petermolnar.com Blog » FMSA

Newspaper published, finally

Peter Molnar — Tue, 30 May 2006 09:04:40 +0000

So, yesterday, May 30th, the May 2nd issue of the paper finally came out. There are a few appearance issues with pixelated images and layout problems, but all in all, i’m happy with it.

I had a talk with Meirav (FMSA president) the other day, about this whole conflict we’re having with their new need to ‘approve’ my paper. I still feel it’s unnacceptable. I was accused of being childish and not being a team player, and threatened once again with being kicked out of the student association. That’s free speach for you. It turns out that they actually halted the printing and got the printer to send them a copy of the proofs to approve it before it rolled off the press. It was ‘approved’, of course. This still doesn’t resolve the fundamental differences we have here. They are not editors.

Anyway, i’ve gotta get back to studying. I’ll deal with this next year.

Continuing open conversation about the newspaper. Response to Mats.

Peter Molnar — Wed, 24 May 2006 02:04:23 +0000

I encourage you, in the name of press freedom and free speech, to
continue disseminating this conversation.> Answer to Peter!
> Sorry Peter, but I need to correct you on your position!

I understand where you are coming from, but I’m afraid you are
mistaken. I need no correction on my position. As previous
vice-president, i was one of the architects of these latest fmsa
elections and positions. i believe therefore that i am sufficiently
well-versed in the definition of and the expectations of this role,
that i did, after all, help to define myself. But thank you for your
concern.

> Your goals are well and nice, but your role you have misunderstood!
> Yes, you are the editor, but if we(Meirav, Danni and me) didnt see the
> paper before it is released, it is by definition not the FMSA paper.It
> will be the Peter-paper.

I do not see how your not seeing it first precludes it from being an
fmsa paper. At any rate, I have no problem with you seeing it – i have
a problem with handing censorship rights to you. How can you say that
a paper whose primary focus is the unedited publication of all the
points of view of fmsa members (as I’ve defined that to be it’s
primary goal) is not an fmsa paper? Under what circumstances would you
reject the paper? If you did have the power to send it back demanding
changes, then YOU would be the editor. But you are not. I am.

> The editor position does not give you the dictatorship of the paper.
> Look at us as the owners of the paper if that makes it easier. We
> shall see the papers before they are released, and no paper that is
> not approved by all three of us(again; Meirav, Danni and me) shall
> ever again be released! The paper is representing us, therefore it is
> important for us to have a strict control over it!

I can agree with aspects of your ‘owners’ analogy. But as it’s
metaphorical shareholders, like at any other newspaper, your position
does not entitle you to an issue by issue review of its contents, but
at most the drawing up of guidelines for the paper that the editor is
to follow. There is a sharp line that must be drawn in the metaphor,
however, in terms of the implication that you are my direct bosses.
you are not.
within any such fmsa guidelines, however, the editor must have
complete creative control. This does not make me the newspaper
‘dictator’ but it does allow my to dictate what does or does not get
published, with the exception of any articles from the fmsa board,
which as i have already stated, i pledge to publish exactly as I
receive them. This does not turn it from an fmsa to a ‘peter’ paper,
or any other person’s paper. It does, however, focus the
responsibility to the editor. I challenge you to find a single
elected-editor university newspaper where that editor does not have
complete control over the creative content of the paper.
The paper does represent the fmsa, and it does so insofar as it also
represents the students (i will remind you that the fmsa’s direct role
is to represent these students). these students’ lack of
dissatisfaction with my running of the paper (with the exception of
two complaints i received about ‘not enough pictures’ – which i took
into consideration when producing this next issue) shows their faith
in me.

> I hope you can understand this, if not I am afraid we will have to
> find someone else to do this job for us, which we really hope we
> wouldnt have to!
> We want to keep you on the team, but you have to be cooperative on this point!

I regret and resent the idea that you feel that you have the power to
‘fire’ me from this position. That implies that i work for you, which
i do not. I ‘work’ for the students, independently. As I have the FMSA
Position of Editor of the fmsa newspaper for the following year, it
will be run under my leadership. If you or anybody should feel that i
have done a poor job, or that you or they might do a better job, i
encourage you or them to run for the position themselves at next
year’s elections. Until then, I am the editor.
I would appreciate an apology from you for insulting me in this way.

> Following your conversation with Meirav, we hope You will send us the
> paper by tonight!

I have taken great offence to this new fmsa’s implication from it’s
actions that it feels i am not suited for this job, and particularly
at it’s apparent thirst for power. I take great pride in the work that
i have produced, and will be happy to discuss it’s contents with
anybody who might have an opinion about it either positive or
negative.
I do feel that the best way to experience it as it was intended is in
physical paper format as opposed to electronic format, however, and i
therefore invite you to wait a few days for its tangible publication
before enjoying this year’s final edition. I will gladly entertain
your views about its content at that time, and will take any and all
suggestions into consideration for the first issue of next year.

> All the best on your finals!

Likewise to you!

> Mats

Peter

Open answer to Peter! (from Mats Foshaug)

Peter Molnar — Tue, 23 May 2006 19:29:14 +0000

Answer to Peter!Sorry Peter, but I need to correct you on your position!

Your goals are well and nice, but your role you have misunderstood! Yes, you are the editor, but if we(Meirav, Danni and me) didnt see the paper before it is released, it is by definition not the FMSA paper.It will be the Peter-paper.

The editor position does not give you the dictatorship of the paper. Look at us as the owners of

the paper if that makes it easier. We shall see the papers before they are released, and no paper that is not approved by all three of us(again; Meirav, Danni and me) shall ever again be released! The paper is representing us, therefore it is important for us to have a strict control over it!

I hope you can understand this, if not I am afraid we will have to find someone else to do this job for us, which we really hope we wouldnt have to!

We want to keep you on the team, but you have to be cooperative on this point!

Following your conversation with Meirav, we hope You will send us the paper by tonight!

All the best on your finals!

Mats

Open letter about the FMSA Newspaper

Peter Molnar — Tue, 23 May 2006 17:02:08 +0000

An Open Letter to board and other members of the FMSA, and any other
interested parties at the university of debrecen medical school

Misunderstanding of roles about my position as editor of the FMSA newspaper.

The latest (and last for this year) edition of the FMSA newspaper has
been sent to the printers.

This has resulted in a very surprising backlash toward me about not
having it ‘approved’ by the president and vice president(s?) for
publication before it was sent off. I must make my positoin clear that

as editor, it is – BY DEFINITION – MY responsibility to get the paper
published, and therefore I am the one with the creative control to
have its contents approved. That is, again, by definition, what an
editor does. Otherwise my title would be type-setter, author,
photographer, contributor, or something else of that nature (all of
which are jobs that i have also gladly been doing), but not editor.

My current printing guidelines are:
1) to print, verbatim, all articles written and contributed by each
and every fmsa member.
2) to print, with as little editing as possible, all articles written
by any fmsa student so long as their articles fit these guidelines.
3) to discourage anonymous contributions, but not ban them, and
consider them on a case by case basis.
4)) to accommodate, as much as possible, any and all articles by the
administration or staff, should they wish to contribute (ei – like the
notices from the English office that we are asked once in a while to
forward to students).
5) to accommodate, under the full guidance of president and financial
officer, any and all advertising they may have negotiated for the
fmsa.
6) to maintain a level of good taste and humour, without profanity,
and report on events that affect the lives of students at the
university of debrecen medical school, both in and around the school,
particularly FMSA events.

my other goals as editor for next year include
a) a pre-determined publication schedule of roughly 3, 4, or 5
editions per semester. (to be discussed by the fmsa board members)
b) in addition to any other articles you may wish to write, to ask
each fmsa member to write brief mid and end semester report about the
issues and resolutions facing your particular post.
c) to enlist as many student contributors as possible to make this a
true student newspaper. It is my contention that rather than be an
fmsa pamphlet, the fmsa newspaper must play its role as a ’student
newspaper’ facilitated by the FMSA.

it is my firm belief that my strict adherence to these guidelines
(points that i am very receptive to hearing opinions about through
discussion with the FMSA’s other members) removes any further need for
approval of the content of the paper. again – *I* am the editor.

I recognize that my view of the paper’s role may not be shared by
everybody else, but this is the direction in which it will be steered
under my guidance. While another editor may have taken the paper in
another direction, my post was uncontested at the FMSA elections, and
having been awarded the post as incumbent, i fully expect that i be
allowed to continue to run the paper as i deem appropriate.

I look forward to reading your positions on this matter.

Yours,

Peter Molnar,
Editor FMSA newspaper.