Socolow cited in Columbia Journalism Review piece ‘Ideal Filler’

The Columbia Journalism Review interviewed Michael J. Socolow, director of the McGillicuddy Humanities Center, in an article titled “Ideal Filler,” which explores the history and recent dialogue surrounding the New York Times op-ed section. Socolow, an associate professor of communication and journalism, said when it was created in 1970, the aim of the publication’s op-ed page was “not to tell people what to think, but to tell them what to think about.” The piece also cited comments Socolow made in the Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, in which he noted that page earned notoriety by sparking controversy, making it “remarkably cost-effective.” According to Socolow, “the first six months of op-ed operation produced a net profit of $112,000 on $264,900 of revenues.”