Simpson thesis examines how journalists use the First Amendment
by Katie Annarino
Doctoral student Ed Simpson’s recently completed master’s thesis reflects his strong interest in the First Amendment. Entitled "Sustained Outrage: Owner/publisher W.E. "Ned" Chilton III and the Charleston (West Virginia) Gazette, 1962-87,” Simpson’s thesis examines the crusading owner/publisher of West Virginia’s largest newspaper.
Simpson became interested in Chilton when he worked at the Gazette. But he became convinced of his significance when studying the First Amendment and historical media criticism.
He was the first in the nation to discover the FBI was investigating and developing profiles on media outlets. He repeatedly sued to get open records, including ethics violations involving lawyers and doctors. In addition, his decision to publish the name of a juvenile suspect led to the U.S. Supreme Court precedent that said media outlets could not be criminally charged for printing the names of juvenile suspects.
The methods for his research were journalistic and qualitative. Simpson interviewed more than a dozen people and was the first to go through Chilton’s papers at the West Virginia University library where he went through numerous editions of the Gazette.
Simpson spent three weeks in West Virginia and a week on the telephone gathering sources. As he sat down to write he soon discovered he did not gather enough information in his first go-round and had several holes in his research that needed to be filled in. That is why his advice to graduate students is to gather more info than you think you need.
Although there are usually unforeseen hardships when collecting data, there are also pleasant surprises that arise. Simpson’s greatest delight was the fact that the more he investigated Chilton the more he felt he could make a compelling argument that he was more than colorful.
“He was significant and important to any truly comprehensive study of how the First Amendment translates into daily journalism,” according to Simpson.
Simpson admits that when his committee chair signed off on the finished thesis it felt like a thousand tons had been taken off his shoulders.
“There is a remarkable feeling of accomplishment and a certain confidence that comes from completing the big project." But Simpson also stresses the importance of building onto thesis research.
“I have learned you are never really finished, depending on what you want to do with your research. I continue to look for papers stemming from my thesis that I can submit to conferences.”
His advice for graduate students beginning their thesis is to develop an idea as early as possible and to “use the winter break to advance your goals.” He also encourages students to talk to professors about identifying a chair and committee. “The faculty at OU are astonishingly helpful. “
Simpson is currently in the PhD program at the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism.
- contact Robert Stewart
- Link directly to this Scripps Note
