her small city in Wisconsin. She had stopped working for a while, and it wouldn't be until 1960, after her divorce, that she decided to jumpstart her career in journalism. She began writing for the Appleton Post-Crescent, where she had a bi-weekly column. Many of her male colleagues were active. 

members in SPJ, and after SPJ started allowing women to join in 1969, she decided to register for membership in 1970. She shares how joining SPJ introduced her to many questions she had never considered, such as ethics and information access. truth and individual privacy. As she stayed active in SPJ, she continued to move up. When she was elected president from 1978 80, Otto oversaw massive reform of the organization from financial to administrative. It would be Otto and her colleagues who founded the First Amendment Congress, a group of journalism organizations that met to explore how the public views the media and creative strategies for building trust and understanding. 

AI Disclaimer: AI was used to conduct research on some attributes of the history and overall timeline that was not seen on the Society of Professional Journalism website. 

Me in 500 Words

Photo: Sydnie Koonts
This photo was taken during Bid Day at High Point University. 

Finding Home in Unfamiliar Places 

Photo: Bella Dangora
This is a photo of my Rho Gam group . 
right before Preference round. 

Before September 5th, 2025, I was just one of many girls who dreamed of finding a home in a sorority. 

 

Many girls tend to join sororities to find a group of people who share their values and interests, or to pursue service opportunities for a philanthropy they are passionate about. 

And although those reasons stand true with my own, I found that the rush process would be the ultimate test for me:

Could I be my most authentic self and find a group of girls who see something in me with just a few conversations? 

When I decided to go through the rush process, I thought okay: 

I will go through the rush process, talk with all the different people, and if it doesn't work out, I never have to see these people again. What could go wrong?                                                        

Photo: Reese Danback
This is a picture of the notes I took after 
going to the Sigma House

So I embarked on this journey:

I will never forget the first round of rush "Sisterhood" and the first stop on my list: 

Sigma Sigma Sigma   

I walked into the house and was elated by their singing and their energy. I remember all the fear of what they might think of me drifting away because I felt like I was talking to girls I had known my whole life. The conversation was so effortless, and I remember never wanting it to end.

After walking out of the house, I was shaking with joy. I remember my humor, my laughter, my care pouring into those conversations in a matter of minutes.  

I only had a brief minute to write down my thoughts, but I know I had so much more to say about them than what you can see on that paper. 

Photo: Bree Ellenor
A picture of Sydnie and I during Bid Day

Each girl was so different, yet somehow, I felt so connected to each 

conversation, but one particular conversation stood out to me during this time, and that was with a girl named Sydnie Koonts. 

Sydnie was the person I alluded to as being the easiest to talk to. I laughed with her, I cried to her, and early on was someone I felt like I could tell everything to. I will never forget "Preference", the last round before Bid Day, watching her link my arm as I walked into the house and immediately started bawling in tears of joy. I remember calling my mom about Sydnie, saying that this girl pulled an authentic side out of me. I don't know how she did it, but I was so myself when I was in her presence.

Fast forward to Bid Day, and I had come to reveal my fate: 

When I read "Tri Sigma" across my card, it already felt like home. 

That simple "Yes" changed me for the better. I can confidently say that it is because of Tri Sigma that I am more confident in myself and have become less afraid to ask for help. I am not just a member, but I am seen and embraced for my humor, my leadership, and all the corks that make me, me.