Boston Globe Editor Martin Baron plans to address students at
UCLA on Friday, speaking on the future of mass media and foreign
correspondence.
The event is the first in a series of events hosted by the
Progressive Jewish Student Association, a group that intends to
improve relations between Jews and other national and religious
groups.
Baron has spent 30 years in journalism and became editor of the
Boston Globe in August 2001. Previously, he was editor at the Miami
Herald and worked at the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times.
In 2001, the Miami Herald earned a Pulitzer Prize for news coverage
and Baron was named “Editor of the Year” by Editor
& Publisher magazine.
Organizers said they hope students will gain a new understanding
of foreign events and correspondence from the editor of one of the
largest newspapers in the country.
“Most of what people know about the world today, they know
from mass media,” said Ari Bloomekatz, co-director of PJSA
and a former Daily Bruin reporter.
But organizers said a main goal is for people to realize they
can interact with mass media.
“I hope that people can play an integral role in shaping
mass media and the coverage of world events. They might think that
they can make a difference,” Bloomekatz said.
The talk is the first in a series of events from PJSA over the
coming month. Other events this quarter include a speech by Molly
Melching, founder of Third World development organization Tostan; a
film screening with Kenneth Turan, a film critic at the Los Angeles
Times; and a benefit concert of music and dance.
PJSA intends to use these events to broaden perceptions of
Jewish culture beyond campus stereotypes.
“There is an idea that all Israelis are Jewish and all
Jews are Israeli,” Bloomekatz said. “The problem with
this kind of narrow-minded dialogue about what it means to be
Jewish is that it alienates quite a number of people.”
Organizers said they seek to unite people from all national,
political and religious backgrounds to discuss media. Bloomekatz
added it is helpful to discuss this important issue without the
confines of nationalism.
PJSA’s other co-director, Ariel Stevenson, said she
believes the event fills an important role.
“We think that a space for dialogue has been neglected in
the past couple of years,” she said.
Stevenson added that promoting cross-cultural debate on campus
is often more important than addressing issues directly.
But PJSA organizers hope all students will find the event
interesting.
“I think it’s really important that students realize
that foreign issues are so important in their domestic life. Often
these are more important than domestic issues,” Bloomekatz
said.
But he expressed concern at the lack of events bringing Jewish
students together with other groups.
“Why aren’t Jews and Muslims on campus, instead of
being hostile, getting together and having a debate over a good
meal?”