David Shaw (writer)
Encyclopedia
David Shaw was an American
journalist who was best known for his reporting for the Los Angeles Times
, where he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
in 1991
. He wrote criticism of food, wine, and film, but is perhaps best known for taking a critical eye on the media itself.
His first job in the journalism field arose after taking a job when he was 16-years-old as a janitor for a company that published a motorcycle newspaper, and earning a job as a reporter after covering a race when one of the staff didn't show up. Within five months he was the publication's editor.
He attended the University of California, Los Angeles
, earning a degree in English when he graduated in 1965.
In 1974, he was given an assignment by the paper's editor under which he would cover the news media. In 2002, he was given a column that was printed twice a week, once about news media and once about food and wine.
During his tenure at the Los Angeles Times, Shaw was given the opportunity to spend weeks to months working on an investigation of a single topic that drew his attention, in contrast to the typical day-by-day reporting of most covering the news media. Shaw was more than willing to address issues at the Times itself, including a four-part series published in 1990 that showed that the paper had a record for employing and advancing minority workers that was one of the worst in the area. A 1999 report, running to 37,000 words, documented an unpublicized deal between the paper and the Staples Center
under which a special Sunday supplement covering the arena would be published, with the proceeds from advertising split between the two, a deal considered to violate the "Chinese wall
" preventing conflict of interest
between the editorial and business portions of the paper. The report publicly criticized the parent company's CEO Mark H. Willes
, publisher Kathryn M. Downing, and Shaw's boss, editor Michael Parks
.
He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
in 1991
for his coverage of the McMartin preschool trial
and its claims that workers there had sexually abused children and performed Satanic rituals, which were later disproved and none of the accused were convicted after a trial that continued for several years. Shaw's investigations started after the verdicts were first released, and led him to conclude that the media did not perform investigative coverage of the prosecution's case, a failure that might have led to the earlier realization that the evidence offered in the case was "incredibly weak", as described by Ira Reiner
, who had served as Los Angeles County District Attorney
during the time of the trial.
Books written by Shaw included his 1973 celebrity biography of Wilt Chamberlain
, titled Wilt: Just Like Any Other 7-Foot Black Millionaire Who Lives Next Door. He also wrote the 1974 book The Levy Caper, Journalism Today: A Changing Press for a Changing America was published by Harper & Row in 1977, Press Watch came out in 1986, and he wrote his final published book in 1996, The Pleasure Police: How Bluenose Busybodies and Lily-Livered Alarmists Are Taking All the Fun Out of Life, published by Doubleday.
in Los Angeles due to a brain tumor
.
wrote a song titled "Border Village" on her solo CD Perplexions
in which David Shaw is mentioned in the last line as having died alone at 62.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist who was best known for his reporting for the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, where he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
The Pulitzer Prize for Criticism has been presented since 1970 to a newspaper writer who has demonstrated 'distinguished criticism'. Recipients of the award are chosen by an independent board and officially administered by Columbia University...
in 1991
1991 Pulitzer Prize
The following are the Pulitzer Prizes for 1991. The year was significant because not only were awards given for all categories, but two separate awards were given for International Reporting.- Journalism awards :*Public Service:...
. He wrote criticism of food, wine, and film, but is perhaps best known for taking a critical eye on the media itself.
Biography
(The initial paragraph was factually incorrect, please revise.)His first job in the journalism field arose after taking a job when he was 16-years-old as a janitor for a company that published a motorcycle newspaper, and earning a job as a reporter after covering a race when one of the staff didn't show up. Within five months he was the publication's editor.
He attended the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
, earning a degree in English when he graduated in 1965.
Journalism
He began working at the Huntington Park Signal while he was in college. He was hired as a reporter by the Long Beach Independent the year after he graduated and was hired by the Los Angeles Times in 1968.In 1974, he was given an assignment by the paper's editor under which he would cover the news media. In 2002, he was given a column that was printed twice a week, once about news media and once about food and wine.
During his tenure at the Los Angeles Times, Shaw was given the opportunity to spend weeks to months working on an investigation of a single topic that drew his attention, in contrast to the typical day-by-day reporting of most covering the news media. Shaw was more than willing to address issues at the Times itself, including a four-part series published in 1990 that showed that the paper had a record for employing and advancing minority workers that was one of the worst in the area. A 1999 report, running to 37,000 words, documented an unpublicized deal between the paper and the Staples Center
Staples Center
Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. Opening on October 17, 1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles...
under which a special Sunday supplement covering the arena would be published, with the proceeds from advertising split between the two, a deal considered to violate the "Chinese wall
Chinese wall
In business, a Chinese wall or firewall is an information barrier implemented within a firm to separate and isolate persons who make investment decisions from persons who are privy to undisclosed material information which may influence those decisions...
" preventing conflict of interest
Conflict of interest
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in the other....
between the editorial and business portions of the paper. The report publicly criticized the parent company's CEO Mark H. Willes
Mark H. Willes
Mark Hinckley Willes is a Latter-day Saint business leader who currently heads Deseret Management Corporation and CEO of the KSL Broadcast Group....
, publisher Kathryn M. Downing, and Shaw's boss, editor Michael Parks
Michael Parks
Michael Parks is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in almost fifty films and has made frequent TV appearances, but is probably best known for his work in recent years with Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, and Kevin Smith as well as the 1969 television series Then Came...
.
He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
The Pulitzer Prize for Criticism has been presented since 1970 to a newspaper writer who has demonstrated 'distinguished criticism'. Recipients of the award are chosen by an independent board and officially administered by Columbia University...
in 1991
1991 Pulitzer Prize
The following are the Pulitzer Prizes for 1991. The year was significant because not only were awards given for all categories, but two separate awards were given for International Reporting.- Journalism awards :*Public Service:...
for his coverage of the McMartin preschool trial
McMartin preschool trial
The McMartin preschool trial was a day care sexual abuse case of the 1980s. Members of the McMartin family, who operated a preschool in California, were charged with numerous acts of sexual abuse of children in their care. Accusations were made in 1983. Arrests and the pretrial investigation ran...
and its claims that workers there had sexually abused children and performed Satanic rituals, which were later disproved and none of the accused were convicted after a trial that continued for several years. Shaw's investigations started after the verdicts were first released, and led him to conclude that the media did not perform investigative coverage of the prosecution's case, a failure that might have led to the earlier realization that the evidence offered in the case was "incredibly weak", as described by Ira Reiner
Ira Reiner
Ira Kenneth Reiner is an American politician. He was the Los Angeles City Controller from 1977 to 1981, and was the Los Angeles City Attorney from 1981 to 1984, both times being succeeded by James Hahn. He is the Los Angeles County District Attorney from 1984 to 1992...
, who had served as Los Angeles County District Attorney
Los Angeles County District Attorney
The District Attorney of Los Angeles County prosecutes felony and misdemeanor crimes that occur within the jurisdiction of Los Angeles County, California....
during the time of the trial.
Books written by Shaw included his 1973 celebrity biography of Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
, titled Wilt: Just Like Any Other 7-Foot Black Millionaire Who Lives Next Door. He also wrote the 1974 book The Levy Caper, Journalism Today: A Changing Press for a Changing America was published by Harper & Row in 1977, Press Watch came out in 1986, and he wrote his final published book in 1996, The Pleasure Police: How Bluenose Busybodies and Lily-Livered Alarmists Are Taking All the Fun Out of Life, published by Doubleday.
Personal
Shaw died at age 62 on August 1, 2005 at Cedars-Sinai Medical CenterCedars-Sinai Medical Center
Originally established as Kaspare Cohn Hospital in 1902, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a non-profit, tertiary 958-bed hospital and multi-specialty academic health science centre located in Los Angeles, California, US. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over...
in Los Angeles due to a brain tumor
Brain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
.
Cultural references
Cellist Melora CreagerMelora Creager
Melora Creager, formerly Melora Mather, is an American cellist and singer-songwriter best known for her role as lead singer and chief composer of the cello rock trio Rasputina....
wrote a song titled "Border Village" on her solo CD Perplexions
Perplexions
Perplexions is an album by Rasputina frontwoman Melora Creager which was released on December 4, 2006, by the Filthy Bonnet Recording Company.-Track listing:#"Girl Lunar Explorer"#"Warbots"#"Sky Is Falling"#"Border Village"#"Krakatowa"...
in which David Shaw is mentioned in the last line as having died alone at 62.