Penn State Sex-Abuse Scandal

As a longtime broadcast newsman and member of the Penn State community, Lou Prato has a special perspective on the media coverage of the sex-abuse scandal that has rocked the university over the past month. And he doesn’t like what he has seen. “There has been good reporting on the national level, but I am ashamed, embarrassed and I’m angry at how a large contingent of the media has reported and analyzed this story with such a pile-on mentality.”

WJAC Johnstown, Pa., reporter Gary Sinderson says the university’s culture of protecting its reputation and limited time prevented him from investigating the “whispers” about former coach Jerry Sandusky. Corporate downsizing has eliminated a lot of enterprise reporting. “Pushing the limits — informing the public and getting people to debate and discuss the issues, even when they include facts like the Sandusky case that they may not want to talk about — is a good thing. We need more of that kind of journalism.”