Articles on Mass Communications in American Magazines

Abstract

Suspension of publication of the major New York City dailies for a period of 11 days in early December because of an engravers strike resulted in controversy in several categories of journalism literature. Besides obvious interest in the results of the strike in the areas of labor relations and economics, debate developed over the action of related unions in making the strike mandatory by honoring the picket lines of the engravers union and the decision of the New York Herald Tribune in refraining from publishing although not a direct party to the strike action.

Relations between the working press and the Eisenhower administration developed enough friction on at least two points to produce noteworthy articles of comment and criticism. Information “leaks” to favored correspondents were charged at a presidential press conference and defended as justified under some circumstances by the President. Even more partisan bickering developed as a result of Attorney-General Herbert Brownell's revelation about the handling of suspected security risks in the Truman administration. After a stormy presidential press conference at which some reporters failed to obtain all requested information on the affair, a New York Times poll of correspondents showed that a majority felt the administration, but not the President, was succumbing to “McCarthyism.” Direct radio transcriptions of some presidential conferences were sanctioned and an “unofficial transcription” for newsmen was instituted during this quarter.