William Gaines (professor)
Encyclopedia
William C. Gaines is an American
journalist
and professor of journalism. Gaines was a Pulitzer Prize
-winning investigative reporter for the Chicago Tribune
. He retired from the paper in 2001 and taught in the Department of Journalism at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
until his retirement and designation as an emeritus faculty member in 2007.
in 1956. He served two years in the United States Army
working for Armed Forces Radio in Germany
. In 1963, he became a reporter for the Chicago Tribune, and then became an investigative reporter in 1974. From 1975 to 1999, Gaines taught an investigative reporting course each semester at Columbia College
in Chicago. He was named to the Knight Chair in Journalism at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
in 2001, a post he held until he retired in 2007.
In 1988, Gaines and colleagues Dean Baquet
and Ann Marie Lipinski
won the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting
for a series on the self-interest and waste that plagued the Chicago City Council
.
Gaines was nominated in 1979 for a series about the problems of the elderly. Gaines and David Jackson
were nominated in 1996 for stories that probed questionable business dealings of the Nation of Islam
.
informant Deep Throat. Soon after the study, he set up a website, labeled presumptuous and arrogant by some, about the way in which he "uncovered" one of the great enduring mysteries of modern U.S. Politics.
He came to the conclusion that Fred F. Fielding
, a former senior partner at Wiley Rein LLP (then Wiley Rein & Fielding), a Washington, D.C. law firm, was Deep Throat. At the time of the Watergate scandal, Fielding was Associate Counsel
for President Richard Nixon
from 1970 to 1972, where he was the deputy to John Dean
during the Watergate scandal
.
On May 31, 2005, the actual Deep Throat, W. Mark Felt
, acknowledged his identity in an article in Vanity Fair
, exonerating Fielding.
On his website, boldly titled Deep Throat Uncovered, Gaines has written of a confrontation with John Dean about the identity of Deep Throat:
In an article at the journalism website PoynterOnline, Carl Bernstein
has said Gaines' attempt to out Deep Throat was not appropriate: "The last thing students in a journalism class should be doing is trying to find out who other reporters' sources are. They should be learning how to protect sources," and that Gaines "should be spanked."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
and professor of journalism. Gaines was a Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning investigative reporter for the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
. He retired from the paper in 2001 and taught in the Department of Journalism at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
until his retirement and designation as an emeritus faculty member in 2007.
Early life and career
Gaines earned a bachelor's degree in broadcasting at Butler UniversityButler University
Butler University is a private university located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health...
in 1956. He served two years in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
working for Armed Forces Radio in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. In 1963, he became a reporter for the Chicago Tribune, and then became an investigative reporter in 1974. From 1975 to 1999, Gaines taught an investigative reporting course each semester at Columbia College
Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago is one of the largest art colleges in the United States with nearly 12,000 students pursuing degrees within 120 undergraduate and graduate programs...
in Chicago. He was named to the Knight Chair in Journalism at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
in 2001, a post he held until he retired in 2007.
Pulitzer Prize
Gaines' first Pulitzer Prize came in 1976 as a member of an investigative team at the Tribune looking into unsafe medical practices at some Chicago hospitals.In 1988, Gaines and colleagues Dean Baquet
Dean Baquet
Dean P. Baquet is an American journalist, who on June 2, 2011 was named to become managing editor for news operations of The New York Times effective September 6....
and Ann Marie Lipinski
Ann Marie Lipinski
Ann Marie Lipinski is a journalist and the curator of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard. She is the former editor of the Chicago Tribune and Vice President for Civic Engagement at the University of Chicago...
won the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting
Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting
The Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting has been awarded since 1953, under one name or another, for a distinguished example of investigative reporting by an individual or team, presented as a single article or series in print journalism...
for a series on the self-interest and waste that plagued the Chicago City Council
Chicago City Council
The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 aldermen elected from 50 wards to serve four-year terms...
.
Gaines was nominated in 1979 for a series about the problems of the elderly. Gaines and David Jackson
David Jackson
David Jackson may refer to:*David Jackson , American physician, Continental Congressman for Pennsylvania*David Edward Jackson , American explorer, frontiersman, and trapper...
were nominated in 1996 for stories that probed questionable business dealings of the Nation of Islam
Nation of Islam
The Nation of Islam is a mainly African-American new religious movement founded in Detroit, Michigan by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad in July 1930 to improve the spiritual, mental, social, and economic condition of African-Americans in the United States of America. The movement teaches black pride and...
.
Watergate informant "uncovered"
Gaines led a study with several of his students in 2003 to determine the identity of WatergateWatergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
informant Deep Throat. Soon after the study, he set up a website, labeled presumptuous and arrogant by some, about the way in which he "uncovered" one of the great enduring mysteries of modern U.S. Politics.
He came to the conclusion that Fred F. Fielding
Fred F. Fielding
Fred Fisher Fielding is an American lawyer, and held the office of White House Counsel for US Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush.-Personal life:Fielding was born in Philadelphia and raised in Mechanicsville, Pennsylvania...
, a former senior partner at Wiley Rein LLP (then Wiley Rein & Fielding), a Washington, D.C. law firm, was Deep Throat. At the time of the Watergate scandal, Fielding was Associate Counsel
Counsel
A counsel or a counselor gives advice, more particularly in legal matters.-U.K. and Ireland:The legal system in England uses the term counsel as an approximate synonym for a barrister-at-law, and may apply it to mean either a single person who pleads a cause, or collectively, the body of barristers...
for President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
from 1970 to 1972, where he was the deputy to John Dean
John Dean
John Wesley Dean III is an American lawyer who served as White House Counsel to United States President Richard Nixon from July 1970 until April 1973. In this position, he became deeply involved in events leading up to the Watergate burglaries and the subsequent Watergate scandal cover-up...
during the Watergate scandal
Watergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
.
On May 31, 2005, the actual Deep Throat, W. Mark Felt
W. Mark Felt
William Mark Felt, Sr. was an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation , who retired in 1973 as the Bureau's Associate Director...
, acknowledged his identity in an article in Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
, exonerating Fielding.
On his website, boldly titled Deep Throat Uncovered, Gaines has written of a confrontation with John Dean about the identity of Deep Throat:
- He declined to respond to Smithsonian Magazine. John Dean has been steadfast in arguing Fielding would not have lied to him about being a source for the Post, and Dean bet Professor Gaines $100 that Gaines was wrong. Gaines took the bet.
In an article at the journalism website PoynterOnline, Carl Bernstein
Carl Bernstein
Carl Bernstein is an American investigative journalist who, at The Washington Post, teamed up with Bob Woodward; the two did the majority of the most important news reporting on the Watergate scandal. These scandals led to numerous government investigations, the indictment of a vast number of...
has said Gaines' attempt to out Deep Throat was not appropriate: "The last thing students in a journalism class should be doing is trying to find out who other reporters' sources are. They should be learning how to protect sources," and that Gaines "should be spanked."
Publications
Gaines has written several books:- Reich, Howard and William Gaines (2004). Jelly's Blues: The Life, Music, and Redemption of Jelly Roll Morton. Da Capo Press ISBN 0-306-81350-5
- Gaines, William (1998). Investigative Reporting for Print and Broadcast Wadsworth Publishing. ISBN 0-8304-1469-X