Journalism

Phelps is the Supreme Court reporter who broke the Anita Hill story (along with NPR's Nina Totenberg) in New York Newsday. He's co-written an account of the Clarence Thomas hearings, called "Capitol Games," which looks at how the press failed to see the whole story of now-Justice Thomas, including just how conservative he really is.

The publishing world was stunned yesterday by the announcement that Tina Brown, editor of Vanity Fair, is to be the new editor of "The New Yorker," replacing Robert A. Gottlieb, who resigned over philosophical differences with the magazine's publisher. Ms. Brown has promised not to change the magazine in ways that many staffers fear. Terry talks to writer John Updike and media critic Geoffrey Stokes about the change.

Journalist Leroy Aarons and President of the newly formed National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association. Aarons is founder of the group which was organized to deal with issues in the media involving gays and lesbians, to counter the homophobia often found in the mass media, and to promote fair and ethical treatment of gay and lesbian journalists who often fear exposure. The group is holding its first conference this week in San Francisco. Aarons is former editor, national correspondent, and bureau chief for The Washington Post and former executive editor for The Oakland Tribune.

Publisher and Editor of "Le Devoir," Lise Bissonnette. The paper is the province's most influential French-language newspaper. (Richler says in his book that the paper has told readers to avoid Jewish shopkeepers who have "cheating and corruption in their bloodstream.")

Journalist Lawrence Weschler. He's a staff writer for the New Yorker and has been covering Eastern Europe for the past decade. Terry talks with Weschler about leadership in Czechoslovakia, where parliamentary elections were just held.

Journalist and lawyer Wendy Kaminer (cam-AH-ner). Her new book, I'm Dysfunctional, You’re Dysfunctional, is a critical look at the recovery and self-help movement. Kaminer believes that the movement tends to trivialize suffering by refusing to distinguish among levels of suffering or victimization (for instance, one recovery expert suggests that childhood is a holocaust.) Kaminer also considers the political implications for democracy if people view themselves as victims. (by Addison-Wesley Publishing Company).

Southeast Asia Correspondent for The New York Times, Philip Shenon (SHE-none). He's been following the protests between Thai troups and pro-democracy protestors in Bangkok, Thialand. The protestors: students, professionals, and workers have been demanding that the Prime Minister Suchinda Kraprayoon step down. Suchinda, a former military leader, led a coup last year against the democratic Government and took power in April as an unelected Prime Minister. Many people have died in the protests. SHENON will update us on the situation. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Stan Sesser, a staff writer at The New Yorker magazine, just wrote a lengthy article called "Report From Cambodia." A country that's been dirt poor for several decades is experiencing a new prosperity since the United Nations peace agreement was signed last October. Oddly, the agreement calls for a sharing of power with the Khmer Rouge, an action Sesser equates with allowing the Nazis back into power in post war Germany. (The article is in the May 18, 1992 issue of The New Yorker.)

Journalist Nan Robertson. Robertson spent more than three decades at the New York Times. Her new book, "The Girls In the Balcony," is a look back at the sexual inequality that for many years was part of working life at the Times, and throughout journalism in general. (It's published by Random House). (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Christopher Hitchens, the Washington editor for "Harper's Magazine" and columnist for "The Nation," talks to Marty about how pre-election polling becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)