Meadows seeks journalism chairman

There was no lecture, not even a slideshow, just a pizza party.Instead of having class as usual Monday, two journalism classes metwith journalism chairman candidate Tony Pederson to discuss hispossible move to the SMU campus.

“You don’t just form a relationship in the classroom, you formthat relationship in real life,” Pederson said.

Professors watched as students led a relaxed interview of thecandidate.

Senior broadcast journalism major Samantha Lekkas asked Pedersonthe question that everyone was curious of, but she was the first toaddress: what his goals will be if he is chosen as the newchair.

“It’s important to me that the department is ran efficiently ina way that unites faculty and staff,” Pederson said.

Interviewing began after Belo Endowed Chair of Journalism ChrisPeck’s abrupt departure from the university in the fall to lead TheCommercial Appeal in Memphis, Tenn., as its editor.

“I believe a strong journalism department needs somebody who isgoing to be around, somebody who is going to lend someconsistency,” Pederson said.

He says his intentions include adding a bilingual class to thejournalism program that will offer students more experience withinternational news, and setting up an internship program that willcover the globe, especially in Latin America. He said that he feelsthere isn’t enough coverage of international news. “As ajournalist, you should be able to communicate in another language,”Pederson said.

The air-conditioner blared, but Pederson was audible and poisedas he responded to numerous questions from students and professorsSusan Krasnow, Quin Mathews and Jayne Suhler.

The Meadows Lounge, located on the second floor of Umphrey Leehosted the event.

Professor Mathews asked Pederson to give advice to students whowill soon find themselves in the journalism workforce.

“You have to show that you can write, that you can construct anews story, and that you know what news is,” Pederson said. “Gointo an interview as prepared as you can be.”

Toward the end of the lunch gathering, students introducedthemselves and told their majors as Pederson attentively listenedand responded to additional questions.

“He actually remembered students’ names as we asked questions,”sophomore cinema-TV major Tyeson Seale said.

“If he’s chosen for the job, I think he’ll help the journalismdepartment set the standard for how journalism should be taught,”Seale said.

Pederson said the flaw in his resume lies on the academic side,but he realizes that flaw. He says his strength is in hisreal-world experience.

“With everything that’s going on with the war and all of themedia coverage, it makes my field of study even more important thanI imagined,” sophomore broadcast journalism major Kristen Simigransaid.

“It was exciting to see someone so enthusiastic about gettinginvolved with [students],” Simigran said.

Pederson recently retired as Executive Editor and Senior VicePresident of The Houston Chronicle, where he previously worked asmanaging editor for 17 years and sports editor for three years.

He was born in Waco, Texas, and graduated from Baylor Universityin 1973 with a degree in journalism. He received his master’sdegree from Ohio State University in 1976.

He has been married for 29 years, and has a 13-year-olddaughter.

Pederson, 52, concedes that he is a Houston Texans fan, but theCowboys can grow on him.