John L. Hess
Encyclopedia
John L. Hess was a prominent American investigative journalist
who worked for many years at The New York Times
. He left the Times in 1978 and wrote a memoir about his years there, My Times: A Memoir of Dissent.
. He began in journalism
with the Bisbee Daily Review in Bisbee, Arizona
, a town controlled by the Phelps Dodge
copper company, but he left the newspaper — also owned by Phelps Dodge
— when it interfered with his reporting. He served in the United States Merchant Marine
during World War II
.
After jobs with United Press, the Associated Press
, New York Daily News
, and The New York Post, Hess started working at the Times in 1954; first on the foreign copy desk, later becoming a night-shift reporter. In 1964, he moved to Paris to help start a European edition of the International Herald Tribune
.
He returned to New York City in 1972 and was briefly the Times food editor. Hess hated the term "gourmet" because he believed that those who used the term sought or advertised prestige and price rather than quality and taste. He once gave the neighborhood of Chinatown
four stars - the only four stars he awarded while the Times food editor. The Taste of America, which he co-wrote with his wife Karen Hess
, excoriated American cooking and singled out such celebrity chef
s as Julia Child
and Craig Claiborne
as contributing to the decline of the American palate.
In 1974, he won a citation from the US Department of Health, Education and Welfare for an investigation into corrupt nursing home operators. Dave Lindorff wrote that Hess's "expose of New York State's nursing home scandals stands today as a model of what an aggressive and uncompromising Fourth Estate
can do if it wants to."
After his retirement, Hess contributed regularly to The Nation
, CounterPunch
and Extra!
, among other publications, in addition to work in television and radio journalism. He also served as media watchdog for WBAI
, the New York City listener-sponsored radio station.
In addition to his memoirs, Hess also published several other books: Vanishing France, The Case for De Gaulle, and The Grand Acquisitors, about the business of art museums.
John Hess died in Manhattan on January 21, 2005 of pneumonia at the age of 87.
Investigative journalism
Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, often involving crime, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report. Investigative journalism...
who worked for many years at The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
. He left the Times in 1978 and wrote a memoir about his years there, My Times: A Memoir of Dissent.
Biography
Hess was born in New York City, and studied history at City College of New YorkCity College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
. He began in journalism
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...
with the Bisbee Daily Review in Bisbee, Arizona
Bisbee, Arizona
Bisbee is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States, 82 miles southeast of Tucson. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 6,177...
, a town controlled by the Phelps Dodge
Phelps Dodge
Phelps Dodge Corporation was an American mining company founded in 1834 by Anson Greene Phelps and William Earle Dodge, Sr.. On March 19, 2007, it was acquired by Freeport-McMoRan and now operates under the name Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.-History:...
copper company, but he left the newspaper — also owned by Phelps Dodge
Phelps Dodge
Phelps Dodge Corporation was an American mining company founded in 1834 by Anson Greene Phelps and William Earle Dodge, Sr.. On March 19, 2007, it was acquired by Freeport-McMoRan and now operates under the name Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.-History:...
— when it interfered with his reporting. He served in the United States Merchant Marine
United States Merchant Marine
The United States Merchant Marine refers to the fleet of U.S. civilian-owned merchant vessels, operated by either the government or the private sector, that engage in commerce or transportation of goods and services in and out of the navigable waters of the United States. The Merchant Marine is...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
After jobs with United Press, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
, and The New York Post, Hess started working at the Times in 1954; first on the foreign copy desk, later becoming a night-shift reporter. In 1964, he moved to Paris to help start a European edition of the International Herald Tribune
International Herald Tribune
The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. It combines the resources of its own correspondents with those of The New York Times and is printed at 38 sites throughout the world, for sale in more than 160 countries and territories...
.
He returned to New York City in 1972 and was briefly the Times food editor. Hess hated the term "gourmet" because he believed that those who used the term sought or advertised prestige and price rather than quality and taste. He once gave the neighborhood of Chinatown
Chinatown, Manhattan
Manhattan's Chinatown , home to one of the highest concentrations of Chinese people in the Western hemisphere, is located in the borough of Manhattan in New York City...
four stars - the only four stars he awarded while the Times food editor. The Taste of America, which he co-wrote with his wife Karen Hess
Karen Hess
Karen Loft Hess was an American culinary historian. Her 1977 book The Taste of America co-authored with her late husband, John L. Hess, established them as anti-establishment members of the culinary world....
, excoriated American cooking and singled out such celebrity chef
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
s as Julia Child
Julia Child
Julia Child was an American chef, author, and television personality. She is recognized for introducing French cuisine to the American public with her debut cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and her subsequent television programs, the most notable of which was The French Chef, which...
and Craig Claiborne
Craig Claiborne
Craig Claiborne was an American restaurant critic, food writer and former food editor of the New York Times. He was the author of numerous cookbooks and an autobiography...
as contributing to the decline of the American palate.
In 1974, he won a citation from the US Department of Health, Education and Welfare for an investigation into corrupt nursing home operators. Dave Lindorff wrote that Hess's "expose of New York State's nursing home scandals stands today as a model of what an aggressive and uncompromising Fourth Estate
Fourth Estate
The concept of the Fourth Estate is a societal or political force or institution whose influence is not consistently or officially recognized. The Fourth Estate now most commonly refers to the news media; especially print journalism, referred to hereon as "The Press"...
can do if it wants to."
After his retirement, Hess contributed regularly to The Nation
The Nation
The Nation is the oldest continuously published weekly magazine in the United States. The periodical, devoted to politics and culture, is self-described as "the flagship of the left." Founded on July 6, 1865, It is published by The Nation Company, L.P., at 33 Irving Place, New York City.The Nation...
, CounterPunch
Counterpunch
Counterpunch can refer to:* Counterpunch , a punch in boxing* CounterPunch, a bi-weekly political newsletter* Counterpunch , a type of punch used in traditional typography* Punch-Counterpunch, a Transformers character...
and Extra!
Extra!
Extra! is a monthly magazine of media criticism published by the media watch group FAIR. First published in 1987, its first full-time editor was Martin A. Lee. Since 1990, it has been edited by Jim Naureckas...
, among other publications, in addition to work in television and radio journalism. He also served as media watchdog for WBAI
WBAI
WBAI, a part of the Pacifica Radio Network, is a non-commercial, listener-supported radio station, broadcasting at 99.5 FM in New York City.Its programming is leftist/progressive, and a mixture of political news and opinion from a leftist perspective, tinged with aspects of its complex and varied...
, the New York City listener-sponsored radio station.
In addition to his memoirs, Hess also published several other books: Vanishing France, The Case for De Gaulle, and The Grand Acquisitors, about the business of art museums.
John Hess died in Manhattan on January 21, 2005 of pneumonia at the age of 87.
External links
- John L. Hess: Dissents; John L. Hess's blog
- Extra! articles by John L. Hess
- "John L. Hess, a Great American Journalist," by Dave Lindorff, CounterPunch, January 21, 2005 (obituary)
- "John L. Hess and His Times," by Alexander Zaitchik, New York Press, January 26, 2005 (obituary)
- "And We Call It the 'Paper of Record'!" by Louis Proyect, Swans, January 31, 2005 (review)
- "Correction," The New York Times, February 14, 2005 (correction to obituary)