Journalist Alex Kotlowitz discussed Thursday afternoon challenges journalists face while reporting on controversies and conflicts.
“Stories can be used to frighten and manipulate,” Kotlowitz said. “They must be stories grounded in truth.”
The award-winning journalist spoke in the Gerlinger Lounge as part for the 2012 Johnston Lecture. Kotlowitz’s work has been featured in The New York Times, the Washington Post, The New Yorker and Rolling Stone. He has worked on documentaries and has written several books, one of which was named the 150 most important books of the century by the New York Public Library .
Kotlowitz’s talk focused on how journalists should not approach stories with preconceptions, especially stories about the poor, criminals, drugs addicts or minorities. He showed a clip from his documentary, “The Interrupters,” that tells the story of three Chicago criminals who worked to prevent the same kind of violence that they once created in the city.
“What good storytelling does is it creates empathy,” Kotlowitz said. “They help us understand lives we are unfamiliar with and identifying and understanding other people’s experiences.”
More than 80 journalism students, professors and staff showed up to hear the lecture. Journalism professor Lauren Kessler organized the event and was happy with the turn out.
“He’s compassionate and passionate. He tells really important stories across media,” Kessler said. “It’s important for students to see that.”
Kotlowitz also discussed the vital role journalists play in a democracy.
“It’s important to speak to those who are marginalized, those at the bottom, but it’s equally important to speak to those at the top,” Kotlowitz said. “Getting at the truth is the engine for freedom. I can’t imagine a functioning democracy without a thriving free press.”