The 50th anniversary commemoration events for the May 4, 1970, shootings at Kent State University were canceled because of the new coronavirus, but some are still working to make sure the tragedy is not forgotten.
“When Truth Mattered: The Kent State Shootings 50 Years Later” is a new book from Robert Giles, a former managing editor of the Akron Beacon Journal.
Giles said the tragedy happened in an era with fewer ways to get information, so it was important that people could trust newspapers to do what they could to get the story right. He also said he sees parallels in what people wanted from their news in 1970 and what they want from their news today.
“There’s a public hunger for truth today. There was then," he said. "The focus is really on getting accurate information and trust. It’s so much more critical than ever."
Giles appeared on the public radio program “Here & Now” Friday to discuss his new book, why he says newspapers are still so important, and how the Beacon Journal managed to get the correct story right away.
