Longtime Santa Barbara City College journalism professor Patricia Stark said the role of the Washington Post, Politico, the New York Times and other watchdog news outlets has never been more important to American Democracy, in the latest episode of Santa Barbara Talks with Josh Molina.
“Where would we be right now if we didn’t have our news organizations constantly reminding us that democracy is at great risk,” Stark said.
Stark taught journalism at Santa Barbara City College for 30 years, and has influenced thousands of students during her tenure. She served as the faculty advisor for the student newspaper, where she taught students how to report on public meetings, cover breaking news, write feature stories and understand the unparalleled important role that journalism plays in our society.
On the heels of the recent U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe vs. Wade, and mounting fears that the conservative majority has more upheaval in store, including a potential rejection of the landmark libel case New York Times vs. Sullivan, Stark shared her views on the state of the nation, the media and the necessity for journalists to challenge the establishment.
“It’s never been more important,” Stark said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s attacked. We’ve always had to have very thick skin in this profession, and we have to continue to do that because our work is more vital than ever before.”
Stark graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Louisiana State University, and a master’s degree in journalism from UC Berkeley. Prior to coming to City College, Stark worked as a reporter for the Contra Costa Times.
“I had two jobs that I never watched the clock,” Stark said. “I never thought, ‘Wow, when is this day going to end.’ I never had to wonder in the morning is there a reason to get out of bed. Both of my jobs, both as a practicing journalist and then as an instructor, there was a huge sense of purpose.”
For most of her career, Stark taught students the fundamentals of journalism, but also how to manage and produce a newspaper.
The Channels is regarded as one of the best community college newspapers in the country, and the staff has won hundreds of awards over the years. Stark worked with the students to transition from a print model to an online-only model in 2009, as the journalism industry was changing.
“What they learned at The Channels was, first, leadership, and probably the most important thing they learned is that they could do this,” Stark said. “They came in feeling major imposter syndrome, ‘Can I do this, no I can’t do this,’ and they left knowing they could do it. What students told me was that if I can do this, I can do anything.”
Stark said she chose to work at a community college because of the impact she could have on students.
“It’s the perfect job for an instructor who is a people person, because it is all about the students,” Stark said. “There is no better place for an instructor to be if he or she or they really want to feel like they are making a difference.”
Stark grew up poor in White Castle, Louisiana. Her mother went to the third grade, and her father went to the seventh. She is the youngest of six children.
She grew up Catholic and attended Catholic schools, which she also credits for instilling a strong respect for education.
She offers plenty of advice to young journalists during the 90-minute podcast.
“If this is for you, if you like journalism, immerse yourself in it, and I do believe you will be successful,” Stark said. “If this is for you, work really hard and totally engage in it, and there will be something there for you. I don’t know exactly what it will be, but it’s kind of up to young people today to create the kind of world they want.”
It’s still a career that involves great risk and self-sacrifice, she said.
“We need knowledgeable people with a broad knowledge of a lot of different things,” Stark said. “And you are just not going to get that by sitting on your computer on social media. You are going to have to go into the world, you are going to have to go into uncomfortable situations, you are going to have to keep learning.
“This is not a profession for people who want to relax and slack. It never has been and it isn’t now.”
Stark retired last year from Santa Barbara City College and is now working as a freelance editor.
Josh Molina has been a journalist in Santa Barbara for 20 years. He also covered City Hall for the San Jose Mercury News. In addition to working as a reporter at Noozhawk, he teaches journalism at Cal State University, Northridge and Santa Barbara City College. Please subscribe to his You Tube channel for more original content, including interviews, conversations, and talk about the state of the media locally and the nation.