Charlie LeDuff nominated for nat'l journalism award

**Reality_Check** · April-23-09, 10:17 AM

Try to be nice now, y'all . . .

An April '08 profile of legendary photographer Robert Frank [[The Americans, classic 1958 book) by Charlie for Vanity Fair is one of seven newly announced nominees in the Best Profile / Traditional Media category of the third annual Mirror Awards honoring excellence in media industry reporting.

Winners will be announced in June in NYC by Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public Communications, my alma mater.

Charlie's magazine piece, 'Robert Frank's Unsentimental Journey,' is based partly on a trip he made with Frank to Pingyao, China, where the photographer/film director was honored at a photography festival. It's here:
http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/fe...04/frank200804

Reflects well on The News, IMHO, to have a journalist of this caliber . . . though I respect that his amped-up style and me-ness tendencies don't suit everybody's taste.

**cloud_wall** · April-23-09, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by Reality_Check

Reflects well on The News, IMHO, to have a journalist of this caliber . . . though I respect that his amped-up style and me-ness tendencies don't suit everybody's taste.

Well said; congrats to Charlie and The News. The arguments over his work on this forum are some of my favorite threads to read. We have some very discerning readers among our ranks. I'm sure this will be another good long fight.

**Bobl** · April-23-09, 10:52 AM

I believe that his writing is good, even lyrical. It's his attitude and ego, and a bit too much borrowing, that annoys me.
Using "Travels With Charlie" really put me over the edge.

**ruxy17** · April-23-09, 11:03 AM

Just something I noticed....

You know how when a newspaper article has to continue on another page, the continuation-headline is something that is somehow representative of the story? Like "see Schools, page A4" or "see General Motors, page D12."

I noticed that pretty much every single one of Charlie LeDuff's articles "continuation headline" is his last name. Not sure if that's something that he influences, but it just adds to my "Charlie LeDuff loves himself just a little too much" opinion.

**mauser** · April-23-09, 11:25 AM

LeDuffs work is sort of a combination of Charles Kerault and Diane Arbus. Homey down to earth approach to some really startling and at time uncomfortable portraits of his subjects, and by default of the reader.

And yes - these debates over his work are very valuable, and personally have helped me finally find proper appreciation for the dudes work.

If the shit hes laying down had no power, none of us would be puzzling over any of it.

The rest of the local media folks should be taking note, if they are not already.

**mauser** · April-23-09, 11:33 AM

And I am completely satisfied that the raccoon hunter story was absolutely legit. Like I said before, no editor at DetNews would run such a similar topic if Charlies story had not already been in the pipe. LeDuff might have gotten scooped on getting to press with it, but his approach to the story wasnt at all the same anyway. In the final analysis, it was merely coincidental in the simplest sense of the word.