NBC historian to speak today

The IU School of Journalism will bring historian Michael Beschloss to campus today to discuss how news media have played a role in past and present presidential elections.\nThe event, which is slated to start at 7 p.m. at the IU Auditorium, will be the third and final lecture for the School of Journalism’s Spring Speaker Series.\nBeschloss, the current on-air presidential historian for NBC news, has written several books about presidents such as “The Crisis Years: Kennedy and Khrushchev,” “Eisenhower: A Centennial Life” and his most recent book “Presidential Courage: Brave Leaders and How They Changed America 1789-1989,” according to the PBS Web site.\nThe historian has also been a commentator on shows broadcast on NBC and PBS, said Beth Moellers, director of communications for the IU School of Journalism.\nTim Street, assistant communications director for the IU School of Journalism, said Beschloss was chosen as a speaker because he is a well-known journalist who has worked in print and broadcast media.\nSpeakers for the IU School of Journalism’s Spring Speaker Series are meant to share experience with students and allow students to meet working professionals, Street said.\n“As always, our goal with the speakers is to bring practicing professionals,” Street said.\nMoellers said she wants students and the community to learn about how the media has played a role in past presidential elections because of how much impact the media is having on the current presidential election.\n“Obviously, the media is playing a huge role in this year’s elections,” Moellers said. “We want our students and Bloomington to be exposed to a wide variety of ideas.”\nBloomington residents and IU students will have a chance to voice their opinion in Indiana’s May 6 primary with 84 delegates at stake.\nStreet said he is interested in what Beschloss thinks about the current presidential race since Indiana has recently become a crucial state for the Democratic presidential primary. \nBeschloss will also have lunch and dinner with a small number of students and faculty members throughout the day, Street said.\nThe free lecture will include a question and answer session and a book signing session after his speech, Moellers said. Past speakers in the Spring Speaker Series include The New York Times’ William Safire and CNN broadcaster Andrea Koppel.