Gardner-Wcbb University
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Comparison on page 2
Thursday, November 2, 2000
The Official Campus Newspaper
Volume 4 No. 3
The theory of Culture Creep
Katherine Burch
Pilot editor
William Proctor has a
tiieory in mind about The
New York 71 Dies. He secs
this huge world-rciiown
newspaper as inriuenciiig tiie
world’s values and opinions
in the form of culture creep.
This is the approach of his
hook I'he Gospel According,
to The New York I'imes.
During his speech on his
book and the theory of cul
ture creep, he stated that
many are touched by the
“tentacles of I'he New York
'rimes'" and it has a “tremen
dous elTect on those who
read it.”
i^roctor is a former
Marine JAG olTicer who
served during the Vietnam
War. After leaving the mili
tary he became a reporter for
the New York Daily News,
writing daily about the court
system in New York City.
The News is a competitor
with The New York Times.
He believes that the New
York Times has a focused
way it works to influence
opinions over time, such as
these public opinion areas:
homosexuality, abortion and
the death penalty.
“A quick example of
mindset changes is in 1982,
34% regarded homosexuali
ty as an acceptable lifestyle,”
said Proctor. “In 1999, 50%
found it acceptable...look at
that figure in comparison to
the Northeast media where
15% look at it as okay.”
Another example Proctor
mentioned, was that in I9HH
80%; of Americans saw the
death penalty as being okay
while 66% today see the
Pilot Photo by Joy Marinelli
William Proctor explains his theory of culture creep and The New York Times at Hamrick Hall auditorium.
‘'Corporate culture in The New York Times per
vades throughout the news media”
author WiUiam Proctor
penalty as acceptable.
According to the author,
these changes in percentages
were shown through the edi
torial page and in slanted
news coverage by I'he limes.
“There is a blurring of
lines of actual news and edi
torials,” said Proctor.
In the 1970s, there was
colorful writing, but accura
cy was still the key item in a
news story, Proctor said.
The newspaper began
stepping away from straight
news coverage during the
1980s and 1990s, according
to Proctor. He pointed to the
use of slanted news stories
backed up by editorials and
opinion editorial pieces as
the way the newspaper influ
ences its readers.
The Newman
Foundation, described as a
watchdog group, did a study
over twenty years from 1977
to 1997 looking at over 6000
articles. In the study, straight
news coverage declined
from 49.8% in 1977 to
16.2%; in 1997. The study
also found that in major
newspapers it was not just
the facts but news analysis
and editorializing increased.
This occurred according
to Proctor because The New
York Times helped by setting
the agenda for other news
organization.
"‘‘I'he New York Times has
resources that make televi
sion news shows look puny,"
said Proctor. “Networks
know the Times is much
more in depth.”
The New York Times can
have more influence on set
ting agendas because of one
thing: space.
“They have a lot more
space U) use on subjects,”
said Proctor. “For exainple,
there was five times more
information on abortion in
I'he New York Times than in
the All (tit Id .lonnidl-
Coiisiittilion."
In his book, Proctor
writes that the New York
Times is establishing a more
liberal mindset among those
in the mass media.
He described the agenda
setting by The New York
'Times in the form of the
seven deadly sins.
'Fhese seven deadly sins
he described included a ner
vousness toward religious
certainty, capital punish
ment, the second amend
ment in reference to gun
rights, censorship, no limita
tions on abortion and trans
gender rights.
According to Proctor,
these seven areas are touch
ing news media throughout
the United States.
“Corporate culture in
'The New York Times per
vades throughout the news
media.
“They have a tremen
dous reach and their power is
significant,” said Proctor.
There is not an easy
answer to fixing this agenda
setting.
Proctor posed this solu
tion creating a counter-bal
anced paper that presents
both sides.
“Fair and balanced in
objectivity, all sides of sto
ries, newspapers can put all
sides in a story,” said
Proctor.
As for the reporters in
the news business Proctor
said, “Most got into news as
cynics or go into news and
become a cynic.”