News-Record.com

I've written about my former boss, mentor and friend, the late Cole C. Campbell, several times, but most recently at his untimely death last January.

Cole left many legacies, but the one he felt most passionate about was journalism and its role of building community and democracy. He was also well before his time in the matter of giving journalistic power to the people. So I must link to the new Cole C. Campbell Dialogues on Democracy site.

Cole C. Campbell was passionate in his belief that journalism should play an essential role in a healthy democracy. He constantly challenged those in the fields of journalism and journalism education to find ways to tap into the needs and voices of the people within the public -- to engage individuals and the community in order to hear, validate, and problem-solve with them on issues of the day.

The site is hosted by the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno, where Cole was dean. I hope they build out the site. It looks like a keeper for substantive discussions on the future of the business.

(I am writting this one handed because I broke my wrist in a bike accident, which reminds me that many years ago he broke his collarbone after a bike accident. Coincidence? I don't think so.)