Kevin Sack, two-time Pulitzer Prize recipient and Los Angeles Times reporter, discussed the impact of blogs and the Internet on traditional media outlets in front of a crowd of nearly 50 Monday.
Students gathered at the Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy to hear the news veteran's thoughts on the future of print journalism.
In his speech, titled "Life as an Endangered Species: Reflections as a Newspaper Reporter," Sack, Trinity '81, said newspapers play an important role in a free and democratic society. But he pointed to falling circulation, job cuts at the nation's major newspapers and the rise of blogs as factors contributing to the continuing decline of newspapers.
The nation's papers are critical, Sack said, because they provide a necessary check on the government.
"Someone must hold accountable those with power and stand up for those without it," he said.
Sack said the transition of news to the Internet could pose a threat to investigative journalists like himself, as investigative articles are often expensive and require months of research. Shareholders are more concerned with increasing profits than producing quality journalism, he said.
As traditional newspapers disappear, new media organizations must step up to fill the void, Sack added.
"Will we know enough about the challenges that face us without a rigorous press digging for truth?" he asked.
When questioned by an audience member about the role of blogs in the news media, Sack said blogs are not required to uphold the same standards of accuracy and fairness present at major media outlets.
"We seem hungry for information, but we have little appetite for truth, context, fairness and value," he said.
Sack said that rather than producing original journalism, most of the blogs he has seen get their information from mainstream media and provide additional commentary.
"If these trends continue, there won't be anyone left to write things for blogs to comment on," Sack said.
David Hartman, who anchored "Good Morning America" from 1975-1987 and currently hosts documentaries for the Public Broadcasting Service and The History Channel, applauded Sack's work in journalism.
"He's as fine a journalist as we have," said Hartman, Trinity '56. "He's a 25-year veteran, so he knows what he's talking about."
Prior to his speech, Sack was presented with the Futrell Award for Outstanding Achievement in Communications and Journalism, which is given annually to a Duke alumni in recognition of distinguished work in the field.
Sack shared the Pulitzer Prize in 2001 and 2003 for his work documenting race in America and exposing safety issues with the U.S. military's Harrier aircraft.
"We chose Kevin Sack as the recipient this year because of his excellence in the very difficult field of investigative journalism," said Ellen Mickiewicz, director of the DeWitt Wallace Center for Media and Democracy and a member of the board that selected Sack.
"It takes patience, accuracy and carefulness, and he has done it time and time again at a high level," Mickiewicz said.
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