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PUBLIC INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
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Smith’s Book Reviewed in American Journalism
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Michael Smith |
Dr. Michael Ray Smith, chairman of Campbell University’s Department
of Mass Communication, made the most recent issue of American
Journalism— twice. His review of a book on Nicaragua and the
Sandinista Press came out in the same issue as a review of Smith’s book,
Jesus Newspaper: The Christian Experiment of 1900 and
its Lessons for Today, dealing with the nation’s only daily
Christian newspaper.
Although published in 2002, reviews of Smith’s book have just now
appeared in publications such as American Journalism, the
Christian Scholar’s Review, and Communication Research Trends.
“The wheels of academia turn with the blinding speed of male-pattern
baldness,” quipped smith. “However, I am pleased to have my work
reviewed in such prestigious journals.”
The Jesus Newspaper is a study of one of the most interesting
experiments of modern journalism. In March 1900, the Reverend Charles M.
Sheldon acted as the editor of The Topeka Daily Capital for one
week. Sheldon had called for a Christian newspaper in his 1897 novel,
In His Steps, and in 1900 Frederick O. Popenoe, publisher of The
Topeka Daily Capital, gave Sheldon a chance to put his ideas into
practice. From March 13-17, Sheldon’s efforts to apply Christian
ideology to journalism captivated the nation and although the experiment
fell short of Sheldon’s goal, Popenoe made a profit because of the great
increase in circulation.
In his analysis, Smith concludes that Sheldon’s idea of a Christian
newspaper insisted that the reader take a prescribed view on a topic and
assumed that all of his readers would agree with his view concerning the
moral problems facing the United States at that time. Ultimately, his
insistent moralizing failed to entertain and left little room for debate
and discussion. Sheldon’s efforts did, however, raise public awareness
of the need for reform and led to media practices that would become
standard procedure in the 20th century, such as having reporters
sign their stories and truth in advertising.
“Smith’s study of Sheldon’s stint as a newspaper editor provides
interesting reading, primarily because he explains in some detail the
context of this little-known effort at doing something different in
American journalism,” American Journalism writes. “Smith has a
great command of the historical literature related to the era he is
discussing and it shows in his discussion of American culture. His
effort is commendable because he put a newspaper experiment that many
historians have dismissed as crazy and unimportant into a broader
context in order to show how it influenced American journalism.”
Smith received a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from the
University of Maryland in College Park, MD, in 1978 and went on to earn
a master’s degree in communication from Shippensburg University in
Shippensburg, PA. He earned his Ph.D. from Regent University in Virginia
Beach, VA.
He has written more than 3,000 articles for publications including
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Baltimore Sun, and the
Philadelphia Inquirer. Smith is also the author of four books,
Worship in Franklin County: Sketches of Faith from the Mid-1700s to
the Civil War (1991); Yesterday’s Waynesboro, A Pictorial
History (1994); The Jesus Newspaper; and
FeatureWriting.Net(2003).
Smith has served as chairman of the School of Journalism at Regent
University in Virginia Beach, VA, and as a professor at Taylor
University in Fort Wayne, IN, and Lycoming College in Williamsport, PA.
He also has seven years experience as a reporter, photojournalist, and
editor of several newspapers.
He
has received numerous awards, including publication awards from the
Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the American Scholastic Press
Association. He also received the Professor of the Year teaching award
from Regent University.
Bulletin 0044 |
