Interview: Andy Call

Even in first grade, Andy Call would get bored with class, open an encyclopedia and start reading. Being a reader as a child eventually led to a career as a sports writer for the Cleveland Indians and then beyond.

"It (journalism) was always in my blood," he said.

So was Christianity. He said his parents were saved about the time he was born, and he was raised in church. He accepted the Lord as his Savior at the age of nine at an evangelistic meeting.

In high school, he began writing sports stories for his school newspaper. Then one of his articles, about the football team going to state, was published in the local newspaper. He had always been a reader, and now writing had become a way to express himself.

After graduating from Pillsbury Baptist Bible College with a BS in English, he began covering the Cleveland Indians minor league team for the newspaper. Before long, he moved up to the major leagues, becoming a beat reporter for The Repository, covering the Cleveland Indians' major league baseball team. In 2008, he joined the Communications Department of Maranatha Baptist Bible College (now Maranatha Baptist University) as a writer/editor. Today Call is a media relations strategist at Wright State University in the Dayton, Ohio area.

While covering the Cleveland Indians, he said that his faith gave him opportunities he would not have had  otherwise. For instance, Call was asked by a Christian magazine, Sport Spectrum, to write about third baseman Travis Fryman. After the interview, Call and Fryman began talking about deeper, spiritual things. That's when Fryman told Call he was retiring. Call got the scoop on the story, because he and Fryman connected on a spiritual level.

When talking about sharing his faith in the newspaper, Call said, "I didn't feel I could shoehorn it into a story, but when I got the opportunity to speak a word for Christ, I took it."

In working for a secular publication, Call didn't concern himself with the political leanings of the newspaper. He said part of the reason the media is considered to be so liberal is that conservative people have abandoned it.

He said that journalists are faced with ethical issues every day. "My professional ethics reflect my faith," he said. "If readers can't trust me, that reflects poorly on my faith."

His biggest ethical issue, though, was his family life. After 18 years covering a major league team, at home and away, he saw how much time he was spending away from his family. So he gave up the road to work at Maranatha, where his family could be together.

"There's give and take in this business," he said. "You have to give up some things, but
when it affects your family..."

Having worked for both Christian and secular organizations, Call said there are positives and negatives to both types of journalism. Writing in the Christian realm, he said a person can feel good about the cause he or she is supporting. In the secular realm, he said a person can speak for Christ where it wouldn't happen otherwise.

"Every career move I've made, God has led in it," Call said. "It's however God leads."

The Power of THR3E

ABC...Three Blind Mice...Snap, Crackle, Pop...

Ever since childhood, we have been bombarded with the subliminal message of the power of the number 3. For some reason, the brain seems to grasp things easily in groups of three. Why? As one of my former editors put it, "Because four is too many, and two is not enough."

We don't have any clear reason why we like things in three's, but the mathemetician may say it's because the three-sided triangle is the most stable shape. The psychologist may say it's because the  human brain wants choices, but not so many choices as to confuse it. The Christian can speculate on it's connection with God -- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit -- or that Jesus was in the tomb for three days before rising from the dead.

Instead of spending time trying to figure out why people like the number three, we as journalists just need to use it in our communications. For instance, if we are going to list examples, list three. If there are several aspects of an issue, try to group them under three subheads.

The order of the three items makes a difference, as well -- especially the last item. Think of it as the punchline to a joke. While the first two go one direction in indicating what the list is, the third one needs to do something different. Perhaps it could be the most important item in the list:

1. Places in the news
2. Issues in the news
3. People in the news

Perhaps it could be the most recent event in the list:

1. The Civil War
2. World War I
3. World War II

Or it could go a completely different direction than the other items in the list:

1. He hates it when people question his integrity.
2. He hates it when people question his faith.
3. He hates it when people don't rinse out the coffee pot.

So whenever you find yourself needing to use examples in a story or list aspects of an issue, try to pare it down to three items or groups, and pay attention to the order in which you place them. While it won't make or break your story, it will give the story an added touch of professionalism.

Speaking Up: When and how it is appropriate

Sometimes in the course of covering the news, you as a Christian journalist will encounter a situation that is so wrong, you can't help but speak up. You most likely will be able to do this in a news story. But sometimes a local controversial issue will get so out of hand, that you find yourself needing to use your column to either calm the waters or remind parties of the "rules" of fair play.

I found myself in this situation once when I was the editor of a local newspaper. The local wildlife refuge had been contacting area property owners, letting them know that they could receive a tax break on any land they put into a government conservation program. The property owners saw this as a veiled threat to their property, and thus began a heated argument in the editorial section of my newspaper. I provided fair coverage, explaining each side of the issue, and then let them "duke it out" in letters to the editor.

The wildlife refuge director wrote one letter to the editor to explain that this was a voluntary program. The property owners formed an organization, and its members sent one letter to the editor after another lambasting the refuge and the federal government. The letters from the property owners got so heated, that I had to edit many of them for vulgarity and libel.

Finally, I'd had enough. I wrote a column one week to put a stop to it. I started by indicating that I had no opinion in the matter. My husband's family were property owners in a different part of the county, so I could truly say in the column that I understood the property owner group's point of view. I could also understand the refuge's point of view and that this was a completely voluntary program.

After planting myself firmly on neutral ground, I went on to say that there had been a lot of mud-slinging in the editorial pages of our paper recently, but the mud seemed to be flying in one direction. I put it right out there to the public that the letters to the editor from the property owners had to be edited for vulgarity and libel; while the refuge, other than the first letter, had remained silent no matter what the property owners had thrown at them in print.

I ended by saying that we will always welcome letters to the editor, but we need to "keep it above the belt."

I sent the paper to press, and then sat back and waited for the phone calls. The refuge director was the first to call.

"The column made my wife cry," he said. "You can't imagine the stress we've been under. Thank you so much."

The next call I received was from the director of the property owners' group. I expected yelling; what I got was a calm, controlled voice saying, "Could you please tell me which letters you are talking about that were a problem?"

I read some of the original versions to him over the phone, and we came to an agreement. He would talk to the group members and tell them to clean up their communication, and I would add to any letter not specifically from him a disclaimer that the letter does not represent the opinions of the group.

I wouldn't suggest doing something like this except as a last resort (I've only done it once in my career). But if you do elect to do a public reprimand, be sure to

1. Put yourself on neutral ground first,
2. Address only the part of the issue that is a problem, and
3. Let people know that you still welcome their opinions.

Tragedy: When it strikes close to home

What do you do when a local tragedy affects those you know? How do you respond? Who do you interview? How do you write about it objectively? Unless you know them well, don't go straight to a victim's immediate family for an interview. Always start at the outskirts of a victim's acquaintances, and work your way inward toward the "inner circle."

Remember when you are dealing with a local tragedy, that the people you are interviewing are most likely grieving. Be respectful of their privacy, but let them know that you would like to let your readers know what kind of a person their loved one was. One way to share your faith is to let them know you will be praying for them. This could open up a conversation about God, or at the very least, it will be a comfort to the person.

I was the editor of a rural, weekly newspaper when a horrible tragedy shook our county. A 10-year-old girl  was killed by six Rottweilers while playing at a friend's house. This girl had come to the children's club my husband and I ran at our church, and was a friend of my two daughters. I remember that morning when I sat on the couch with my two girls and had to tell them their friend had died.

In addition to the front-page story about the incident, I did a side story of interviews with her school teacher and the leader of her group at our church's children's club.

And I knew my readership well enough to know that sharing my faith would be well-accepted at this point. In my column, I told about how, "with the simple faith of a child," she accepted the Lord as her Savior, and because of that, she went straight into the loving arms of Jesus. It was the hardest column I had ever written.

The responses I received were overwhelming. One burly school board member, whom I didn't even know was a Christian, came to me so choked up he could hardly speak, and said, "It made all the difference in the world knowing she was saved."

When tragedy strikes, people try to make sense of it in their own minds. They often turn to God, or at least begin to think about eternal things. This is the time when a Christian journalist can make a huge impact on the community by sharing his or her faith with love and compassion.

Columns: Your soapbox

We've already established that every journalist should strive for objectivity, to keep his or her own thoughts out of the story. But there is someplace where your opinion is not only allowed, but encouraged -- the column, if you are lucky enough to get one.

While you can use this medium to share your faith, I would advise you not to turn it into the "sermon of the week." Almost no one will read it. You need to create a following by writing a column that people will actually look for when they open the newspaper or log on.

Here's where the old adage "write what you know" comes in handy -- fashion, politics, humor, whatever. Then write interesting things about your topic each week, not necessarily spiritual things, just interesting things. People will begin to follow your column, and when the opportunity is right, you can bring up your faith.

In my case, I wrote a humor column. I worked for a rural weekly, and my editor told me I needed to write a column each week. I asked what it should be about, and she said, "Anything you want."

Since I had been raised in the Chicago area and then married a local dairy farmer, I started writing a humor column about the adventures of a city girl learning how to be a farmer's wife. In the rural community where I lived and worked, the column caught on.

After about six months, I started to insert my faith wherever I could -- a Father's Day column about my father passing his faith to me, a Christmas column about the real meaning of Christmas, etc. Soon everyone knew that I was a born again Christian. They seemed to be O.K. with it, probably because they felt like they knew me, and I wasn't a "stuffed shirt" Christian.

Then one day a horrible tragedy involving a local 10-year-old girl shook the entire county, and I was able to share my faith, and hers, in a huge way. I'll share the details in my next post.

Controversy: Media in the Middle

As a Christian journalist, how do you cover highly controversial issues, such as abortion, war or gay rights, and still maintain a sense of balance in the story? As our last interview indicated, you have to get as many voices as possible into the story.

Start with the official voice -- the leader or spokesperson from each side of the issue. Then move on to the unusual protester, the poignant demonstration, or just the loner with something to say on the subject. After that, listen to the masses. If the demonstration is noisy, listen for shouts that rise above the din. If the protest is silent, quietly move among the crowd asking questions.

Then, when you have collected as many voices as possible, begin to create a well-balanced report that tells the stories of those on both sides of the issue. Keep your own voice for your column or commentary.

You'll know you've done well, if both sides call to complain.

Interview: Robert Gutsche, Jr.

Dr. Robert Gutsche, Jr. is a Journalism professor in Miami. He was raised in a Christian home and has been a reporter for various newspapers since 1996. He earned his Ph.D. in Mass Communications from University of Iowa and has written the book "Race, place and the press: Creating Iowa's rural ghetto."

Although he keeps his Christianity "close to the vest" for political reasons, he said he brings his personal values to each story he writes.

"If you have a certain belief or faith, you can't set it aside; it's part of all you do," he said. "It's not about choosing a story or not; it's about how you cover it."

However, the way his faith comes into play in covering the story depends on the story.

"When I see something that's blatantly wrong," he said, "I'm going to overturn some money-changing tables."

In that sense, when he sees someone or some group in authority -- public officials, business owners, educators -- doing wrong, fairness and equity tend to go out the window. He said he has a keen sense of righteous anger that drives him to seek the truth.

On the other hand, when the subject of a story is someone in crisis mode, he tends to be caring and compassionate.

"Compassion has become a very ingrained emotion for me," he said. "It drives how I operate as a journalist."

Speaking from the viewpoint of a journalist with a Christian background, Gutsche likens a journalist to a preacher in the pulpit. He said the history of American journalism is one of pointing out corruption, which is something a preacher or people of faith are supposed to care about.

"I have no problem working with the 'left' to stand up for the rights of working people," he said. "Journalists should be more opinionated and interested in the rights of the people we cover."

As for balance in a story, Gutsche at first said that he doesn't know that any journalist has ever written a story that has been truly, perfectly balanced. But when he writes about a highly controversial topic, he strives to achieve some level of balance by stacking the story with as many sources as he can.

"I try to get as many voices as possible," he said. "You're going to hear a lot more of the voices of other people in my story."

Although Gutsche tends to keep his faith out of his articles, he has let it show on occasion in the opinion pieces he has written. For instance, in one opinion piece he wrote about Christmas being a true holiday and quoted the Bible.

Because he has kept his faith private, Gutsche said he has seldom felt persecuted for it personally.

"But any time you're part of a group," he said, "you have a responsibility to find out what people are saying about that group. When people say things about Christians or whatever group I'm a part of, that affects me as well."

Ultimately, Gutsche has a passion for what is right, and that passion tempers every area of his life.

Integrity: Comparing apples and oranges

 

 

Christian integrity. Journalistic integrity. Are they one and the same? Is one a subset of the other? Or are we comparing apples and oranges?

 

The Society of Professional Journalists' code of ethics states, "Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalists' credibility." According to Merriam-Webster, integrity is the quality of being honest and fair.

 

Honesty and fairness are both biblical principles. In fact, they are two of the top three listed in the "think on these things" verse (Philippians 4:8).

 

To a Christian, integrity means to be truthful, to be honest with himself and with others, and to be fair in his or her treatment of people. Journalistic integrity means the same thing.

 

But what does this integrity "look like?" To us as journalists, integrity means the facts are right, and the story is balanced. This may sound like a simple statement, but a realm of principles lies behind it - quoting accurately and within context, checking the factuality of comments made by sources, interviewing people on both sides of an issue, etc.

 

Now take the template of Christian integrity and lay it over journalistic integrity. The Christian journalist will make sure the facts are right, because the Bible says, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." He or she will be fair and unbiased in treatment of the story and of the people involved in the story, because the Bible says, "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him."

 

Because we as Christian journalists are first and foremost Christians, we need to remember that we are called to reach the lost. While we have opportunities to have our words in front of the multitudes, we need to remember to reach people like we would in any other profession - one at a time as we come into contact with them.

 

The way Jesus did this was through compassion. In the same way, we need to see the people we interview as lost souls and have compassion on them. Treat them with respect; treat their story with respect. And as God gives opportunity, we can share our faith with them.

 

This is what will make the Christian journalist in the secular media stand out like the orange in a sea of apples. As time goes on, we can take a look at how the Christian journalist responds in specific situations, but the underlying motivations should be compassion for a lost and dying world, and integrity in all we do, say, and write.