[Aaus-list] Letters and op-eds - response to Bohdan Vitvitsky

[ajmotyl at andromeda.rutgers.edu]

The media turn to people who write articles, op-eds, blogs, etc. They
often do Google searches and then pursue the leads. If people don't write,
the media will not turn to them: it's that simple. Cohen writes. The media
turn to him. If Ukraine scholars start writing more, the media will turn
to them too.


> One question and one problem:
> Those of you who have academic affiliations: are you permitted to submit
> letters to the editor or op-eds on official letterhead, or at least citing
> your affiliation?
> The problem: The Washington Post, at least, requires that if you submit a
> letter to the editor (not even an op-ed) you certify that you have not
> submitted any letter or other writing of similar content anywhere else,
> even on the internet. Thus, you basically have one shot on a given topic.
> (Of course, after several days have gone by and you are sure they aren't
> going to print your letter, which is what usually happens, then you can
> start over, but again, adhering to the exclusivity requirement.)
> I don't know whether other serious publications have such a rule, but
> while it has a reasonable justification, it does limit our ability to
> voice our views, especially if we don't have an academic affiliation.
> As for the media: it is annoying that they turn to the likes of Stephen F.
> Cohen and Vladimir Posner - Russia experts who happen to be hostile to
> Ukraine -- instead of real Ukraine experts like Profs. Motyl and Kuzio.
> AS
>
> From: Aaus-list [mailto:aaus-list-bounces at ukrainianstudies.org] On Behalf
> Of Bohdan Vitvitsky
> Sent: Saturday, March 01, 2014 7:45 AM
> To: aaus-list at ukrainianstudies.org
> Subject: [Aaus-list] Ukraine
>
> Ladies and Gentlemen in Ukrainian Studies,
>
> It is astounding to have to continue to see/hear various Toms, Dicks and
> Harrys opine on TV or radio or in periodicals about contemporary or
> historical Ukraine and/or Ukraine/Russia and/or Crimea etc. who say some
> of the most stupid and/or ignorant and/or careless things imaginable.  Is
> anyone other than Motyl and Kuzio writing any letters and/or op-eds in
> response thereto???  (Yes, I am writing and submitting them and have had a
> letter published in the Financial Times, but I do not have an academic
> affiliation, which makes the publication hill even a little harder to
> climb.)
>
> -Bohdan Vitvitsky
> _______________________________________________
> Aaus-list mailing list
> Aaus-list at ukrainianstudies.org
> http://mail.ukrainianstudies.org/mailman/listinfo/aaus-list_ukrainianstudies.org
>