Grade the News

Evaluating print and broadcast news in the San Francisco Bay Area from A to F.

Grade the News Advisor Ned Schnurman, 78, dies in New York

By John McManus
Posted June 1, 2004

When I contacted Ned Schnurman back in 1994 to ask him to serve on Grade the News' advisory board, he said yes without hesitation. He had come recommended by Hodding Carter III. Ned had originated the PBS news critique "Inside Story" iin 1981 and hired Hodding as his anchor. The two men had great respect for each other.

I never met Ned until a trip to New York for the duPont Columbia Awards in 2000. During one of the day-long symposia Ned identified himself while asking a question. We met for breakfast the next morning.

A diminutive, lively and dapper man who refused to tell his age, Ned regaled me with stories of his years with Hodding producing "Inside Story." He encouraged me to keep pursuing Grade the News and offered a variety of useful suggestions.

Grade the News and I will miss his thoughtful support.

His obituary appeared in the New York Times on Monday.

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A project of the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at San Jose State University, Grade the News is affiliated with the Graduate Program in Journalism at Stanford University and KTEH, public television in Silicon Valley.

Monitoring the Bay Area's most popular news media:

Knight Ridder

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Knight Ridder

KTVU, Oakland (FOX)

KRON, San Francisco

KPIX, San Francisco (CBS)

KGO, San Francisco (ABC)

KNTV, San Jose (NBC)

Bay Area media advocates:

Media Alliance

Center for the Integration and Improvement of Journalism at SFSU

Maynard Institute

Youth Media Council

Project Censored

New California Media

Society of Professional Journalists, Northern California chapter

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