A&M to offer minor, certificate in journalism

COLLEGE STATION — Texas A&M University officials have agreed to close the journalism department and create an alternative to a traditional journalism degree on the campus.

The College of Liberal Arts will now move forward and implement a series of recommendations related to the department’s closure.

Course work will continue for currently enrolled students to allow for completion of their degree program.

The college will offer a new journalism minor and certificate program as well as an interdisciplinary journalism major.

Based on comments from journalism former students and other working journalists, the new program also will include a journalist-in-residence program, a revitalized internship program and an ongoing advisory group of working journalists.

The recommendations are based on the work of two committees. The first, a faculty committee, addressed the program needs of current journalism students and concluded that current students’ degree requirements could be satisfied.

The second committee consisting of faculty, working journalists and a journalism student proposed the new program in journalism education.

President Robert M. Gates said the new program has met his criteria for acceptance.

“As I stated previously, Texas A&M must provide a pathway for Aggies to enter journalism. This new approach to journalism education, one that draws on strengths of the university, is the right direction to ensure quality educational and career opportunities for our students,” Gates said. “It also is important to draw on the expertise of working

journalists to establish a journalism program that infuses both academic rigor and professional training.”

Floresville merger fails to join 2 weeklies

FLORESVILLE — The Wilson County News and Floresville Chronicle-Journal will remain separate publications for now after purchase negotiations fell through, the San Antonio Business Journal reported.

News publisher Elaine Kolodziej and Chronicle-Journal publisher Marjorie Fietsam both told a reporter for the business weekly that the parties could not reach a final agreement on a proposal to transfer ownership of the Chronicle-Journal to the News.

The News launched in 1973 and has grown to 8,900 circulation.

The Chronicle-Journal traces its roots to 1877 and has 2,080 circulation. Fietsam took over as sole publisher after her husband Joe died in January.

Fietsam told the newspaper that she has another prospect interested in purchasing the weekly.

East Bernard weekly sells to Wharton-based group

EAST BERNARD — River Publishers Inc. of Wharton has purchased the East Bernard Tribune from Hallettsville Publishing Co., effective Nov. 28. The paper will continue under a new name, the East Bernard Express.

The Tribune was established in 1949 by Richard Malec of Hallettsville. Its purchase by River Publishers brings ownership of the paper to Wharton County for the first time.

In September, East Bernard voted to incorporate, becoming the third incorporated city in Wharton County. The others are Wharton and El Campo.

“We see this as a strategic acquisition, bringing together as sister newspapers the El Campo Leader-News, the Wharton Journal-Spectator and the East Bernard Express,” said Larry Jackson, general manager of River Publishers, Inc.

Fred Barbee serves as publisher of both the Wharton and El Campo papers. Retired journalism professor Dr. Richard Elam is president of River Publishers, Inc.

River Publishers began the Express  in August 2003, with Ronald K. Sanders as its editor. Sanders has been with the Journal-Spectator since 1982 and continues as its news editor.

Jackie Edwards, who has been with the Journal-Spectator since 1983, is advertising manager for both papers.

Explosion delays press run at El Paso daily

EL PASO — The El Paso Times had to print its Saturday, Nov. 15 and Sunday, Nov. 16 editions in two different states following an electrical explosion at its printing plant.

The newspaper printed Saturday’s paper at the Las Cruces (N.M.) Sun-News and Sunday’s at the Arizona

Republic in Phoenix. The change caused major problems for distribution. The newspaper reported that some Saturday customers did not receive the issue and only 1,000 copies were sold to non-subscribers rather than the usual 15,000. Because the Sunday issue had to be trucked back from Phoenix some Sunday subscribers did not get newspapers until after 4 p.m.

The presses returned to normal operation in the afternoon Nov. 16 and printed the Monday, Nov. 17 edition.

The problems stemmed from a series of explosions Nov. 14 in an electrical busbar, a type of commercial fuse, that knocked out electricity to the pressroom and other areas of the newspaper.

Plainview greets ‘old friend’

PLAINVIEW — The Plainview Daily Herald unveiled a redesign last month that includes the first major overhaul of the nameplate since the newspaper became daily in 1929.

The staff tagged the redesign as “an old friend in a new package.” New features include new headline type, new section headers and a new look for columns. Summary paragraphs will introduce stories and more Associated Press photos will be published.

The staff even designed new denim long-sleeve shirts with the new nameplate.