Last Updated: March 24, 2004
Printer-friendly version
The American Society of
Newspaper Editors has selected John S. Carroll, editor of the Los Angeles Times,
as the recipient of its annual ASNE Leadership Award. The award will be presented
at the Society’s April 20-23 convention in Washington.
Carroll was selected for
the award because of his 40-year track record of quality journalism, which was
punctuated this year by his decision to pursue allegations that then gubernatorial
candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger had groped more than a dozen women during his
reign as one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
The Los Angeles Times lost
more than 10,000 subscribers in the days following the Schwarzenegger stories.
"At the risk of offending more readers," Carroll wrote in an opinion piece published
in the paper, "I’ll say that if you’re put off by investigative reporting, this
probably won’t be the right newspaper for you in the years to come."
"One of the reasons I’m
gratified at receiving this award is that it’s being presented by people who’ve
known me and my work for years," Carroll said. "I’m heartened that my friends
and colleagues feel I’m worthy of it, and I’m looking forward to seeing them."
"John Carroll is an extraordinarily
appropriate winner, for all his great works over the years in Los Angeles, Baltimore,
Lexington and Philadelphia, but in particular for personal leadership in the
Times’ coverage of Arnold Schwarzenegger and its aftermath," said Peter Bhatia,
ASNE president and executive editor of The Oregonian in Portland. "He stood
tall for journalistic principle, for his newspaper and, ultimately, for doing
the right thing."
Gil Thelen, chair of the
ASNE Leadership Committee and president and publisher of The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune,
said the committee was impressed by Carroll’s recent contributions to excellence
that are consistent with a career of outstanding leadership. The committee reviewed
a list of nominees and recommended Carroll’s selection to Bhatia and two previous
ASNE presidents, Diane McFarlin, Sarasota (Fla.) Herald-Tribine, and Tim McGuire,
Plymouth, Minn., who unanimously endorsed the choice.
"John Carroll’s direction
of the Arnold Schwarzenegger story at the Los Angeles Times was the latest example
of his contributions to hard-hitting journalism over 40 years," Thelen said.
"His exacting standards as editor helped first the Lexington Herald-Leader,
then the Baltimore Sun and now the Times reach higher levels of professional
achievement and public service."
Carroll was editor of the
Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader from 1979-1991, guiding the paper to two Pulitzer
Prizes. He then moved to the The Sun in Baltimore, where he was editor from
1991 to 2000, leading the paper to two Pulitzer Prizes. The Los Angeles Times
has won six Pulitzer Prizes in his tenure there. He began his career as a reporter
for the Providence (R.I.) Journal-Bulletin in 1963. He worked at The Sun in
Baltimore from 1966-72 including stints as a correspondent from Viet Nam, the
Middle East and the White House. He held several newsroom leadership positions
at The Philadelphia Inquirer from 1972-79.
The Leadership Award was
first given in 2002 to recognize the leaders who guide America’s newspapers.
Past recipients of the award are Paul Steiger, managing editor of The Wall Street
Journal, and H. Brandt Ayers, editor and publisher of The Anniston (Ala.) Star.
"The effective leadership
of newsrooms has never been more important, and as an organization of leaders
this award is very important and reflective of what ASNE is all about," Bhatia
said.
Carroll will be presented
with the award at the convention’s Keynote Breakfast, Wednesday, April 21.
ASNE, with about 750 members,
is the largest organization of directing editors of daily newspapers in the
Americas. It is a leader in improving diversity in newsrooms, strengthening
newspaper credibility and improving high school journalism.
For more information, contact
Kevin Wilcox, communications director, ASNE, 703-453-1132, kwilcox@asne.org.