Carlos Kelly McClatchy Memorial Lectures and Symposia

The Carlos Kelly McClatchy Memorial Lectures and Symposia were established in 1964 to bring Stanford University distinguished national and world leaders in the field of journalism. Its purpose is to give students a first hand insight into the responsibilities of journalism in a democratic society and to stimulate critical thinking about the performance of the mass media in the world today.

Carlos Kelly McClatchy (1891-1933) was born in Sacramento, CA. The son of the editor of the Sacramento Bee, he began his newspaper career following graduation from Columbia University. During World War I, he served with distinction with a California infantry regiment in France, earning his captaincy via a field promotion “in recognition of his gallantry” during the battle of the Argonne Forest. Following the Armistice, McClatchy returned to Sacramento to cover political campaigns, write editorials, and serve as the paper’s national correspondent in Washington, D.C. In 1922, he founded the Fresno Bee which he edited until his death. In 1923 he became general manager of the McClatchy Newspapers, and a few years later played a central role in the development of the McClatchy radio system. From 1922 until his death, McClatchy continued to build a reputation as an aggressive independent editor, always willing to challenge entrenched viewpoints. At his death, the Fresno Bee wrote that the West had lost “one of the most brilliant, progressive and dynamic of its newspaper personalities.”

57th Carlos Kelly McClatchy Symposium:
Hard New: Telling Complex and Engaging Stories About What Matters Most

The Elements of Journalism argues journalists have a responsibility to “make the significant interesting and relevant.” That is a steep challenge. But there are outlets that thrive by tackling complex topics with thoughtful framing, insightful analysis, and discerning narrative. This symposium is about craft, audience, and impact with three leaders in journalism who excel in making relevant and compelling what’s important and complex. The discussion included: Clara Jeffrey, Editor-in-Chief of Mother Jones and recipient of a PEN America award for editing; Errin Haines, Founding Mother and Editor at Large for The 19th, a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom covering the intersection of women, politics and policy, and an MSNBC Contributor; Nicolas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic, an American magazine founded in 1857, and author of "The Hawk and the Dove: Paul Nitze, George Kennan, and the History of the Cold War;" and moderated by Jeffrey Ball, scholar-in-residence at Stanford’s Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance. A former reporter and environment editor at The Wall Street Journal, he has written for numerous magazines, including Wired, Fortune, and The Atlantic. Filmed at the Bechtel Conference Center at the Freeman Spogli Institute at Stanford University on February 29, 2024.

56th Carlos Kelly McClatchy Symposium:
Opinion Writing in a Polarized Age: A Conversation with Bret Stephens

For generations, opinion writers at major U.S. newspapers were agenda setters, shaping how Americans thought about pressing policy issues. How has the role of the columnist changed amid a proliferation of news outlets, increasingly toxic and rampant polarization, and the explosion of social media, which enables anyone with an opinion to share it widely? What value do commentators have in 2023 and how do they navigate the new media ecosystem to have impact?

The 2023 McClatchy Symposium is a discussion between New York Times Op-ed columnist Bret Stephens and Janine Zacharia, the Carlos Kelly McClatchy Lecturer in Stanford’s Department of Communication. Bret Stephens is an op-ed columnist for the New York Times. He previously spent 16 years at the Wall Street Journal, most notably writing "Global View," the foreign-affairs column, for which he was awarded the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for distinguished commentary. 

55th Carlos Kelly McClatchy Symposium: Reporting About or Reporting For

Journalists writing about the working class often rely on stereotypes. The 2022 McClatchy Symposium focuses on how more nuanced portraits of an often-overlooked community are essential for effective storytelling and accountability. Discussion highlights how technologies like text messaging can be used to build relationships with audiences and to discover stories.

Panelists: Heather Bryant, Interim Executive Director, Tiny News Collaborative, Candice Fortman, Executive Director, Outlier Media, Farah Stockman, Editorial Board Member, The New York Times, and author of American Made: What Happens to People When Work Disappears.  

Moderated by Janine Zacharia, the Carlos Kelly McClatchy Lecturer in the Stanford Department of Communication.