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A14 PEOPLE / ARTS
Wednesday 19 July 2023

Editorial cartoonists’ firings point to steady decline of opinion

pages in newspapers

By DAVID BAUDER experts say timidity also ex-
AP Media Writer plains the dwindling num-
NEW YORK (AP) — Even ber of cartoonists. Readers
during a year of sobering are already disappearing,
economic news for media why give them a reason to
companies, the layoffs of be angry?
three Pulitzer Prize-winning Pett has been involved in
editorial cartoonists on a a battle with Daniel Cam-
single day hit like a gut eron, Kentucky’s attorney
punch. general and a Republican
The firings of the cartoon- candidate for governor.
ists employed by the Mc- Cameron, who is Black, has
Clatchy newspaper chain accused Pett of being a
last week were a stark re- race-baiter in his cartoons
minder of how an influen- and called for his firing at
tial art form is dying, part a news conference not
of a general trend away knowing that hours earlier,
from opinion content in the his wish had been granted,
struggling print industry. said Pett, a Pulitzer winner
Losing their jobs were Jack in 2000.
Ohman of California’s Sac- His bosses never told him
ramento Bee, also presi- to avoid cartoons about
dent of the Association of Cameron, but gave him
American Editorial Car- a series of guidelines, Pett
toonists; Joel Pett of the Sacramento Bee editorial cartoonist Jack Ohman reacts to winning the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial said. For instance, he was
Lexington Herald-Leader in Cartooning as he sits with friend Mandy Sittrop, left, and his son, Eric Ohman, right, on April 18, told not to depict Cam-
Kentucky and Kevin Siers 2016, in Sacramento, Calif. eron wearing a MAGA hat
of the Charlotte Observer Associated Press backward.
in North Carolina. Ohman “There’s a broader reluc-
and Siers were full-time providing the communities employed at newspapers, While written editorials can tance in this political envi-
staffers, while Pett worked we serve with local news according to a report by sometimes be ponderous ronment to make people
on a free-lance contract. and information they can’t the Herbert Block Foun- and intimidate readers, the mad,” said Tim Nickens,
The firings on Tuesday were get elsewhere,” the chain dation. Now, Ohman esti- impact of a well-done car- retired editorial page edi-
first reported by The Daily said in a statement. mates there are fewer than toon is instantaneous, Pett tor at the Tampa Bay Times
Cartoonist blog. There’s a rich history of edi- 20. said. in Florida. “By definition, a
“I had no warning at all,” torial cartooning, including The last full-time editorial “Usually when you look at provocative editorial car-
Ohman told The Associat- Thomas Nast’s vivid take- cartoonist to win a Pulitzer an editorial cartoon, it’s toonist is going to make
ed Press. “I was stupefied.” downs of corrupt New York was Jim Morin of the Miami (done by) some guy like somebody mad every
McClatchy, which owns City politicians in the late Herald in 2017. Since then, you who is pissed who can day.”
30 U.S. newspapers, said 1800s and Herbert Block’s owing to the diminishing draw,” he said. “It’s just re- Pett agrees.
it would no longer publish drawings of a sinister-look- number of employed car- latable.” “I could have looked at the
editorial cartoons. “We ing Richard Nixon in The toonists, the Pulitzers have While economics is clearly guy who fired me and said,
made this decision based Washington Post. broadened the category in a factor in an industry that ‘I’ll do it for free,’ and they
on changing reader habits At the start of the 20th which they compete and has lost jobs so dramatically would have said no,” he
and our relentless focus on century, there were about renamed it “Illustrated Re- that many newspapers are said.q
2,000 editorial cartoonists porting and Commentary.” mere ghosts of themselves,

It’s official: Taylor Swift has more No. 1 albums than any woman in

history

By MARIA SHERMAN catalog. It has officially de- has 2023’s biggest al-
AP Music Writer buted at No. 1 on the Bill- bum release to date, with
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Con- board 200, becoming her 716,000 equivalent album
gratulations are in order for 12th album to reach the units, according to Lumi-
Taylor Swift and her loyal top spot. nate.
fans, known as Swifties. The Previously, Barbra Streisand An impressive 506,600 are
pop star officially has more held the record, with 11 No. in traditional album sales
No. 1 albums than any 1 albums. (a combination of 410,000
woman in history. Swift ties Drake’s record of physical and 96,600 digital
“Speak Now (Taylor’s Ver- 12 No. 1 records, but sits just sales.)
sion)”, released earlier this behind Jay-Z, who has 14 With those figures, Swift has
month, is the third in her No. 1 albums to his name, dethroned country singer
endeavor to re-record her and the Beatles, who have Morgan Wallen, whose al-
first six albums, instigated 19. bum “One Thing at a Time” Taylor Swift arrives at the 65th annual Grammy Awards, Feb. 5,
by music manager Scoot- In addition to hitting this sold 501,000 units in its first 2023, in Los Angeles.
er Braun’s sale of her early incredible milestone, Swift week.q Associated Press