PRINTMissouri Honor Medalists: Rod Gelatt
MU recognizes seven journalists with the presentation of the Missouri Honor Medal
Courtesy of Missouri School of Journalism
Rod Gelatt will receive a Missouri Honor Medal Oct. 20.
October 15, 2009 | 12:00 a.m. CST
Rod Gelatt, Professor Emeritus at MU
Rod Gelatt has been a familiar face around MU’s journalism school since 1963. While instructing students in the ways of radio and television, Gelatt has seen the campus, technology and students evolve over the past 46 years.
What: What's Your Plan for the Next 40 Years?
Date: Tues., Oct. 20
Time: 9:30-10:45 a.m.
Where: Tucker Forum, MU Campus
How long have you been involved in journalism?
Oh boy. It depends what you select as a starting point. If I select my neighborhood newspaper that I put out in the fifth grade, this takes us back to probably somewhere in the late 1930s. I don’t think it lasted longer than a couple of issues. It was little random thoughts about what was going on in the neighborhood: someone’s dog was lost, or their bicycle was stolen, stuff like that.
When did you come to MU?
I came here in 1963, came here as news director at KOMU and the broadcast faculty, which consisted of three people. I anchored news at 6 o’clock and 10 o’clock and was news director there for 11 years. I moved to KBIA and was news director there the next 11 years. I spent one year teaching, and then I spent six years as broadcast news department chair. I also hosted “Missouri Forum” during that time. It was a public affair program aired every Sunday, and I hosted it for 12 years. That particular act ended in the early part of 1993.
I retired officially in September of ’92. About the same time, I created another program called “Views of the News” on KBIA radio, and I hosted that show for about 14 to 15 years. That was a media critique program.
What are some of the biggest changes you have seen in the journalism school?
First, the biggest ones are the most obvious changes, the technical ones. The new developments: black-and-white film to color film to video and the various construction projects around the college campus. Students I think are not as news conscious. I think they have more interests. I think students have changed what they want to do with their careers. Back then, you were a newspaper writer, a copy editor or a magazine writer.
You worked for KOMU and KBIA. Are there differences between teaching at a radio station versus a TV station besides the obvious one of visuals?
In terms of writing style, I don’t think there were major differences. It seemed to me that radio was always a proper stepping stone for TV. When you work on radio or TV, you have to learn what is called “writing for the ear.” It’s a much simpler type of writing than a newspaper. You have to be conversational in your writing and then worry later about the visuals. I had a very difficult time convincing students of that.
What is your favorite thing about journalism?
I would say it’s always learning something you didn’t know before, or there is kind of a sense of satisfaction of knowing something before other people do and then being able to tell people about it. I always liked being a reporter more than sitting in a newsroom. That way, you get to meet people and ask questions, and you can read people.
What was your reaction when you heard you were receiving the Missouri Honor Medal?
I think my first reaction was, “Why me?” Why did they select me of all the possibilities? If you look at the people who have received this medal, you look at that list, and it makes you ask even more, why me? You see names of Walter Cronkite and Tom Brokaw, just a whole bunch of really famous and prominent people.
The second reaction was, “I guess I have to rent a tux,” which I’ve done by the way.
Your master class is called What’s Your Plan for the Next 40 Years? What will you be speaking about?
The reason for that title is that one of the things I’ve done is meet with prospective students. I would ask them, why are you here? What makes you think you can do journalism? Most of the time, they would look at their shoelaces. I want to make that point that no matter what they wanted to do, it’s already changed.
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