The Patten University College Program is currently teaching a beginning journalism class. The class includes all inmates listed as being a part of the San Quentin News. The mission of the SQ News is to report everything to the population that will help make informed decisions for those in prison. Mistakes happen in “real” newspapers every day.
We have put out requests for help from the population, as well as the journalism class, and it has been answered on many fronts. An Advisory Board has been formed, and is now meeting with the fledgling news editors. Its members include: Steve McNamara , former owner of the Pacific Sun, Steve Cook, former reporter for the Marin Independent Journal and San Francisco Examiner, and Joan Lisetor, a former writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, and previous advisor to the SQ News during its earlier operation.
Our mentor is John Eagan, retired Associated press writer, and former chief editor of the Novato Advance and Petaluma Argus Courier. He is also the former publisher of the Marinscope Community Newspaper. Eagan is looking over our shoulder, and using his years of wisdom to get the SQ News back up to what it once was – an award-winning publication. It’s NOT there yet, and we know it. We hope and expect continued improvement, and appreciate your future support and input.
